RESULT
Dublin 1-17 Monaghan 0-13
SUNDAY 16 JULY
Derry v Kerry, Croke Park, 4pm
ONLINE
Live blog on RTÉ.ie and the RTÉ News app. Highlights also available later today.
TV
Live coverage on RTÉ2 and the RTÉ Player from 3.15pm. Also live on BBC2 NI, from 4.55pm.
RADIO
Live commentary on Sunday Sport - and on Ráidió na Gaeltachta's Spórt an Lae.
WEATHER
Sunshine and showers, some of the showers heavy with isolated thunderstorms, mainly across the midlands and east during the afternoon and evening. Blustery at times too with moderate to fresh westerly winds and highest temperatures of 15 to 19 degrees. For more go to met.ie.
More in the Kingdom armoury
Kerry, it would seem, have timed their run to perfection. There were doubts before the game with Tyrone: was their midfield up to the job? It certainly was. How would their defence stand up, mindful of the goals they conceded the last time they met the Red Hand? The stood up with telling effect. Their tackling was ravenous.
Truth be told, this wasn't even Kerry at their very best, yet they still tore an out-of-sorts Tyrone asunder, with goals from Diarmuid O'Connor and Sean O'Shea. The Munster champions were terrific in the second half, outscoring Tyrone by 2-09 to 0-06.
O'Shea finished with 1-05 for Kerry while O'Connor registered 1-02 from midfield with David Clifford, despite hitting 0-05 overall, surprisingly wasting seven good scoring opportunities over the 70 minutes. However, the latter left his mark on the game and was heavily involved in the move for Kerry's second goal.
Chrissy McKaigue will no doubt be entrusted with keeping tabs on Clifford, and will have looked at how Padraig Hampsey kept the Fossa clubman relatively quiet a fortnight ago.
Elsewhere, Jason Foley will be tasked with shutting down Shane McGuigan, who may decide to turn it on after a quietish performance against Cork.. Along with Tadhg Morley, Foley is the rock that binds the Kingdom defence together.
Will Eoghan McEvoy or Padraig McGrogan pick up O'Shea?
In midfield, Jack Barry-O'Connor v Conor Glass-Brendan Rogers battle will be keenly observed. The Kerry duo had a good day against Tyrone but may face a tougher duo here, a combination that have scored 1-13 between so far in the championship.
On closer examination it would seem that Kerry have more in defence and attack to get the job done there. They will have observed at how Donegal and Cork got in behind Derry for scores.
'The match ups on the Kerry side stack up more favourably'
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) July 13, 2023
Ciarán Whelan reckons that Kerry are just too strong for this Derry team #RTEGAA pic.twitter.com/A36y64quU8
In previewing the game, Ciarán Whelan believes the All-Ireland champions will get the job done and in referencing the above he told RTÉ Sport: "I feel that Derry need to win all those battles to win this game, that they need everything to go their way, but with Kerry, even if Clifford is shut out, they still have Sean O'Shea, Paul Geaney and a forward organisation that can get the scores.
"This game isn't going to be as straightforward as people think, it's going to be tighter and more attritional but I feel that Kerry are going to find a way to win this game."
Both Kerry are Derry are unchanged for this semi-final.
Kerry: S Ryan; G O'Sullivan, J Foley, T O’Sullivan; P Murphy, T Morley, G White; D O’Connor, J Barry; D Moynihan, S O’Shea, A Spillane; P Clifford, D Clifford, P Geaney.
Subs: S Murphy, T Brosnan, M Breen, B O Beaglaoich, BD O’Sullivan, R Murphy, M Burns, S O’Brien, D O’Sullivan, D Casey, S O’Brien.
Derry: O Lynch; C McKaigue, E McEvoy, C McCluskey; C Doherty, G McKinless, P McGrogan; C Glass, B Rogers; N Toner, Paul Cassidy, E Doherty; C McFaul, S McGuigan, N Loughlin.
Subs: T Mallon, D Cassidy, B Heron, S Downey, L Murray, B McCarron, P McNeill. Padraig Cassidy, C McGuckian, M Doherty, D Baker.
Flashback
The last time that Derry won back-to-back Ulster titles in 1976, they faced Kerry in the All-Ireland semi-final. In the end it was an emphatic win for the Munster men.
Stat check
Derry have averaged 1-18 in their seven games, ranging from a high of 3-17 against Fermanagh to a low of 0-14 against Monaghan in the round robin series.
Kerry have averaged 2-20 in their six games, ranging from a high of 5-24 against Louth to lows of 1-14 against Cork and 0-17 against Mayo.
