Kerry have been beaten 1-13 to 0-14 by Galway in the final round of Division 1 of the Allianz Football League as the Kingdom miss out on a final place but also retain their Division 1 status for 2024.
Galway could have got off to the best possible start but a brilliant save by Shane Murphy in the Kerry goal stopped a huge goal chance for the Tribesmen.
But it was Galway who started on top, with a free from Shane Walsh and a John Daly point from 30 yards putting the home side 2 points to the good. Tom O Sullivan replied for the Kingdom to cut the deficit in half after the opening 5 minutes.
After threats on goal by both sides, it was Galway who doubled their lead on the 10 minute mark through John Maher but that was almost immediately cancelled out by Barry O Sullivan. Matthew Tierney restored Galway’s 2 point lead on the 12th minute before Shane Walsh slotted over another free making the score 5 points to 2 on the quarter of an hour mark.
Galway were to go 4 points clear from the book of Tomo Cullane but the next two scores were for Kerry through Paudi Clifford and Tom O Sullivan, cutting the gap to 2. But on the 28th minute, Galway stretched their lead back to 3 with a point from midfielder John Maher. Barry O Sullivan got his second of the game on the half hour mark before Galway got a goal through Paul Conroy. A speculative point effort from 40 yard dropped short. Shane Murphy gathered it but he rebounded off the post and spilled the ball into his own net. Galway led 1-7 to 0-6 as the clock ticked into the red. A Sean O Shea free from close range was pointed in the last kick of the first half meaning Kerry trailed by 3 at the short whistle, 1-7 to 0-7.
The first score of the second half fell to Sean O Shea, who slotted over a free in the 36th minutes and he cut the deficit to a single score with another from play making it 1-7 to 0-9. Galway corner forward Cathal Sweeney fisted over Galway’s first point of the second half to double their advantage. A Comer point was cancelled out by a Sean O Shea free, before the Kenmare man got Kerry’s next two scores to cut the gap back to a single point. A Shane Walsh free was followed by another by David Clifford but Galway were to get the next two scores to lead by 1-12 to 12 points with 10 minutes to go.
A Shane Walsh free in the 66th minute gave Galway a 4 point lead before a point by Paudi Clifford meant it was a goal needed for Kerry. Sean O Shea and Killian Spillane both came close for Kerry but forced fine saves from the Galway goalkeeper. A 45 was slotted over by Sean O Shea to cut the gap to 2 points but that was to be the final score of the game.
Kerry manager Jack O'Connor
Former Kerry captain Billy O'Shea
