As it happened: Kerry v Tyrone, All-Ireland SFC semi-final
MAIN MAN:Kerry’s David Clifford celebrates scoring the first goal of the game. Pic: INPHO/Ryan Byrne
What did you make of that then? John Fogarty has filed his on-the-whistle report from Croke Park.
Thanks for your company throughout the evening, we'll have lots more reaction and analysis over the coming hours and will have more live coverage of Sunday's semi-final.
Mark Bradley pulls on a loose ball in front of goal and it's deflected over.
We go back for a free, which is dropped in. The hooter goes before anyhing can accrue and Kerry are through after an impressive -- if at time wasteful -- display.
Kerry are just toying with Tyrone now as Darragh Maloney muses on the identity of their opposition in the final. They'll be back in a fortnight to face Meath or Donegal.
Too little, too late but Ruairi Canavan addds a two-pointer.
Daragh Canavan points and with five minutes to go it's an eight-point game.
Tyrone are punished for a three-back infringement and Clifford points before Seanie O'Donnell ends a 20-plus mniute period of no scores for the Red Hand.
Spillane uses his strength to hold off his man and point as Morgan scrambles back. This game looks done after an hour.
Tony Leen in the Hogan Stand writes: "Six misses on the bounce from Tyrone is sucking the energy from their second half, Kerry are tidyness personified, and have eased nine clear with ten mins left. They’re controlling the tempo now too which is so important"
Niall Morgan has a chance to finally puts an end to Tyrone’s missed chances by aceing a free outside the arc for two points. But he goes short to Kieran McGeary who only balloons it up in the air. This is not what the Red Hands need with 12 mins remaining. They trail 1-17 to 0-13 and need inspiration fast.
Seanie O'Shea stretches Kerry's lead een further.
David Clifford is on the end of a good Kerry move and he's not going to miss today. Long way back for the Ulster side now.
What a tank of a game Joe O’Connor is having for the Kingdom. They lead by six but this one is lng from done, with 16 mins left.
No score for Tyrone in over 13 minutes and four wides in the meantime.
It's scrambling a lot of the time but Kerry's reactionary defence has been excellent.
Paudie Clifford stretches Kerry's lead while his brother is on the end of some off-the-ball stuff. The Fossa
man and Michael McKernan have their names taken.
Peter Harte is on to replace Ciaran Daly.
Spillane doesn't take long to make his precense felt. He jinks from right to left and swings it over. Kerry are taking control.
Joe O'Connor goes up the guts again and drilsl the ball over the bar, before imploring the crowd to pump it up.
Tony Leen writes: "That’s a brilliant marking job Jason Foley has done on Tyrone’s Darren McCurry, who’s replaced in the 47th minute, scoreless."
Killian Spillane is sent on for Dylan Geaney too.
John Fogarty writes: 1-7 for Clifford now. And Tyrone aren't thinking of moving Padraig Hampsey off him. It's a thankless gig.
Meanwhile, Kerry squander two more goal chances. Joe O'Connor blazes over when going for a green flag and then Dylan Geaney sidesteps Morgan but draws it wide.
Will Kerry live to rue their hatful of squandered goal chances?
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 12, 2025
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"Im saying no more, seven goal chances gone abegging for Kerry. Bonkers."
Darragh Canavan -- who looked to be struggling with an ankle knock earlier -- slots another free and he's been excellent.
Jack O'Connor is, Éamonn Fitzmaurice says, fuming on the sideline as Kerry try to force another goal chance. Clifford points as I type; he's unplayable today.
Paudie Clifford clips over when going for goal.
Tony Leen writes: "It will be amazing if all these fluffed goal chances don’t come back to bite Kerry. They’ll missed two more now in the first four mins of second half, this time Paudie Clifford points when a goal looked on!"
Meanwhile: Free count is seriously in Kerry's favour.
Superb score from Darragh Canavan to get Tyrone back to within one.
Moments later David Clifford mishandles a great pass when it looked like he was in.
Good start from Tyrone. Darragh Canavan is on the end of a rehearsed move off the throw in.
After a good restart from Shane Ryan, Kerry try to work a goal chance. When Seanie O'Shea is fouled, David Clifford converts the free.
