Kerry power to the line seeing off fourteen-man Down in Joe McDonagh Cup cracker in Tralee

Kerry 0-26

Down 2-12

Even if they didn't make it easy for themselves (when do they?), the manner of this victory will give the Kingdom all sorts of confidence ahead of next weekend’s top-of-the-table clash with Laois in Austin Stack Park.

At half-time, with the sides level and the breeze to come Down’s way in the second half, it was looking precarious enough for the green and gold, and it remained a marginal proposition for much of the second half, a point up, a point down, level pegging, nip-and-tuck most of the way.

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That’s how it remained too until about the hour mark when the dismissal of Dáithí Sands on a second yellow card following a foul on namesake Dáithí Griffin. Sands making contact with the Ardfert man’s helmet following a ball in by Paul Sheehan.

From there to the finish the home side outscored Down nine points to one, with the first seven of those in-a-row as the home side showed incredible power, fitness and finesse to ram home their advantage.

Top-scorer Maurice O’Connor got the first of those seven with second half subs David Woulfe, Gavin Dooley, and Brandon Barrett all contributing as the Kingdom demonstrated their assertiveness and increasing strength-in-depth.

Even before the goal it was a much-improved second-half performance from the green and gold, very much much making up for a sometimes sloppy first-half display.

True, Down were that bit sharper, and a good bit clearer in what they were trying to do, with some really nice lines of running and crisp passing. Much of the Kingdom's downfall in the first half, though, was of their own making.

The Kingdom had twelve missed chances in the first half alone for a rate of return of just 45%. Having shot 72% last weekend in Mullingar it was a fairly brutal reversion to the mean for the green and gold.

Despite shooting the opening three points of the game – Ronan Walsh, and a pair from his club mate Maurice O’Connor – one had to be wary of how things were going for the home side.

With the breeze at their backs they just weren’t making the most of their chances. Not even close, a fact cruelly exposed when Down had their first of two first-half goals through Dáithí Sands. Sands flicking home a long range free from Caolan Taggart past the despairing Louis Dee.

Sands’ brother Eoghan shot the next score a minute later to give Down the lead for the first time in the contest, 0-3 to 1-1, 11 gone. Within another six minutes Down were four clear, in large part thanks to a second goal, this time courtesy of Taggard (assist Eoghan Sands) – 0-4 to 2-2 – Kerry in all sorts of bother now.

To be fair to the Kingdom they rallied with four scores in-a-row to level it up coming up on the half hour mark, 0-8 to 2-2, with first-half sub Dan Goggin making an instant impact with a point from his very first touch.

From there to half-time both sides edged briefly in front, in the end though a massive long-range effort from Down number 14 Chris Egan had it level at the break, 0-10 to 2-4.

Advantage very much Down at this juncture with the breeze to come into the Horan’s end in the second half, you would have thought. Kerry, however, started the half as they meant to go on with the first score of the half from that man Goggin to take the lead for the first time since the ninth minute.

As mentioned, though, it was very much a tight affair. At the end of the third quarter, thanks to another Goggin effort, it was level at 0-15 to 2-9, and, while Kerry went one clear coming up on fifteen to go, Down weren’t about to give up.

Paul Sheehan with his third of three frees on 57 minutes levelled it back up at 0-17 to 2-11. A couple minutes after that came that Sheehan free which dropped short, and the dismissal of Dáithí Sands. Thereafter there was just no stopping the Kingdom.

The victory puts them into a properly strong position now to challenge for a place in the Joe McDonagh Cup final. They will be expected to see off Meath on the final day of the campaign for six points, meaning a result against either Laois next weekend, or Offaly a fortnight later would likely see them into the final.

Considering where they were coming into the competition it’s a serious turnaround in fortunes. A credit to the players and a credit to the manager Stephen Molumphy whose faith in this bunch of hurlers has never wavered.

He knows that when the chips are down – as it looked to be at half-time – these guys will fight on their backs for the cause. Laois will be favourites next weekend, no question. No question either, though, that this Kerry team will believe.

After a result and a performance like this, why wouldn’t they?

KERRY: Louis Dee, Dáithí Griffin, Flor McCarthy, Evan Murphy, Kyle O’Connor, Eric Leen, Fionán Mackessy (0-2, 1f), Colin Walsh (0-1), Darragh Shanahan, Niall Mulcahy, Killian Hayes (0-1), Ronan Walsh (0-2), Luke Crowley, Michael Leane, Maurice O’Connor (0-13, 7f) Subs: Dan Goggin (0-4) for N Mulcahy, 24, Gavin Dooley (0-1) for M Leane, 44, Brandon Barrett (0-1) for D Shanahan, 48, David Woulfe (0-1) for L Crowley, 60, Tom Doyle for K Hayes, (70+1)

DOWN: Stephen Keith, Matt Conlan, Conor Cassidy, John McManus, Tom Murray, Caolan Taggart (1-0), Ruairí McCrickard, Dónal Hughes (0-1), Tim Prenter (0-2), Paul Sheehan (0-3f), Eoghan Sands (0-2), Liam Savage, Dáithí Sands (1-1), Chris Egan (0-2), Pearse Óg McCrickard Subs: Tom McGrattan for P McCrickard, 44, Finn Turpin (0-1) for C Egan, 52, Marc Fisher for J McManus, 56, Oisín McManus for P Sheehan, 61, Barry Trainor for E Sands, 69

REFEREE: Conor Doyle (Tipperary)