Kerry take a five point lead into the half-time break in today's All-Ireland semi-final after two goals turned the game on its head at Croke Park.
Dublin dominated the opening half hour and led by four points, but goals from Darran O’Sullivan and Paul Geaney reignited Kerry’s challenge and helped the Kingdom to a sensational five point interval lead, 2-08 to 0-09.
As predicted in most quarters, the teams named during the week were mere guides to how they lined up: Dublin manager Jim Gavin replaced Denis Bastick and Paul Mannion with Michael Darragh McAuley and Kevin McManamon, while Eamonn Fitzmaurice began without James O’Donoghue and Brian Ó Beaglaoich, with Darran O’Sullivan and Aidan O’Mahony stepping in.
Dublin began much, much the brighter. After ten minutes they had dominated the game and despite kicking four wides, crucially, three points came with them – two from Dean Rock following a Diarmuid Connolly opener.
Not that Kerry didn’t have some opportunities. Colm Cooper slipped when well positioned to score after just two minutes and only the firmest of shoulders from Davy Byrne denied Donnacha Walsh a goal chance two minutes later.
Kerry had to wait as long as 14 minutes for their first point, David Moran arching over a fine score from the right wing but within seconds of that small boost, Connolly drew a foul on the Kerry 13 metre line and Rock secured his fourth score inside 15 minutes.
Walsh’s perseverance was rewarded soon after when he pick his way through the Dublin defence to set up Paul Geaney for Kerry’s second point.
Cooper pointed a free to make the gap a scarcely believable two points, 0-5 to 0-3 after 18 minutes.
Rock then nailed his fifth from distance before Kevin McManamon and Geaney exchanged superb points but with Kerry struggling badly from their own kick-outs, Bernard Brogan and Diarmuid Connolly added scores to leave Kerry four points behind, 0-9 to 0-5.
But Kerry were doing enough to stick in there, and a Cooper point was followed by a sensational goal.
A rare kick out malfunction from Stephen Cluxton was quickly transferred inside to Geaney in a move that saw Darran O’Sullivan finish to the net and tie the game at 0-9 to 1-6.
Cooper added another score and then Dublin’s fortunes took another dramatic downturn when Geaney forced the ball over the line for a goal before Cooper gave Kerry that five point half-time lead.
