Kerry rally at the death to claim pulsating All-Ireland MFC semi-final win over Mayo

FINAL-BOUND: Kerry midfielder John Curtin celebrates at the final whistle of their Electric Ireland All-Ireland MFC semi final win over Mayo at Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg in Ennis. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

All-Ireland MFC semi-final: Kerry 1-19 ( 1–4-11) Mayo 3-10 (3-0-10)

A pulsating encounter in Ennis saw Kerry emerge victorious in their All-Ireland MFC semi-final clash with Mayo, with both sides trading blows in a game that swung dramatically from start to finish. Kerry shaded it at the death with four of the last five points to book their first appearance since 2020 in the decider, where they will meet Tyrone.

A high-octane first half laid the foundation for a classic, as momentum shifted repeatedly before a late surge from the Kingdom sealed the win.

Kerry started the brighter, settling quickly into rhythm and taking an early lead thanks to the sharp shooting of Ben Kelliher. The Kerry forward showed his class with two well-taken points in the opening ten minutes, capitalising on composed build-up play and early Mayo indecision.

With first use of the wind, Mayo were slow out of the blocks, squandering early chances before Ben Holmes finally got them on the scoreboard. That score proved a spark. From the resulting kickout, Ruairí Kennedy's errant pass found touch, and Mayo pounced. Midfielder Cian May powered forward on the break and finished emphatically, blasting to the net to hand Mayo a 1-1 to 0-2 lead after 12 minutes.

The tempo lifted again, with the game opening up into a more expansive contest. Kerry responded well, with points from John Curtin and Danny Murphy keeping them in touch. But Mayo’s aggressive running game continued to trouble the Kerry backline.

A moment of magic came in the 22nd minute when David Sargent split the Mayo defence with a sublime pass, allowing Maidhc Ó Sé to finish neatly and push Kerry back in front. However, Mayo struck a major blow on the cusp of half-time. After Tony Carey was pulled down in the square by keeper Kennedy, who received a black card for the foul, Dara Flanagan coolly converted the penalty to restore Mayo’s lead. A late free from Gearóid White narrowed the deficit, leaving Mayo a. point to the good at the break, 2-5 to 1-7.

The second half began with the same breathless intensity. Now playing with a stiff breeze, Kerry wasted no time asserting themselves. Kelliher again led the charge, booming over a two-point score moments after the restart. Kevin Griffin added another long-range effort, and Kerry had turned a one-point deficit into a three-point lead in the blink of an eye.

Griffin’s second two-pointer and a clinical finish from Kelliher extended the advantage, but Mayo refused to fold. Flanagan and Conor Hession clipped over crucial scores before Ben Holmes once more stepped up, finishing to the net for Mayo’s third goal to level the contest.

With the teams deadlocked entering the final minutes, tension rose. Holmes looked to have snatched the win for Mayo with a stoppage-time point, but Kerry dug deep. White, Nick Lacey, and the ever-influential Kelliher orchestrated a swift and devastating response.

Kelliher, fittingly, had the final say, curling over a superb two-point free in the 66th minute to seal a dramatic win for Kerry.

Scorers for Kerry: B Kelliher (0-9, 2f, 1 2p, 1 2pf), K Griffin (0-4, 1 2pf, 1 2p) M Ó Sé (1-0), G White (0-3, 1f), J Curtin, D Murphy, N Lacey 0-1 each.

Scorers for Mayo: B Holmes (1-3), D Flanagan (1-3, 1-0 pen), C May (1-0), C Hession (0-3, 1f), T Carey (0-1 each).

KERRY: R Kennedy; R Sheridan, E Joy, T Ó Slatara; D Murphy, D Sargent, M Clifford; M Ó Sé, J Curtin; M O’Carroll, G White, A Tuohy; B Kelliher, K Griffin, T O’Connell.

Subs: N Lacey for T O’Connell (Blood 27-29), S Sargent for T O’Connell (Black Card 29-37), D McCarthy for E Joy (50) L O’Brien for T O’Connell (51), N Lacey for M O’Connell (57).

MAYO: T Williams; C Coghill, B Langan, C Tighe; R O’Donnell, D Duffy, E Dever; A Kelly, C May; R Neary, D Flanagan, C Jordan; B Holmes, C Hession, T Carey.

Subs: P Quinn for C Coghill (Temp 20-23), B Joyce for R Neary (43), O Murphy for T Carey (43), Hoban for C Jordan (48), F Ó Cinnseala for C Hession (60).

Referee: C Dourneen (Cavan) --