Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh stars as Kerry return to final at Mayo's expense

Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh produced a stunning display and shot 1-10 as Kerry took another major step towards ending their famine as they booked their place in the TG4 All-Ireland final for the second year in a row.

Kerry, even without injured captain Siofra O'Shea, were on top throughout and will now hope to go one better in two weeks and capture the TG4 All-Ireland title for the first time since 1993.

The Corca Dhuibhne sharpshooter delivered an awesome display in a game where Kerry built up a nine-point half-time lead to leave Mayo with little chance of a revival.

The Connacht champions enjoyed a better second half with the wind and shot 1-06. However, Michael Moyles’ side had no answer to the unstoppable Ní Mhuircheartaigh, who caused havoc at every turn.

The exchanges were quite even in the first ten minutes, with Sinéad Cafferky and Shauna Howley exchanging points with Ní Mhuircheartaigh and Hannah O’Donoghue.

But Mayo were blown away in a devastating nine-minute spell in the first half when Kerry hit them for 1-07 without reply.

The twin threats of O’Donoghue and Ní Mhuircheartaigh accounted for 1-05 of this, with Emma Costello and Niamh Ní Chonchúir pointing the remainder.

Kerry’s two most influential players were central to Kerry’s 18th minute goal, with O’Donoghue fist-passing across the goal for Ní Mhuircheartaigh to palm into the net.

Mayo – who sent three kick-outs out over the sideline in the first half – broke an 11-minute long scoring drought when Sinéad Cafferky knocked over her second point.

Centre-back Ciara Needham added another for the Connacht champions, but a nine-point interval deficit left them with a mountain to climb.

The Kingdom lost the impressive O'Donoghue to injury at half time, but that did little