THE KINGS HAVE taken back their throne. Kerry are the All-Ireland senior football champions for the 37th time.
Eamonn Fitzmaurice’s side beat Donegal by three points in a final that only caught fire in the last 20 minutes.
Paul Geaney got the Kingdom off to a perfect start when he scored the game’s opening goal after just 50 seconds.
And Kieran Donaghy pounced on a blunder by Donegal goalkeeper Paul Durcan in the second half to make sure that it was Kerry’s day again.
For a county so accustomed to dining at the top table, a five-year wait for the senior title felt like a famine. Earlier, Jack O’Connor’s minors upheld their part of the bargain with a first win at the grade since 1994.
It was even more remarkable to see this Kerry side triumph without the retired veterans Tomas Ó Sé, Paul Galvin and Eoin Brosnan and while the country’s star footballer Colm Cooper sat on the bench as an unused sub.
James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Today was not the day to bring the Gooch back from his lengthy cruciate lay-off. In the end, Kerry didn’t need him.
Fitzmaurice got his tactics spot on to counteract Donegal’s dogged defensive blanket. It made for a dour game at times, particularly at the start of the second half when there was only three scores in 15 minutes before Donaghy’s goal lit a fuse.
James O’Donoghue, the front-runner for Footballer of the Year, had an uncharacteristically quiet afternoon but his team-mates stepped up to lead the charge.
The game’s first attack ended in Kerry’s opening goal. Geaney plucked the ball from above Paddy McGrath’s head and swivelled to score past Durcan.
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Reeling, Donegal managed to hang in and bridged the gap. Michael Murphy kicked three frees, Colm McFadden another, and Odhran MacNiallais and Karl Lacey added points from play to leave it 1-3 to 0-6 at the break.
As is so often the case in tight contests, the game swung on a single mistake. Donaghy was quickest to react when Durcan tried to take a short kick-out, and he made no mistake in slotting it past the distraught keeper.
It put Kerry four ahead with less than 20 minutes to play but Donegal boss Jim McGuinness rightly refused to let his goalkeeper shoulder the blame for a disappointing afternoon.
Paddy McBrearty and Barry John Keane had both entered the fray at that stage and as the game came to life, they notched a pair of points each.
There was a sour taste left by Kerry’s time-wasting as the clock ticked towards the red. Keane was the worst offender, kicking the ball off Paul Durcan’s tee as he scrambled to take a late kick-out in added time.
Donegal still had one final chance as captain Murphy forced his way through the green and gold sea at the death. Brian Kelly got a hand on the initial shot but looked to be beaten when McFadden punched the rebound onto the post.
Scorers for Kerry: Kieran Donaghy, Paul Geaney (0-1f) 1-2 each, Barry John Keane 0-2 (0-2f), Johnny Buckley, Paul Murphy, Bryan Sheehan (0-1f) 0-1 each.
Scorers for Donegal: Michael Murphy 0-4 (0-3f), Patrick McBrearty 0-2, Neil McGee, Karl Lacey, Odhrán MacNiallais, Christy Toye, Colm McFadden, Dermot Molloy 0-1 each.
KERRY
1. Brian Kelly (Killarney Legion)
2. Marc Ó Sé (An Ghaeltacht)
3. Aidan O’Mahony (Rathmore)
4. Fionn Fitzgerald (Capt) (Dr Crokes)
5. Paul Murphy (Rathmore)
6. Peter Crowley (Laune Rangers)
7. Killian Young (Renard)
8. Anthony Maher (Duagh)
9. David Moran (Kerins O’Rahillys)
10. Stephen O’Brien (Kenmare)
11. Johnny Buckley (Dr Crokes)
12. Donnchadh Walsh (Cromane)
13. Paul Geaney (Dingle)
14. Kieran Donaghy (Austin Stacks)
15. James O’Donoghue (Killarney Legion)
Subs: Mikey Geaney for O’Brien (HT), Barry John Keane for P Geaney (49), Shane Enright for Fitzgerald (54), Declan O’Sullivan for Walsh (57), Bryan Sheehan for Moran (67), Kieran O’Leary for Donaghy (71).
