A couple of weeks on from his Ulster final heroics, Ruairi Canavan delivered again for Tyrone with a thrilling display to secure their EirGrid All-Ireland U-20 football final place.
Canavan, son of Red Hands legend Peter and brother of senior All-Ireland winner Darragh, hit Cavan for seven points in the provincial decider and went one better with eight classy scores in Portlaoise to break Kerry's resolve.
Canavan walked away with the Man of the Match award though Ciaran Bogue will go down as the gamebreaker, his 58th minute goal putting Tyrone ahead for the first time and into a lead that Paul Devlin's side didn't relinquish.
Canavan, typically, had a hand in that score too, striking the post with an attempt for a point and looking on as substitute Gavin Potter gobbled up the rebound and fed Bogue to crash the ball home.
There were huge displays too from Eoin Corry and Conor Cush as Tyrone, who have claimed three of the last four Ulster U-20 titles, progressed through to next weekend's final against 2018 champions Kildare at a venue yet to be decided.
Kerry had six points to spare when the counties met at the All-Ireland quarter-final stage of the 2019 minor championship though there was never more than four points between them this time.
It was tight and tense but hugely enjoyable as two classy sides duked it out in perfect conditions, trading blows and points in a riveting back and forth that yielded two black cards; one for Tyrone full-back Brian Conway in the sixth minute and a second for Kerry full-back Alan Dineen in the 41st minute.
Kerry, managed by former county star Declan O'Sullivan, raced three points clear initially thanks to scores from Dylan Geaney, who finished with 1-04, and Kevin Goulding but scores in response from Bogue and Canavan indicated that Tyrone were up for the fight.
Goulding booted three terrific first-half points for Kerry to lead narrowly at the interval, 0-06 to 0-05, but they were back level again when Cush pointed after the restart.
Geaney's 34th minute goal, after great work in the buildup from Cillian Burke, nudged the Munster champions three points clear and looked like it might be a turning point.
Another Geaney point, again set up by Burke, pushed Kerry four points clear at 1-07 to 0-06 but Tyrone's response was impressive as they slowly ate into the deficit and eventually took the lead when Bogue netted two minutes from the hour, a move that began with Canavan striking a point attempt off the post.
Kerry got the margin back to two points with a late Geaney score but they needed a goal and supporters winced as the corner-forward blasted an attempt for a three-pointer from a free wide at the death.
Tyrone: Stephen McMenamin; Brian Conway, Eoin Corry, Michael Rafferty; Dan Muldoon, Steve Donaghy, Niall Devlin; Ruairi McHugh, Michael McGleenan (0-01); Ciaran Daly, James Donaghy, Sean O'Donnell (0-01); Ruairi Canavan (0-08, 0-03f, 0-01m), Ciaran Bogue (1-02), Conor Cush (0-02).
Subs: Gavin Potter for O'Donnell 33-35, Potter for Cush 51, Luke Donnelly for O'Donnell 63, Eoin Montgomery for Bogue 63.
Kerry: Devon Burns (0-01, 0-01f); Dara O'Callaghan, Alan Dineen, Joey Nagle; Enda O'Connor, Armin Heinrich, Tommy Cronin; Ruairi Murphy (0-02), Sean O'Brien; Keith Evans, Thomas O'Donnell, Evan Looney; Dylan Geaney (1-04, 0-02f), Cillian Burke (0-01), Kevin Goulding (0-04).
Subs: Gearoid Hassett for Evans 37, Adam Curran for Cronin 41, Jordan Kissane for O'Donnell 48, Tom Doyle for Looney 52, Jack O'Connor for Goulding 57.
Referee: Anthony Nolan (Wicklow).
