Kerry scrape past Monaghan to semi against Dublin

KERRY 1-12 MONAGHAN 1-11

Luckless Monaghan were bounced out of the All-Ireland race by a far-from-impressive Kerry side this afternoon as the reigning champions crept through to a glamour semi-final meeting with Dublin.

Defender Tomas O'Se fisted over what was the match-winning point at Croke Park as rusty Kerry almost paid the price for a flat performance, six weeks after their Munster final win.

Monaghan should have won this encounter and they will be kicking themselves that they did not see it through. After a blazing start, they led 1-2 to 0-1 with Tommy Freeman firing home from the penalty spot after a foul on Ciaran Hanratty.

But points from Eoin Brosnan, Colm Cooper, Killian Young and Mike Frank Russell got Kerry back into the game and the sides were level at 0-8 to 1-5 at the break.

Freeman and Hanratty shot the Farney men into a 1-9 to 0-9 as Monaghan, continuing the unrelenting pace, began the second period in style.

However, Kerry persisted with their long ball tactic and finally got some joy in the 57th-minute when they sought out big target man Kieran Donaghy.

The Tralee man failed to get a touch to the high delivery in, but quite fortuitously the ball broke off a Monaghan defender and into the patch of Declan O'Sullivan and the Kerry captain made no mistake with a measured goal finish.

Monaghan had an immediate chance to reply but Marc O'Se got down brilliantly to block a goal-bound shot from Freeman. Seamus McEnaney's side did tag on two points to retake the lead - Freeman and Paul Finlay were both on target - yet Kerry held the edge in the closing minutes.

Using all their experience, the Kingdom managed to get the lion's share of possession and Tomas O'Se drove the champions to victory. Substitute Bryan Sheehan slammed over a brace of well-taken scores and the clinching point fittingly arrived from the tireless O'Se.

Speaking afterwards, Kerry manager Pat O'Shea said: "It's just all about getting to the semi-final at this stage. We weren't happy with aspects of the performance but I've got to credit our lads, they won another close game which is great for character building. We're through to the next stage and we're just delighted to be in the last-four."

Playing in their first ever quarter-final, Monaghan tore out of the blocks with points from Rory Woods and Tommy Freeman inside three minutes.

Although Mike Frank Russell then got Kerry on the board, McEnaney's men moved four points clear by the eighth-minute thanks to Freeman's well-struck penalty which he placed to the bottom left corner of Diarmuid Murphy's net.

Kerry upped their performance to grab the next four points and get back on terms by the 22nd-minute. It was a case of anything you can do, I can do better as Monaghan replied with three on the bounce from Freeman, Woods and Stephen Gollogly.

Still, a point from defender Young and two Russell frees helped the defending champions square up the game before the half-time whistle.

The frenetic pace of the game continued into the second period and in the opening minute Kerry had what looked like a goal from Donaghy ruled out for a square ball.

Monaghan continued to press and take their scores well with late call-up Hanratty sending over two beauties. However, O'Sullivan's goal revived Kerry's flagging hopes and although Monaghan still led by two points with eight minutes remaining, there was a sense that Kerry now had the game within their grasp.

Substitutes Darren and Sean O'Sullivan were beginning to make their presence felt and Tomas O'Se was popping up on energy-sapping runs from the rear time and again.

Bryan Sheehan, another substitute, landed his first point in the 65th-minute and he raised another white flag two minutes later to peg Monaghan back.

Kerry's sudden midfield dominance gave them the platform to see out the win with O'Se's fisted effort in the 69th-minute proving the deciding score.

Monaghan's woes were further compounded when Paul Meegan fired a point-scoring chance wide of the mark and then midfielder Dick Clerkin was sent-off for his second bookable offence, as Ulster's involvement in the football championship came to an end.

KERRY: D Murphy; M O'Se, T O'Sullivan, P Reidy; T O'Se, A O'Mahony, K Young; D O'Se, S Scanlon; Declan O'Sullivan (capt), E Brosnan, P Galvin; C Cooper, K Donaghy, MF Russell.

Subs used: S O'Sullivan for Galvin (53 mins), B Sheehan for Russell (58), T Griffin for Reidy (61), Darren O'Sullivan for Brosnan (65).

MONAGHAN: S Duffy; D Mone, V Corey, C Flanagan; D McArdle, G McQuaid, JP Mone; D Clerkin, E Lennon; S Gollogly, P Finlay, D Freeman (capt); R Woods, C Hanratty, T Freeman.

Subs used: D Hughes for Gollogly (45 mins), P Meegan for D Mone (52), H McElroy for Woods (67).

Referee: David Coldrick (Meath)