Kerry defeat Mayo to take new Division 1 trophy back to the Kingdom

The new trophy for the Allianz National Football League Division 1 winners, Corn Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh, is going to the late broadcaster's native Kerry after they defeated Mayo by 1-18 to 1-12 in Croke Park this afternoon.

Despite a bright start by Mayo, the concession of a soft goal on 12 minutes put them in arrears and thy were never able to fully recover.

An Eoghan McLaughlin goal on 47 minutes followed almost immediately by a two-point free by Ryan O'Donoghue gave Mayo a glimmer of hope as the deficit was trimmed to three (1-10 to 1-13), but Kerry were always able to keep their opponents at arm's length from there until the end.

A very early Joe O'Connor point got Kerry up and running but Mayo were the better team in the opening exchanges and held a 0-4 to 0-2 lead on 10 minutes as Aidan O'Shea made his presence felt. The Breaffy man scored two points while Jack Carney and Frank Irwin landed one each, but things were to soon change.

Paudie Clifford reduced the margin to one, and then Kerry pounced on a short Mayo kick-out to score the game's opening goal. David Clifford nipped in to divert the kick-out to his brother Paudie who carried the ball towards goal before passing to Paul Geaney for a tap-in beyond Colm Reape.

For the remainder of the half, David and Paudie Clifford added five points between them and Barry Dan O'Sullivan chipped in with one to bring their first-half tally to 1-9.

Mayo added points through O'Shea, O'Donoghue and Jordan Flynn but trailed by five at the break (0-7 to 1-9), O'Donoghue going for a two-point free after the hooter but kicking the effort wide.

Mayo were first to score in the second half, O'Donoghue on target, but Kerry went on a run of four points without reply to go into a 1-13 to 0-8 lead by the 45th minute.

Kevin McStay's charges needed inspiration and Eoghan McLaughlin provided it, arrowing towards goal and firing a low shot beyond Kerry 'keeper Shane Ryan.

O'Donoghue's two-point free immediately had Mayo just three points behind, but that was as good as it got. They scored just two more points through substitute Paul Towey and O'Donoghue again, while Kerry added five courtesy of David Clifford (two), Paul Geaney and substitutes Tony Brosnan and Conor Geaney, easing to their 24th league title overall.

Mayo have little time to dwell on the result as they open their Connacht Senior Football Championship campaign against Sligo in Hastings Insurance MacHale Park a week from today (Sunday, April 6).

Mayo: Colm Reape; Jack Coyne, Donnacha McHugh, Enda Hession; Sam Callinan, David McBrien, Stephen Coen; Jack Carney (0-1), Matthew Ruane; Eoghan McLaughlin (1-0), Conor Reid, Jordan Flynn (0-1); Aidan O'Shea (0-3), Frank Irwin (0-1), Ryan O'Donoghue (0-5, 2f, 1tpf).

Subs used: Darren McHale, Paul Towey (0-1), Davitt Neary, Adrian Phillips, Diarmuid O'Connor

Kerry: Shane Ryan; Paul Murphy, Jason Foley, Dylan Casey; Gavin White, Mike Breen, Brian Ó Beaglaoich; Joe O'Connor (0-2), Barry Dan O'Sullivan (0-1); Micheál Burns, Paudie Clifford (0-3), Graham O'Sullivan; David Clifford (0-8, 4f), Paul Geaney (1-2), Dylan Geaney.

Subs used: Tony Brosnan (0-1), Sean O'Brien, Tom O'Sullivan, Conor Geaney (0-1), Killian Spillane, Ruairi Murphy.

Referee: David Goldrick (Meath).