Kerry and Mayo have to go back all over again next weekend following a thrilling contest at Croke Park.
The game shifted back and forth over 70 minutes, with both sides having reason to feel they got out of jail and let victory slip through their fingers.
James Horan’s men fell behind in the first half and saw Lee Keegan dismissed for a red card close to the break, meaning they came out for the second half down by four points and facing an uphill battle with just 14 men. However, Kerry seemed determined to capitulate, falling five points behind in the opening 25 minutes of the second half. A nine point swing, with a man advantage, had Kerry looking like their day was done and they had collapsed in the face of certain victory.
But the Kingdom came back late on, as the game swung again. The introduction of Kieran Donaghy was key, as the direct approach from Kerry reaped rewards at a crucial point, with Kerry five points off Mayo with just a few minutes left. Donaghy caught a high ball with his back to goal, laid it off to James O’Donoghue, who smashed the ball into the Mayo net and reduced the deficit to just one point.
Substitute Kieran O’Leary then equalised, scoring with a fine point in stoppage time. O’Donoghue was inches from sealing the All-Ireland final place, but his late shot hit the post and Mayo survived the late scare in what felt like one of the best football games at Croke Park in recent years.
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