Watch and read: Rathmore edge Austin Stacks to book return to semi-final

They now chase a different last-four outcome.

Rathmore 1-14 Austin Stacks 0-16 

A new-ish face will feature in the Kerry club final. If Rathmore’s 14-year wait for decider involvement is not ended next weekend, then Milltown/Castlemaine will have marched across their own 22-year gap.

The second of Saturday’s quarter-final double-header threatened to go in the very same direction as the first. A second serving of extra-time seemed the most plausible outcome when Paddy Lane’s two-point effort 70 seconds from the hooter went right and wide.

The ensuing Rathmore restart found a red home. Possession was posted by Brian Friel into Paul Murphy, the Kerry corner-back having moved himself into an inside line position. The ball was in the hands of the right man. Responsibility was not shirked. With 35 seconds to run, Murphy's right boot sent Rathmore into the last four.

It was at this semi-final juncture where Rathmore exited 12 months ago. It was also the semi-final stage where they exited the subsequent county championship. The motivation is thus to avoid a third consecutive semis fail and fall.

Behind by the minimum at the break, orange sustained them in the third quarter. Half-back Alan Dineen’s two-pointer on 40 minutes brought them level at 1-9 to 0-12. A Mark Ryan two-pointer four minutes later once again delivered stalemate. The strengthening breeze was absolutely to their advantage here. As was the switch of the aforementioned Ryan into full-forward.

Rathmore’s next colour was very nearly green, Cathal Ryan smashing the ball against the post. Sub Brian Friel was on hand to collect the breaking ball and ensure they did not come away empty-handed from the attack. The 1-12 to 0-14 scoreline represented the first time they had led since the quarter-hour mark.

A Dylan Casey line break ended with a Greg Horan equaliser and Stacks’ first score in nine minutes. Cathal Ryan immediately reclaimed the lead position for Aidan O’Mahony’s lads. Paddy Lane, seeing competitive fare for the first time since Kerry's All-Ireland U20 final win, was similarly in a hurry when fashioning the latest Stacks leveler.

Five minutes passed without a flag. The final say to the leadership and temperament of Paul Murphy.

For Stacks, there’ll be first half regret over three goal chances that yielded only a single point. Ryan O’Driscoll had the first opportunity, his effort palmed over by William Casey. The goalkeeper next got down so well to deny Cian Purcell. Third unlucky was the fate of Joe O’Connor, his palmed effort into a largely open goal coming back off the post. A costly miss.

Up the far end, Alan Dineen was nowhere near as wasteful. His superb green-flag score was Rathmore’s opener. Their 15th and last was every bit its match.

For quality and pace, the second quarter-final was superior to what came before. Rathmore, though, will be on their guard after emerging onto the Fitzgerald Stadium field for the delayed throw-in to learn that Kenmare had been scalped. They now chase a different semi-final script.

Scorers for Rathmore: A Dineen (1-2, tp); C Ryan (0-3, tp); M Ryan (tp), F Murphy (0-2 each); P Murphy, A Moynihan, J Darmody, C Collins (free), B Friel (0-1 each).

Scorers for Austin Stacks: C Horan (0-7, 2tp frees, 0-3 frees); R O’Driscoll, D Casey, R Carroll (0-2 each); D Kirby, P Lane (free), G Horan (0-1 each).

Rathmore: W Casey; T Holohan, D Murphy, C O’Connor; D Nagle, P Murphy, A Dineen; A Moynihan, M Ryan; F Murphy, C Ryan, P Moynihan; B O’Keeffe, J Darmody, C Collins.

Subs: B Friel for P Moynihan (41); F Holohan for T Holohan (43); M Reen for Darmody (50); D Rahilly for B O’Keeffe (51); M Dennehy for Nagle (55).

Austin Stacks: M Tansley; C Griffin, J Nagle, D Casey; J O’Shea, A Heinrich, J Murphy; J O’Connor, D Kirby; M O’Donnell, C Horan, E Carroll; R O’Driscoll, C Purcell, R Carroll.

Subs: G Horan for E Carroll (41); R Shanahan for Murphy, P Lane for Purcell (both 48); S O’Callaghan for C Horan (51); G Casey for O’Donnell (55).

Referee: S Joy.