Kerry will face Mayo in next Sunday’s Division One final after beating Roscommon by 2-17 to 0-13 at Dr Hyde Park.

The way results elsewhere worked out this afternoon, Kerry would still have qualified for next weekend's Croke Park decider even if they's lost. But goals in either half from Sean O’Shea (1-5) and Stephen O’Brien (1-2) handed the Kingdom their sixth win from seven outings and they can avenge their sole defeat of the Spring when they lock horns with their conquerors of last weekend again in seven days’ time.

A draw would have kept the Rossies up but instead they have suffered relegation straight back down to the second tier.

There was little or nothing between the teams in the first half but Sean O’Shea’s goal on the half-hour mark gave the visitors a 1-8 to 0-8 interval advantage.

Niall Kilroy and David Clifford traded the first two points and the hosts led by four points to two after 16 minutes with Conor Cox (free), Cathal Cregg and Donie Smith (free) pointing.

Clifford pointed via the crossbar but Roscommon remained in front until O‘Shea’s goal in the 30th minute handed Peter Keane’s men a 1-5 to 0-6 lead, which they would not relinquish.

Dara Moynihan closed the first-half scoring and, with the wind at their backs, the Kingdom put their opponents to the sword within twelve minutes of the resumption as O’Brien bundled the ball to the net after O’Shea (2) and Clifford had pointed – 2-11 to 0-8 and no way back for Anthony Cunningham’s men, who must be ruing their costly draw with Tyrone last month more than today’s result.

Kerry - S Ryan; J Sherwood, P Crowley, G O’Sullivan; G Crowley, P Murphy, T O’Sullivan (0-1); J Barry, D O’Connor (0-1); D Moynihan (0-2), S O’Shea (1-5, 0-4f), S O’Brien (1-2); D Clifford (0-5, 3f), T Walsh, K McCarthy. Subs: K Spillane for C McCarthy, J O’Donoghue (0-1) for T Walsh, J Foley for J Sherwood, M Griffin for P Crowley, C Geaney for D Clifford.

Roscommon - C Lavin; D Murray, S Mullooly, C Daly; C Hussey, N Daly, R Daly (0-2); T O’Rourke, S Killoran (0-1); N Kilroy (0-1), C Cregg (0-1), U Harney; D Smith (0-2f), C Cox (0-4f), A Lyons. Subs: E Smith for A Lyons, D Murtagh (0-2f) for D Smith, C Devaney for N Kilroy, H Darcy for C Cregg, G Patterson for N Daly.

Referees - A Nolan, N Cullen.

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