Kerry's bid for an All-Ireland MFC three-in-a-row remains on course after they blew Kildare away with a devastating second-half display in today's semi-final at Croke Park.

It finished Kerry 2-26, Kildare 0-10 after the Kingdom outscored the Leinster champions by 2-15 to 0-3 in the second-half to set up a final date with Galway on the third Sunday in September.

The Brendan Hackett managed Kildare enjoyed a bright start with Jimmy Hyland opening the scoring but once Kerry found their rhythm there was only one team in it.

A return of four points without reply during the second quarter saw the Munster champions seize control of proceedings.

The supremely talented David Clifford and Sean O'Shea sent over three points apiece to help Peter Keane's charges take an 0-11 to 0-7 advantage into the break.

Two points in as many minutes at the start of the second-half from Dara Moynihan was a sign of things to come and the floodgates opened as the team in green and gold proceeded to pick off points at will.

Their approach play and finishing was of the top drawer variety and the game was effectively over as a contest after full-forward David Shaw found the back of the Kildare net in the 39th minute.

That left the scoreboard reading 1-18 to 0-8 and, as the final scoreline suggests, it was all plain sailing for the winners from that point on.

Diarmuid O'Connor rubbed salt into Kildare wounds with a second goal with the last kick of the game while Clifford took the 'player of the match' accolade after finishing with eight points to his name.

Kerry - B Courtney; D Naughton, M Potts (0-1), G O'Sullivan (0-1); N Collins (0-1), D O'Brien, M Foley (0-1); M Breen (0-1), M Ryan; D O'Connor (1-1), S O'Shea (0-5, 2f), D Moynihan (0-2); B Sweeney, D Shaw (1-3), D Clifford (0-8, 2f). Subs: C Linnane (0-1) for D Moynihan, C Teahan for B Sweeney, F O'Brien (0-1) for D Shaw, S Okunbar for M Ryan, K Dwyer for N Collins, S O Luing for B Courtney.

Kildare - L Mullins; J O'Toole, M Dempsey, D O'Sullivan (0-1); T Archbold, J Gibbons, S Doran; D Marnell, A Masterson; P Woodgate (0-1), B McLoughlin, C Costigan (0-1); C Kelly (0-3, 2f), J Robinson (0-1), J Hyland (0-2, 1f). Subs: K Foley (0-1) for P Woodgate, M Barrett for T Archbold, S Kavanagh for B McLoughlin, D Kelly for C Costigan, J Burke for D Marnell, N Murphy for J Robinson.

Referee - M McNally.

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