DONEGAL
1. Paul Durcan (Na Ceithre Maistir)
2. Eamonn McGee (Gaoth Dobhair)
3. Neil McGee (Gaoth Dobhair)
4. Paddy McGrath (Ard an Ratha)
5. Anthony Thompson (Naomh Conaill)
6. Karl Lacey (Na Ceithre Maistir)
7. Frank McGlynn (Gleann Fhinne)
8. Neil Gallagher (Gleann Suili)
9. Odhran Mac Niallais (Gaoth Dobhair)
26. Rory Kavanagh (Naomh Adhamhnáin)
11. Leo McLoone (Naomh Conaill)
12. Ryan McHugh (Cill Chartha)
Subs for Donegal: Christy Toye for O’Connor (28), Patrick McBrearty for McHugh (45), Martin McElhinney for MacNiallais (49), David Walsh for McLoone (57), Dermot Molloy for Kavanagh (64).
The northern teams have decimated the great game of gaelic football over the past decade with their puke football, and its been up to the spiritual home of the game to adjust and adapt. Today Kerry beat a northern team at their own game, and have copperfastened their status as kingpins of the game.. Don’t blame Kerry for the puke, we’ve always tried to play the game the way its supposed to be played. Sam’s coming home, Ciarraí abú!!!
Far play to you McSweeney. Good review of game. Delighted Kerry won the kicking game. Enjoy the victory. The year of the K. Come on the Cats on Saturday.
Are u serious lad!? That was pure cynical crap on display from Kerry. I fancy Armagh to get their act together next year and shake things up a bit at the top end. That is a very poor Kerry team…
Worst all Ireland for many, many years. The skill levels on display were poor and the accuracy from both sides was dreadful. Kerry just about deserved it – 5 all Ireland’s since 2003 and given the injuries/retirements they had to deal with, there’s no doubt they will savour this victory.
I’m of the opinion mayo handed them the two in the noughties and same for cork. They didn’t manage to beat Tyrone or Armagh but their record in that period isn’t to be sniffed at all Ireland semi every year for how many years is it 15 or more years.
Agree with most of what u say – they certainly won some handy finals over the last 10 years and Tyrone had the better of them. They lost to Armagh in the final 12 yrs ago but had beaten them in big games prior to that – Armagh were nowhere near as successful as Tyrone.
Exactly Paul! How dare they be so successful and attract such good sponsors. Should we split Dublin in two as well like people were saying a month ago????
They lost to Tyrone in the All Ireland, but the last encounter between Kerry and Tyrone, about 2 years ago, was a win for Kerry and a loss for Tyrone. Sadly, Tyrone have not had a strong team in some time, and the game changed in the time being.
Kerry lost to Armagh, but in their second encounter, it was Armagh who were on the losing end.
I was actually surprised at the result today. It was a tight match, and I kind of felt that the best result would have been a draw. But then then Donegal made a few mistakes, and any good team, be it Mayo, Kerry, Dublin or Donegal, will punish those kinds of mistakes. The first goal 50 seconds into the game really damaged Donegal’s confidence, and the second finished it.
But I don’t feel too bad for Donegal, because I know they will be back again next year. May very well win it too. (And no, I am not from Donegal).
There’s one person that deserves the credit today and that’s eamon fitzmaurice. We can all rabbit on about how bad the game was but he did what he had to do to beat Donegal. He did his homework and fair play to him, well deserved!
Totaly agree with you kerry beat donegal at their own bad game donegal cant play proper gaelic football today was a triumph for football as well as kerry.
Genuine question… What’s Puke football? What were Donegal doing that is antagonising everyone so much? I just don’t understand, I’m not being a smart ass… Serious question??
Donegal score 1 point in the first 17 minutes of the second half. Then when they fall behind to the second Kerry goal they have to come out and play and score 3 points from play in 3 minutes. The first 17 minutes of the second is puke football!! Why not play the game the way the good Lord intended from the off???
