Kildare provided the opposition today as Kerry opened their Allianz Football League campaign.
Due to a large crowd attending the game the match was delayed by 15 minutes. The two sides couldn't be separated after Kerry being ahead for 70 minutes.
One the game finally got underway, Kildare took the lead early with two points from play inside the first 2 minutes but a goal by Killian Spillane followed by a point from Sean O’Shea ensured that Kerry edged infront after just 5 minutes.
Jimmy Hyland brought it back to a one point game after a few minutes but it wasn’t that way for long as Sean O’Shea popped the ball over the bar from a free.
Paudie Clifford’s first point of the match meant it was 1-03 to 0-03 after a highly entertaining 12 minutes.
Jimmy Hyland made sure he made no mistake after Kildare won a free but it was followed by a free from Sean O’Shea in what was end to end stuff.
A couple of scores for Kerry with no response saw them pull away and put 5 points between the sides but two points for Kildare saw the goal being the only difference on the scoreboard after 25 minutes.
A heavy tackle on Dara Moynihan saw him having to be replaced by Brian Ó Beaglaíoch after just 27 minutes and a beautiful point for David Clifford shortly before half time put some daylight between the sides at the break.
The score at half time was 0-06 to 1-07.
Half Time Analysis with former Kerry captain Billy O'Shea:
Both teams meant business at the beginning of the second half with Kerry getting the first point of the half followed by a point from Kildare.
It was all Kildare after that though and they eventually brought it back to a 3 point game.
There wasn’t much scoring for 10 minutes with the ball traveling back and forth between the two teams but a Paudie Clifford point in the 55th minute saw Kerry make it a 4 point lead once again.
A point by Kildare followed by a beautiful point by Tony Brosnan saw the difference remain the same but that was the end of the Kingdom scoring for rest of the game.
Two points for Paddy Woodgate and then a Kildare point for Jimmy Hyland much to the excitement of the Kildare fans made it just a one point game with only two minutes to go in the game.
Jimmy Hyland then dropped a beautiful point over the bar deep into stoppage time and made it all square with just one kick of the ball left in the game. Kerry had possession in the last minute of stoppage time but couldn't do anything with it in the end.
The game finished 1-10 to 0-13.
Full Time Analysis with former Kerry captain Billy O'Shea:
Kerry Manager Jack O'Connor:
Kerry Manager Glenn Ryan:
