As it happened: Kerry v Mayo

As it happened: Kerry v Mayo

Yesterday, 3:16 PM 4,284 Views 5 Comments Share25 Tweet5
Declan O'Sullivan and Kevin McLaughlin
Image: INPHO/James Crombie
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15.19 - We’re live as Kerry and Mayo prepare to lock horns for the right to face either Dublin or Donegal. It’s already been a great day for the Tipperary Minors, who beat Roscommon 1-11 to 0-12 in their semi-final clash.

15.31 - We’re underway in the first All-Ireland football semi-final…

15.32 - Just wide from Darran O’Sullivan inside 22 seconds! Robert Hennelly did well to come out and narrow the angle. Bryan Sheehan sends the 45 wide.

15.36 - A scrappy start. Kerry have been overcooking their passes and O’Sullivan’s chance remains the only moment of note in the game.

15.37 - Colm Cooper hits the post…

15.37 - Enda Varley takes the first score of the game well from distance – Mayo 0-01 Kerry 0-00.

15.39 - Great goalkeeping again by Hennelly to deny O’Sullivan, before Tomás O’Sé bags Kerry’s first point. Mayo 0-01 Kerry 0-01.

15.41 - Four wides for Kerry, the latest coming from Eoin Brosnan.

15.43 - Enda Varley makes great contact from a dead ball situation and makes it Mayo 0-02 Kerry 0-01.

15.46 - Brendan Kealy makes brilliant save from Andy Moran, who teased the Kerry defence before unleashing a powerful shot.

15.47 - The referee sees something he doesn’t like and Cillian O’Connor extends Mayo’s lead from a free. Mayo 0-03 Kerry 0-01.

15.50 - Kieran O’Leary is fouled and Kerry take advantage from the free. The Gooch. Then, ar nós na gaoithe, Donal Vaughan grabs a brilliant score for Mayo. Mayo 0-04 Kerry 0-02.

15.54 - Darran O’Sullivan reduces the arrears. Mayo 0-04 Kerry 0-03.

15.56 - O’Connor bags his second point of the game and makes it a two-point game once again. Kerry, however, are pressing a bit more and Mayo have become wasteful. O’Mahony shoots wide for the Kingdom. Mayo 0-05 Kerry 0-03.

15.57 - Brosnan bides his time before recording a wonderful point from distance. Mayo 0-05 Kerry 0-04.

15.59 - The teams are level for the second time as Kerry’s patience pays off – Kieran Donaghy scores. Kerry 0-05 Mayo 0-05.

16.02 - Kerry lead the match for the first time as Cooper and O’Sullivan work well together, and the former points from a tight angle. Kerry 0-06 Mayo 0-05.

16.04 - Four successive points from Kerry, who lead by 0-07 to 0-05. Cooper again.

16.08 - Bryan Sheehan was never going to miss from there – five unanswered points from Kerry. Mayo need a point and Andy Moran obliges – Kerry 0-08 Mayo 0-6. Very much a half of two halves. Mayo dominated the early exchanges before Kerry came back into it.

16.23 - We’re back – no changes to either side in the second half.

16.25 - Kerry lead 0-09 to 0-06. Declan O’Sullivan breaks and the ball falls to O’Leary, who plays the percentages to score.

16.27 - A great angled free from Sheehan as Kerry put more daylight between themselves and Mayo. Kerry 0-10 Mayo 0-06.

16.31 - A snapshot from Vaughan earns Mayo their first point of the second half. Paul Galvin is warming up for Kerry, he’s coming in soon. Then Andy Moran is brought into play by a brilliant cross-field ball, and he makes it Kerry 0-10 to Mayo 0-08.

16.31 - Things have really lifted a gear as Cooper grabs a beautiful score for Kerry. Galvin is in play and is immediately caught by Aidan O’Shea. Kerry 0-11 Mayo 0-08.

16.32 - Galvin announces his arrival with a point for Kerry. He looks fit and keen. Kerry 0-12 Mayo 0-08.

16.35 - Nothing can stop The Gooch and we can’t keep up with his tally. The only stat that matters is Kerry 0-13 Mayo 0-08.

16.38 - It’s suddenly a huge lead as Sheehan scores a fine free from distance. Kerry 0-14 Mayo 0-08.

16.40 - Donaghy is alert as a long range shot comes back off the post, punching over the bar. Kieran O’Leary then makes it six Kerry points in a row. Mayo are overwhelmed. Kerry 0-16 Mayo 0-08.

16.43 - Mayo goal! Kealy makes a fine stop from Andy Moran and the ball falls to O’Connor, who lashes in when he had no right to score… but… but… as I write that Cooper displays some wonderful opportunism and scores a goal for Kerry! It’s Kerry 1-16 Mayo 1-08.

16.44 - Cillian O’Connor makes it three from three in free-kicks. It’s Kerry 1-16 Mayo 1-09.

16.48 - Text message: “Cooper sets up Galvin and the ‘fashionista’ does the rest.”

16.49 - Vaughan blazes over the bar when Mayo need a goal. Still, it’s better than nothing. Kerry 1-16 Mayo 1-10.

16.51 - Anthony Maher takes a bad knock but he’s ok to play on.

16.52 - Aidan O’Shea battles his way through, barrels his way through, but as he goes for glory Brosnan appears out of nowhere to block. Stunning defending.

16.54 - Mayo could easily have had two goals in the last 90 seconds – will they live to regret their profligacy? Probably.

16.56 - Keegan slots over for Mayo to make it Kerry 1-16 Mayo 1-11. Only a couple of minutes left but Mayo can’t be faulted for effort.

16.58 - Cooper takes his time with a free-kick as he looks to kill some time. He then deposits it over the bar. Kerry 1-17 Mayo 1-11.

17.01 - Scanlon finds acres of space as he marauds up the pitch and shoots over the bar. Kerry have been tested at times but they have proved too strong to Mayo. Cooper makes it 1-19 to 1-11 as the clock ticks down.

17.03 - Galvin rounds off a brilliant second half Kerry performance to make it 1-20 to 1-11 at the finish. Kerry’s class and experience proved the difference, it was a great performance to watch from Jack O’Connor’s side. That’s it from us, thanks for reading and enjoy The Sunday Game tonight…