Kerry back on track

Kerry 0-12 Tyrone 0-9: There was little doubting this rare Kerry win over Tyrone at Austin Stack Park on Saturday night was merited but the home side should have posted a bigger total and that will give Pat O'Shea plenty to work on for the visit of leaders Derry to Killarney in two weeks' time.

This win by Kerry that kick-started their league campaign after defeat in Ballybofey will suffice for now as they continue to do without the likes of Colm Cooper, Mike Frank Russell, Paul Galvin and Darragh Ó Sé, who has returned to training.

It must be stated in mitigation that Tyrone were without many of their key players of recent times with Brian Dooher, Seán Cavanagh, Brian McGuigan still not ready while Stephen O'Neill appears to have left the scene for now.

Mickey Harte acknowledged that Tyrone have a lot to do but complimented Kerry on their deserved win: "Two points were needed by both sides here tonight, and Kerry got them and that's the bottom line. We would have preferred if Kerry had not lost in Donegal, then they might not have been so keen to win tonight.

"You have to hand it to Kerry, they are a fine side and they are missing key players, they are still very formidable, while the new players coming in are quality as well. Kerry will take some beating this year.

"It's early in the season and we will improve as time goes on, with some of our quality players coming back, which will help to bring the others on, so will be hoping that we will be stronger. But looking at Kerry they will take some beating in the summer."

Last year's winning captain Declan O'Sullivan felt work-rate was the key: "As a team we worked very hard and that was the main factor going out on the field against Tyrone. You just have to match them at work-rate and we did that tonight and maybe we worked a bit harder than them."

Kerry shot three early wides and then Enda McGinley punished them with the opening point. Kerry debutant Kieran O'Leary levelled in the fifth minute but Raymond Mulgrew fired Tyrone in front again.

The home side then added four unanswered points from Bryan Sheehan, Declan O'Sullivan, and two points from Seán O'Sullivan.

Tommy McGuigan closed the gap for Tyrone in the 19th minute but O'Leary added another from play. Tyrone were staying with Kerry with points from McGinley and Colm McCullagh but two late points from Sheehan from placed balls saw Kerry retire 0-8 to 0-5 in front at the interval.

Colm McCullagh reduced the deficit with another free and then followed up with a point from play as Tyrone only trailed by two with seven minutes left.

Kerry were not to be denied, however, as substitute Darren O'Sullivan scored a superb point and Declan O'Sullivan put the issue beyond doubt.

KERRY: D Murphy; M Ó Sé, T O'Sullivan, P Reidy; T Ó Sé, A O'Mahony, K Young; S Scanlon, T Griffin; S O'Sullivan (0-2), Declan O'Sullivan (0-2), D Moran; K O'Leary (0-2), K Donaghy (0-1), B Sheehan (0-4, two frees, one 45). Subs: Darren O'Sullivan (0-1) for D Moran, D Walsh for S O'Sullivan, T Walsh for B Sheehan.

TYRONE: P McConnell, P J Quinn, C McCarron, M Swift, D Harte, D Carlin, P Jordan, K Hughes, E McGinley (0-2), C Cavanagh, R Mulgrew (0-1), T McGuigan (0-1), N Gormley, O Mulligan, C McCullagh (0-5, three frees). Subs: D McCaul for D Carlin, J McMahon for C McCarron, S O'Neill for O Mulligan, C Holmes for N Gormley, S Cavanagh for R Mulgrew.

Referee: G Kinneavy (Galway).

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times