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Kerry's Johnny Buckley and Mayo's Aidan O'Shea in action today. INPHO/Cathal Noonan
AS IT HAPPENED

As it happened: Mayo v Kerry, Allianz FL Division 1

Kerry traveled to Castlebar to face Mayo in the last of this weekend’s Division league games. Here’s how it all unfolded.

It was Mayo against Kerry this afternoon in the only Division 1 clash down for decision in the Allianz Football League.

We were following all the action.

Send us your thoughts and comments on today’s game. E-mail fintan@thescore.ie, tweet us@thescore_iefind us on Facebook, or leave a comment below.

RESULT: Mayo 0-15 Kerry 1-6

After wins for Kildare, Dublin and Tyrone in last night’s Division 1 league games, it’s the turn of Mayo and Kerry to square off today in Castlebar. Throw in is at 2pm.

Here’s the Mayo team for today’s game.

MAYO: David Clarke (Ballina Stephenites); Shane McHale (Knockmore), Ger Cafferkey (Ballina Stephenites), Keith Higgins (Ballyhaunis); Tom Cunniffe (Castlebar Mitchels), Donal Vaughan (Ballinrobe), Chris Barrett (Belmullet); Aidan O’Shea (Breaffy), Seamus O’Shea (Breaffy); Lee Keegan (Westport), Richie Feeney (Castlebar Mitchels), Cathal Freeman (Aghamore); Kevin McLoughlin (Knockmore), Jason Doherty (Burrishoole), Michael Conroy (Davitts).

Cathal Freeman’s selection at wing-forward is notable for Mayo as the Aghamore club man makes his debut. It’ll be interesting to see how Lee Keegan and Richie Feeney fare in their half-forward roles as well.

And here’s the Kerry team for today’s game.

KERRY: Brendan Kealy (Kilcummin); Marc Ó Sé (An Gaeltacht), Aidan O’Mahony (Rathmore), Shane Enright (Tarbert); Jonathan Lyne (Legion), Jack Sherwood (Firies), Killian Young (Renard); Anthony Maher (Duagh), Johnny Buckley (Dr Crokes); Michael Geaney (Dingle), Darran O’Sullivan (Glenbeigh/Glencar), Michael O’Donoghue (Spa); Barry John Keane (Kerins O’Rahillys), Patrick Curtin (Moyvane), Paul Geaney (Dingle).

We’re hearing a few Kerry changes. Peter Crowley comes into the defence for Jack Sherwood, his first cousin, as Sherwood is ruled out with hamstring injury. While in attack Barry John Keane and Paul Geaney make way in attack with Legion’s James O’Donoghue and Listowel Emmett’s Conor Cox get starting places.

That means there are two debutants in the Kerry team in Conor Cox and the wing-forward Michael O’Donoghue from the Spa club. Johnny Buckley will captain the Kerry team from midfield.

We’re getting set for throw-in in Castlebar with Kerry having the wind at their backs in the first-half.

Mayo 0-1 Kerry 0-0: 1 mins – Jason Doherty kicks Mayo into the lead with a neat point after a move that featured Richie Feeney and Cathal Freeman in the build-up.

The wet surface in McHale Park is going to make for tricky underfoot conditions for both sets of players in this game.

Mayo 0-1 Kerry 0-1: 4 mins – Kerry draw level courtesy of an assured kick by debutant Michael O’Donoghue as he sweeps over a point after Johnny Buckley made the break forward initially.

Mayo 0-2 Kerry 0-1: 6 mins – Doherty on target again for Mayo with his second point of the game, this time from a placed ball.

Mayo 0-3 Kerry 0-1: 8 mins – Mayo be without key attackers like Alan Dillon, Andy Moran and Cillian O’Connor today but Jason Doherty is certainly ensuring they are coping without those figures. The Burrishoole attacker was fouled by Marc O Sé and dusted himself down to tap over the free for his third point of the game.

Point-scoring chance for Kerry but James O’Donoghue’s shot does not have the necessary distance from a free and Ger Cafferkey fields the ball on the line to clear for Mayo.

Mayo 0-4 Kerry 0-1: 12 mins – The Kerry defence are committing fouls in the early stages and Doherty is in the sort of mood that hints he will continue to punish them. This time it is Lee Keegan who is hauled back illegally and Doherty lashes over a free from just inside the 45 yard line, this time off the ground.

Kerry are not clicking up front in the early stages as Mayo’s defence are in resolute form. Conor Cox has just seen a point effort from a difficult angle tail wide.

Mayo 0-4 Kerry 0-2: 16 mins - Kerry manage to cut open the Mayo rearguard and it nearly yields a goal. Darran O’Sullivan does excellently in the build-up and it is James O’Donoghue who sees his first shot bravely blocked by goalkeeper David Clarke and the second effort is tipped away for a ’45. That kick is duly converted by Johnny Buckley from Dr Crokes to cut the gap to two points.

Goal for Kerry from James O’Donoghue!

