Monaghan are top of Division One after defeating Kerry by 2-8 to 1-10 at changeable Killarney.

A second successive victory on Kerry soil sees the under-rated visitors - who also won in Mayo in the first round - move clear at the summit of the top-flight table with five points accumulated from a possible six.

Jack McCarron and Gavin Doogan netted in either half for the winners, whose direct and uncompromising brand of football left the Kingdom perplexed. The Munster champions scored twice from play over the course of the game.

The losers led by two points at the break, 1-5 to 1-3, having played with the backing of a strong wind. The border county had registered the first two scores thanks to frees from McCarron - a late addition to their starting XV - and goalkeeper Rory Beggan but Kerry received a massive boost when David Moran opened their account with a 13^th-minute goal.

Home points followed from Tadhg Morley, James O'Donoghue (2) and Paul Murphy as Eamonn Fitzmaurice's men moved five clear. But McCarron netted ten minutes from the break to bring the visitors back into contention and the last two scores of the opening period were traded by Kieran Hughes and Paul Geaney (free).

Rain hammered down during the break, leaving the players with a greasy surface to contend with as well as the wind. But the sun was soon shining again - especially for those who had made the five-hour journey down south from the stony grey terrain. O'Donoghue's free increased the gap but Monaghan were quickly level when Doogan supplied their second goal of the afternoon - 2-3 to 1-6 after 40 minutes.

McCarron and Geaney (free) traded points and the latter restored the hosts' lead from another free before the victors - who were on top but missing chances - drew level 16 minutes from the end, off the boot of McCarron.

Hughes edged the Oriel men back ahead on 57 minutes and four minutes later Conor McManus doubled the Ulster county's lead with a lovely finish from distance - his first score of the day. McManus' second - again from out the field - left three between the teams with six minutes to go.

The Farney boys' physical edge was giving Kerry their fill and the home side's frustrations were compounded when Bryan Sheehan was shown a straight red card within seconds of entering the action. A 69^th-minute Brendan Kealy free reduced the arrears and substitute Barry John Keane pointed in injury time, but seasoned top-flight campaigners Monaghan held on for a tremendous victory.

Monaghan - R Beggan (0-1f); F Kelly, D Wylie, R Wylie; K Duffy, J Mealiff, C Walshe; D Hughes, K Hughes (0-2); K O'Connell, S Carey, G Doogan (1-0); D Malone, J McCarron (1-3, 0-1f), C McManus (0-2). Subs: N McAdam for C Walshe, O Duffy for D Hughes, R McAnespie for J Mealiff, C McCarthy for O Duffy, T Kerr for D Malone.

Kerry - B Kealy (0-1f); S Enright, M Griffin, K Young; T Morley (0-1), P Crowley, R Shanahan; D Moran (1-0), J Barry; J Lyne, P Murphy (0-1), K McCarthy; J Savage, P Geaney (0-3f), J O'Donoghue (0-3f). Subs: S O'Brien for J Savage, B J Keane (0-1f) for P Geaney, A Spillane for K McCarthy, A Maher for J Barry (BC), D O'Sullivan for P Crowley, B Sheehan for D Moran.

Referee - D O'Mahony.

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