Semple Stadium might be unfamiliar territory for big-time football, but two Dublin goals in 10 minutes turned it into a parallel universe. With the last 12 minutes ticking away on Saturday's Bank of Ireland All-Ireland quarter-final, champions Kerry led by eight points. The lead didn't flatter them and Dublin looked every inch a team losing by eight points.

What happened next had no rational basis. Dublin scored 2-3 without reply to lead by one, and it took another legendary strike by Maurice Fitzgerald in injury-time to save the day for the All-Ireland holders.

Everyone in the ground - not least Kerry - was stunned. As comebacks go this had no origin in a slowly turning tide or some irresistible plays improvised in desperation. This was a case of two goals somehow being scored by a team that had looked dead in the water for most of the match.

Even after Fitzgerald's divine intervention, Dublin had a 45 straight in front of the posts to carry the day. Wayne McCarthy hadn't the distance into a strong wind, and both teams live to fight next Saturday at the same venue.

Despite this let-off for Kerry, there was no mistaking the players who felt they had done the better out of the deal. Dublin remained on the field to celebrate in front of the travelling Hill 16 at the Kilinan End. They mightn't have won, but after playing for the most part abysmally, they had survived, and what blue-bedecked fan would have risked even their rolled-up match programme on that barely 10 minutes previously.

There were many aspects to a sensational encounter: the strange listlessness that washed over both teams for periods; the fluid authority with which Kerry's forwards made and took chances when the humour was on them; the bizarre sequence of goal opportunities spurned by Dublin just before half-time; the hapless misfortune of Dublin for most of the match when every erratic bounce seemed to go against them; the evaporation of Kerry's challenge in the middle third of the pitch in the final quarter; a second half without a wide from Dublin. Take your pick.

Both teams have passed this way previously. Against Cork, Armagh and Galway last year, Kerry faded out of commanding positions. Dublin have revived significantly in the second half of their last three championship matches. The two habits combined yesterday to present the previously enervated attendance with a cliff-hanging denouement.

It hadn't looked remotely on the cards in the opening quarter. Dublin squandered the first four chances of the match. The first was revealing. Peadar Andrews got on the ball almost immediately and the vast expanses of the Thurles field opened up for him. Into the great blue yonder he galloped, but finding himself almost at the endline, appeared to panic.

Kerry emerged from a tentative opening to strike a serious blow in the 11th minute. Shane Ryan actually shadowed Dara ╙ CinnΘide quite well and obstructed his shot, which David Byrne saved, but the rebound fell to ╙ CinnΘide who pulled the ball back for the on-coming Aodan MacGearailt, who had started the move, to clip into the net. Dublin were now chasing the match and not looking likely to catch it.

Two things were positive: the defence started gamely and continued that way. Paddy Christie and Coman Goggins in particular worked intensively to limit John Crowley and Michael Francis Russell and didn't do badly at all. Secondly, chances were being created at the other end.

But there were negatives. Russell and Crowley can be held only so tightly and chances were being wasted as soon as created. Dublin's starting forwards managed only two points between them all match.

It was another day of bitter disappointment for Ian Robertson and Colin Moran, whose injury-riddled years are climaxing in displays that do no justice to their considerable talents.

Des Farrell and Declan Darcy can win their ball, but against tight defending lack the pace for penetration. Farrell has generally schemed his way around the problem, but he found it hard going this time and wasn't getting much support. To be fair to Darcy, his free taking kept Dublin alive after half-time.

Jason Sherlock was the most consistent forward. His pace and hard work in showing constantly for the ball paid off. On a rough assessment, he was integrally involved in over half of Dublin's scores despite being temporarily eclipsed for periods by Eamonn Fitzmaurice.

In the first half none of this was having a major affect. Dublin managed only three points. Kerry dealt comfortably with attacks, their backs reading the clumsy intentions of Dublin's would-be playmakers and clearing the ball quickly, and without fuss. Yet clouds were gathering and if they were to end only in Dublin getting wet, signs were there that the champions were being opened up rather easily.

In the 10 minutes before half-time, three good goal chances were created. That they weren't realised had nothing to do with defensive virtuosity. Moran, finding himself in a couple of acres on the left and no one showing, reluctantly took off on a solo. As he travelled, the defence parted and a one-two with Farrell ended with him putting the ball wide of an empty target off the post. Farrell might have gone himself, but it's harsh to blame a player who sets up a team-mate with an open goal.

The captain was certainly at fault when a Ciaran Whelan run ended with Farrell blasting the ball off the underside of the bar. Two minutes later Darcy was given a difficult ball when clear inside and settled for a point but dropped that short.

Kerry led at half-time by five, 1-5 to 0-3, and went for the jugular in the third-quarter. With Darcy's unerring frees (some of the awards were a bit soft), Dublin stayed just above water and trimmed an eight-point deficit by three going into the final quarter.

Almost effortlessly, Kerry restored the margin in a few minutes and the match looked dead.

Certainly Dublin behaved that way. Farrell nearly put Declan O'Keeffe through the Kerry net in what looked like late pursuit of a dropping ball. Manager Tom Carr came on to remonstrate with referee Michael Curley over a free given against Christie for a foul on Crowley. So heated was the exchange that even Jonny McGee decided to turn diplomat and usher his furious manager away - probably into the stand for the replay by the time the GAC are finished.

The margin stood at seven in the 63rd minute when substitute Vinnie Murphy - having taken the field in now traditional fashion like a bumper car - was picked out by Sherlock who had snapped a break from McCarthy's dropping free. Murphy's shot seemed to wrong-foot the defence and rolled into the left corner of the net.

Four minutes later the deficit was down to two when Darren Homan rose to punch another McCarthy free to the net despite O'Keeffe getting a hand to it. As time went by the one-point lead might have been enough, but a sideline ball, conceded by Byrne's poor kickout after a Crowley wide, about 45 metres out was majestically kicked over by substitute Fitzgerald.

It was reminiscent of his final score in the 1997 All-Ireland final - with added pressure, like the equaliser against Armagh last year. If that sideline score of four years ago had merely gilded the Sam Maguire, this one ensured that Kerry kept at least one hand on it.