Kerry pull clear of Derry to make minor semi-finals

Kerry 1-24 Derry 2-10

Peter Keane’s Kerry produced a strong second-half display against Derry at Croke Park this afternoon to book their place in the semi-finals of the Electric Ireland All-Ireland minor football championship.

Captain Seán O'Shea was the star of the show, collecting 1-6 for the Kingdom (0-6 in the first half), as David Shaw and David Clifford split 10 points from play between them.

Kerry kicked 1-23 from play and blew Derry away in the second half to set up a last four clash with Kildare or Mayo on August 28th.

It was impressive stuff from Kerry, who had 10 different scorers, but they will be disappointed with the concession of two first-half goals that kept Derry in contention.

At half-time, the sides were level at 2-6 to 0-12 but Kerry won the second half by 1-12 to 0-4 as they upped the ante considerably.

Derry had their opening goal in the 24th minute as Patrick Quigg scrambled the ball home at the second attempt, after his initial effort was saved by Billy Courtney.

The Oak Leafers were now very much back in the hunt, trailing by 1-4 to 0-8, but Kerry stepped on the gas to open up a five-point lead by the 28th minute.

As Hogan Cup final hero Clifford picked off a couple of points, one from another loose Ben McKinless kick-out, Kerry moved 0-12 to 1-4 in front.

But Derry were resilient and after Feargal Higgins somehow wriggled his way through for a 30th-minute goal, points from impressive midfielder Patrick Coney and wing back Pádraig McGrogan levelled matters at the interval.

But Kerry opened the second half with intent, Daniel O’Brien fisting a point before O’Shea banged home a 33rd-minute goal off the post.

Brian Friel added to Kerry's lead and while Caolan Devlin opened Derry's second-half account, with a free, David Shaw hit four points on the bounce to open up an eight-point advantage – 1-18 to 2-7.

The margin stretched to 11 by full-time as Kerry won pulling up.

KERRY: B Courtney; D Naughton, G O'Sullivan, N Collins; M Potts (0-1), D O'Brien (0-2), M Foley; M Breen (0-1), M Ryan (0-1); B Sweeney, S O'Shea (1-6, one free), D Moynihan (0-1); F O'Brien, D Shaw (0-5), D Clifford (0-5).

Subs: B Friel (0-1) for O'Brien (ht), C Teahan (0-1) for Sweeney (44 mins), S Okunbar for Ryan (55 mins), K Dwyer for Potts (56 mins), C Linnane for Moynihan (59 mins), T O'Connor for Clifford (60+2 mins).

DERRY: B McKinless; C McCluskey, G McLaughlin, A Bradley; S McErlain, E Concannon, P McGrogan (0-1); P Coney (0-3), C Doherty; S Higgins (0-1), C Devlin (0-3, three frees), P Quigg (1-0); S Downey, F Higgins (1-2, one free), E Bradley.

Subs: O McKeever for Concannon (34 mins), O McWilliams for Downey (37 mins), S Mortimer for McLaughlin (44 mins), R Young for Doherty (45 mins), L Kielt for Bradley (51 mins), JP Devlin for McCluskey (55 mins).

Referee: J Hickey (Carlow)