The teams are out, David Bowie's Let's Dance is on the PA and we're ready to go.
Scorers for Kerry: D. Clifford (1-5, 1 tp, 2 frees); S. O’Shea (0-2, frees); D. Geaney, G. O’Sullivan (0-1 each).
Scorers for Tyrone: C. Daly, D. Canavan (1 free) M. Donnelly (0-2 each); K. McGeary, E. McElholm, S. O’Donnell (0-1 each).
Kerry won only three kick-outs from 11. Even if they are three points ahead, that return and their conversion rate of 52% (just 38% from play) will have to improve. Tyrone's rates are both in the 60s.
The attendance is 62,434, we're told.
A large bang behind Hill 16 and a flag unfurled to raise awareness for the Palestinian children’s trip to Ireland.
I make that three HUGE goal chances Kerry have failed to convert. This time Niall Morgan to the rescue once more gor the Red Hands. Kerry’s lead should be significantly greater than three points at the break
Kerry hit the post for the third time through the lively Joe O'Connor but we go back for a free which David Clifford converts. The hooter goes... and Matty Donnelly scores with the last kick of the first period and there's one score in it after a very entertaining 35 minutes.
If at first you don't succeed... David Clifford finishes a goal with his right foot after badly striking with his stronger left. JF
Moments later, Niall Morgan again smothers a Kerry goal chance. They've left a few behind.
David Clifford dummy bounces and passes past the keeper. He spreads his arms wide to take the crowd's acclaim.
Graham O'Sullivan adds a point and Tyrone are rocked.
David Clifford fires low to the corner for a Kerry goal as the Kingdom take the lead
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 12, 2025
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Tyrone go ahead after Darragh Canavan pulls the handbrake, shoots off his left and punches the air when it drops over.
Mattie Donnelly levels it up with a point when the goal was on.
Then, Kerry's kick-out malfunctions again but Shane Ryan is relieved to see McElholm's effort whizz wide. David Clifford gets in on goal but he screws it well wide.
Only the three dropped short shots and two posts for Kerry this half. Tyrone have been considerably more efficient.
Kerry have got a foothold in the game and will reclaim the lead through a David Clifford free, but they’ve been denied a walk in goal there from Niall Morgan. Remember, the Kingdom also have a nice little breeze with them into the Davin End - the sort you’d want to take a 4-5 point advantage from into the break. TL
Niall Morgan and Seán O'Donnell collide as Morgan denies Joe O'Connor what would have been a tap-in goal. A free for Kerry to come and to go ahead for the first time since the third minute. J
Niall Morgan's anticipation prevents a certain goal for Kerry
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 12, 2025
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Great stop! Niall Morgan gets a hand to the ball to smother Kerry's efforts to work a goal.
All square. David Clifford lands a superb two-pointer to tie it up.
Moments later, another one comes off the post.
David Clifford gets Kerry to within one and moments later Shane Ryan pulls himself above the bar and gathers a Canavan effort.
"Kerry's conversion rate is just above 50% at the moment. Not going to win an All-Ireland semi-final."
Dylan Geaney races clear but blazes wide; we go back for a free which Seanie Shea converts.
Bottles of water are thrown on for the players during the break in play.
That's an unusual one; Seanie O'Shea gets sight of goal, he goes for the point but it comes back off the upright.
Moments earlier, Eoin McElholm points for Tyrone.
David Clifford tries to loft one over but it drops just short and Niall Morgan gathers.
Dylan Geaney does then clip one over after a turnover to ger Kerry motoring again.
Four on the trot now for the Red Hand after patient play ends in Ciaran Daly adding another to his personal tally.
Tyrone are mauling the Kerry kick-out. Not doing enough to punish it on the scoreboard but Shane Ryan isn't finding his targets.
Tyrone work it well, Kieran McGeary is on the end of a one-two and he points to stretch the lead. The Kerry kick-out is under serious stress in the early knockings.
Tony Leen writes: "Tyrone look half a metre faster, and Kerry being dominated around the midfield breaks. This is a really impressive first 7 mins by Malachy O’Rourke’s men."
