Colm Cooper scored 2-3 on his 80th championship appearance for Kerry. Cathal Noonan / INPHO
Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO
Kerry 7-16
Kildare 0-10
– Niall Kelly reports from Croke Park
KERRY ARE IN seventh heaven after they cruised back into the All-Ireland semi-finals.
The Kingdom scored six goals in 17 second-half minutes as they racked up a massive 27-point win.
But their devastating performance was overshadowed by an injury to star attacker James O’Donoghue.
Colm Cooper was a surprise starter for the All-Ireland champions and he repaid Eamonn Fitzmaurice’s faith with a brilliant 2-3.
Darran O’Sullivan came off the bench to score 2-1 while Donnchadh Walsh, Barry John Keane and Stephen O’Brien also got in on the act.
Kerry will now face either Monaghan or Tyrone in the semi-finals but they face an anxious wait to see if O’Donoghue will be fit for 23 August.
The 2014 Footballer of the Year was helped off with a suspected shoulder injury following a collision with Mark Donnellan.
O’Donghue tried to round the Kildare keeper shortly before the half-hour mark but Donnellan did brilliantly to knock the ball from his grasp, and O’Donoghue landed awkwardly on his right side in the collision.
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James O'Donoghue is a massive concern for Kerry ahead of the semi-finals. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
It cast a shadow over a first half which saw Kerry lead by 0-10 to 0-3 at the break.
Despite having plenty of possession, Kildare were held scoreless until the 17th minute when Niall Kelly kicked their first score. By that stage, Kerry had already reeled off the first four scores through O’Donoghue, Paul Geaney and two from the brilliant O’Brien, who finished with 1-4 from play.
The game was effectively decided in the 39th minute when a mistake by Donnellan gifted Walsh the game’s opening goal. He spilled David Moran’s high ball to the Kerryman who scored at the second attempt after Ciaran Fitzpatrick blocked his first effort on the line.
It opened the floodgates as Kerry ran riot with a ruthless attacking display. O’Sullivan scythed through the Lilywhites’ defence before selflessly shipping off to Cooper, who palmed it in at the back post.
Jason Ryan reacts as Kildare concede their seventh. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
The Gooch was a surprise starter in place of captain Kieran Donaghy but terrorised Kildare. He returned the favour for O’Sullivan just two minutes later before another sub, Barry John Keane added Kerry’s fourth on 51 minutes.
Kildare were still reeling from that blow when Cooper pounced for his second, and Kerry’s fifth, moments later and O’Brien capped his fine afternoon with a goal on 57 minutes before O’Sullivan popped up in stoppage time.
Scorers for Kerry: Colm Cooper 2-3 (1f), Darran O’Sullivan 2-1, Stephen O’Brien 1-4, Barry John Keane 1-3, Donnchadh Walsh 1-0, James O’Donoghue 0-3 (1f), Paul Geaney 0-2.
17. Colm Cooper (Dr Croke’s)
13. Paul Geaney (Dingle)
15. James O’Donoghue (Legion)
Substitutes:
19. Barry John Keane for O’Donoghue (31)
24. Darran O’Sullivan for Geaney (42)
21. Peter Crowley for M Ó Sé (50)
23. Paul Galvin for Walsh (54)
18. Johnny Buckley for Sheehan (55)
25. Tommy Walsh for Maher (60)
11. Niall Kelly (Athy)
14. Alan Smith (Sarsfields)
15. Cathal McNally (Johnstownbridge)
Substitutes:
17. Peter Kelly for Callaghan (43)
19. Fergal Conway for Murnaghan (51)
26. Pádraig Fogarty for Kelly (54)
24. Mark Sherry for McNally (57)
25. Fionn Dowling for Moolick (62)
20. Gary White for Bolton (67)
Unstoppable Kerry beat Kildare by a whopping 27 points to book semi spot
Kerry 7-16
Kildare 0-10
– Niall Kelly reports from Croke Park
KERRY ARE IN seventh heaven after they cruised back into the All-Ireland semi-finals.
The Kingdom scored six goals in 17 second-half minutes as they racked up a massive 27-point win.
But their devastating performance was overshadowed by an injury to star attacker James O’Donoghue.
Colm Cooper was a surprise starter for the All-Ireland champions and he repaid Eamonn Fitzmaurice’s faith with a brilliant 2-3.
Darran O’Sullivan came off the bench to score 2-1 while Donnchadh Walsh, Barry John Keane and Stephen O’Brien also got in on the act.
