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Kerry’s Aidan O’Mahony and Fionn Fitzgerald tackle Andy Moran of Mayo. James Crombie/INPHO
AS IT HAPPENED

As it happened: Kerry v Mayo, All-Ireland SFC semi-final replay

It’s Limerick. It’s Mayo v Kerry again. And it was epic.

After last week’s dramatic draw at Croke Park, the venue decision and the ensuing debate… it was time to get back to some football.

Fellow Fíor Gaels, we may not be on Croke Park’s biggest stage today but the off-Broadway charm of Limerick promises a unique atmosphere later this evening for the meeting of two of the game’s heavyweights.

How do you see this one going? Get those predictions in…

Some team news then:

And there’s two changes for Kerry; Mark Ó Sé and Stephen O’Brien are surprise exclusions with Killian Young and Kieran Donaghy in. O’Brien is said to have a quad injury.

What do you make of that?

First up on the agenda for the familiar faces in The Sunday Game? The Lee Keegan affair.

Colm O’Rourke reckons it’s the right call for the wrong reasons while Kerry manager Eamon Fitzmaurice admits he’s not ‘overly surprised’ to be facing off against Keegan again.

Colm Cooper is togged out and on the bench wearing No 28 for the Kingdom. Surely they won;t chance him?

Joe Brolly has already recited half the lyrics to The Clash anthem Should I Stay Or Should I Go in discussing the worry Kieran Donaghy on the edge of the square brings for a keeper.

LyricsMachine / YouTube

And we’re off!

Mayo 0-1 Kerry 0-0 Andy Moran wins a free quickly after the start and Cillian O’Connor taps it over.

Members of the Artane Band wait to take the field James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Paul Geaney hits a poor wide after doing lots of good work to drive forward. That Cillian O’Connor free is still the only score of the game after six minutes or so, despite some breathless action which included Mayo keeper Robbie Hennelly saving an audacious long range effort on goal.

O’Connor meanwhile and Shane Enright have been booked for some messing.

Mayo 0-1 Kerry 0-1 The Kingdom level it up through a handy enough Paul Geaney free. Moments earlier, the Dingle man looked to be through on goal thanks to Kieran Donaghy but the ball was popped out of his grip.

Another wide from Kerry! This time it’s Anthony Maher who’s guilty.

Kerry 0-2 Mayo 0-1 That man James O’Donoghue is off the mark with a point lofted high over the bar. Moments later he hits Kerry’s fourth wide however. And it’s a bad one with Star waiting inside too.

Penalty! Mayo 1-1 Kerry 0-2 How was that not a black card? Cillian O’Connor kept his eye on a high ball from Aidan O’Shea, caught it cleanly and was in but Shane Enright wrestled him to the ground.

The Kerry man wasn’t booked — I think — and O’Connor tucked the penalty into the bottom corner. Clever.

GOAL! Mayo 2-2 Kerry 0-2 Cillian O’Connor with a second goal in three minutes or so. Aidan O’Shea fields brilliantly, turns and drives for the goal. A pass inside sees O’Connor hit it first time, when it’s saved he bundles in the rebound.

Meanwhile, Enright is off in place of Marc Ó Sé.

Mayo 2-3 Kerry 0-2 Another point for Mayo and it’s now 11 minutes since a Kerry score. Here’s that second O’Connor score:

This game is slipping away from the Munster side.

Mayo 2-3 Kerry 0-3 Paul Geaney has got Kerry going on the scoreboard again with a straightforward free.

GOAL! Mayo 2-3 Kerry 1-3 Kerry are right back in this thanks to this:

Tony Cuddihy

We’re less than five minutes from half time here and referee Cormac Reilyl is trying to assert some control over this tense battle. Donnchadh Walsh and Donal Vaughan are yellow-carded after the Kerry man flew into the Mayo man with a high shoulder and there was some afters.

Mayo 2-4 Kerry 1-4 Jason Doherty tacks on a point for Mayo before the break to become the second name on the scoresheet for the Connacht champions. Moments later Killian Young scores a lovely point with his left leg for the Kingdom.

Mayo 2-5 Kerry 1-4 Jason Doherty has got a taste for this scoring business; he arrows over a great point.

Aidan O’Shea has a bad cut on his face after a collision with team-mate Cillian O’Connor moments before that point. Both will need to be looked at during the break.

Half-time Mayo 2-5 Kerry 1-5 Just before the break, Kerry add a pointed free to trot in a goal down at the interval. Phew! What did you make of that?

36,256 is the attendance in Limerick.

“When you stand out in the crowd you realise you actually do know something about football,” says Joe Brolly.

The Mayo full back line is ‘as composed as Fr Dougal saying mass’. Brolly’s brought his A game today, with new guy Alan Mulholland in studio.

We’re up and running again.

Marc Ó Sé has picked up an early yellow card after a clash with newly-introduced Alan Freeman.

