Drew Wylie, Monaghan v Kerry, AFL Div 1 Round 6 at St. Tiarnach’s Park, Clones 27-03-2016

Allianz National Football League Division One

Monaghan 1-9 Kerry 1-17                                        27/3/16

Monaghan fell to an eight-point defeat in Clones on Sunday after Kerry produced an impressive second-half performance to pull away in this NFL round-six encounter. Four Conor McManus points helped Monaghan go in level at 0-6 apiece at half-time, but Kerry put wind-advantage to good use after the restart with some very accurate finishing from the likes of Colm Cooper, Kieran Donaghy and substitutes Alan Fitzgerald and Barry John Keane. A palmed goal by Darren Hughes after an attack led by sub Ryan McAnespie on 57 minutes gave Monaghan hope, but within a few minutes, David Moran had netted a penalty at the other end to kill the game off. Monaghan’s battle to maintain Division One status now goes into the final round, with Malachy O’Rourke’s side needing to get back to winning ways against Donegal in Castleblayney next Sunday.

Monaghan: R Beggan (0-1f); R Wylie, D Wylie, C Walshe; V Corey, K O’Connell (0-1), F Kelly; N McAdam, K Hughes; D Mone (0-1), T Kerr, D Malone; S Carey, D Hughes (1-0), C McManus (Capt., 0-5, 3f).

Subs: R McAnespie (0-1) for Kerr, O Duffy for Carey (both 45), D Clerkin for Malone (61).

Kerry: B Kelly; S Enright, M Griffin, M Ó Sé; P Crowley, A O’Mahony (Capt.), F Fitzgerald; K Donaghy (0-2), D Moran (1-1, 1-0 pen); D Walsh (0-1), P Murphy (0-1), J Buckley; D O’Sullivan (0-1), C Cooper (0-6, 4f), S O’Brien.

Subs: A Fitzgerald (0-3, 1f) for O’Brien (28), K Young for Crowley (49), BJ Keane (0-2) for O’Sullivan (55), B O’Sullivan for Buckley (60), P Geaney for Cooper (63), A Walsh for D Walsh (67).

Referee: D Coldrick (Meath).