Red Hands edge out Kerry to stave off relegation

Kerry 2-11

Tyrone 1-15

TYRONE will play in Division One of the Allianz League again next season, their survival secured by a combination of results on a dramatic final day of action, including their first win Killarney in 19 years.

Sunday’s slender one-point success proved to be surplus to requirements, as events elsewhere dictated that the All-Ireland champions will continue to dine at gaelic football’s top table in 2023.

Darren McCurry’s 1-7 haul secured the points for a battling Red Hand side that wasn’t to know until after the final whistle that results elsewhere had maintained their position at gaelic football’s top table.

McCurry looked lively in the opening ten minutes, slotting over three points as the visitors pushed into an early lead while playing into the wind.

Clifford was always a danger, hoisting a typical score to cap an incisive move involving Paul Geaney and Michéal Burns.

And in the 14th minute, it was Clifford’s creativity that prised open the Tyrone defence as Kerry struck for a brilliantly contrived goal.

The Fossa man drifted deep to slip the ball to Joe O’Connor as he thundered through the middle, and the midfielder took the unselfish option as he set up Tony Brosnan to rifle his shot to the net for a two points lead.

The Red Hand response was defiant, and with the next four scores, they got themselves back in front by the 26th minute.

The temporary loss of full back Ronan McNamee as he was attended to for a blood injury didn’t damage Tyrone resolve, and they swept forward for a volley of scores, the best of them a McCurry gem from wide on the right wing.

Peter Harte was at the heart of most of their positive offensive work, heavily involved in the two points that Niall Sludden sent over late in the half to make it a three points game.

But Clifford’s class came to the fore as he swung over a spectacular score, followed by a Brosnan effort which reduced the deficit to a single point at the break, 1-5 to 0-9.

Tyrone got the wind in their backs for the second half, but it was Kerry who took up the running, with wing back Brian Ó Beaglaoich bringing them level with a fine individual effort.

Jason Foley kept full forward Cathal McShane under wraps, but there were other avenues for the Red Hands to hurt their great rivals, with Mattie Donnelly winning 50-50 ball and Kieran McGeary picking up loose ball to hook over a point.

The tempo moved up a notch at the end of the third quarter with two goals in the space of a minute.

Paudie Clifford, on as a half-time substitute, picked out Paul Geaney with a searching delivery, and as Stephen O’Brien connected with the final pass, he was hauled down and referee David Coldrick awarded a penalty, which Brosnan slotted to the bottom corner of the net for his second goal.

But straight from the kick-out, Darragh Canavan released McCurry, who still had plenty to do as he cut in on goal to blast his shot in off a post.

The Munster men went back in front as Clifford punished a wayward kick-out, and he almost caught out Niall Morgan with a dipping effort which the Tyrone goalkeeper pushed onto a post.

Gavin White maintained the home side’s lead into the final five minutes, but the Red Hands had the grit and the doggedness to grind out a result.

Two more from McCurry-placed balls had them ahead with a couple of minutes to play, with Harte’s long range effort providing a cushion.

Kerry pressed relentlessly in the closing stages, but Frank Burns stood tall with wonderful resistance, McNamee, Padraig Hampsey and McGeary also holding firm, and Kerry could only manage a Geaney free during five minutes of added time.