Classy Kerry march into All-Ireland semis with dominant win over Tyrone

The Kingdom secured their place in the last four with a 12 point victory over the Red Hands at Croke Park.

AT ARMS LENGTH: David Clifford shares a joke with Tyrone players Pádraig Hampsey and Michael McKernan. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

All-Ireland Senior Football Quarter-Final

Kerry 2-18 Tyrone 0-12

Kerry raged into the All-Ireland semi-finals with a demolition job of Tyrone on Saturday evening that will make up somewhat for their 2021 All-Ireland semi-final defeat.

For the 11 Kerry players who started that game and this quarter-final, this will rank as one of their sweetest victories yet. Turning over Tyrone at will at times, tactically schooling them and looking by far the fitter team, they were untouchable by the third quarter.

Across the halves, Tyrone didn’t score for 28 minutes. Between those sixth and seventh points, Kerry scored 1-8 without reply, their goal coming in the 52nd minute as Diarmuid O’Connor flashed a shot to the net after substitute Tony Brosnan recovered from a slip to set him up.

David Clifford didn’t score from play until the 58th minute but it hardly mattered so dominant was his team. And the game wasn’t without a touch of his class as he managed to keep the ball in play, hook it over his shoulder with such dexterity to regenerate an attack which concluded with Seán O’Shea’s 61st minute goal.

While they were pegged back to parity on three times, Kerry never went behind in the first half and were deservedly 0-9 to 0-6 up at the interval.

David Clifford’s conversion rate was less than 43% at the break but Kerry were bossing the ball, patient in their build-ups and create a major roadblock in front of their “D”.

Goal for Kerry! - Seán O'Shea finishes off a fantastic piece of play with Kerry's second goal of the game.

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Only the jinking skills of the Canavan brothers was giving them difficulties, the Ballygawley brothers contributing half of Tyrone’s points by the break and all but one of their scores from play.

After sending Jason Foley to the floor with a dummy before levelling the game in the 21st minute, Ruairí Canavan also won a free seven minutes later that squared it again.

However, Tyrone didn’t score for the remainder of the period. David Clifford sent over a free for a Kieran McGeary foul on the Kerry captain, Diarmuid O’Connor sent over a splendid effort two minutes later and the margin grew to three when a foul on Paudie Clifford was called back and his younger sibling hooked over his second free of the game.

Scorers for Kerry: S. O’Shea (1-5, 0-2 frees, 0-1 45); D. Clifford (0-5, 3 frees, 1 mark); D. O’Connor (1-2); A. Spillane (0-2); P. Geaney, T. O’Sullivan, P. Clifford, S. O’Brien (0-1 each).

Scorers for Tyrone: D. McCurry (0-4, frees); R. Canavan, D. Canavan, C. McShane (0-2 each); M. McKernan, M. Donnelly (0-1 each).

KERRY: S. Ryan; G. O’Sullivan, J. Foley, T. O’Sullivan; T. Morley; P. Murphy, G. White; D. O’Connor, J. Barry; D. Moynihan, S. O’Shea, A. Spillane; P. Clifford, D. Clifford (c), P. Geaney.

Subs for Kerry: S. O’Brien for A. Spillane, T. Brosnan for P. Geaney (both 51); B. Ó Beaglaoich for G. White (58); M. Burns for D. Moynihan (60); M. Breen for J. Foley (64).

Sent off: P. Clifford (second yellow, 70+5).

TYRONE: N. Morgan; R. McNamee, P. Hampsey (c), C. Meyler; M. O’Neill; P. Harte, M. McKernan; B. Kennedy, C. Kilpatrick; K. McGeary, C. Quinn; D. Canavan, D. McCurry, M. Donnelly.

Subs for Tyrone: F. Burns for C. Quinn (inj 34); C. McShane for R. Canavan, J. Oguz for K. McGeary (both 45); S. O’Donnell for M. Donnelly (64); A. Clarke for P. Hampsey (67).

Sent off: C. Meyler (second yellow, 70+5).

Referee: B. Cawley (Kildare).