GAA: QUILL WRITES OFF DONEGAL'S SURVIVAL HOPE; Donegal........0-08 Kerry..............1-12 Kingdom's new star shines Kerry bright NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE.

Byline: GERRY McLAUGHLIN KERRY

DONEGAL'S 15 year stay in Division One ended not with a bang but a whimper against the languid lords from the Kingdom yesterday.

Kerry cantered home as their opponents continued to play death wish football and kicked 13 wides.

And the Kingdom have unearthed another gemfrom the Colm Cooper school of finishing.

Dazzling Declan Quill has an uncanny resemblance to the suspended red raider and he clipped over seven points with aplomb.

Indeed it was his four consecutive points on either side of half-time that effectively swung this mediocre affair before an attendance of 2,500 after Kerry led by 1-4 to 0-5 at the interval.

Wing-forward Paul Galvin's runs carved open the Donegal defence repeatedly while Dara O Se was like the biggest and strongest boy in the playground.

Paidi O Se's towering nephew seemed content to monitor Donegal's earnest but ineffectual efforts and only intervened when absolutely necessary.

Seamus Moynihan has had better games but Donegal made it easy for Kerry's less than convincing defence with a series of kamikaze passes into their full-forwardline.

And the ground was stunned when Tir Conaill's most effective forward Brian Roper was taken off nine minutes from time.

Roper always gives Kerry problems - he struck three wides but freetaker Adrian Sweeney hit six wides from easy positions.

Donegal brought on a bronzed Brendan Devenney after half-time and he made an impact.

But his fellow forwards failed to convert Devenney's hard won frees.

Kerry will be happy with getting their first away points after surviving a choppy start when the home side played their best football of the current campaign.

Jim McGuinness and James Ruane benefited from a crowded midfield policy in a lively opening quarter.

Donegal began brightly and had two quick points on the board from mercurial Adrian Sweeney and a great left-footed effort from Christy Toye after a flowing movement reminiscent of the 1992 side.

But Kerry struck a deadly blow after eight minutes when Galvin cut through the defence l ike a hot knife through butter.

His poorly struck shot was saved by Tony Blake but full-forward Declan O'Sullivan followed up to grab a crucial goal.

Despite wind advantage, Donegal were always struggling thereafter.

They missed five easy chances as Kerry played the percentage game.

Adrian Sweeney levelled matters at 0-5 to 1-2 when Quill grabbed two points in 60 seconds.

He added to that tally immediately after half-time with two more.

Despite the efforts of Brendan Devenney, Brian Roper and Noel McGinley, Kerry cruised home in low gear.

The Kingdom as usual looked vulnerable when taken on but a truely dismal Donegal never looked remotely like finding the net.

Tir Conaill goalkeeper Tony Blake accepted that relegation is now inevitable.

"Maybe it won't do any harm and we can build towards better things.

"Another very disappoinitng result.

"We started well as usual and then fell away.

"It's hard to explain exactly what is wrong but it's just one of those years.

"Brendan Devenney came on for us and made a real difference even though he is only just back from holidays.

"We had a lot of chances up front but sadly it's just the same old story."D Murphy

T O Se

M McCarthy

M Lyons

E Fitzmaurice

S Moynihan

J Sheehan

D O Se

D Daly (0-1)

L Hassett

E Brosnan

P Galvin (0-1)

D Quill (0-7)

D O Sullivan (1-1)

R O Connor

CAPTION(S):

DOWN AND OUT: Donegal's Tony Blake can't hide his disappointment after yesterday's comprehensive defeat to Kerry