Dr Crokes picked up their third AIB Munster Senior Club Football Championship in a row but they were shook to their core by Clare champions Cratloe as Johhnny Buckley's injury-time point was needed to seal a 0-13 to 0-12 win.
Crokes had Colm Cooper sent off six minutes from time and looked to be heading for defeat when Cathal McInerney kicked his fifth point of the second-half late on.
But a Daithi Casey free and Buckley's late point sealed a spot in the All-Ireland semi-final for the Killarney side.
Lining out with six of the Clare hurling panel in the forward line, Cratloe displayed plenty of endeavour in the early stages.
Wing-back Enda Boyce got them up and running in the first minute with a sweetly struck free and four minutes later corner-back Sean Chaplin was picked out on the right and he split the post superbly to give the Clare men a 0-02 to 0-00 lead.
But the game swung abruptly in favour of the champions as Johnny Buckley and Ambrose Donovan began to win the majority of ball in midfield.
Cooper was denied a goal after eight minutes as Pierce Deloughrey pulled off a fine save, but Kieran O'Leary tapped over the rebound to get his side off the mark and kick-start a run of ten unanswered points from the Crokes.
Brian Looney and Daithi Casey added two quick points before a brace from Cooper made it 0-05 to 0-02 to Crokes as Barry Duggan struggled to shackle the eight-time All-Star.
Liam Markham ended the horrid run with a good point just before the break, but Cratloe still faced a huge challenge against the in-form Kerry men.
However, Cratloe looked a team transformed after the restart, kicking the first three points of the half to move to within four of Crokes.
Brian Looney settled Crokes with a 43rd minute point from distance, but that didn't halt the Cratloe charge as McInerney, Fergal Lynch and Sean Collins set about levelling the game with five points in seven minutes.
A clearly rattled Crokes began to fall asunder and a mistimed shoulder from Cooper saw him pick up a second yellow card in the 54th minute.
McInerney was terrific for Cratloe and edged them a point ahead with three minutes remaining with a tap-over free, but they were to be denied when a late surge from the Crokes sealed the three in a row.
Dr Crokes: D Moloney; J Payne, L Quinn, K Ward; E Brosnan, F Fitzgerald (0-01), M Moloney; A Donovan, J Buckley (0-01); A O'Sullivan (0-02), D Casey (0-02, 0-01f), B Looney (0-02); K O'Leary (0-01), C Cooper (0-04, 0-01f), G O'Shea.
Subs: M Burns for O'Shea (46 mins), D O'Leary for Ward (49), S Doolan for Quinn (55).
Cratloe: P Deloughrey; S Chaplin (0-01), B Duggan, D Ryan; M O Murphy, M Hawes, E Boyce (0-01, 0-01f); F Lynch (0-01), C Duggan; S Collins (0-01), C Ryan, L Markham (0-01); C McInerney (0-05, 0-02f), P Collins, C McGrath (0-02).
Subs: P Chaplin for McInerney (41-44 mins blood).
Referee: Conor Lane (Cork).