Awful match, but that’s how you win football today I guess. Fitzmaurice take a bow for beating Donegal at their own (rotten) game. O’Donoghue not scoring illustrates how defensive the game was. Unfortunately this is how football will be for the forseeable future.
Kerry beat them at their own game. I don’t think they would like to play that in the future, it’s not their style. The likes of cork and mayo won’t be rushing into that system, well until the meet the likes of Donegal atleast.
I was hoping Kerry would win from the start but was disappointed how they finished with that clown Barry John Keane kicking the ball away. At least Donegal lost like men, Kerry did not win like men.
Agree with that, conducted themselves admirably… They’re the kind of supporters you would be happy to see winning again. (As long as Kerry aren’t contesting!)
The Nordies were beaten at their own brand of puke football by the aristocrats of football, it’s was an ugly spectacle and I detest them Nordies for bringing the abomination to the level it achieved. I hope the brand of football that the public prefer, the pure football we saw Kerry play against Mayo this year and against Dublin in the semi last year reigns supreme in the future.
So correct. Kerry and Mayo served up fantastic football playing as it should be played. Along comes Jim with a horrible brand of football. Awful to watch. But as always the Cream rises to the top even playing them at their own game.
GAA should be offering refunds after that 70 minute bore-fest. Football has never and will never offer even a tenth of what hurling does. An absolute disgraceful attempt at entertainment.
This was pure shite. Kerry have long been the masters of the dark arts, Never again can they have the high moral ground regarding pure football.Cant wait to hear pateen Spillane squirm out of this.
Barry John Keane is proberly one of the worst footballers to win an All Ireland. I have watched him a few times now and stuggle to find any strengths he offers to Kerry.
All this crap against Kerry isn’t justified. If you attack Donegal like kerry do against most teams you will be beaten, Donegal thrive on the counter. Kerry were patient today and played football when they could. You cannot play football against teams employing “the system” as it’s suicide.
Disappointing that a Kerry team in transition won this, they should have been beaten by a 14 man Mayo in the semis. As for Donegal only one stand out performance despite provincial success and getting this far. Quite an anti-climax
Can the Kerry team and management not be commended for their adaptability ??They needed to change their strategy to beat Donegal and indeed they did that. Well done to such an inexperienced and young team. Eamon Fitz is a very unassuming and admirable manager. Up the kingdom!!!!
A bad goal kick decided it almost as if neither wanted to win so don’t be talking rubbish about kerry blowing away the blanket defence they are as negative as everybody else this team wouldn’t have got close to the Tyrone teams of the noughties
Dublin – if we maintain form – will beat all comers next year. That is what I take from a game where two teams played handball and the victors missed twice as many chances as they scored.
I’ll elaborate so i don’t appear a total d1ck. 1) Dublin played one top tier team this season (Donegal) and were beaten off the pitch. So, based in that, current form is terrible. 2) The reason the game was played like that today, is because Kerry played Donegal at their own game. They would not have played like that against Dublin 3) Dublin are one trick ponys, who clearly can’t adapt to a rival teams style. I’d imagine Gavin will need to make major changes 4) Dublins miss rate is amongst the highest in the country. Look it up. Ciarrai Abú!
Much much better! I feel sorry for Donegal, and am sick at the fact Barry John Keane kicked the ball away at the death. No place for that nonsense. Next year is going to be interesting!
Dublin need to maintain form, but the fact is that we haven’t learned how to close out the tight games. Dublin simply didnt perform in the second half of the semi final . Repeatedly running the ball into traffic. Dublin have to be more clinical against defensive teams. Kerry took two of the three goal chances they had, Dublin took one. that’s the difference. Good luck to Kerry and enjoy the win. hard luck Donegal , always had great craic with the Donegal and Kerry supporters.
Some of the Dublin fans posts are delusional at times. We won the league this year only because Cork crumbled in the middle of the park. Having said all that , Jim Gavin has brought the team on in leaps and bounds. If you look at Diarmuid Connolly this year compared to three years ago , hes a much better player.
