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Dan Kearney reports from Semple Stadium
THE 2024 ALL-Ireland champions Kerry dethroned holders Dublin with a comprehensive 10-point win at FBD Semple Stadium in Thurles in the TG4 All-Ireland senior championship semi-final.
Kerry captain Síofra O’Shea scored 1-8 in a brilliant performance as her sidekick in the full forward line Jadyn Lucey struck 1-1.
Kerry lined out without the injured Anna Galvin, but it made little difference early on as they raced into a 2-4 to 0-1 lead after just eight minutes with the breeze behind them.
O’Shea’s punch over the bar in the second minute was responded to by Jodie Egan for Dublin, but then Kerry took over.
The first goal came in the fifth minute from Lucey after an exchange of passes between Lucey and O’Shea eventually led to Danielle O’Leary setting up the corner forward to score.
O’Shea punched over from the kick out and a minute later she finished to the top corner after she touched down a Ní Chonchúir long ball to herself and finished in style.
Kerry were rampant now and putting some serious heat on the Dublin kick out as they lined up five players across the top and further points followed from O’Shea (free) and Ní Chonchuir.
Dublin’s Orlagh Nolan from a free and Aishling O’Connell exchanged points and further scores from Lucey, O’Shea and Kerry’s fourth punched over point of the half pushed them 2-8 to 0-2 ahead with 20 minutes played.
Then came the Dublin fightback with a free from Nolan and a point from Kate Donaghy getting them moving. Then Nolan slotted home a penalty after she herself was fouled after a pass from Niamh Hetherton.
Nolan then added another point from a free following a Kerry three-up breach to cut the lead to 2-8 to 1-5 at the break.
O’Shea got Kerry off to the best possible start to the second half when she punched over within seconds of the throw-in, and it really was all Kerry for the remainder of the second half as they outscored the Dubs by eight points to four.
O’Leary helped herself to a brace of points with Mary O’Connell also getting on the scoresheet as did substitute Leah McMahon, with O’Shea deadly accurate from placed balls.
Dublin responded with a brace from All-Ireland winning captain Carla Rowe, who was brought on at the break, while Niamh Hetherton and a splendid Kate Sullivan point reduced the margin, but they never looked like catching Kerry who now march on to a repeat of the 2024 All-Ireland final against Galway on 2 August.
Scorers for Kerry: S O’Shea 1-8 (0-5f), J Lucey 1-1, D O’Leary 0-2, C Evans 0-1, A O’Connell 0-1, N Ní Chonchúir 0-1, M O’Connell 0-1, L McMahon 0-1.
Scorers for Dublin: O Nolan 1-3 (1-0 pen, 0-3f), C Rowe 0-2 (1f), K Donaghy 0-1, J Egan 0-1, K Sullivan 0-1, N Hetherton 0-1.
KERRY: M Ellen Bolger; R Rahilly, D Kearney, E Lynch; A O’Connell, E Costello, A Dillane; M Mulvihill, M O’Connell; N Carmody, N Ní Chonchúir, C Evans; J Lucey, D O’Leary, S O’Shea.
Subs: L McMahon for M Mulvihill 41, E McGlynn for N Carmody 48, E Ní Laighin for C Evans 53, R Dwyer for J Lucey 55,K Brosnan for N Ní Chonchúir 55.
DUBLIN: A Shiels; N Crowley, L Magee, H Leahy; S McIntyre, H McGinnis, N Donlon; N Hetherton, K Donaghy; A Timothy, O Nolan, C O’Connor; L Grendon, J Egan, K Sullivan.
Subs: C Rowe for L Grendon HT, E Kearney for K Donaghy 41, E Gribben for A Timothy 43, M Davoren for J Egan,R Hartnett for H Leahy both 46, A Nyhan for N Crowley 55 (temp).
Referee: Gus Chapman (Sligo).
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Written by Dan Kearney and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.
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