Plenty of punches but no knockout

Kerry 2-14 Mayo 2-14: RTÉ TV’s attempts to secure an on-field interview immediately after the final whistle here were all in vain. None of the protagonists wished to talk. None of them could be blamed. Nothing, after all, had been won.

The only talking being done was far away from the microphones in the Cusack Stand/Hill 16 corner of the pitch as Kerry and Mayo players squared up to each other with puffed-out chests as if to claim psychological bragging rights ahead of the replay.

Who has them? Well, Kerry will surely benefit from an extra 79 minutes of football when their three outings up to now had been dwarfed by Mayo’s seven. They can point to 2014 as one of the several times when they have ate the cherry whole when offered a second bite of it and when the dust settles, they will be relieved that they have another opportunity.