Paul Geaney and Killian Spillane slotted a late goal and point respectively as Kerry beat Galway by 1-15 to 2-11 at Austin Stack Park.

Shane Walsh’s three-pointer twelve minutes from the end had fired the Tribesmen ahead for the first time and the game's top scorer (1-4) followed up with a point to make it 2-11 to 0-14 with almost an hour played.

Scores dried up as the tension mounted and, with the visitors down to 14 men following a black card for Cillian McDaid in the 63rd minute, Geaney plundered the levelling goal in the first minute of stoppage time followed by the winner from Spillane in the third added minute when the substitute reacted quickest after David Clifford’s initial shot struck a post.

With 11,117 in attendance and Sean O’Shea absent from the Kerry team, the hosts started best to lead by seven points to three, Geaney (2) and Clifford (3) on target as well as James O’Donoghue and Micheal Burns. Johnny Heaney’s goal midway through the first half followed by points from Damien Comer and Michael Daly had seen the visitors get back on terms only for Peter Keane’s men to lead by 0-10 to 1-5 at the break thanks to Stephen O’Brien and Clifford.

Clifford stretched the gap to three 13 minutes into the second half after the first four points following the resumption were traded but McDaid, Walsh (free) and Eamonn Brannigan brought Padraic Joyce’s charges level by the 55th minute.

Walsh blasted Galway ahead after Clifford had restored Kerry’s lead and, as we passed the 70-minute mark, it looked for all the world as though Galway were going to record a second successive win. Geaney and Spillane had other ideas, though. Kerry are getting fond of the sting-in-the-tail finish.

Kerry - S Ryan; J Foley, G Crowley, G O'Sullivan; P Murphy, S Enright, G White; L Kearney, J Barry; G O'Brien, M Burns (0-2), S O’Brien (0-1); J O’Donoghue (0-2), D Clifford (0-6, 3f), P Geaney (1-2, 0-1f). Subs: D O'Connor for G O'Brien, T Walsh (0-1) for J O'Donoghue, D Moynihan for M Burns, K Spillane (0-1) for L Kearney.

Galway - C Gleeson; J Duane, S Mulkerrin, J Heaney (1-0); G O’Donnell, J Daly, C McDaid (0-1); R Steede, C D’Arcy; E Brannigan (0-3), D Comer (0-2, 1m), F O Laoi; R Finnerty, S Walsh (1-4, 0-2f), M Daly (0-1). Subs: S Kelly for J Duane, M Tierney for R Finnerty, T Flynn for R Steede, L Costello for F O Laoi, A Varley for M Daly, C McDaid (BC).

Referee - A Nolan.

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