David Clifford-led Kerry march past old rivals Tyrone to seal All-Ireland final berth

ICE-COLD: David Clifford of Kerry celebrates after scoring his side's first goal. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

All-Ireland semi-final: Kerry 1-20 (1-1-18) Tyrone 0-17 (0-2-13) 

The Kerry support was full of voice and their team, led by David Clifford, full of belief as they qualified for their third All-Ireland final in four seasons.

After their heroics against Armagh, this was unlikely to be as devastating yet they hit an insipid Tyrone for nine unanswered second-half points to cruise through to the July 27 decider.

Notching up 1-9, Clifford was superb again, Joe O’Connor underlined his All-Star credentials once more and the collective defensive display was up there as one of their best of the season.

Watched by 62,434 in Croke Park, Tyrone didn’t trouble the scoreboard between the 42nd and 64th minutes during which time they kicked six wides. By the time Seánie O’Donnell ended Tyrone’s score shyness, it felt like a pity point.

In a first half they had trailed 1-9 to 0-9 and the early part of the second, Tyrone weren’t getting much in the way of frees. However, a Darragh Canavan two-pointer had them breathing on Kerry’s necks three minutes into the new half.

They were still one behind in the 42nd minute after Canavan cancelled out Paudie Clifford’s first of the game. 

However, Joe O’Connor followed that with a half-goal chance point and he blasted over another in the 48th minute soon after Dylan Geaney had dragged a goal chance wide following Gavin White’s groundwork.

Kerry's Joe O'Connor celebrates at the final whistle. Pic: James Crombie/Inpho

Further points followed from Killian Spillane (twice), the Clifford brothers (David twice), Seán O’Shea and Graham O’Sullivan as Kerry’s margin of comfort reached double figures and the result confirmed long before the final whistle.

Tyrone’s start suggested there was more in them as they blended the Kerry kick-out in the opening quarter. The swirling breeze was causing Shane Ryan’s restarts to hang a little and Tyrone were profiting from that extra time to challenge.

They led 0-4 to 0-1 after 12 minutes and 0-5 to 0-2 after 14. Darragh Canavan also had a shot kept out by Ryan but off his left and kicking to the goalkeeper’s left it wasn’t the most difficult strike to keep out.

In the first 24 minutes, Kerry dropped three shots short and spanked the post on two occasions. They generated some momentum when Dylan Geaney won a free that Seán O’Shea converted and then O’Shea turned assistant for David Clifford’s first score of the evening.

A O’Donnell point in the 20th minute gave Tyrone a little respite but a David Clifford two-pointer squared the game in the 20th minute and he sent over a free two minutes later after Joe McQuillan had awarded advantage as Joe O’Connor attempted to complete a one-two goal opening, only for Niall Morgan to cut it out.

Kerry’s David Clifford celebrates a score. Pic: Ryan Byrne/Inpho

Kerry made some excellent interventions like Mark O’Shea’s near-hand tackle on Conn Kilpatrick but Tyrone were still finding the posts and Canavan’s left-footer put them ahead in the 28th minute after David Clifford had skewed a shot off his stronger left foot badly wide a minute earlier.

Clifford made no mistake when he was offered a second chance in the 29th minute. 

Off his right foot, he sent the ball home after his disguised hop made Morgan commit to making a save. From close to the halfway line, Mike Breen had been allowed far too much space to advance and his hand-pass over the top found Clifford.

O’Sullivan followed it with a point and a power play similar to their second-half display against Armagh appeared to be emerging when Paul Murphy and O’Shea were involved in an attack, only for Morgan to smother Seán O’Brien’s short-range shot.

After O’Connor hit the post for a fourth time in the half, McQuillan called back the play for a late Kieran McGeary hit on the Austin Stacks man and Clifford’s total jumped to 1-5.

Mattie Donnelly’s second point of the game ended the half but for all of Kerry’s wastefulness and kick-out strife (three won from 11), they should have been further than three points ahead.

Scorers for Kerry: D. Clifford (1-9, 1 tp, 4 frees); S. O’Shea (0-3, 2 frees); J. O’Connor, P. Clifford, K. Spillane (0-2 each); D. Geaney, G. O’Sullivan (0-1 each).

Scorers for Tyrone: D. Canavan (0-7, 1 tp, 2 frees); C. Daly, M. Donnelly, S. O’Donnell, R. Canavan (1 tp) (0-2 each); K. McGeary, E. McElholm (0-1 each).

KERRY: S. Ryan; P. Murphy, J. Foley, D. Casey; B. Ó Beaglaoich, G. White, M. Breen (c); S. O’Brien, M. O’Shea; J. O’Connor, S. O’Shea, G. O’Sullivan; D. Clifford, P. Clifford, D. Geaney.

Subs for Kerry: K. Spillane for D. Geaney (48); E. Looney for D. Casey (59); T. Morley for M. Breen, M. Burns for S. O’Brien (both 62); T. Brosnan for P. Clifford (65).

TYRONE: N. Morgan; C. Quinn, N. Devlin, P. Hampsey; K. McGeary, P. Teague, B. McDonnell; B. Kennedy (c), C. Kilpatrick; M. Donnelly, S. O’Donnell, C. Daly; D. McCurry, D. Canavan, E. McElholm.

Subs for Tyrone: M. McKernan for B. McDonnell, M. Bradley for D. McCurry (both 48); P. Harte for C. Daly (52); R. Canavan for E. McElholm (56); M. O’Neill for S. O’Donnell (67).

Referee: J. McQuillan (Cavan).