Holders Kerry are through to the 2015 All-Ireland minor decider after a comfortable 1-11 to 1-6 defeat of Derry in the rain at Croke Park.

A fortuitous Conor Maunsell goal three minutes after the restart handed the losers an unlikely lifeline but Man of the Match Michael Foley's 38th-minute major reasserted Kerry's superiority and they were never troubled again as they deservedly progressed to next month's decider.

With midfielders Andrew Barry and John Mark Foley catching the eye, the defending champions bossed the first half but somehow conspired to only lead by three points at the short whistle, 0-6 to 0-3.

Corner forwards Conor Geaney (free) and Michael Foley pointed for the Munster champions inside the first three minutes and Barry made it three points to no score with a sweet fifth-minute strike. When Shane McGuigan opened the Oak Leafers' account on seven minutes, Kerry hit back with a second Geaney free and a lovely score from midfielder Foley to lead by four at the midway stage in the first half.

Full forward Francis Kearney fisted the Ulster champions' second point in the 21st minute and McGuigan converted a free before John Mark Foley arrowed over a terrific Kingdom point from distance at the end of a patient build-up to give his side a double-scores interval advantage.

Derry drew level on 33 minutes when corner back Maunsell thumped a long ball forward from outside the '45' and it somehow sailed to the net off the fingertips of Kerry custodian Billy Courtney. But Geaney slotted a nice brace either side of a super Kearney score and - in the 38th minute - Kerry moved four points clear when Foley had the simplest of tasks in palming Geaney's handpass to the net: 1-8 to 1-4.

Thirteen minutes into the second half, No.13 Foley added a wonderful point from play to his tally; Derry substitute Niall McAtamney's point left four between the teams at the three-quarters stage. Conor Glass (free) and Michael Foley (1-3) traded scores after Derry corner forward McGuigan had been black-carded for attempting to win a free by holding a Kerry defender's tackling arm.

Geaney closed the scoring four minutes from time and a last-minute McAtamney fisted effort to the net was ruled out as the holders won by five.

Kerry - B Courtney; D Brosnan, J Foley, J Morgan; G White, M Breen, D O'Brien; A Barry (0-1), J M Foley (0-2); B O Seanachain, S O'Shea, B Barrett; M Foley (1-3), B Sweeney, C Geaney (0-5, 3f). Subs: T O'Sullivan for D Brosnan, M O'Connor for M Breen, S O'Sullivan for B Barrett, E Cronin for S O'Shea.

Derry - C Mullan Young; N Keenan, C McGrogan, C Maunsell (1-0); O Duffin, M McEvoy, E Concannon; P Kearney, J Doherty; P Coney, S Downey (0-1), C Glass (0-1f); T Flanagan, F Kearney (0-1), S McGuigan (0-2). Subs: N McAtamney (0-1) for P Kearney, G McLaughlin for O Duffin, F Higgins for C Maunsell, B Grant for P Coney, S Higgins for S McGuigan (BC).

Referee - J Henry.

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