Jaysus i cant wait to watch the rerun of the game again If Only to See Mr Brolly give a grovelling analysis of kerrys win.He must have spent about ten minutes last sunday night on a Jimmy Mcguinness love in telling us How great he was .He was given a lesson by Fitznaurice today.Jim the redeemer me arse.CIARRAI ABU Wooooooooo hoooooooooo
Kerry won, fair play to Kerry… Donegal ran out of puff, pure and simple. The main reason is probably due to the absolute nightmare that is the Ulster Championship before you even consider quarter finals . Compare this to the joke that is the Munster Championship, Kerry have it handy year in year out and that’s why they have 37 All Ireland’s….
They spent enough years having to beat the second best team in the country before they ever got to Croke park! When Cork did manage to get past them they were usually more than a match for anyone else.. For example the great Cork team of ’89 and ’90 honoured today.
Poor aul spodgy you need some sugar for those sour grapes. Mayo had 2 chances to win it in the last 2 years and couldn’t get over the line. They had 170 mins plus to beat kerry in the semi and couldn’t win it. But sure it’s all the referees fault of course. Great win by kerry today the hammer has been hammered.
SOUR GRAPE? haha lol WHAT A JOKE,YE ARE THE MOST SOUR BAD LOSERS THERE ARE,YE HAVE FECK ALL BAR FOOTBALL,LIKE KILKENNY IF IT WASNT FOR GAA,NO ONE WOULD EVEN KNOW YE EXISTED
And unlike Kilkenny footballers we actually have a decent hurling team – constantly in the top of the Christy Ring (1 win and 3 losses in the last 5 years) as well as being at an equal level with the likes of Westmeath and Carlow.
Kerry is one of the most beautiful and cultural counties in Ireland. Football is only part of our identity. I’m very proud to be from Kerry. I honestly don’t know how you can say we are only known for our football !
I’m here. Disappointed. Poor game of football. Goals win games and the awful mistake from the usually very reliable Durkin was the deciding factor in the end. Congrats Kerry.
Great win for Kerry as it was Tomas why don’t You saviour your win enjoy your night and don’t be too obsessed with The Dubs the better team beat us in the semi final
We will go again next year and see how things go then .
Very poor game. Probably the worst final I’ve ever seen. What I saw today was 2 poor teams. Feel sorry for Mayo and Dublin. They were the beat teams in the country this year
As a spectacle, it was the worst final since 1980, when Roscommon came with negative tactics to Croke Park and failed to stop Kerry win a three in a row.
Today’s game deserves to be forgotten in a footballing sense. Kerry changed and adapted their style of play to match the Donegal defensive setup. One must remember the scores missed by Kerry in the second half kept the outcome in doubt up to the finish. As Fitzmaurice said after the game, Kerry were creating a lot more chances and openings than were Donegal. McGuinness got his lineup and tactics seriously wrong, when one considers the impact his subs made. McBrearty and Toal should have started the game. The one goal chance that Donegal created in the first half, missed the Kerry post by an inch and resulted in the Donegal forward being substituted a minute later, while the likes of McFadden who was well beaten throughout by Marc O’Se was left on the field for the 70 minutes.
Well done to the Kingdom. The better players, won with superior tactics. Sometimes negative is good.
It’s not the Kerry way but needs must!
No Dublin no party we will be bringing football back next year we are still the best team in the land we had a off day against a poor Donegal side it was a shocking final
No not robbed ,just toO stupid,all they had to do ,was mark baldy Donaghy,with the big bruiser O shea,he would have held him,and Mayo would have won,the manager deserved to go after that!!!
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Fairly dismal compared to anything seen in the Semis
The northern teams have decimated the great game of gaelic football over the past decade with their puke football, and its been up to the spiritual home of the game to adjust and adapt. Today Kerry beat a northern team at their own game, and have copperfastened their status as kingpins of the game.. Don’t blame Kerry for the puke, we’ve always tried to play the game the way its supposed to be played. Sam’s coming home, Ciarraí abú!!!
