KERRY manager Mark Bourke praised his side’s second-half display in their 0-13 to 1-4 defeat of MAYO.
The Green and Red trailed the All-Ireland SFC champions by the minimum, 0-7 to 1-3, at the interval.
But the Kingdom stormed clear following a clear-the-air session.
Bourke said: “We had a frank discussion about things at half-time.
“They had a look at themselves. We did much better in the second half.”
Mayo only scored one point after the restart and boss Liam McHale said: “We would have expected to score five or six points in the second half.”
Connacht champions GALWAY began their campaign with a comfortable 1-13 to 0-7 victory over TIPPERARY.
Tribe boss Daniel Moynihan said: “The work rate, the drive, the pressure we put on Tipperary, was exceptional.”
MEATH came from four points down with three minutes to go to draw 3-8 to 2-11 with ARMAGH in Navan.
Royals captain Aoibhín Cleary said: “We kept fighting until the end, which was great.
“It was great to come back to get that draw after Armagh had been leading for the majority of the second half.”
