Dominant Kerry end Armagh's reign in quarter-final

Seanie O'Shea spearheaded a ruthless Kerry display

Armagh's dream of lifting back-to-back All-Ireland titles was shattered in spectacular fashion by Kerry, who raced clear in the second half to win Sunday's quarter-final at Croke Park 0-32 to 1-21.

Trailing by five, Kerry devoured Armagh's kick-outs and blasted over 14 unanswered points in a devastating 13-minute spell to canter towards the finish line.

Kerry will face old foes Tyrone in a mouthwatering semi-final with Donegal drawn to play Meath in the other last-four game on the weekend of 12-13 July.

Armagh - who beat Kerry in a semi-final thriller last year - led 1-11 to 0-13 at half-time, with Rory Grugan's finely-taken goal helping them nudge ahead before the break.

But Kieran McGeeney's side simply had no answer to Kerry's power, precision and scoring appetite after the restart, and simply could not muster a sufficient response having fallen 0-28 to 1-16 behind at the end of their opponent's 14-point bolt.

"That's what turned the tide," McGeeney said of Kerry's period of domination.

"It's disappointing. We played well and kept on going in fairness and Shane Ryan had to pull of three saves on the line, they never stopped fighting so you have to give them credit.

"But it was a 15-minute period where Kerry were devastating and we just couldn't get our hands on the ball in the middle."

Kerry last won the All-Ireland title in 2022, but having taken out a fellow heavyweight in such clinical fashion, Jack O'Connor's side will be heavily favoured to succeed Armagh as champions.

Seanie O'Shea was outstanding for Kerry, finishing the game with 0-12, while David Clifford hit 0-7.

Unquestionably the most eye-catching fixture of the weekend, Armagh travelled to Croke Park hoping to knock Kerry out again and take a significant step in their quest to defend their crown.

Revenge was uppermost in Kerry's minds and they made the faster start, with O'Shea setting the tone for his lights-out display with a one and two-pointer.

And while Armagh got up and running through a couple of Oisin Conaty scores, the Orchard players had goalkeeper Ethan Rafferty to thank after he brilliantly saved Conor Geaney's goalbound shot with his legs.

Armagh could have had a goal of their own when, after Kerry failed to gather their own kick-out, Tiernan Kelly robbed Dylan Geaney, shrugged off Dylan Casey and forced Shane Ryan to tip over the bar.

From there, a trio of unanswered Kerry scores - including a beautiful solo effort from David Clifford - put the Kingdom 0-7 to 0-3 ahead before Jarly Og Burns' two-pointer and a Rian O'Neill effort from play hauled the Ulster side back into it.

Already hindered by injuries to key players, the Kingdom were forced into a change when Tom O'Sullivan hobbled off to be replaced by the inexperienced Evan Looney after 25 minutes.

And while O'Shea and Graham Sullivan scores extended Kerry's lead to 0-9 to 0-6, Conaty and Joe McElroy scored reduced the arrears to a point before the Armagh goal, which was delivered emphatically by Grugan after Kelly caught Dylan Casey napping to steal Ryan's short kick-out.

Kerry's response, however, was swift and assertive as O'Shea raised white and orange flags before Dylan Geaney put the Munster kingpins 0-13 to 1-8 up.

Armagh finished the half with a flourish, though, and went in with their noses in front and chests puffed out after Ethan Rafferty's two-point free was followed by a post-hooter McElroy score.

Armagh had hoped to become the first Ulster county since Down (1960 and 1961) to retain the All-Ireland title

While Kerry boss O'Connor introduced influential playmaker Paudie Clifford at the break, Armagh started the second half impressively and pushed their lead out to 1-16 to 0-14 when Rian O'Neill slotted over a two-pointer.

From there, the afternoon turned nightmarish for Armagh as Kerry decided enough was enough and began scoring points for fun.

Joe O'Connor, Sean O'Shea two-pointer, Paudie Clifford, David Clifford two-pointer, O'Shea, David Clifford, Micheal Burns, Brian O Beaglaoich, Gavin White, Paudie Clifford, David Clifford, Graham O'Sullivan.

That was the sequence of Kerry scores that left O'Connor's men effectively out of sight.

To their credit, Armagh kept plugging away and chased goals, but the damage was done and Kerry were full value for their eight-point margin at the end.

While Armagh are left to reflect on a thoroughly chastening afternoon, Kerry can look forward to another All-Ireland semi-final and, after Sunday's display, it will take an almighty effort to stop them reaching the 27 July decider.

Armagh scorers: Oisin Conaty (0-6, 1 2pt), Rian O'Neill (0-6, 1 2pt, 1f), Rory Grugan (1-0), Jason Burns (0-2, 2pt), Ethan Rafferty (0-2, 2pt), Joe McElroy (0-2), Tiernan Kelly, Darragh McMullan, Cian McConville (0-1 each).

Kerry scorers: Seanie O'Shea (0-12, 3 2pt, 3f), David Clifford (0-7, 2 2pt), Joe O'Connor, Brian O'Beaglaoich, Gavin White, Paudie Clifford, Graham O'Sullivan, Micheal Burns (0-2 each), Dylan Geaney (0-1).

Line-ups

Armagh: Ethan Rafferty; Paddy Burns, Barry McCambridge, Peter McGrane; Ross McQuillan, Tiernan Kelly, Jarlath Og Burns; Niall Grimley, Ben Crealey; Darragh McMullan, Rory Grugan, Joe McElroy; Oisin Conaty, Andrew Murnin, Rian O'Neill.

Subs: Conor Turbitt for J Og Burns (temp 37-47 mins), Jason Duffy for Grimley, Turbitt for McQuillan (both 50 mins); Aidan Forker (capt) for Kelly (54 mins); Cian McConville for Crealey (56 mins); Shane McPartlan for Grugan (66 mins); Callum O'Neill for Murnin (66 mins).

Kerry: Shane Ryan; Paul Murphy, Jason Foley, Dylan Casey; Brian O Beaglaoich, Gavin White, Tom O'Sullivan; Sean O'Brien, Joe O'Connor; Michael Burns, Dean O'Shea, Graham O'Sullivan; David Clifford, Conor Geaney, Dylan Geaney.

Subs: Evan Looney for T O'Sullivan (24 mins), Paudie Clifford for C Geaney (half-time), Micheal Burns for M. O'Shea (50 mins), Killian Spillane for D Geaney (64 mins); Graham O'Sullivan for T Kennedy (69 mins); Tom Leo O'Sullivan for D Casey (69 mins).

Referee: Brendan Cawley (Kildare)