Kerry brush off Clifford's missed penalty to send Roscommon deeper into relegation trouble

Roscommon 1-11

Kerry 1-17

Paul Brennan reports from Dr Hyde Park, Roscommon

ONE TEAM ON the way up, maybe to a league final, another on the way down, perhaps to Division 2, and little else of note from a fairly mundane encounter between Roscommon and Kerry that carried little St Patrick’s Day colour at Dr Hyde Park.

That won’t bother Kerry much, who claimed a comfortable enough six-point win, albeit one that was boosted by Joe O’Connor’s 74th-minute goal, but the picture is somewhat more grim for Roscommon who teeter precariously over the relegation trap door this evening.

Stuck on three points, Roscommon must go to Derry next week and win there, and at the same time hope that Galway lose to Kerry in Killarney. That scenario will keep Roscommon in Division One, at the expense of their Connacht neighbours, but their fate may well rest in how much Derry and Kerry want to or need to win next weekend.

As for this contest in Hyde Park, Kerry were workmanlike and efficient, Roscommon a little less so, and that was the difference in the end.

Cathal Heneghan’s goal in the 54th minute brought the Rossies to within three points of Kerry, but they couldn’t get any closer, and the visitors were able to manage out the game from there and were home and hosed without the need for O’Connor’s late goal.

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Jack O’Connor was content with his team’s performance without being cock-a-hoop with it, and the late ankle injury to Jason Foley certainly took the shine off the victory.

On the positive side, Gavin White was excellent in the defence, Barry Dan O’Sullivan and Joe O’Connor scored 1-3 from midfield, and David Clifford was excused an uncharacteristic penalty miss as he finished with six points, five from play.

Sean O’Shea won the penalty late in the first half, but Clifford’s spot kick rose over the bar but Kerry were still good value for their 0-8 to 0-4 half time lead.

Roscommon kicked the first two points of the second half, from Enda Smith and Daire Cregg, but Kerry hit back with points from Barry O’Sullivan, Dara Moynihan and two from David Clifford to open up a six-point lead.

Roscommon needed a goal and they got it just before the hour when Diarmuid Murtagh set up Cathal Heneghan for a close-range finish past Shane Ryan to make it 1-7 to 0-13.

But Kerry were never ruffled, and points from Stephen O’Brien, Paudie Clifford and two from Paul Geaney kept the Kingdom in control before O’Connor iced the win with his 74th minute goal.

Scorers for Roscommon: E Smith 0-3, C Henaghan 1-0, D Smith 0-3 (2f), R Daly 0-2, D Cregg 0-2, C Carroll 0-1

Scorers for Kerry: D Clifford 0-6 (0-1 pen), J O’Connor 1-1, B O’Sullivan 0-2, P Geaney 0-2, Sean O’Brien 0-1, P Clifford 0-1, D Moynihan 0-1, D Roche 0-1, S O’Shea 0-1, Stephen O’Brien 0-1

ROSCOMMON: Conor Carroll, David Murray, Brian Stack, Niall Higgins, Niall Daly, Conor Hussey, Ronan Daly, Enda Smith, Tadhg O’Rourke, Ruaidhrí Fallon, Shane Cunnane, Dylan Ruane, Daire Cregg, Diarmuid Murtagh, Donie Smith.

Subs: Ultan Harney for T O’Rourke (31), Patrick Gavin for N Higgins (ht), Conor Cox for S Cunnane (ht), Cathal Heneghan for C Hussey (46), Cian Connolly for M Murtagh (55)

KERRY: Shane Ryan; Graham O’Sullivan, Jason Foley, Paul Murphy; Sean O’Brien, Tadhg Morley, Gavin White; Barry Dan O’Sullivan, Joe O’Connor; Adrian Spillane, Paudie Clifford, Dara Moynihan; David Clifford, Darragh Roche, Sean O’Shea.

Subs: Stephen O’Brien for A Spillane (52), Paul Geaney 0-2 for D Roche (58), Dylan Casey for S O’Brien (59), Armin Heinrich for J Foley (inj, 60), Keith Evans for D Moynihan (68)

REFEREE: Noel Mooney (Cavan)