KERRY 2-16 DONEGAL 1-08
FROM CHRIS MCNULTY IN KILLARNEY
JIM McGuinness offered no excuses after his Donegal side was beaten by eleven points by Kerry in Fitzgerald Stadium this afternoon.
Kingdom midfielder Bryan Sheehan hit 1-7 as Donegal went down to a third defeat in four League games.
Sheehan netted a penalty early in the second-half to confirm Kerry’s superiority after a Patrick Curtin goal in the first-half had put them in command.
Donegal had a bright start, racing into a three-point lead, but it didn’t take long for the hosts to get into their groove.
Kerry led by five (1-8 to 0-6) at half-time and Sheehan’s penalty – which Paul Durcan did well to get a hand to – stretched their lead.
A Michael Murphy goal from a penalty wasn’t enough to summons a big response from Donegal, who are now firmly in the relegation battle
“I would never be critical of them, but it was one of the very few days that we didn’t perform,” McGuinness said.
“We need to look at that and try to figure out why. While it’s very painful now it will be a worthwhile exercise if we can do that.
“It was the manner of the defeat. The only positive out of it was that we got a lesson and we must take some of the lessons within the game from it.
“We are not the first team Kerry have done that too but it’s disappointing after a good performance the last day that we weren’t able to be more competitive in the game at a minimum.”
Next up for Donegal is a home game against Mayo in Ballyshannon next Sunday.
Kerry: B Kealy; M Ó Sé, D Bohan, K Young; P Crowley (0-1), E Brosnan, B McGuire (0-1); A Maher (0-2), B Sheehan (1-7, 1-0 pen, 7f); P Galvin (0-1), Darran O’Sullivan, Declan O’Sullivan; B Keane (0-1), K Donaghy (0-2), P Curtin (1-1, 1f). Subs: S Enright for Bohan (half-time); A O’Mahony for Ó Sé (61 mins); K O’Leary for Keane (64 mins); D O’Callaghan for Declan O’Sullivan (66 mins); S Scanlon for Sheehan (66 mins).
Donegal: P Durcan; F McGlynn, N McGee, P McGrath; E McGee, K Lacey, L McLoone; R Kavanagh (0-1), N Gallagher; M McHugh, A Thompson (0-1), R Bradley; C McFadden, M Murphy (1-5, 1-0 pen, 4f), P McBrearty (0-1). Subs: M O’Reilly for Bradley (half-time); D Walsh for McLoone (half-time); C Toye for McHugh (59 mins).
Referee: S Doyle (Wexford).
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