Jack O'Connor hails 'unbelievable' David Clifford after Kerry 'intense' semi-final

And so it's Kerry and Dublin to meet again on the day when Sam Maguire will be handed out.

Both counties were given stern tests by Ulster opposition in their respective semi-finals, with the Kingdom, just like the Dubs against Monaghan, producing a clinical late surge to edge Derry by two points in Sunday's absorbing semi-final at Croke Park.

For much of the game it was the reigning All-Ireland champions who were chasing the game and their opponents did spurn a couple of goal chances.

"There were several times during that game when we could have thrown in the towel," was O'Connor's initial reaction when he spoke to RTÉ Sport afterwards.

"We were struggling badly in certain areas; they were getting through us too easily in the first half."

How his side responded did please the Kingdom boss, however, against such doughty opponents.

"They showed leadership and really went after it in the second half; they showed the hunger and the desire that you need to show to get over these tight games. Derry played very well, you can't take anything away from Derry, they were fantastic for huge parts of that game and had us in big trouble.

"This was the test we expected and it will hopefully bring us on another bit and steel us for the final."

On how Kerry got to grips with things in the second period, O'Connor added: "In the second half we adjusted and tactically we dropped off their kickout a bit and formed a better defensive line a bit higher up the pitch.

"They didn't make the same amount of incursions into the scoring zone as they did in the first half. They were getting scores too easily in the first half but the leadership fellas showed, what David Clifford did was unbelievable; the man was doing everything; he was back in his own