Kerry will now face either Monaghan or Tyrone in the semi-finals but they face an anxious wait to see if O’Donoghue will be fit for 23 August.
The 2014 Footballer of the Year was helped off with a suspected shoulder injury following a collision with Mark Donnellan.
O’Donghue tried to round the Kildare keeper shortly before the half-hour mark but Donnellan did brilliantly to knock the ball from his grasp, and O’Donoghue landed awkwardly on his right side in the collision.
It cast a shadow over a first half which saw Kerry lead by 0-10 to 0-3 at the break.
Despite having plenty of possession, Kildare were held scoreless until the 17th minute when Niall Kelly kicked their first score. By that stage, Kerry had already reeled off the first four scores through O’Donoghue, Paul Geaney and two from the brilliant O’Brien, who finished with 1-4 from play.
The game was effectively decided in the 39th minute when a mistake by Donnellan gifted Walsh the game’s opening goal. He spilled David Moran’s high ball to the Kerryman who scored at the second attempt after Ciaran Fitzpatrick blocked his first effort on the line.
It opened the floodgates as Kerry ran riot with a ruthless attacking display. O’Sullivan scythed through the Lilywhites’ defence before selflessly shipping off to Cooper, who palmed it in at the back post.
The Gooch was a surprise starter in place of captain Kieran Donaghy but terrorised Kildare. He returned the favour for O’Sullivan just two minutes later before another sub, Barry John Keane added Kerry’s fourth on 51 minutes.
Kildare were still reeling from that blow when Cooper pounced for his second, and Kerry’s fifth, moments later and O’Brien capped his fine afternoon with a goal on 57 minutes before O’Sullivan popped up in stoppage time.
Scorers for Kerry: Colm Cooper 2-3 (1f), Darran O’Sullivan 2-1, Stephen O’Brien 1-4, Barry John Keane 1-3, Donnchadh Walsh 1-0, James O’Donoghue 0-3 (1f), Paul Geaney 0-2.
Scorers for Kildare: Niall Kelly, Alan Smith, Pádraig O’Neill 0-2 each, Eoin Doyle, Eoghan O’Flaherty, Ollie Lyons, Fionn Dowling 0-1 each.
Kerry
1. Brendan Kealy (Kilcummin)
4. Shane Enright (Tarbert)
3. Aidan O’Mahony (Rathmore)
7. Paul Murphy (Rathmore)
2. Marc Ó Sé (An Ghaeltacht)
6. Killian Young (Renard)
5. Jonathan Lyne (Killarney Legion)
8. David Moran (Kerins O’Rahilly’s)
9. Anthony Maher (Duagh)
12. Donnchadh Walsh (Cromane)
11. Bryan Sheehan (St Mary’s)
10. Stephen O’Brien (Kenmare)
17. Colm Cooper (Dr Croke’s)
13. Paul Geaney (Dingle)
15. James O’Donoghue (Legion)
Substitutes:
19. Barry John Keane for O’Donoghue (31)
24. Darran O’Sullivan for Geaney (42)
21. Peter Crowley for M Ó Sé (50)
23. Paul Galvin for Walsh (54)
18. Johnny Buckley for Sheehan (55)
25. Tommy Walsh for Maher (60)
Kildare
1. Mark Donnellan (Maynooth)
4. Ollie Lyons (Celbridge)
2. Ciarán Fitzpatrick (Kilcock)
3. Mick O’Grady (Celbridge)
7. Emmet Bolton (Eadestown)
5. Kevin Murnaghan (Moorefield)
6. Eoin Doyle (Naas)
8. Tommy Moolick (Leixlip)
9. Paul Cribbin (Johnstownbridge)
12. Padraig O’Neill (St Laurence’s)
10. Eoghan O’Flaherty (Carbury)
13. Eamonn Callaghan (Naas)
11. Niall Kelly (Athy)
14. Alan Smith (Sarsfields)
15. Cathal McNally (Johnstownbridge)
Substitutes:
17. Peter Kelly for Callaghan (43)
19. Fergal Conway for Murnaghan (51)
26. Pádraig Fogarty for Kelly (54)
24. Mark Sherry for McNally (57)
25. Fionn Dowling for Moolick (62)
20. Gary White for Bolton (67)
Two of Donegal’s big names are injury doubts for the Mayo clash
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All-Ireland Senior FC GAA GAA 2015 Rout Kerry Kildare