WHAT awaits now? Kerry remain in the All Ireland series but Jack O'Connor will have no doubts about what lies in store. Yesterday was the sprint, next week is the marathon. And the victorious manager was quick to point that out. "The early goals made a huge difference and got us on our way. Hopefully now the lads will get a bit of confidence back and this will get us back on track. But we know what lies ahead. It will be a huge challenge against Armagh. They play a different type of football and it will be a different type of challenge."

So it will, but at least they will be in Croke Park next Saturday to face that challenge.But there are still many areas where they must improve. Longford looked capable of goaling on more than one occasion themselves and with the likes of Oisin Mcconville, Ronan Clarke and Steven McDonnell in waiting, there will be worries. As well in midfield, as Paul Donaghy is likely to start at full forward after this display.

But yesterday evening they began their walk along the road to redemption but there was only the odd flash of style and defensively they failed to close gaps. On this showing Armagh could prove a step too far. With a bit more guile and savvy Longford could have been closer in Killarney.

When Kerry started out it was obvious they weren't trying to conceal their hand. The long, high ball into the full forward was given an early airing and the Donaghy experiment worked well.

With 3-4 on the board after 25 minutes the Austin Stacks man had been central to all but one of Kerry's scores.

If O'Connor is to persevere with the move and he surely will then Donaghy won't find as much space or time on the ball against Armagh next Saturday. With seven minutes on the clock he leaped over Barry Gilleran, picked a lovely patch and took a few seconds to find Eoin Brosnan tearing through the centre like a souped-up steam engine. Brosnan crashed the ball into the net and Kerry were on their way. A few moments later the move was repeated. Donaghy batted down from close range and fisted in to bag his second goal.

And when Donaghy dispossessed Dermot Brady and fed Colm Cooper for Kerry's third goal, Luke Dempsey had seen enough. He hauled Barry Gilleran to the line and moved Diarmuid Masterson back to help shackle Donaghy. Donaghy's wasn't being missed at midfield as Kerry by-passed the area as much as they could. Diarmuid Murphy was opting for short kickouts, Kerry removing the ball patiently out of defence then raining balls down on Donaghy's head.

Paul Barden for his part was giving Kerry a few headaches and in what will be his last game in a Kerry jersey at Fitzgerald Stadium, Seamus Moynihan was being given some testing times.

After half an hour the centre forward had three points to his name and he was keeping Longford in touch. Just.

Maybe it was the new look team but Kerry were still finding it hard to kill the game. Midway through the second half in the midst of a barrage of Longford wides Brian Kavanagh finally penetrated the Kerry defence for a goal. That it didn't happen earlier was the only surprise.

Longford were playing with some of the intensity that saw them trouble Dublin and overcome Derry and quietly but suddenly the game briefly looked like turning. Tomas O Se was withdrawn and he made straight for the dressing room.

Mike Frank Russell, who contributed enough to vindicate his selection, fired a penalty straight at Damien Sheridan and there were only a couple of scores in it. It was significant that Kerry were playing in front of their own curious crowd and they kept their heads to see them through.

When Brosnan drove through with his third goal it stretched the gap to nine points and the game was beyond Longford. Longford will take enough from this game and the championship in general to raise hopes within the county. For Kerry the march continues and some questions have been answered. Others remain and we won't fully know the exact start of this team until Saturday evening.

Thanks to Brosnan theyv'e at lease recalled how to score goals and Donaghy's fielding abilities provide a genuine alternative in front of the goal.

Its been wondered more than once around the county whether O'Connor would have taken the carving knife to the team had the opposition carried a little more championship weight with them. The answer will come pretty soon.

KERRY D Murphy; M O Se, M McCarthy, D O'Sullivan; T O Se, S Moynihan, A O Mahony;

D O Se (0-1), T Grif"n (0-1); Darren O'Sullivan, E Brosnan (3-0), P Galvin; C Cooper (1-3, 0-1 free), K Donaghy (0-2), M Russell (0-2, f) Subs Declan O'Sullivan for Darren O'Sullivan, 34 mins; M Lyons for T O Se, B Sheehan (0-1) for T Grif"n 55 mins; S O'Sullivan (0-1) for P Galvin, 57 mins; E Fitzmaurice for S Moynihan, 60 mins LONGFORD D Sheridan; D Brady, B Gilleran, C Conefrey; S Mulligan, D Masterson, D Reilly;

B McElvaney (0-2, frees), L Keenan; P Berry, P Barden (0-3), T Smullen; D Barden, P Dowd, B Kavanagh (1-6, 0-4 frees) Subs A O'Connor for B Gilleran, 13 mins; J Martin for T Smullen, 58 mins Referee V Neary (Mayo)