Aidan O’Shea, you’ll remember, cut his face moments before the break. He’s on the sideline now, lying on the ground, with his feet up and there’s massive confusion about the substitutions.

Cillian O’Connor and O’Shea are on the line still and ref’s only now, in fact, going to throw it in.

Mayo 2-6 Kerry 1-5 Alan Freeman opens the second-half scoring for the westerners.

BLACK CARD! Kerry 1-5 Mayo 2-6 The Kerry captain Fionn Fitzgerald is off for a textbook cynical foul — a trip on Andy Moran. 40 minutes gone now.

Kerry 2-6 Mayo 2-6 Boom! James O’Donoghue just hit 1-1 in quick succession. First he turned inside and pointed. Then Kieran Donaghy, typically enough, won a high ball and palmed off to O’Donoghue. He was fouled and then tucked away the penalty. Draw game.

Kerry 2-7 Mayo 2-6 What’s going on with Mayo? Kerry lead for the first time since the 19th minute after Donaghy and O’Donoghue combine again with the latter knocking over.

Aidan O’Shea is back on the pitch — it’s 12 and a half minutes since Mayo have scored, we’re told. Reader Alan Tormey sends us this footage of O’Shea goosing one Kerry man

GOAL! Kerry 2-8 Mayo 3-6 Marc ó Sé with a great point for Kerry but down the other end Andy Moran punches to the net when a high ball causes havoc. A point in it, 51 minutes on the clock.

Kerry 2-9 Mayo 3-6 James O’Donoghue levels it up as he takes advantage of good work from Donaghy again.

Mayo 3-8 Kerry 2-9 Mayo are back in front thanks to Andy Moran and then Cillian O’Connor. This is frantic.

Declan O’Sullivan is on for Johnny Buckley. 55 minutes on the clock.

Mayo 3-9 Kerry 2-10 Jason Doherty bangs over his third point of the game to put two between the sides.

Mayo 3-9 Kerry 2-11 One point between the sides thanks to another James O’Donoghue point.

Tempers flare between the sides James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

GOAL! Mayo 3-9 Kerry 3-11 James O’Donoghue takes his tally to 2-06 with another composed penalty after a Ger Cafferky foul. The Kingdom are now two in front with seven mins or so left. This is nuts isn’t it?

Kerry 3-11 Mayo 3-10 James Horan’s side get back to within a point thanks to Conroy scoring.

With a couple of minutes to go and Mayo a point down, Lee Keegan screws a desperate effort well wide.

Kerry 3-11 Mayo 3-11 Vaughan levels it up!

Extra time! A Rob Hennelly 45 metre free falls short so we have a bit more of this.

What. A. Game.

Lots of talk of tough football, manliness and the survival of the fittest in the RTÉ studio.

Here’s the Sky Sports scorecard, meanwhile:

Lyster rattled by Brolly who accuses the RTE presenter of ‘old soft soap’ about the American football row.

So we go again. Strap yourself in for another 20.

Mayo 3-12 Kerry 3-11 Cillian O’Connor swivels in front of the posts and tags one over.

Mayo 3-13 Kerry 3-11 Kevin McLoughlin puts his first of the day over the bar to put Mayo two clear. The westerners have started much better than Kerry.

May0 3-13 Kerry 3-12 Barry John Keane has a sinple task in converting a free that was arguably generously awarded. Five minutes gone in extra time.

Mayo 3-13 Kerry 3-13 Cormac Reilly is at the centre of the action here. The ref makes another controversial call in Kerry’s favour and Keane slots over again. The teams are level for the fifth time.

Half-time in extra time; Mayo 3-13 Kerry 3-13 

Will these ever be separated?

The ball’s between thrown in and in 10 minutes we may know who’ll play Donegal or Dublin in September.

Kerry 3-14 Mayo 3-13 The Munster champions looked out on their feet in the first period of extra time but they’ve started brightly with a great Kieran O’Leary score.

Brian Sheehan is introduced in place of Aidan O’Mahony, who’s injured. No sign of No 28 yet. 

Kerry 3-15 Mayo 3-13 What a point from Paul Geaney! He shrugs off a couple of Mayo players and swings it over. 16 minutes elapsed.

Kerry 3-16 Mayo 3-13 Another Kerry point – they’re now three points up thanks to a Ryan score. Is this the end of the summer for the James Horan and co?

Chaos. There’s a Mayo maor foirne in the middle of a scuffle with Kerry players. A supporter is being dragged off the pitch by a rake of stewards and the time is up. Cormac Reilly lost control of this tie some time ago.

RED CARD Cillian O’Connor off! He threw a kick at a fella. Unsavoury end.

Full-time! Kerry 3-16 Mayo 3-13 

Massive celebrations from the Kingdom players and fans as they book their spot in the All-Ireland decider once again. It’s the end of the road for James Horan’s Mayo.

What the hell just happened?

Boos and the blanket defence: The day there was almost more scoring at Old Trafford than Croker

Johnny Doyle column: Two mouth-watering clashes make for an unexpected August treat

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