Dubs knocked out by Kerry

Kerry 1-15 Dublin 0-16

A crowd of 82,157 watched a rip-roaring and bruising All-Ireland SFC semi-final at Croke Park this afternoon as reigning champions Kerry book their place in an all-Munster decider against Cork.

The Kingdom dug deep to see off the Leinster champions and qualify for their fourth successive All-Ireland final and the first of manager Pat O'Shea's reign.

In a tenacious opening half Kerry came flying out of the blocks and held a 0-3 to 0-0 lead after three-and-a-half minutes thanks to well-worked points from half-forwards Eoin Brosnan and Paul Galvin (0-2).

Dublin's first real scoring opportunity came in the sixth-minute when Mark Vaughan's sweeping kick somehow swirled to the right of the posts and wide.

Darragh O'Se kicked wide for Kerry and then it was Dublin who were finally to open their account in the seventh-minute from an unlikely source.

Dublin's forwards were not having much luck in attack at this stage so half-back Barry Cahill decided to burst forward and took an excellent point to open the Leinster champions' account.

Both sides had missed chances with Kerry kicking some glaring wides and as the opening half progressed, so too did the intensity of the exchanges with Paul Galvin receiving the first yellow card of the contest.

Three minutes later Dublin had reduced the gap to the minimum thanks to a Conal Keaney score and they were certainly playing good football at this stage with points from Alan Brogan and Mark Vaughan helping them take the lead in the 20th-minute.

The hard edge in the game continued with both Vaughan and Jason Sherlock shown yellow cards before a Bryan Sheehan score ensured parity for the second time in the game.

Dublin regained the lead thanks to a Vaughan point and Paul Caffrey's charges were to hold the lead until the break thanks to good scores from Bernard Brogan, Keaney and Alan Brogan.

Trailing by a point at the interval, Kerry made an inspirational start to the second half with a rasper of a goal from Declan O'Sullivan following a lovely pass from Killian Young.

Kerry were not keen on stopping there and a second point of the afternoon from Sheehan gave Pat O'Shea's men held a goal lead, three minutes into the second half.

Points from Sheehan, Cooper, Tomas O'Se and Eoin Brosnan coupled with a lone Dublin point from Vaughan left Kerry leading by 1-12 to 0-9 as the game entered the final quarter.

Dublin were never going to line down easily and points from Vaughan and Keaney helped reduce the gap to four points with 15 minutes remaining.

The introduction of Darren Magee certainly helped to inspire this comeback and fellow substitute Ray Cosgrove had a chance to cut the gap to a point in the 57th-minute but saw his goal kick blaze wide of the posts.

With the Kerry scores drying up, Dublin continued to press and a fifth point of the game from Vaughan cut the gap to a single goal with eight-and-a-half minutes remaining.

Kerry needed to rejig their attack and opted to introduce Sean O'Sullivan in place of the very effective Paul Galvin for the closing minutes. Points from Alan Brogan and centre-back Bryan Cullen ensured the minimum between the sides and set up a tantilising finish.

Kerry failed to panic and a point from substitute Sean O'Sullivan gave his side a two-point cushion despite Cooper being floored as he played the scoring pass.

The game was certainly hanging on a knife-edge as Declan O'Sullivan and Cullen traded points and with four minutes of injury-time announced, nerves were jangling on the pitch and off it.

A 72nd-minute close range free from Keaney cut the gap to the minimum once more but Kerry regained possession from the kick-out and worked hard for Declan O'Sullivan to notch his second point in five minutes and seal his side's passage through to the September 16 final.

KERRY: D Murphy; M O'Se, T O'Sullivan, P Reidy; T O'Se (0-1), A O Mahony, K Young; D O'Se, S Scanlon; Declan O Sullivan (1-3), E Brosnan (0-2), P Galvin (0-2); C Cooper (0-3, 1f), K Donaghy, B Sheehan (0-3, 1f).

Subs used: T Griffin for D O'Se (21 mins), D O'Se for Griffin (58), S O'Sullivan (0-1) for Galvin (62), Darren O Sullivan for Brosnan (65).

DUBLIN: S Cluxton; D Henry, R McConnell, P Griffin; P Casey, B Cullen (0-2), B Cahill (0-1); C Whelan, S Ryan; C Moran, A Brogan (0-3), B Brogan (0-1); J Sherlock, C Keaney (0-4, 0-2f), M Vaughan (0-5, 0-4f).

Subs used: R Cosgrove for Sherlock (41 mins), D Magee for B Brogan (54), T Quinn for Vaughan (69).

Referee: John Bannon (Longford)