Ya kerry aren’t that much of a football team anymore plenty of pushing and shoving and that’s only after the free kick is given away lol
Excellent use of the word ‘copperfastened’.
Far play to you McSweeney. Good review of game. Delighted Kerry won the kicking game. Enjoy the victory. The year of the K. Come on the Cats on Saturday.
There are people who go to the Hague for war crimes – I tell you this, some of the coaches nowadays should be up for crimes against Gaelic football.
Jim mc Guinness should be executed as he set the bench mark for that kind of play
Are u serious lad!? That was pure cynical crap on display from Kerry. I fancy Armagh to get their act together next year and shake things up a bit at the top end. That is a very poor Kerry team…
Donegal devoured by monster they themselves created – sh&te football.
Sh&te football
Worst all Ireland for many, many years. The skill levels on display were poor and the accuracy from both sides was dreadful. Kerry just about deserved it – 5 all Ireland’s since 2003 and given the injuries/retirements they had to deal with, there’s no doubt they will savour this victory.
I’m of the opinion mayo handed them the two in the noughties and same for cork. They didn’t manage to beat Tyrone or Armagh but their record in that period isn’t to be sniffed at all Ireland semi every year for how many years is it 15 or more years.
10 of the last 15 finals. 6 in a row 04-09. Won 6/10. Some record.
Agree with most of what u say – they certainly won some handy finals over the last 10 years and Tyrone had the better of them. They lost to Armagh in the final 12 yrs ago but had beaten them in big games prior to that – Armagh were nowhere near as successful as Tyrone.
Armagh lost 2003 to Tyrone what might have been for them.
time to split Kerry in two and don’t let them get a big sponsorship deal
Exactly Paul! How dare they be so successful and attract such good sponsors. Should we split Dublin in two as well like people were saying a month ago????
that’s my point it wont be called for now and it was ridiculous when it was suggested about dublin fair play to Kerry
Kerry should be split in two :)
Wins are earned not handed out!
Those games were touch and go for most of the game against Mayo and cork!
They lost to Tyrone in the All Ireland, but the last encounter between Kerry and Tyrone, about 2 years ago, was a win for Kerry and a loss for Tyrone. Sadly, Tyrone have not had a strong team in some time, and the game changed in the time being.
Kerry lost to Armagh, but in their second encounter, it was Armagh who were on the losing end.
I was actually surprised at the result today. It was a tight match, and I kind of felt that the best result would have been a draw. But then then Donegal made a few mistakes, and any good team, be it Mayo, Kerry, Dublin or Donegal, will punish those kinds of mistakes. The first goal 50 seconds into the game really damaged Donegal’s confidence, and the second finished it.
But I don’t feel too bad for Donegal, because I know they will be back again next year. May very well win it too. (And no, I am not from Donegal).
There’s one person that deserves the credit today and that’s eamon fitzmaurice. We can all rabbit on about how bad the game was but he did what he had to do to beat Donegal. He did his homework and fair play to him, well deserved!
Can’t blame Kerry for being clever and beating Donegal at their own game, Dublin played openly and see what happened to them.
Totaly agree with you kerry beat donegal at their own bad game donegal cant play proper gaelic football today was a triumph for football as well as kerry.
Puke football at its best.
Terrible advertisement for the game
Kerry good at puke football too
Genuine question… What’s Puke football? What were Donegal doing that is antagonising everyone so much? I just don’t understand, I’m not being a smart ass… Serious question??
jaysus…. i wasnt looking to be red thumbed. i actually wanted someone to explain it to me.
It was both teams. Endless hand passing and cynical fouling. Boring to watch as a neutral, esp after the hurling final.
They beat Dublin Mary!!! Most dubs on the hill couldn’t find Parnell Park on a map. Event junkies.
Donegal score 1 point in the first 17 minutes of the second half. Then when they fall behind to the second Kerry goal they have to come out and play and score 3 points from play in 3 minutes. The first 17 minutes of the second is puke football!! Why not play the game the way the good Lord intended from the off???
