So Kerry will face Galway in this year’s All-Ireland football final on Sunday July 24th thanks to Sean O’Shea’s stunning free at the death.
Dublin lose out at the semi-final stage for the second year running following a thrilling encounter, with the likes of Ciaran Kilkenny and James McCarthy to the fore. They did so well to bring it back to a level game late on, but for the first time in the championship since 2009 it was Kerry who came out on top against the Dubs. And deservedly so.
Scroll down and look back on the action as it unfolded below, and thanks for joining us.
FT Dublin 1-13 Kerry 1-14
Sean O’Shea provides the heroics after a brilliant individual performance, along with David Clifford who also caused havoc. Dublin showed huge character to come back and bring it to the line but their bench didn’t quite make the same impact as it has done in the past (how much of a difference would Con O’Callaghan have made?) For Kerry, that felt like a coming of age performance and victory. What a game and in fairness Kerry deserved it.
The referee blows it up after the kickout. Kerry beat Dublin and are into the All-Ireland final!! What a way to win the game!
Dublin 1-13 Kerry 1-14 (75′) Clifford wins a free about 50m out and O’Shea is lining it up... he’s scored it!!!!
Dublin 1-13 Kerry 1-13 (74′) Paddy Small does brilliantly to win a ball played in by Fenton. It’s a mark but is brought in for a free. Rock nails it. LEVEL AGAIN
Dublin 1-12 Kerry-13 (72′) Scully slices a left footed effort. Sean O’Shea then wins a long ball on the bounce, turns and takes on his man. Wins a free and converts it himself.
Dublin 1-12 Kerry 1-12 (68′) Diarmuid O’Connor drops a shot short which he really should’ve been slotting. The tackling at both ends has been heroic. Kilkenny then heads the Dublin counter, picks out Paddy Small who can’t get it back on to his left, it’s recycled back to Kilkenny who breaks out to the right of the D and points. LEVEL GAME. Five minutes added on!
Dublin 1-11 Kerry 1-12 (62′) Kerry end a spell of about two minutes of possession, which looked to be leading to nothing, with Brian Ó Beaglaíoch making a huge break and fisting the ball to Paudie Clifford who turns his man and fists it over the bar. James McCarthy responds with an inspirational score from distance, before Kilkenny left-footed brings it back to a one point game. Dublin’s leaders standing up!
Dublin 1-9 Kerry 1-11 (57′) Dublin playing from wing to wing but Kerry’s defence eventually forces the turnover. Neither team willing to take any major risks as we approach the final 10 minutes. Sean McMahon is on for Murchan.
Dublin 1-9 Kerry 1-11 (51′) Kilkenny is swarmed around in the D, Kerry turn him over and counter. O’Shea stays calm, pops a handpass to Paudie Clifford who kicks a good point to put two between them again. Adrian Spillane is on for David Moran.
Dublin 1-9 Kerry 1-10 (46′) David Moran is turned over in the middle of the field, Dublin’s counter attack is rapid, it’s worked through the hands to Costello who picks his spot and shoots across goal into the bottom corner. GOAL!! Paddy Small then powers in on goal, is forced out but Kilkenny arrives late to fist a good point. One point game!!
Dublin 0-8 Kerry 1-10 (44′) Spillane gathers a good ball in the corner, some fluid handpasses end up with Moynihan pointing on the run from the right of the D. Lahiff then frees up Paddy Small with a brilliant pass over the top, the Ballymun man steps back outside and kicks a good score off his left.
Dublin 0-7 Kerry 1-9 (42′) Dean Rock has just missed his first free of the championship thus far and that’s Dublin’s sixth wide. From the next attack however Brian Fenton points after good work by Paddy Small who’s just come on. Moynihan and Killian Spillane are on for Kerry, replacing Paul Geaney and O’Brien. David Byrne is on for Jonny Cooper in the Dublin backline.
Dublin 0-6 Kerry 1-9 (37′) Clifford kicks his sixth point, Fitzsimons tries to keep him on his left but he dummys it back on to his favoured left and floats it over despite the attempted block by the Dublin defender.
Dublin 0-6 Kerry 1-8 (36′) The second half throw-in ends up in Kerry hands again. They work it into Clifford who plays a genius low pass into Stephen O’Brien but he picks it up off the ground when in on goal.
HT Dublin 0-6 Kerry 1-8 - A brilliant game of football so far. David Clifford is giving a masterclass with 0-5, both teams are defending the scoring zone with great tenacity and we’ve seen some really good scores under pressure. Dublin will be relieved to be just five points behind after being down a man for 10 minutes following the black card, and conceding a penalty which was missed.
Dublin 0-6 Kerry 1-8 (38′) Cormac Costello kicks a wide after some patient build up play and some good pressure by the Kerry defence. Clifford at the other end shakes off two tacklers, cuts in from the left corner and kicks a lovely point off his right boot. Five between them after his fifth point.
