REPORT: Kerry dump Armagh out of the All-Ireland race

Kerry 4-18 Armagh 0-17

Kerry were at their brilliant best in Killarney as they hammered Armagh to reach the All-Ireland quarter-finals. The Kingdom bagged four goals on the night, two in either half, to knock Armagh out of the championship.

A David Clifford goal, following a superb pass by the impressive Dylan Geaney, had Jack O’Connor’s All-Ireland champions three up before half time.

Just before the break, a loose pass in the Armagh attack handed Kerry possession and with Ethan Rafferty out of his goal, Paul Geaney rolled the ball into an empty net, giving them a 2-8 to 0-8 half time lead.

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The sides swapped scores at the start of the second period but any chance of an Armagh comeback was quickly squandered by Kerry, when Joe O’Connor burst through to fire home a third major.

Fine saves from Shane Murphy denied Oisin Conaty and Oisin O’Neill goals, although Conaty and Andrew Murnin did grab late two-pointers.

The final score of the evening with the icing on the cake as substitute Keith Evans got his name on the scoresheet and claimed Kerry’s fourth goal, to leave 13-points the difference in the end.

Kerry: Shane Murphy, Paul Murphy, Jason Foley 0-1, Dylan Casey, Brian Ó Beaglaoich, Mike Breen, Graham O’Sullivan 0-1, Mark O’Shea, Sean O’Brien, Joe O’Connor 1-0, Paudie Clifford, Diarmuid O’Connor, David Clifford 1-10 (2tpf, 1f), Paul Geaney 1-1, Dylan Geaney 0-5. Subs: Gavin White for B. Ó Beaglaoich, Sean O’Shea for P. Geaney, Keith Evans 1-0 for S. O’Brien, Evan Looney for P. Murphy, Tony Brosnan for M. O’Shea, Armin Heinrech for D. Casey.

Armagh: Ethan Rafferty 0-2 (1tpf), Peter McGrane, Aaron McKay, Gareth Murphy, Paddy Burns, Tiernan Kelly, Jarly Og Burns, Andrew Murnin 0-2, Joe McElroy, Cian McConville 0-1, Darragh McMullan, Ross McQuillan 0-4, Conor Turbitt 0-2 (1f), Jason Duffy 0-2, Oisin Conaty 0-3. Subs: Oisin O’Neill 0-1 for J. McElroy, Tomas McCormack for J. Burns, Callum O’Neill for C. McConville, Rory Grugan for A. McKay, Greg McCabe for C. Turbitt.