Roscommon 0-14
Kerry 1-10

Roscommon recorded a famous victory over Kerry at a rain-soaked Fitzgerald Stadium to blow Division 1 wide open.

Following their last-gasp loss to Monaghan last weekend, many were quick to tip the Rossies for relegation straight back to Division 2, but they produced a heroic performance in Killarney to leave the beaten All-Ireland finalists point-less after two games and facing the prospect of not being involved at the business-end of the league once again.

Cathal Cregg and Enda Smith were among those to impress as the charges of Kevin McStay and Fergal O'Donnell recovered from a one-point interval deficit to eke out the narrowest of victories.

Johnny Buckley and Barry John Keane had points as the hosts eased into an early 0-3 to 0-1 lead. But making light of the atrocious conditions, Roscommon played some breath-taking football and kicked some brilliant long-range scores to open up a 0-8 to 0-3 lead by the 25th minute.

After Cathal Cregg had equalised with a booming point in the 17th minute, three points in as many minutes from Ciaran Murtagh, Conor Devanney and Fintan Cregg had the underdogs 0-6 to 0-3 ahead. The Kingdom were at sixes and sevens as a Fintan Cregg free and an outrageous point from Cian Connolly from near the right sideline after Enda Smith had hit the post extended Roscommon's lead to five points.

But Kerry suddenly came to life in the closing stages of the half, posting 1-3 without reply to take a 1-6 to 0-8 lead into the break.

Keane ended their long scoring drought from a free before full forward Tommy Walsh scored a lovely point on the turn. The sides were level in the 33rd minute when Stephen O'Brien gathered possession close to the left sideline, put his head down and went past two Roscommon defenders before bundling the ball past goalkeeper Darren O'Malley from close range.

Johnny Buckley added a trademark point to complete a superb turnaround by the Kingdom.

In a low-scoring second half, points from Keane (two) and O'Brien pushed Eamonn Fitzmaurice's men into a two-point lead, 1-9 to 0-10. But Roscommon responded brilliantly with a brace from Cathal Cregg and a Ciaran Murtagh free to edge back in front, 0-13 to 1-9, with 10 minutes to go.

Despite losing Cathal Cregg to a black card, they extended their advantage through Smith as Conor Cox's late free wasn't enough to save the home side.

Roscommon - D O'Malley; S McDermott, N Collins, N McInerney; D Murray, N Daly, R Stack; E Smith (0-3), I Kilbride; F Cregg (0-2f), C Daly, C Devanney (0-2); C Murtagh (0-2, 1f), C Connolly (0-1), C Cregg (0-4). Subs: C Shine for I Kilbride, S Purcell for C Daly, R Daly for C Cregg (BC), C McHugh for C Connolly.

Kerry - B Kelly; B O Beaglaoich, M Griffin, S Enright; P Murphy, A O'Mahony, K Young; D Moran, J Buckley (0-2); J Lyne, D O'Sullivan, D Walsh; BJ Keane (0-5, 4f), T Walsh (0-1), S O'Brien (1-1). Subs: T O'Sullivan for J Lyne, A Fitzgerald for D Walsh, C Cox (0-1f) for BJ Keane, F Fitzgerald for S Enright, Barry O'Sullivan for J Buckley, Brendan O'Sullivan for T Walsh.

Referee - F Kelly.

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