Down rolled back the years at Croke Park this afternoon to beat Kerry by 1-16 to 1-10.

As the lethargic All-Ireland champions were sent packing, the mighty Mourne men maintained their incredible winning run against the Kingdom to win with something to spare, marching through to an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with either Kildare or Meath.

The winners played some majestic stuff in this game, defying the critics with an exhibition of pure football. Kerry finished with 14 men due to the indiscipline of Donnacha Walsh and Down's numerical superiority made it easier for them to cope with the Munster champions' Route One approach.

Martin Clarke, Benny Coulter, Paul McComiskey and Mark Poland were amongst the outstanding Down performers.

Down started and finished the first half magnificently to lead by 1-7 to 0-4 at half time. Kerry controlled proceedings between the tenth and 27th minutes, scoring all four of their first-half points during that period. But Down opened the half with a salvo of 1-3 and finished as strongly with four consecutive scores.

Martin Clarke was the dominant force in the opening period, demonstrating tremendous workrate and some class touches. Kerry felt hard done by when they thought they had found the net to go ahead, but play was called back for a debateable illegal handpass.

Personnel-wise, both teams started as selected and a steady drizzle of rain throughout the early afternoon ensured that the sod was slippery at Croke Park. The Mourne men won the toss and also won the opening battles emphatically as Mark Poland planted the ball brilliantly in the back of the Kerry net after only 50 seconds.

Benny Coulter popped over a Down point on three minutes and Ambrose Rogers drilled over a sensational 45 to make it 1-2 to no score after five minutes. An amazing start for the Ulster county, whose excellent harrying had forced mistakes from the Kerry defence for all three of those opening scores.

James McCartan's team also survived an early handling error from goalkeeper Brendan McVeigh as well as two wides from Bryan Sheehan, who pulled shots wide into the Hill 16 end from open play and from a 45. Down's tenacity was forcing the All-Ireland champions to cough up possession and Paul McComiskey made it a six-point game after another turnover.

Rogers missed a 45 before Sheehan recorded his third wide of the match. A minute later, the Kerry captain fired over his side's opening score after Kieran Donaghy carved the Down defence open. By the 16th minute, Sheehan had sent four efforts wide.

With Kerry starting to take a stranglehold at midfield, Colin Cooper turned Damien Rafferty inside-out to clip over the Munster champions' second score of the match. Cooper then tapped over a free to edge the favourites closer and The Gooch easily converted another free from straight in front of the posts after referee Joe McQuillan penalised Down for a late tackle.

The Cavan official then saved Down when he called play back for an illegal handpass by Donnacha Walsh after Killian Young thought he had scored a Kerry goal. Still, Jack O'Connor's side had been totally dominant since the tenth minute and found themselves just two behind with 26 minutes played, 1-3 to 0-4.

Martin Clarke thumped over a 45 in the 27th minute - Down's first score in 17 - and the same player than rifled over an exquisite point from an acute angle to leave the border county ahead by double scores after 29 minutes: 1-5 to 0-4.

Poland stroked over a free from the hands three minutes shy of the break and the Down centre forward followed up with a superb point off his left foot after good scavenging from Danny Hughes. Down had registered four successive points to lead by six.

Kerry seemed to lose their discipline close to half time and Declan O'Sullivan picked up a yellow card for moaning and was lucky to avoid another one immediately afterwards when he clumsily caught Rogers as the Down man went to ground. The Mourne men had the last laugh as they led six points at half time.

Having lost Michael Quirke to injury near the end of the first half, Kerry started the second period with Donaghy switched to midfield. Clarke banged over a free from the ground in the first minute of the half but it could have been better for the underdogs as McComiskey was sprinting through on goal when he was called back for the free.

The Kingdom were then awarded a couple of dubious frees at either end, culminating in a Cooper conversion - their first score in 17 minutes. Poland wasted a great chance when he had men in support and Sheehan curled over a free from in front of the posts to make it 0-6 to 1-8 after 41 minutes.

McComiskey slotted a superb point after good work from Kalum King and Poland, making it double scores again: 1-9 to 0-6. Declan O'Sullivan missed his shot but there was no such wastefulness from Cooper who arced over an exquisite point.

Ten minutes into the second half, Kerry were reduced to 14 men when Donnacha Walsh was sent off with a second yellow card after a needless high challenge on Poland. Kerry then got the sympathy vote from the ref when Cooper went over easily under a challenge from Rafferty, who was harshly booked. Hard to see a foul there… Needless to say, the unerring Cooper slotted over the free.

Daniel Hughes and McComiskey hit Down wides as they strained to make the extra man tell. We then saw unbelievable drama at the end of the third quarter:

Firstly, Down appeared to have a second goal when McComiskey dived in to palm Coulter's delivery to the net. It looked okay but again the man in the middle decided that there was an illegal handpass from Coulter. Two 'foul' handpasses spotted by the ref in the whole match - and both of them were assists for goals. Yet everything else seemed to be okay - strange.

Almost immediately, at the other end, Cooper placed Donaghy for what looked like a certain Kerry goal but McVeigh came off his line to save well. Sheehan effortlessly popped over the 45 to close the gap further: 1-9 to 0-9. Down had five different scorers at this stage, while Cooper and Sheehan had accounted for all Kerry scores.

Down sub Conor Maginn - with a beautiful point - made it 1-10 to 0-9 with 13 minutes left and the influential Martin Clarke was off target with his effort. Two minutes later, Coulter clipped over a fantastic point from an acute angle to make it a five-point game.

Another sublime Coulter point in the 62nd minute, after easing past Aidan O'Mahony, put the underdogs a whopping eight points clear: 1-12 to 0-9. It was all Down as substitute Ronan Murtagh arrowed over their fourth consecutive point after some tidy keep-ball.

Kerry needed a goal and it was Groundhog Day as Cooper placed Donaghy and McVeigh made the save with his left paw. An inspirational stop. Cooper ended Kerry's scoreless run with a free from the hands five minutes from time, but the Mourne County still led by six.

A late Down free was moved closer to goal after backchat in the Kerry defence and the brilliant Martin Clarke eased the ball between the posts - his fourth score. As the floodgates opened and Down had appreciation coming from three corners of Croker - their own supporters as well as those of Tyrone and Dublin - sub Peter Fitzpatrick and Ambrose Rogers tagged on further scores.

The disappointing match referee blotted his copybook further when ridiculously awarding Kerry an injury-time penalty - which David Moran rolled calmly to the net - but there would be no stopping Down today as they claimed a spectacular and fully-deserved victory.

Down: Brendan McVeigh, Daniel McCartan, Dan Gordon, Damien Rafferty; Declan Rooney; Kevin McKernan, Conor Garvey; Ambrose Rogers (0-2), Kalum King; Daniel Hughes, Mark Poland (1-2), Paul McComiskey (0-2); Benny Coulter (0-2), John Clarke, Martin Clarke (0-4). Subs: Conor Maginn (0-1), Ronan Murtagh (0-1), Peter Fitzpatrick (0-1).

Kerry: Brendan Kealy; Mark O Se, Tommy Griffin, Tomas O'Sullivan; Aidan O'Mahony, Mike McCarthy, Killian Young; Seamus Scanlon, Michael Quirke; Darran O'Sullivan, Declan O'Sullivan, Donnacha Walsh; Colin Cooper (0-7), Kieran Donaghy, Bryan Sheehan (0-3). Subs: David Moran (1-0), BJ Walsh, K O'Leary, Daniel Bohane. Tweet

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