Six minutes of added time announced.
Dublin 0-6 Kerry 1-7 (31′) O’Shea’s tame penalty is saved and he then blasts the rebound at the body of Comerford. The Dublin players are not happy about it. Comerford is again receiving treatment and John Small is about to return (a good chunk of his 10 minutes on the sideline have been spent with the play halted).
Dublin 0-6 Kerry 1-7 (28′) Clifford is shown the wing and forced on to his right foot, he shows his pace to create an angle and kicks a beauty that comes down off the post. Gavin White gathers it and is fouled for a penalty. Comerford is down receiving treatment as O’Shea gets ready to take the penalty...
Dublin 0-6 Kerry 1-7 (24′) The referee spots some off the ball fouling in the Kerry backline and Dean Rock taps over the resultant free. Sean O’Shea then takes the ball at speed on the crossover and points from the edge of the D.
Dublin 0-5 Kerry 1-6 (20′) Clifford gathers a mark inside the D, with Mick Fitzsimons all over him. He takes it in his stomach. Raises his hand and kicks it over. He follows up with another from 40m. That’s four points already for him. Dublin’s John Small has been black carded for an off the ball drag down. Kerry will have a man advantage for the next 10 minutes.
Dublin 0-5 Kerry 1-4 (17′) Kerry’s first wide follows an excellent Dublin point by John Small following a very fluid attacking move involving Rock and Kilkenny.
Dublin 0-4 Kerry 1-4 (12′) Clifford scores his first from play, right footed and assisted by O’Shea. Sean Bugler at the other end plays a one-two with Ciaran Kilkenny and then takes his point when a goal might’ve been on.
Dublin 0-3 Kerry 1-3 (8′) David Clifford floats over a free from 35m out. Evan Comerford is then forced to go long with his kickout, he sends it over the sideline. Kerry work it to Tom O’Sullivan on the overlap and the free-scoring corner back floats it over.
Dublin 0-3 Kerry 1-1 (6′) Dean Rock nails his first free. Gavin White then make a full body diving block, Dublin recover it and James McCarthy slips inside but his shot at goal is well saved. It’s worked back out to Brian Howard who floats over a beauty.
Dublin 0-1 Kerry 1-1 (4′) David Moran’s long ball breaks to O’Shea who slips inside, delays his shot, and buries it under the goalkeeper. GOAL!!
Dublin 0-1 Kerry 0-1 (2′) Young Lee Gannon curls an effortless kick over the bar, down the left wing, right-footed. Sean O’Shea responds from a tight angle for the Kingdom.
Dublin 0-0 Kerry 0-0 (1′) Kerry’s David Moran wins the throw in but their first attack is cut out by Eoin Murchan. GAME ON!!
One change on the Kerry team: Jack Barry replaces Dara Moynihan. Barry will mark Brian Fenton, O’Connor will start wing forward.
With the best will in the world and for all that their championship has been more impressive than expected, it’s also questionable how deep Dessie Farrell’s men can dig at this stage of the team’s cycle.
Verdict: Kerry
Check out Sean Moran’s preview in full here
BREAKING
Two late changes for Dublin: James McCarthy is in for Niall Scully. Lorcan O’Dell for Paddy Small.
Team news as per programme
DUBLIN: Evan Comerford; Eoin Murchan, Michael Fitzsimons, Lee Gannon; John Small, Jonny Cooper, Seán Bugler; Brian Fenton, Tom Lahiff; Niall Scully, Brian Howard, Ciarán Kilkenny; Cormac Costello, Dean Rock, Paddy Small.
KERRY: Shane Ryan; Graham O’Sullivan, Jason Foley, Tom O’Sullivan; Brian Ó Beaglaíoch, Tadhg Morley, Gavin White; David Moran, Diarmuid O’Connor; Dara Moynihan, Seán O’Shea, Stephen O’Brien; Paudie Clifford, David Clifford, Paul Geaney.
Hello and Welcome ... It’s arguably the GAA’s greatest rivalry as well as the meeting of the two best football teams in the country right now — Dublin v Kerry. The winner of this afternoon’s All-Ireland semi-final, throwing in at 3.30pm, will face Galway on Sunday July 24th, with Sam Maguire up for grabs.
First things first though. Kerry are out to win their first championship game against the Dubs since 2009, as they aim to win a first All-Ireland since 2014. Dublin of course have been dominant over the past decade, but their league relegation and exit at this stage of last year’s championship provides plenty of motivation.
Dublin look to be without the injured Con O’Callaghan who isn’t named on the matchday programme whatsoever, while James McCarthy is on the programme among the subs. The confirmation of the starting line-ups is eagerly anticipated, never mind the throw-in.
We’ll keep you updated throughout! Keep in touch via Twitter (@DonoghueEamon) but for now, let’s get started!