@mary I will later mary when I get a minute where did u say you were
Dubs still best side in the country, shame about their sideline having no plan b!!!
Will one of the Kerry folk take d bus away from Croke Park before the real All Ireland next weekend !!!
Awful match, but that’s how you win football today I guess. Fitzmaurice take a bow for beating Donegal at their own (rotten) game. O’Donoghue not scoring illustrates how defensive the game was. Unfortunately this is how football will be for the forseeable future.
Kerry beat them at their own game. I don’t think they would like to play that in the future, it’s not their style. The likes of cork and mayo won’t be rushing into that system, well until the meet the likes of Donegal atleast.
Kerry altered their game plan to counter the opposition. The half back line remained steadfastly in place today to prevent Donegal counter attacks.
I was hoping Kerry would win from the start but was disappointed how they finished with that clown Barry John Keane kicking the ball away. At least Donegal lost like men, Kerry did not win like men.
Win is the word. It’s all about winning. At the top level it doesn’t matter how you win or what you do to win.
That All Ireland final was like a bad chicken roll.
It lacked a bit of Mayo…
And a lemon, ye bitter sour bunch of losers
Lemon in a chicken roll? Whatever you’re into yourself..
Kerry set fire to the blanket today; Eamon’s winning matches, Jimmy’s climbin trees, Ciarraí Abú!!!!!
The hardly set fire to the blanket. Put a bigger blanket on top of the blanket more like it.
Set fire to the blanket me arse, they just knitted the own. Puke football.
Congrats to Kerry from Donegal.
Thanks. The Donegal supporters after the game were very gracious.
Agree with that, conducted themselves admirably… They’re the kind of supporters you would be happy to see winning again. (As long as Kerry aren’t contesting!)
Sickening to hear Joe Brolly laugh at Paul Durkan for his mistake for the Kerry goal on the Sunday Game!
Senior level keeper making a mistake like that is there to be laughed at
Donegal got what they deserved because they could have won that game if they weren’t so negative.
Jimmy losing matches
Congrats Kerry. Shoite game tho
As someone said on another post i hope donegal and mcguinness f.o. for a while
The Nordies were beaten at their own brand of puke football by the aristocrats of football, it’s was an ugly spectacle and I detest them Nordies for bringing the abomination to the level it achieved. I hope the brand of football that the public prefer, the pure football we saw Kerry play against Mayo this year and against Dublin in the semi last year reigns supreme in the future.
So correct. Kerry and Mayo served up fantastic football playing as it should be played. Along comes Jim with a horrible brand of football. Awful to watch. But as always the Cream rises to the top even playing them at their own game.
I dozed off….seriously I did!!
GAA should be offering refunds after that 70 minute bore-fest. Football has never and will never offer even a tenth of what hurling does. An absolute disgraceful attempt at entertainment.
It’s not meant to entertain, if you want entertainment go to WWE.
Stick on babe station if that’s what yor after you might might even get the 10 minute free view
Happy Kerry won for a few reasons but none more than joe brolly. Shouldn’t be allowed on tv
This was pure shite. Kerry have long been the masters of the dark arts, Never again can they have the high moral ground regarding pure football.Cant wait to hear pateen Spillane squirm out of this.
Barry John Keane is proberly one of the worst footballers to win an All Ireland. I have watched him a few times now and stuggle to find any strengths he offers to Kerry.
thank christ that awful horrible mob didn’t win.
All this crap against Kerry isn’t justified. If you attack Donegal like kerry do against most teams you will be beaten, Donegal thrive on the counter. Kerry were patient today and played football when they could. You cannot play football against teams employing “the system” as it’s suicide.
You have to admire kerry fans, bitter when they win and even more bitter in defeat! You scraped that win because of a mistake by durkan!
I think that’s 37 can only beat what the rest of the country throws on front of you. Kerry All Ireland Champions
Can’t believe I paid $14 to watch that Bogball
Why did you pay to watch the game?
You should have bought a wig instead
He watched it on GAAGO.
