By Cian O’Connell

Crowds started to gather on the Ennis Road several hours before a game that still evokes debate and stirs passion.

Eagerly anticipated would be an accurate way of describing the sense of excitement and drama which surrounded Kerry’s All Ireland SFC Semi-Final replay against Mayo.

With Croke Park unavailable the game was scheduled for Limerick, but that was only part of the tale. What happened between the white lines ensured everybody who watched was gripped from start to finish.

Scores, frees dropping agonisingly short, colleagues clashing heads, pitch incursions. This truly was a remarkable joust.

It was that sort of compelling game and occasion which went the distance. Ultimately Kerry’s collection of established and emerging players survived.

Mayo, defiant until the death, were eventually beaten signaling the end of James Horan’s first coming as the Green and Red manager.

It had been quite an adventure since escaping from Ruislip against London in 2011 armed with a narrow win. Horan had turned Mayo into a seriously respected force losing All Ireland finals in 2012 and 2013.

That is why so much expectation was attached to the 2014 campaign, but Kerry had the guile to add another defeat to the harrowing list of Mayo losses.

The next day Mayo’s splendid forward Alan Dillon beautifully captured the mood and pride Horan instilled in the team.

"We awake this morning, heartbroken and lost in tears,” Dillon wrote. “One thing's for certain, this county should never doubt our courage for the fight.

“It's unthinkable what James Horan and his backroom have done in the past four years. He's an absolute legend and sincere thanks. End of an era."

After the match a couple of miles away in the Radisson Hotel on the way home to Mayo, Horan informed the Mayo panel about his decision to exit the inter-county stage.

Time, energy, and commitment had been invested in the perennial search for Sam Maguire. The Hogan Stand steps remain the intended destination, but this was another one of those campaigns when Mayo left beaten by an accomplished team.

Six days previously in a similarly fascinating and fluctuating encounter Kerry ultimately required a glorious contribution from Kieran Donaghy, who was summoned from the bench with 11 minutes of normal time remaining.

Donaghy caused panic and provided valuable assistance for the polished James O’Donoghue, who supplied scores at critical times.

That happened in the sequel too. Donaghy was in from the start vexing Mayo once more, while O’Donoghue and Keith Higgins had a duel for the ages in the Gaelic Grounds. Somehow both players left with their reputations enhanced.

When the match was over Eamonn Fitzmaurice was able to reflect on the depth and dynamism of Kerry panel’s. Several substitutes including the delightful Marc O Se made sterling contributions.

“I know Marc well and I knew when I took the job that it would be difficult if I had to leave out players that I played with,” Fitzmaurice admitted.

“I know the stock that Marc comes from and I knew there would be a severe reaction when he came on the pitch and I think that was visible for everyone to see.

“We have a very strong squad. I think maybe that isn’t nationally recognised because our young guys might not be national names.

“But we have some guys who weren’t involved in the match who have trained all summer and they are serious players as well. Nationally, maybe people are starting to realise that we have a strong squad with very good players.”

With David Moran excelling at centrefield, Kerry’s attack caused Mayo significant problems. Donaghy was the self sufficient focal point inside.

“We did okay on a lot of occasions, he probably won a lot of frees for them but our full-back line did well in there,” was James Horan’s verdict immediately afterwards. "Around the middle of the field, Kerry were very strong, caught a lot of primary ball and that gave them the platform.

"Maybe sometimes you get beaten by a better team and just have to take it on the chin. This group are learning and developing all the time, and if that trend continues, time is the only factor.

"When you give everything you have, and you just get pipped, particularly with the effort and commitment these guys put in, it is just so tough to take, but we have to learn from it, take it on the chin, and move on."

Fitzmaurice’s mind drifted back 14 years to another Championship in which Kerry participated in two fiercely contested tussles at the penultimate round.

“In 2000 we had a semi-final replay against Armagh and it brought a lot of us on in terms of experience and playing in games of that intensity,” Fitzmaurice stressed.

“You can’t buy that in terms of training. A lot of our younger guys don’t have any All-Ireland medals at any grade so there is massive hunger in the group. There is great spirit and I think that was visible.”

There was spirit in Mayo too, but they nursed regrets. An eerie silence in the dressing room confirmed the heartbreak. “They can barely speak, there's not too much being said," Horan acknowledged.

Then the Mayo team walked quietly away into the team bus for the short spin to the Radisson Hotel. Horan took them aside announcing his decision to leave the inter-county scene at the time.

Kerry skipped back home aware that September football at GAA headquarters beckoned once more. The next afternoon a Ryan McHugh inspired Donegal stunned Dublin.

Fitzmaurice was busy making plans and Kerry were reunited with Sam Maguire again. How Mayo were fended off in the most demanding circumstances on a sultry Saturday night in Limerick simply added to the fulfilment.