Darragh Canavan converts a free to put Tyrone ahead and moments later Shane Ryan pulls off a good save from a Darren McCurry shot. The Red Hand have started very well.
Tony Leen writes: "Jason Foley’s pace is being employed to mark the aforementioned Darren McCurry."
Kerry's midfielders go into the edge of the square. Used to seeing one of them jaunt in but two is interesting. To take them out of position for the following kick-out?
Ciaran Daly does well to get Tyrone on the scoreboard.
Seanie O'Shea opens his account with a handy free. David Clifford was fouled after he made space and was about to pull the trigger.
Tony Leen writes: "Padraig Hampsey getting in David Clifford’s ear early doors at the Davin End. Niall Devlin is shadowing Paudie Clifford. At the other end Paul Murphy is tagging Darragh Canavan"
Joe McQuillan throws it in and we're off.
These things are all relative but for an All-Ireland semi, there is a considerable bank of Kerry support in Croke Park today.
Shane Lowry's in the house for this one. We're minutes away from throw-in, strap in.
The players are being led around the pitch by the Artane Band and, John Fogarty writes: "Kerry win the toss and captain Gavin White elects to play into the Davin Stand in the first half. The wind appears to be blowing into that end."
A campaign to raise awareness about the 33 Palestinian children who have yet to receive visas for a trip to Ireland might be heard in today's game. Campaigners have been calling for supporters to stand, applaud or chant for them in the 33rd minute of today's and tomorrow's All-Ireland semi-finals.
And Paudie Clifford starts in place of Conor Geaney for Kerry. Mark O'Shea is also in for Micheál Burns.
: Shane Ryan; Paul Murphy, Jason Foley, Dylan Casey; Brian Ó Beaglaoich, Mike Breen, Gavin White (c); Sean O'Brien, Joe O'Connor; Mark O'Shea, Seán O'Shea, Graham O'Sullivan; David Clifford, Paudie Clifford, Dylan Geaney;
: Niall Morgan; Cormac Quinn, Padraig Hampsey, Niall Devlin; Peter Teague, Ben McDonnell, Kieran McGeary; Brian Kennedy, Conn Kilpatrick; Seanie O'Donnell, Eoin McElholm, Ciarán Daly; Darren McCurry, Mattie Donnelly, Darragh Canavan.
And the Tyrone changes are in: Eoin McElholm begins instead of Peter Harte and Ben McDonnell replaces Rory Brennan, whose jersey is taken by Shea O'Hare.
Outside of a meeting with Dublin, this is one of the largest Kerry crowds for an All-Ireland semi-final. They have been enjoying the sun around the capital since early doors.
After his hip replacement, Kerry legend Ambrose O’Donovan is back in the press box in Croke Park, with crutch, to renew his Radio Kerry commentary partnership with Timmy Moynihan.
A stat sent to us from Tyrone before today's game - Malachy O'Rourke in this year's championship has yet to field the team he has announced. Teams are imminent.
Three key matchups that will go a long way in deciding this first semi-final of the weekend.
Some pre-game reading? Former Kerry boss, and columnist Éamonn Fitzmaurice previews the last-four ties.
"To have a shot at Sam in a fortnight, each team will have to build on their quarter-final wins by bringing an elevated level of decision making in possession to bear, especially considering the sweltering conditions forecast. The ability to play a kicking game at times and conserve energy could be critical."
John Fogarty checks in: Some early developments from Croke Park. Shea O'Hare replaces Rory Brennan in the Tyrone squad. It's also clear from watching the Tailteann Cup that teams have been permitted an extra water carrier. The regular number is two but both Kildare and Limerick have two on the Cusack Stand side and another on the Hogan Stand sideline.
Unconfirmed from Tony Leen at Croke Park: Word around the campfire is that Paudie Clifford starts for Kerry - as does Mark O'Shea. Looks like Conor Geaney and Micheal Burns will begin the game on the bench...
Old friends are best.
Big rivals, Kerry and Tyrone meet once again at Croke Park this evening with a place in the All-Ireland decider on the line.
We'll go minute-by-minute throughout with input from our expert team of writers at HQ.
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