Kerry breeze past Tyrone to book final spot as David Clifford runs the show
TYRONE 0-17
DAVID Clifford was the coolest man in Croke Park as Kerry melted Tyrone's championship hopes and scorched their way into a 63rd All-Ireland final.
Kerry's 14-point blitz in 15 minutes ended Armagh's Sam Maguire defence two weeks ago - in today's semi-final, it was Clifford's breath-taking second quarter score surge of 1-5 that tamed the Red Hands.
Making hay in the hot conditions, the Fossa master delivered the first two-pointer and then the first goal of a last four encounter that tailed off in the entertainment stakes as Tyrone's scoring prowess deserted them in the second half.
For Tyrone, it was the end of the road in their bid for a remarkable treble after their minor and under-20 All-Ireland triumphs of recent weeks, the latter coming against the Kingdom just last week.
Darragh Canavan was the Red Hands' danger man and his 42nd minute point moved his side to within one of their opponents.
But then Malachy O'Rourke's side dried up in front of the Kerry goal and they failed to score again until six minutes from time and they finished with 10 wides to their rivals' four.
Jack O'Connor, going into his seventh All-Ireland final manager as Kerry manager, will have concerns that his side struggled on their own kick-outs yet also managed to leave SEVEN goal chances behind.
But equally he will be delighted with the attacking power shown by his team as Paudie Clifford got 64 minutes into him that will be of major benefit going into the decider in a fortnight's time against Donegal or Meath.
But it was Paudie's brother David who was the difference as O'Connor's men made it four wins in the last five championship meetings between the sides.
Well marshalled initially by Pádraig Hampsey, it took 17 minutes for the Kingdom's talisman to ignite.
But when he got going, there was no stopping Clifford and it was a tough afternoon for his marker until Michael McKernan relieved him on that duty when he came off the bench in the second half.
Sean O'Shea's free gave Kerry a second minute lead but it was Tyrone who started on the front foot, with Conn Kilpatrick and Brian Donnelly dominating at the midfield and Ciarán Daly, Canavan and Kieran McGeary getting on the scoreboard early.
David Clifford's first two-point attempt fell short into Niall Morgan's arms and O'Shea saw a shot come off the upright but Clifford raised his arms in jubilation with his 20th minute two-pointer that was successful.
Morgan bravely denied Kerry a goal soon after as O'Shea's return pass to Joe O'Connor was cut out by the keeper and, at the other end, Mattie Donnelly was frustrated to see a goal chance fly over the bar.
A rare mistake saw Clifford skew a great goal opportunity wide in the 27th minute but just 90 seconds later he found the far bottom corner when Mike McGeary backed off Mike Breen and the Kerry wing-back delivered the killer pass to his team-mate.
But Sean O'Brien had another Kerry goal attempt smothered by Morgan and
Donnelly scored the last point of the half to leave a goal between the sides.
Paudie Clifford was crowded out when a second goal looked on for Kerry, his brother would have been one on one with Morgan had he held a ball over the top but those chances came in between a brace from Canavan, making it a one-point game.
That was as good as it got for Tyrone. David Clifford cut inside Hampsey for a point, O'Connor should have scored a goal but had to settle for another point and then Dylan Geaney wasted another chance as his shot skidded across the goal-line and wide.
But Kerry kept the scoreboard ticking over. The arrival of Killian Spillane in the 48th minute for Geaney added impetus to the Kingdom's attack and he finished with two points.
David Clifford and McKernan were booked moments after Spillane's first for getting to know each other a little too well just after the Tyrone defender's introduction.
Morale-sapping wides for Tyrone started to rack up at the Davin end and a sense of inevitability settled over the stadium.
The Red Hands were frustrated that ref Joe McQuillan called back a Ruairí Canavan two-pointer for an earlier free for his own side.
But it was all academic by then, with Tyrone's day summed up by the 63rd minute overturning of an easy free for a 13m one for Kerry for a breach as Clifford finished his scoring spree on 1-9.
Kerry: S Ryan; P Murphy, J Foley, D Casey; B Ó Beaglaoich, M Breen, G White; S O'Brien, J O'Connor (0-2); M O'Shea, S O'Shea (0-3, 2fs), G O'Sullivan (0-1); D Clifford (1-9, 4fs, 1 2ptr), D Geaney (0-1), P Clifford (0-2).
Subs: K Spillane (0-2) for Geaney (48), E Looney for Casey (58), T Morley for Breen (62), M Burns for O'Brien (62), T Brosnan for P Clifford (65).
Tyrone: N Morgan; C Quinn, P Hampsey, N Devlin; P Teague, B McDonnell, K McGeary (0-1); B Kennedy, C Kilpatrick; S O'Donnell (0-2), M Donnelly (0-2), C Daly (0-2); E McElholm (0-1), D Canavan (0-7, 2fs, 1 2ptr), D McCurry.
Subs: M McKiernan for McDonnell (48), M Bradley (0-1) for McCurry (48), P Harte for Daly (52), R Canavan (0-2, 1 2ptr), M O'Neill for O'Donnell (67).
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