GAA: Kerry too experienced for Galway in comfortable 1-18 to 0-13 quarter-final win

Kerry's superb record in All-Ireland quarter-finals continued as they made it 15 wins from 17 appearances at this juncture as they eased passed Galway by 1-18 to 0-13 in a game where they never trailed.

An inspired performance by Kieran Donaghy in the opening half set the Kingdom on their way to another All-Ireland semi-final on a day when 10 players supplied scores for Kerry.

And while Kerry struggled to impress for long periods, they still managed to score 1-16 from play against a Galway side who were unable to convert even one of several good goal chances.

Galway, who became the last of the beaten provincial finalists to bow out of the title race, managed to convert just 13 of 34 scoring chances and that was never going to be enough against a team of Kerry's quality.

Donaghy's dominance was the key factor in Kerry leading by 1-10 to 0-8 at the interval, with the Austin Stacks tormenting the Galway full-back in the air.

Galway manager Kevin Walsh drafted in David Walsh in an effort to combat Donaghy's influence, but the Tribesmen could do little to curb him.

A long ball from David Moran was superbly fielded by Donaghy ahead of Walsh and Liam Silke before he blasted the net to make it 1-4 to 0-2 after 14 minutes.

Kerry pushed up on Galway's kickout, forcing goalkeeper Bernard Power to go long, and the Kingdom mopped up around the middle of the field.

Paul Geaney was the other big threat up front for Kerry in the opening half, kicking three excellent points from play, and they would have been further ahead had they not kicked five wides before the break, having not hit one in the Munster final win over Cork until the 41st minute.

Galway, whose only win on Kerry's 11 kickouts in the opening half came just before the break, looked threatening when they ran at the Kingdom defence with Ian Burke, Damien Comer and Michael Daly prominent.

Burke was the star performer, shooting 0-4 in the opening half, and having a goal chance denied by Kerry goalkeeper Brian Kelly after four minutes.

Comer also came close to grabbing a goal but his effort after a superb solo run was taken off the line by Kerry corner-back Fionn Fitzgerald as Galway came with a promising finish to the half but still trailed by 1-10 to 0-8 at the break.

Galway enjoyed their best spell after the restart but struggled to get scores and Kerry goalkeeper Kelly again denied them when he saved superbly from Sean Armstrong.

And even when Galway managed to get a score Kerry were always able to respond at the other end and then hit three in a row from Jack Savage, Stephen O'Brien and Paul Geaney to lead by 1-15 to 0-11 heading into the closing stages.

Indeed, the Kingdom outscored Galway by 0-8 to 0-5 in the second-half on an afternoon when Kerry subs kicked 0-5 after being introduced as they booked their place in the last four.

Kerry: B Kelly; F Fitzgerald, M Griffin, S Enright; P Crowley, T Morley, P Murphy (0-2); D Moran (0-2), J Barry; M Geaney, J Buckley (0-2), D Walsh (0-1); P Geaney (0-4,1f), K Donaghy (1-1), J O'Donoghue (0-1,1f).

Subs: S O'Brien (0-2) for M Geaney (40), J Savage (0-1) for O'Donoghue (49), A Maher for Barry (54), BJ Keane (0-2) for Donaghy (57), K Young for Morley (63), J Lyne for Walsh (67).

Galway: B Power; E Kerin, D Kyne, D Walsh; G O'Donnell, G Bradshaw, L Sike; P Conroy, J Heaney (0-1); T Flynn, M Daly (0-1), I Burke (0-5, 1f); D Comer, S Walsh (0-1,1f), S Armstrong (0-4, 1f).

Subs: C Sweeney for D Walsh (39), E Brannigan (0-1) for S Walsh (44), M Farragher for Bradshaw (52), F O Curraoin for Daly (58)., C McDaid for Flynn (63), D Cummins for Armstrong (66).

Referee: D Coldrick (Meath).