Kerry maintained their pursuit of a spot in the Allianz Football League final with a commanding win over Roscommon at Dr Hyde Park.
The visiting team, under Jack O’Connor’s guidance, clearly outperformed their hosts, culminating in Joe O’Connor’s injury-time goal, which underscored their deserved triumph.
David Clifford was a standout performer, contributing six points throughout the match, despite sending a penalty kick above the goal in the first half.
Kerry demonstrated early dominance by holding possession for an extended period right from the start, leading to O’Connor’s opening point.
This early momentum showcased Kerry’s strategy to penetrate Roscommon’s dense defense and create scoring opportunities.
Roscommon momentarily leveled the score through Ronan Daly, but Kerry quickly advanced with scores from Clifford, Barry Dan O’Sullivan, Seán O’Brien, and Darragh Roche, leading 0-06 to 0-01 by the first quarter.
Roscommon’s goalkeeper, Conor Carroll, momentarily lifted his team’s spirits with a remarkable 20th-minute score, marking a rare first-half highlight for his team.
Despite Roscommon’s brief second-half resurgence, with Enda Smith and Daire Cregg narrowing the gap, Kerry adeptly manipulated the defensive alignment to secure scoring chances, ultimately achieving most of their 1-17 scoreline from open play.
A goal from Cathal Heneghan in the 54th minute, following Diarmuid Murtagh’s setup, ignited the home crowd by reducing the deficit to three points. However, Kerry, bolstered by substitute Paul Geaney’s two points and O’Connor’s late goal, maintained their lead until the final whistle.
Roscommon, trailing Galway by two points yet possessing a superior scoring difference, faces a must-win situation against Derry at Celtic Park. Additionally, they rely on Kerry defeating Galway in Killarney to retain their Division One status, adding another layer of intrigue to the league’s finale.
