GAA: Bitter taste to seven -up in Kingdom; NHL DIVISION 1A: Kerry 0-14 Galway 7-14.

GALWAY put Kerry to the sword to gather maximum points in this National Hurling League mis-match, played before less than 100 spectators at a wind-swept Austin Stack Park, Tralee.

This was a hat-trick of defeats for the Kingdom and a hat-trick of goals for Galway corner forward, Fergal Healy, in a 10 minute spell before half time that ended the game as a contest.

This defeat surely shows the folly of Kerry's participation in the top-flight and despite spirited resistance by the Kerry players they were clearly out of their depth.

Galway learned nothing by this drubbing except that they are in a different class to the Kingdom and they unearthed a scoring gem in corner forward, Healy.

The game was over as a contest by half time, with Galway leading 4-6 to 0-7, despite playing against a strong wind. Healy, who amassed a personal tally of 5-2 scored three of his goals from the 24th to the 29th minutes of the first half.

Rory Gantly had driven a free to the Kerry net in the 15th minute to send Galway in front as they trailed 0-3, 0-2 early on.

Michael Slattery scored six of Kerry's first half points and in fact he was the only Kerry forward that started to register a score during the entire game.

Galway were the quicker and the slicker side in every department and once Healy struck for a superb goal in the 38th minute, Galway were out of range and Kerry's cause was lost. Kerry's defence battled manfully to the end with Willie Joe Leen outstanding but this simply could not stop the Galway tide.

Ollie Fahy and Healy had further goals as Galway introduced some reserve talent, with John Culkin scoring two fine points as Slattery from placed balls kept Kerry ticking over in what was another moral-shattering defeat.

GALWAY SCORERS: Fergal Healy 5-2; Rory Gantley 1-6; Ollie Fahy 1-0; Ollie Canning & John Culkin 0-2 each; Cathill Moore & Mark Kerins 0-1 each.

KERRY SCORERS: Michael Slattery 0-10; Pat Cronin 0-2; Willie Joe Leen & Richard Gentlemen 0-1 each.

GALWAY: Kevin Boyle, Noel Larkin, Liam Hodgins, Vinnie Mahir, Enda Linnane, Cathal Moore, Declana O'Brien, Nigel Shaughnessey, Tadraig Walsh, Rory Gantly, Mark Kerrins, Ollie Canning, Finbar Gantly, Ollie Fahy, Fergal Healy. Subs: David Forde for Fahy, John Culkin for Shaughnessey, Alan Kerins for Walsh, Ronan Rahilly for Hodgins.

KERRY: Owen Thornton, Michael Hanafin, Morris McCarthy, Aiden Cronin, Willie Joe Leen, Aiden Healy, Tommy Halloran, Pat Cronin, David Slattery, John Maher, Anthony O'Grady, Ian Brick, Michael Slattery, Johnjoe Canty, John O'Carroll. Subs: Richard Gentlemen for Halloran, Ian Maunsell for Canty, Sean Morris for Brick, Sean Fitzgerald for O'Carroll.

Referee: Sean McMahon (Clare).