All-Ireland SFC Semi-Final
Kerry 1-17
Derry 1-15
By Cian O’Connell at Croke Park
Ultimately a blistering spell in the closing stages when Kerry clipped five points without reply proved decisive.
In an intense and epic encounter that type of a burst was needed to earn victory over Derry, who summoned a daring and defiant display.
With 10 minutes of normal time remaining a Shane McGuigan free edged Derry 1-14 to 1-12 ahead.
Kerry were under duress, but Jack O’Connor’s charges eventually found a way to survive and then thrive.
During that spell Seán O’Shea, substitute Stephen O’Brien, and the remarkable David Clifford, inevitably, landed vital blows.
Derry just couldn’t recover. Requiring a goal deep into additional time McGuigan pointed a free with the last kick and Kerry’s All-Ireland Final appearance was secured.
From the first whistle it was frenetic and fantastic. Two goals were planted in the opening six minutes.
A couple of other opportunities were spurned just to illustrate how wild and exciting it was.
Gareth McKinless reacted smartly to net a Derry major following a Tadhg Morley block on Brendan Rogers.
Kerry’s response was instant. White, who had earlier been denied by an Odhran Lynch save, netted after clever build up work by Paul Geaney and Seán O’Shea.
Pádraig McGrogan subsequently replied with a point, but the Newbridge clubman was forced off injured. That was a setback for Derry, who ploughed on defiantly.
Paul Cassidy and McGuigan rifled over sweet points, but Kerry came firing again nailing four of the next five points.
Clifford was central, the prolific Fossa attacker giving a finishing clinic as Kerry edged 1-5 to 1-4 in front by the 22nd minute.
The match continued at a decent clip, though, with Kerry’s Diarmuid O’Connor black carded moments later. While the Kerry midfielder was absent Derry motored well with Brendan Rogers and the industrious Ciarán McFaul prominent.
When the interval eventually rolled around Derry led 1-11 to 1-8 and the 43,192 spectators were being treated to a high octane encounter.
O’Connor introduced Stephen O’Brien, who was hugely productive after the restart, forcing a couple of turnovers as Kerry were back on terms, 1-12 each by the 48th minute.
Clifford and the increasingly influential O’Shea were to the fore for Kerry, but Derry did create chances.
Kerry custodian Shane Ryan had to be alert when making a 51st minute save from McKinless, but Derry probed.
McFaul, a willing runner throughout, steered them ahead before a 60th minute McGuigan free had Derry two clear.
Kerry, who went 18 minutes without raising a white flag, remained calm. O’Shea and Clifford converted frees to restore parity.
O’Brien, Clifford, and O’Shea added important points from play. Derry needed a goal, but Kerry, who were seriously examined, prevailed.
A date with Dublin at GAA headquarters is next on the agenda.
Scorers for Kerry: David Clifford 0-9 (4fs, 1m), Seán O’Shea 0-4 (1f), Gavin White 1-0, Stephen O’Brien, Paudie Clifford, Shane Ryan, and Diarmuid O’Connor 0-1 each.
Scorers for Derry: Shane McGuigan 0-6 (3fs), Gareth McKinless 1-0, Brendan Rogers, Paul Cassidy, and Ciarán McFaul 0-2 each, Odhran Lynch, Conor Doherty, and Pádraig McGrogan 0-1 each.
Kerry: Shane Ryan; Paul Murphy, Jason Foley, Tom O’Sullivan; Graham O’Sullivan, Tadhg Morley, Gavin White; Diarmuid O’Connor, Jack Barry; Dara Moynihan, Paudie Clifford, Adrian Spillane; Seán O’Shea, David Clifford, Paul Geaney.
Subs: Stephen O’Brien for Spillane (HT), Brian Ó Beaglaíoch for Murphy (55), Tony Brosnan for Geaney (55), Micheál Burns for Moynihan (59), Ruairí Murphy for P Clifford (70+3).
Derry: Odhran Lynch; Eoghan McEvoy, Chrissy McKaigue, Pádraig McGrogan; Conor Doherty, Gareth McKinless, Conor McCluskey; Conor Glass, Brendan Rogers; Paul Cassidy, Ciarán McFaul, Ethan Doherty; Niall Loughlin, Shane McGuigan, Niall Toner.
Subs: Pádraig Cassidy for McGrogan (9), Benny Heron for Pádraig Cassidy (51), Lachlan Murray for Toner (60), Shea Downey for McEvoy (70+2), Ben McCarron for McKinless (70+9).
Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan).