It doesn’t bother your sister, France’s
Because I live in Canada
Disappointing that a Kerry team in transition won this, they should have been beaten by a 14 man Mayo in the semis. As for Donegal only one stand out performance despite provincial success and getting this far. Quite an anti-climax
Can the Kerry team and management not be commended for their adaptability ??They needed to change their strategy to beat Donegal and indeed they did that. Well done to such an inexperienced and young team. Eamon Fitz is a very unassuming and admirable manager. Up the kingdom!!!!
A bad goal kick decided it almost as if neither wanted to win so don’t be talking rubbish about kerry blowing away the blanket defence they are as negative as everybody else this team wouldn’t have got close to the Tyrone teams of the noughties
“this team wouldn’t have got close to the Tyrone teams of the noughties”
Wow, what a non-sequitur. It’s good thing the Tyrone team of 2003 haven’t discovered time-travel or we’d be goosed.
I notice from the rest of your comments that you’re from Mayo. Still bitter about three weeks ago, eh?
Ya I am your kerry team are yet to impress me I’m not here to keep you happy!
We have a Sam Maguire on the way home tonight – impressed yet?
Is that the Kerry team that won in 00 04 06 07 and 09? Poor indeed.
Sure Jaysis was there ever a decent Kerry team, I think they must a fluked it 37 outta 37
Dublin – if we maintain form – will beat all comers next year. That is what I take from a game where two teams played handball and the victors missed twice as many chances as they scored.
Nonsense.
I’ll elaborate so i don’t appear a total d1ck. 1) Dublin played one top tier team this season (Donegal) and were beaten off the pitch. So, based in that, current form is terrible. 2) The reason the game was played like that today, is because Kerry played Donegal at their own game. They would not have played like that against Dublin 3) Dublin are one trick ponys, who clearly can’t adapt to a rival teams style. I’d imagine Gavin will need to make major changes 4) Dublins miss rate is amongst the highest in the country. Look it up. Ciarrai Abú!
Would have been a better game if Dublin Kerry , don’t you think?
Much much better! I feel sorry for Donegal, and am sick at the fact Barry John Keane kicked the ball away at the death. No place for that nonsense. Next year is going to be interesting!
Dublin need to maintain form, but the fact is that we haven’t learned how to close out the tight games. Dublin simply didnt perform in the second half of the semi final . Repeatedly running the ball into traffic. Dublin have to be more clinical against defensive teams. Kerry took two of the three goal chances they had, Dublin took one. that’s the difference. Good luck to Kerry and enjoy the win. hard luck Donegal , always had great craic with the Donegal and Kerry supporters.
Some of the Dublin fans posts are delusional at times. We won the league this year only because Cork crumbled in the middle of the park. Having said all that , Jim Gavin has brought the team on in leaps and bounds. If you look at Diarmuid Connolly this year compared to three years ago , hes a much better player.
Poor game played by two very poor teams.
Who’s better?
Jaysus i cant wait to watch the rerun of the game again If Only to See Mr Brolly give a grovelling analysis of kerrys win.He must have spent about ten minutes last sunday night on a Jimmy Mcguinness love in telling us How great he was .He was given a lesson by Fitznaurice today.Jim the redeemer me arse.CIARRAI ABU Wooooooooo hoooooooooo
Bad losers, worse winners!!
I’m a terrible loser Eugene When mayo lose!
Kerry won, fair play to Kerry… Donegal ran out of puff, pure and simple. The main reason is probably due to the absolute nightmare that is the Ulster Championship before you even consider quarter finals . Compare this to the joke that is the Munster Championship, Kerry have it handy year in year out and that’s why they have 37 All Ireland’s….
They spent enough years having to beat the second best team in the country before they ever got to Croke park! When Cork did manage to get past them they were usually more than a match for anyone else.. For example the great Cork team of ’89 and ’90 honoured today.
Poor aul spodgy you need some sugar for those sour grapes. Mayo had 2 chances to win it in the last 2 years and couldn’t get over the line. They had 170 mins plus to beat kerry in the semi and couldn’t win it. But sure it’s all the referees fault of course. Great win by kerry today the hammer has been hammered.
