Connacht champions Mayo withstood a brave fightback from beaten Munster finalists Kerry before advancing to the semi-finals of the TG4 Ladies All-Ireland senior football championship with a 2-12 to 1-14 quarter-final victory.
The Westerners led by seven points with 20 minutes remaining, 2-10 to 0-09, but Kerry had cut the gap to just a single point by the finish as Geraldine O'Sé's injury-time goal for Kerry ensured a nervy finish for four-time winners Mayo.
Decorated Mayo forward Cora Staunton chipped in with a 1-07 haul but the Kingdom's corner-forward O'Sé matched that tally with her late goal adding to seven pointed frees during the game.
The sides were level twice in the first 17 minutes but last year's beaten All-Ireland finalists Mayo signalled their intent after 20 minutes when Fiona McHale's shot was well saved by Kerry goalkeeper Laoise O'Driscoll.
Kerry did not heed that warning and, three minutes later, Staunton struck for a superb solo goal, dummying three defenders before slipping the ball coolly past O'Driscoll to open up a 1-06 to 0-05 lead.
Staunton added a 26th-minute free but Kerry hit back with three unanswered points before Marcella Heffernan's injury-time point ensured a 1-08 to 0-08 half-time lead for Mayo.
The winners, driven by midfielder and player-of-the-match Martha Carter, dominated the early stages of the second half but their second goal was a fortuitous effort, one that Kerry will look back on with some regret.
The Kingdom's wing back Mairead Finnegan and goalkeeper O'Driscoll got themselves in a mess seven minutes after half-time and Mayo's Kathryn Sullivan forced home a scrappy goal, which proved to be the game's decisive score.
Mayo now led by 2-09 to 0-08 and after the sides traded points, there looked no way back for Kerry.
Credit is due to the Munster outfit for a spirited revival, which fell just short, but it is Mayo who march on to the last four harbouring genuine hopes of claiming a first All-Ireland senior title since 2003.
Scorers for Mayo: Cora Staunton 1-07 (0-06f), Kathryn Sullivan 1-00, Lisa Cafferky 0-02, Fiona McHale, Martha Carter and Marcella Heffernan 0-01 each.
Scorers for Kerry: Geraldine O'Sé 1-07 (0-07f), Patrice Dennehy 0-04 (2f), Deirdre Corridon 0-02, Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh 0-01.
