Kerry look to have lost all hope of qualifying for the play-off stages of the National League after losing out to a far superior Tyrone side at Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney, yesterday afternoon.

Back-to-back defeats to Sligo and Tyrone leave the All-Ireland and National League champions near the foot of Section C, with just four points from five league games.

The foundations for Tyrone's victory were laid in the opening half when they out-shone their opponents in almost all areas of the field.

The Tyrone defence was extremely sharp and rarely allowed the Kerry attack, again without the influential Maurice Fitzgerald, space and time to create scoring chances.

Overall, this was a very disappointing performance from the All-Ireland champions who took to the field with 12 members of the team that won last year's All-Ireland title.

Brian McGuckian gave the Kerry defence a most uncomfortable hour and he landed Tyrone's first and opening score in the first minute.

Two minutes later Michael Frank Russell placed the incoming Pa Laide for the equaliser but the fact that Kerry failed to register a further score in the following 25 minutes tells its own story.

Points from McGuckian, Peter Canavan, Pascal Canavan and Paul McLaughlin gave the visitors a four point lead and Peter Canavan converted a penalty to give Tyrone a 1-7 to 0-2 interval lead.

Kerry were far superior in the second half and points from substitute Denis O'Dwyer and Pa O'Sullivan, along with a sweetly taken goal from Michael Francis Russell gave the home side hope.

A John Crowley point left just three points between the sides but Peter Canavan and Brian Dooher sent over two late points to give Tyrone a narrow but deserved victory. Kerry now face a stiff uphill struggle for the remainder of the League campaign as they face difficult away games to Monaghan and Dublin.

Tyrone: F McConnell; D Teague, C Lawn, S McLoughlin; Pascal Canavan (0-1), C Holmes, T McKenna; P McLoughlin (0-1), J Gormley; A Cash, Peter Canavan (1-3), Brian Dooher (0-1); C McBride, E Gormley, B McGuckian (0-3). Subs: D McElroy for P McLoughlin, C Loughran for C McBride.

Kerry: D O'Keeffe; M O'Shea, B O'Shea, S Stack; S Moynihan, L O'Flaherty, E Breen; D O Se (0-1), W Kirby; P Laide (0-1), D Daly, D O'Dwyer (0-2); MF Russell (1-0), J Crowley (0-1), D O' Cinneide. Subs: P O'Sullivan (0-1) for Kirby, K Scanlon for M O'Shea, B Clarke for Crowley.

Referee: G Hough (Limerick).