Mayo will be lucky to win a raffle next year
SOUR GRAPE? haha lol WHAT A JOKE,YE ARE THE MOST SOUR BAD LOSERS THERE ARE,YE HAVE FECK ALL BAR FOOTBALL,LIKE KILKENNY IF IT WASNT FOR GAA,NO ONE WOULD EVEN KNOW YE EXISTED
Yeah shouting will win you friends.
And unlike Kilkenny footballers we actually have a decent hurling team – constantly in the top of the Christy Ring (1 win and 3 losses in the last 5 years) as well as being at an equal level with the likes of Westmeath and Carlow.
And Kerry is know for a lot more than just GAA.
Ciarrai Abu!
Kerry is one of the most beautiful and cultural counties in Ireland. Football is only part of our identity. I’m very proud to be from Kerry. I honestly don’t know how you can say we are only known for our football !
Could the real Donegal supporters please stand up? #ssh
I’m here. Disappointed. Poor game of football. Goals win games and the awful mistake from the usually very reliable Durkin was the deciding factor in the end. Congrats Kerry.
Nothing wrong with Donegal supporters – gracious in defeat or victory
A terrible game one to forget but glad Kerry one for the sake of football
No climbing trees
No more mind games
No more puke defending
Puke defending? Do you mean good defending?
No I didn’t
Great win for Kerry as it was Tomas why don’t You saviour your win enjoy your night and don’t be too obsessed with The Dubs the better team beat us in the semi final
We will go again next year and see how things go then .
What a Crap all Ireland final so disappointing
Very poor game. Probably the worst final I’ve ever seen. What I saw today was 2 poor teams. Feel sorry for Mayo and Dublin. They were the beat teams in the country this year
As a spectacle, it was the worst final since 1980, when Roscommon came with negative tactics to Croke Park and failed to stop Kerry win a three in a row.
Today’s game deserves to be forgotten in a footballing sense. Kerry changed and adapted their style of play to match the Donegal defensive setup. One must remember the scores missed by Kerry in the second half kept the outcome in doubt up to the finish. As Fitzmaurice said after the game, Kerry were creating a lot more chances and openings than were Donegal. McGuinness got his lineup and tactics seriously wrong, when one considers the impact his subs made. McBrearty and Toal should have started the game. The one goal chance that Donegal created in the first half, missed the Kerry post by an inch and resulted in the Donegal forward being substituted a minute later, while the likes of McFadden who was well beaten throughout by Marc O’Se was left on the field for the 70 minutes.
Well done to the Kingdom. The better players, won with superior tactics. Sometimes negative is good.
It’s not the Kerry way but needs must!
Is there anything to be said for giving Sam a year off?
God that was boring,Kerry killed the game.
Donegal killed it first – Kerry just proved to be better at it than them.
Ask the Dubs what trying to play attacking football against them does.
WISE UP,YE ruined the game,i supose when you,v have nothing else but GAA ,you will do what it takes to keep your county relevant
Kerry adapted brilliantly and mcguinness the “tactical “genius got out done by his own game plan.Kerry deserved it .
Well done to Kerry, seriously close at the end.
We proved to be better at the “puke” football than our Northern cousins.
However I feel that Donegal could be an even better team if they actually attacked more.
We’ll see them again next year for a rematch :)
#CiarraiAbu
No Dublin no party we will be bringing football back next year we are still the best team in the land we had a off day against a poor Donegal side it was a shocking final
Shite game
Up Kerry.
Spare a thought for Mayo, best team in the country and robbed again
Ah stop will ya we we were beat and only have ourselves to blame the first day, 5 points up with 5 to go. Let it go. Congrats to Kerry
Ye were lucky to get past a cork team that didn’t get the thumb out till the last 10 minutes
No not robbed ,just toO stupid,all they had to do ,was mark baldy Donaghy,with the big bruiser O shea,he would have held him,and Mayo would have won,the manager deserved to go after that!!!