Welcome to Croke Park for the All Ireland minor semi-final between Dublin and Kerry. The Leinster champions are not only heavily favoured today but for an All Ireland with Meath awaiting the winners. Indeed Kerry have lost not once but twice to Tipperary this championship yet are still in the reckoning. There’s barely a handful in the stadium but it’s a perfect day here, 17c at present with blue skies and it’s expected to heat up as the afternoon progresses.

Here are the teams…

Dublin – Lorcan Molloy; Emile Mullen, David Byrne, Ross McGowan; Eric Lowndes, Conor Mulally, Maitias Mac Donncha; Stephen Cunningham, Shane Carthy; Niall Walsh, Niall Scully, Gavin Burke; Cormac Costello, David Campbell, Robbie Gaughan.

Kerry – Gavin Ó Curráin, Cathal O’Luing, Gavin Crowley, Patrick O’Connor, Brian Crowley, Ronan Murphy, Greg Horan, Kieran Murphy, Jack Barry, David Foran, Jack Savage, Cillian Fitzgerald, Eanna O’Conchuir, Niall Sheehy, Conor Keane Ó Cathain.

We are seconds away from throw in.

1 minute, Dublin o-1, Kerry 0-0: Great start from Dublin, full of intent, they take a kickable free short to Cormac Costello who points on the turn.

3 minute, Dublin o-3, Kerry 0-0: Dublin are moving the ball well inside and Niall Scully doubles their lead. And that’s a brilliant point from Shane Carthy coming from deep. Ominous stuff.

7 minute, Dublin 1-4, Kerry 0-0: Game over as Conor McHugh goals. That was too easy and Kerry just aren’t matching up man for man. Dublin look to have the beating of their marker inside and only a foul stops Eric Lowndes getting though. McHugh converts the free.

10 minutes, Dublin 1-4 Kerry 0-3: Jack Savage gets Kerry on the board with a well taken free and that’s followed up by David Foran and Niall Sheehy. Much more belief and intent from Kerry there, they look good in the inside-forward line but how much ball they’ll get will be key as they look small beside this Dublin team around the middle.

21 minutes, Dublin 1-5 Kerry 0-3: Maitias MacDonncha ends Dublin’s brief slump. They aren’t dominating like they were in the opening minutes, but still look to have the upper hand from the half-back line going forward. Questions marks over the full-back line though as Kerry are winning plenty of ball close to goal.

27 minutes, Dublin 2-6 Kerry 0-4: Horrible goal for Kerry to concede just as they looked to find a footing in this game. Far too easy for Cormac Costello who picked the ball up way out on the touchline, beat his man and went all the way to the edge of the square where he finished. He did more than well in fairness, but Kerry’s defence was wide open and lacked physicality. On a sidenote, Hill 16 beginning to fill up and they cheer a wide at the other end. No need for that in a minor game. Meanwhile Kerry substitute with Denis Daly coming on for Eanna O Conchuir, son of Jack. Gavin Burke pops up as he arrives on the field and kicks a close-range point but Daly responds.

29 minutes, Dublin 2-6 Kerry 0-5: Another one back for Kerry through David Foran but he had goal on his mind. They could do with one, even at this relatively early stage.

Half-time, Dublin 2-6 Kerry 0-4: Comfortable for Dublin and those goals mean this has the look of a game that’s already over. Kerry’s defence has been far too open and lacked intensity and it’s a long way back from here. We’ll be back after the break.

32 minutes, Dublin 2-7 Kerry 0-6: Back on here and the teams are after trading scores. Niall Sheehy with a free for Kerry,and Costello adds to his tally for Dublin. He’s having a great game.

36 minutes, Dublin 2-8 Kerry 0-7: Score of the game from Kerry centre-back Ronan Murphy. He swung that over with the outside of the boot with minimum fuss. Good start to the half by the Munster side but you feel they’ll need goals if they are to get back into this. Not a great game in fairness with little pattern although back come Dublin and Shane Carthy nails a 45.

40 minutes, Dublin 2-8 Kerry 1-7: Big moment and it’s game on. Kerry break with numbers from midfield, Cillian Fitzgerald is the man over and from 21 yards and in space he shoots into the bottom corner. Dublin’s response will be interesting.

45 minutes, Dublin 2-8 Kerry 1-8: Robert Gaughan comes off the Dublin team and Shane Cunningham is on for the corner-forward but all he can do is watch as Conor Keane points at the other end. Plenty of time left for a comeback but this has been as much about Dublin falling off the pace as Kerry getting up to speed.

50 minutes, Dublin 2-9 Kerry 1-10: Silly free for Kerry to give away, more so at such a crucial time as Ronan Murphy pulls Niall Scully down off the ball. It should have been an easy conversion for Cormac Costello but he sends it wide. Better on the next attack though as he feeds Scully for a score but back come Kerry with a Jack Savage free from close in on the right and then the left. Sean Moloney comes on for Kerry with Niall Sheehy making way while Niall Walsh is off for Dublin, Donal Gormley enters the game in his place.

53 minutes, Dublin 2-1o Kerry 1-10: Dublin hanging on here as the ball is cleared off the line after a move that was similar in nature to that which produced Kerry’s goal. Big moment as Shane Cunningham comes right back up the other end and scores. Instead of trailing for the first time, Dublin now up by a goal.

58 minutes, Dublin 3-11 Kerry 1-10: That score seems to have killed off the Kerry charge, and Conor McHugh adds an insurance point after a period of pressure. And now icing on the cake, great run from deep from Stephen Cunningham, he goes clean through, draws the keeper and feeds David Campbell who finishes to an empty net. Misleading scoreline somewhat, but Dublin are heading for the final.

Ful-time, Dublin 3-12 Kerry 1-10: Cormac Costello rounds off the scoring and that’s fitting because he’s been the difference. Unfair scoreline on Kerry but the better team prevailed, even if they went off the boil after a blistering start. Meath await in the final.