It’s going to be another Kerry-Dublin All-Ireland decider after a late surge from the champions saw them overhaul battling Derry in a thrilling semi-final at Croke Park.
Trailing by two points with just over 10 minutes remaining, Kerry looked set for another sickening loss against Ulster opposition.
A Seanie O’Shea free on the 65th minute ended a 17-minute scoring drought for Jack O’Connor’s side.
Less than a minute later, David Clifford, delivering a characteristically peerless display, worked another free to level the game at 1-14 apiece.
Then, the champions kicked for home. The livewire substitute Stephen O’Brien swung over an inspirational score to give Kerry the lead for the first time since early in the first half.
Clifford had his hands in his face in anguish after butchering a counter-attacking chance with a loose handpass. Seconds later, he was celebrating as Rogers gave the ball back, the Fossa superstar scooping the ball, eschewing options left and right to slot a point.
Kerry supporters, frozen into discomfort for long stretches, were finding their voice.
Derry running out of puff, Kerry were finding oceans of space on the counter attack, Seanie O’Shea extending it to three.
Derry laboured to work a goal but Kerry emphatically shut the door. Shane McGuigan’s late free was plainly immaterial and Kerry were through to another All-Ireland final.
The game had been set alight in the early stages with two goals in sixty seconds inside the opening six minutes, Gareth McKinless and Gavin White raiding forward from half back to finish.
It set in train a thrilling first half of football, which confounded widespread expectations of a cagey borefest.
At the end of it, Kerry dug out a well earned victory to set up another final with their old rivals.