Kerry 1-3 Mayo 0-5: 20 mins – James O’Donoghue may have been denied a goal by David Clarke mounts earlier but he makes no mistake on this occasion. Darran O’Sullivan palms the ball down to him and the Legion man dummies to find a gap in the Mayo defence, races forward and unleashes a brilliant shot with his weaker right foot into the bottom corner. Mayo responded with Richie Feeney pointing but Kerry are gone back in front with Michael O’Donoghue smashing a shot just over the bar.

Kerry 1-4 Mayo 0-6: 24 mins – The teams trade points and both were excellent efforts from Kerry’s Darran O’Sullivan and Mayo’s Michael Conroy.

Mayo 0-7 Kerry 1-4: 26 mins – And Mayo have drawn level now with Michael Conroy from the Davitt’s club registering his second point of the game.

Kerry 1-5 Mayo 0-7: 30 mins – Kerry’s Anthony Maher gets on the scoresheet as he booms over a kick from distance. Interesting and tight game so far.

Kerry 1-6 Mayo 0-7: 31 mins – And Kerry’s lead is extended with debutant Conor Cox getting his first point of the game as he clips over a stylish shot with his left foot.

Kerry 1-6 Mayo 0-8: 32 mins – Mayo reply quickly with Jason Doherty notching a point from a free. That’s five points in the game now for Doherty.

Mayo 0-9 Kerry 1-6: 35 mins – And now the teams are level with Knockmore’s Kevin McLoughlin popping over a point for Mayo to raise a white flag.

HALF-TIME: Mayo 0-9 Kerry 1-6: And that’s it at the break in Castlebar with the teams level as they head for the dressing-rooms. Interesting tussle so far with Jason Doherty and Michael Conroy impressing in the Mayo attack while Michael O’Donoghue caught the eye for Kerry and James O’Donoghue struck a brilliant goal for the Kingdom. We’ll be back shortly with the second-half action.

The scorers so far in this game.

Mayo: Jason Doherty 0-5 (0-4f), Michael Conroy 0-2, Richie Feeney, Kevin McLoughlin 0-1 each.
Kerry: James O’Donoghue 1-0, Michael O’Donoghue 0-2, Johnny Buckley (0-1 ’45), Darran O’Sullivan, Conor Cox, Anthony Maher 0-1 each.

We’re back underway for the second-half with Alan Freeman introduced to the Mayo team for Cathal Freeman.

Mayo 0-10 Kerry 1-6: 38 mins – Mayo edge into the lead with the first score of the second-half arriving from the boot of Kevin McLoughlin when he fires over a free.

Barry John Keane is coming into the Kerry team in attack for Conor Cox while another Kingdom change sees Bryan Sheehan in for Mikey Geaney.

Mayo 0-11 Kerry 1-6: 45 mins – Jason Doherty lobs another shot over the bar from a placed ball for Mayo to bring his personal tally to 0-6 for the afternoon.

And Kerry are down to 14 men, major setback for them as Anthony Maher is sent-off.

That was Maher’s second yellow card of the game which resulted in his dismissal and hands a significant advantage to Mayo for the remainder of the game.

Jason Doherty has just seen his latest point attempt foiled as the ball strikes the upright. The second-half has been extremely low-scoring, just the two points have been registered and both from Mayo. Indeed we are still waiting for our first score from play in this half as Mayo’s Chris Barrett has just been booked.

Mayo 0-12 Kerry 1-6: 60 mins – The first point from play in the second-half has finally arrived and it’s a great kick by Michael Conroy. But it’s been largely poor stuff from both teams in an attacking sense in this second-half. Which is a pity given the bright and open play that was produced in the opening-half.

Two changes to tell you about, Mayo have replaced Seamus O’Shea with Barry Moran while Kerry bring on Andrew Garnett for Patrick Curtin.

Mayo 0-13 Kerry 1-6: 63 mins – Mayo look like they will grind out a victory here as Kevin McLoughlin swings over a free. They’re four points clear and 14-man Kerry are still searching for their first score in the second-half.

Another Kerry change with Austin Stacks Shane O’Carroll making his debut as he replaces Michael O’Donoghue.

Enda Varley is introduced for Mayo instead of Richie Feeney.

Yellow cards for Kerry’s Bryan Sheehan and Mayo’s Shane McHale. And Kerry’s second-half misery in front of the posts has been summed up by the normally accurate and reliable Sheehan kicking a free wide.

Mayo 0-14 Kerry 1-6: 70 mins – We’re in injury-time and Mayo look set to be on the road to victory with Enda Varley grabbing his first point of the game.

Mayo 0-15 Kerry 1-6: 71 mins – And it is that man Varley on target again with another point. Mayo six points clear now.

FULL-TIME: Mayo 0-15 Kerry 1-6: And it is Mayo who are left celebrating after their victory on home soil in Castlebar by six points.

Good start to the league for Mayo as they join Dublin, Kildare and Tyrone as the counties who have won their opening ties in Division 1. Plenty for Kerry to ponder after a game where they remarkably failed to score in the second-half. A home tie against Dublin is next up for them next weekend.

Thanks for joining us this afternoon. We’ll be back later with round-ups from all of todays games.

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