Dublin 2-12
Kerry 2-10

by Dan Kearney

Dublin held out for an edgy two point victory over already qualified finalists Kerry at Austin Stack Park in an absorbing Lidl National Football League Division 1 Round 7 encounter.

Dublin played with a sizeable breeze in the first half and were much too lively in the early exchanges for a Kerry side that were giving a number of fringe players a start on the day.

By the 16th minute the Dubs led by 2-4 to 0-1. Their movement and skill was causing the home side a lot of problems and Niamh Hetherton, Hannah Tyrrell with two (1 free) slotted points and in the 14th minute Sophie McIntyre fed Chloe Darby for a brilliant goal.

Darby followed up with a point straight afterwards and then came Dublin’s second goal when Eilish O’Dowd sliced through the Kerry rearguard to finish confidently past Mary Ellen Bolger in the Kerry goal to put her side 2-4 to 0-1 ahead.

Kerry were threading water at this stage but got a lifeline when full forward Julia Curtin finished confidently past Katie Moran Tighe, with Danielle O’Leary and Leah Boyle heavily involved.

Jodi Egan, with a monster, and Boyle for Kerry traded points, and with Kerry now pushing up on the Dublin kickout, all they had to reward them was an O’Leary free whilst Kate Murray raised a white flag at the short whistle to see Dublin take a double scores 2-6 to 1-3 lead at half time.

Kerry made nine changes at half time but it was Dublin who started brighter with scores from Chloe Darby (free) and Jodi Egan but Siofra O’Shea (free) and Rachel Dwyer replied in kind for Kerry.

O’Shea added another brace for the home side before Jadyn Lucey got a good score from distance.  By the 55th minute Dublin continued to lead by 2-11 to 1-9 before Katie Hannan in the Kerry goal was forced into a great save from Jodi Egan.

Kerry came at Dublin with all guns blazing for the last few minutes. Dwyer rattled the crossbar and in the 60th minute Siofra O’Shea finished brilliantly past Moran Tighe.

It was too little too late though as Dublin held on for a hard fought two point victory.

Scorers: Dublin: C Darby 1-2 (1f), H Tyrrell 0-5 (4f), E O’Dowd 1-0, J Egan 0-2, N Hetherton 0-2, K Murray 0-1.

Kerry-  S O’Shea 1-3 (0-1f), J Curtin 1-0, D O’Leary 0-2f, J Lucey 0-2, L Boyle 0-1,R Dwyer 0-1, A Galvin 0-1.

Dublin: K Moran Tighe; J Tobin, L Caffrey, A Kane; A Curran, A Nyhan, K Murray; É O’Dowd, H McGinnis; A Timothy, C Darby, J Egan; H Tyrrell, N Hetherton, S McIntyre. Subs: M Byrne for A Nyhan H/T,  K Sullivan for A Timothey 43, S Birnie for K Murray 49, G Kos for J Egan 60.

Kerry: ME Bolger; F O’Donoghue, E Lynch, K Cronin; A O’Connell, K O’Connor, C McCarthy; N Quinn, M O’Connell; L Boyle, N Ní Chonchúir, J Gill; C Evans, J Curtin, D O’Leary. Subs: R Rahilly for K O’Connor, K Hannan for ME Bolger, A Galvin for N Quinn, N Carmody for , J Lucey for D O’Leary, L O’Shea for L Boyle, R Dwyer for J Curtin, A Dillane for C McCarthy, N Carmody for N Ní Chonchúir, S O’Shea for J Gill, (all H/T), K Enright for M O’Connell 41, É Ní Laighin for E Lynch, É O’Connor for A O’Connell (both 45), K Sugrue for F O’Donoghue, R Smith for K Cronin (both 50), D O’Leary for C Evans 60

Referee: Jonathan Murphy (Carlow).

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