Mayo's Conor Mortimer proved the star - and not a Michael Jackson tribute in sight - as John O'Mahony's side put an experimental Kerry to the sword in front of a large crowd in Tralee.
Mayo's first half display, after which they trailed by 0-5 to 0-4, little reflected the possession they won but rather their poor use of it, as wides and shots into the 'keepers arms abounded.
However, a 0-4 burst from play by sub Mortimer after the break, with Alan Dillon and Enda Varley also contributing, put Mayo in control, before a Tom Parsons goal with 12 to go sealed the win. Kieran O'Leary bagged a late consolation for Kerry, for a final score of 1-12 to 1-10.
Elsewhere, Tyrone were plunged deep into relegation trouble at Tuam as Galway eased their own worries with a four-point win.
An early Matthew Clancy goal for the Tribesmen was the game's key score, blasting home from twelve yards after collecting a David Reilly pass inside the opening ten minutes.
As Tyrone struggled to harness the strong breeze in their favour, the lead was 1-3 to 0-4 after 23, Clancy adding a point along with Gary Sice, before Colm McCullagh replied for the visitors.
The passages of play either side of the break, however, when six unanswered Galway points put them 1-10 to 0-6 up, looked to have the job done. But then sub Sean Cavanagh and Martin Penrose began to claw it back for Tyrone with their own string of five without reply. But the goal was the crucial cushion and Joe Kernan's side held out, 1-15 to 0-14.
Finally, a 0-10 haul by Conor McManus helped Monaghan to a decisive 1-16 to 0-12 win over an abject Derry, with only four late Oak Leaf points preventing a double digits defeat. Tommy Freeman's incisive goal finish in the first half put real daylight between the sides, and with McManus unerring and Paddy Bradley misfiring badly, Derry were well beaten long before the whistle.