The respective Ulster and Munster minor football champions, Tyrone and Cork, exited the All-Ireland championship at the quarter-final stage in Portlaoise on Saturday.
Kerry pipped Tyrone by 0-8 to 1-4, scoring only twice in the second half through half backs Eddie Healy after 37 minutes and Fionn Murphy’s 45-metre free three minutes from the end.
Cork had no answer to the power and skill of a fine Derry side, who advanced by 0-12 to 0-6 in a one-sided contest.
Tyrone opened the scoring with a Caolan Donnelly palmed goal after seven minutes, but Kerry settled to lead by 0-6 to 1-2 at the interval with captain Cormac Dillon contributing 0-3.
The sides were level twice before Kerry full forward Donagh O’Sullivan edged his side in front with the closing score of the half.
Goalkeeper Shay O’Meara rescued the Kingdom with a superb save to deny Donnelly a second goal in the 40th minute before Kerry lost Niall Collins to a black card moments later.
They restricted Tyrone to just one score, a Ronan Molly point – their first from play – after 47 minutes and while Donnelly added a second in injury-time, Kerry hung on.
Derry were in full control, hitting the opening three points to lead by 0-5 to 0-2 at the break with Ciarán Chambers starring.
Captain Ruairí Forbes kicked a brilliant point within 10 seconds of the resumption as Derry eased to a semi-final against either Dublin or Galway while Kerry await either Mayo or Kildare.
