David Clifford of Kerry celebrates after the Allianz Football League Division 1 match between Tyrone and Kerry at Pomeroy Plunkett's GAA Club in Pomeroy, Tyrone. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile.
Allianz Football League Division 1
Kerry 3-13 (3-0-13) Tyrone 2-13 (2-3-7)
By Francis Mooney at Plunkett Park
David Clifford turned on the style in his first start of the season, sinking Tyrone with a superb hat-trick at Plunkett Park in Pomeroy to bring Kerry’s losing streak to an end.
A third straight loss for the Red Hands has sent them reeling into the drop zone with a real battle to avoid relegation.
After going seven points ahead, they were unable to drive home the advantage, the Munster men finishing strongly with an unanswered 1-5 down the home straight.
The prospect of a third straight defeat made this a must-win tie for both counties as they took on a tense battle to avoid being dragged into a relegation scrap.
A gusting crossfield wind made life difficult for both sides, but Kerry adapted best I the opening stages, moving the ball neatly through the hands to craft the scores that eased them into a four points lead
Brian O Beaglaoich, Dylan Geaney, Paudie Clifford and David Clifford, making his first start of the season, were all on target, and with goalkeeper Shane Ryan repeatedly joining the offensive effort, they had the home side under syustained pressure.
Then Ryan was almost caught out when Mattie Donnelly intercepted a clearance and went for goal from 45 metres, but the ball was caught up in the wind.
Tyrone, following a sluggish start, got their challenge going despite losing attacker Eoin McElholm to a black card, drawing level with a couple of two-pointers from Michael McKernan, and out-scoring the visitors by 0-4 to 0-1 during that ten-minute spell.
With McKernan and Frank Burns pressing from deep, they pushed on to go six clear, with Darragh Canavan coming off the bench for his first appearance this year, converting two frees, one of them a two-pointer.
But Kerry hit back with a 33rd minute David Clifford goal, rifled past Niall Morgan from Paul Geaney’s assist.
At the break, Tyrone led by 0-11 to 1-5, stretching the advantage through Canavan, before Kerry came close with a David Clifford screamer which rattled the crossbar.
But Tyrone composed themselves to craft a goal for Canavan, who smashed his shot to the roof of the net from Mark Bardley’s cross.
Darren McCurry made it a seven point game but Clifford once again rose to the challenge with another clinicl finish, Geaney again the provider.
Geaney and Diarmuid O’Connor tagged on points as they closed in on their hosts, but the Red Hands made another big move when Canavan raced through the middle to win a penalty, hauled down by Joe O’Connor.
Mark Bradley’s kick was saved by Shane Ryan, but he followed up to net the rebound, and Kerry were reduced to 13 men, black-carded O’Connor joined on the sideline by David Clifford, who also picked up a black.
However, Tyrone failed to score during that spell of numerical advantage, and with the O’Connors, Diarmuid and the reinstated Joe winning vital ball down the closing ten minute stretch, they staged a strong finish, hitting 1-5 without reply.
Clifford completed a glorious hat-trick on 62 minutes, another fabulous finish from Dylan Casey’s cross to point his side towards an important victory.
And he added a couple of frees for a 3-3 tally, Graham O’Sullivan completing the job with a late score.
Kerry scorers: David Clifford 3-3 (0-2f), Paul Geaney 0-3 (3f), Dylan Geaney, Paudie Clifford, Joe O’Connor, Diarmuid O’Connor, Brian O Beaglaoich, Graham O’Sullivan, Dylan Casey 0-1 each.
Tyrone scorers: Darragh Canavan 1-4 (2f, 12ptf), Mark Bradley 1-1, Michael McKernan 0-4 (2 2pt), Conn Kilpatrick 0-2 (1tpt), Darren McCurry 0-2 (2f).
Kerry: Shane Ryan; Damien Bourke, Jason Foley, Dylan Casey; Graham O’Sullivan, Mike Breen, Brian Ó Beaglaoich; Diarmuid O’Connor, Joe O’Connor; Darragh Lyne, Paudie Clifford, Ruairi Murphy; David Clifford, Paul Geaney, Dylan Geaney. Subs: Conor Geaney for D Geaney (46), Barry Dan O’Sullivan for Murphy (56), Micheal Burns for P Geaney (64), Paul Muphy for O Baglaoich (68)
Tyrone: Niall Morgan; Aidan Clarke, Peter Teague, Niall Devlin, Michael McKernan, Rory Brennan, Frank Burns; Brian Kennedy, Conn Kilpatrick; Mickey O’Neill, Mattie Donnelly, Ciaran Daly; Darren McCurry, Mark Bradley, Eoin McElholm. Subs; Darragh Canavan for O’Neill (21), Ruairi Canavan for McCurry (46), Seanie O’Donnell for Burns (51), Peter Harte for Donnelly (58), Kieran McGeary for McElholm (66).
Referee: Paddy Neilan (Roscommon).
