Midfielder Billy Joe Padden struck a goal after barely 70 seconds to set Mayo on the way to new manager Mickey Moran's fourth straight win in competitive football.

For Kerry, it was a third straight defeat on the opening weekend of the NFL – they lost to Longford (2004) and Cork (2005) – and a first competitive loss at the hands of Mayo since 1996.

The Kingdom battled bravely – they twice fell six points behind in either half – but Jack O'Connor's men managed to hit six of the game's final seven points to almost spoil the Connacht side's party.

Kerry looked decidedly sleepy in the opening half. Conor Mortimer launched a high ball in and Padden, a late call-up before throw-in, watched it break loose in his favour for a neat left-foot goal finish.

Four minutes later, Eoin Brosnan barged through at the other end to offload for Kerry captain Declan O'Sullivan, who hit 1-02 in all, to goal, but the Kingdom were still 1-01 to 1-07 down by the nineteenth-minute.

Statuesque centre forward Ger Brady was central to Mayo's strong showing – he powered through for three points from play in the first half – and a run of consecutive points from Andy Moran, Mortimer (0-02), Padden and Alan Dillon had pushed the visitors six clear.

Kerry boss O'Connor reacted by bringing on Colm Cooper for Aidan O'Mahony, and the home side gradually got motoring. Scores from O'Sullivan, Brosnan (0-02), Mike Frank Russell and Darren O'Sullivan (0-02) saw the gap reduced to three at the break – 1-07 to 1-10.

The fluidity of Mayo's football, so early in the season, was a delight to see and Brady's fourth point, 12 minutes into the second half, pushed them 1-14 to 1-08 in front.

It was almost inevitable that Kerry, Mayo's arch nemesis in the championship over the past ten years, would mount a revival. Mayo corner back Trevor Crowley's second yellow card on 59 minutes helped the home side's cause – Crowley was dismissed for a foul on Kieran Donaghy, whilst tracking back.

Kerry, however, could not find a second goal to add to Russell's four second half frees. Cooper also got in on the scoring act in the final quarter-hour, but Mayo deservedly held on.