THIS IS IT, the biggest game of the Gaelic football season is upon us. We’re live from Croke Park following all the action as Kerry take on Donegal.
As always, we’d love to hear your comments. Send them to fintan@thescore.ie, tweet them @TheScoreGAA, find us on Facebook, or leave a comment below.
Result: Kerry 2-9 Donegal 0-12
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We’re getting set for the big one in Croke Park. It’s Kerry against Donegal, throw-in at 3.30pm.
We caught up with Mayo midfielder Aidan O’Shea during the week to get an insight into facing these two teams.
1. Jim McGuinness v Éamonn Fitzmaurice
“I suppose both managers mentally before the teams get on the pitch, they have done an excellent job. For Jim, that’s coming after we beat them last year. There were doubts about them but he’s done amazing job. The first thing Ryan McHugh mentioned after the final was the belief that he’s insstilled into them. I think that’s a credit to Jim.
“Éamonn Fitzmaurice is after losing some serious players since last year. These lads are footballers who’ll be spoken about for generations like Tomás Ó Sé and Paul Galvin. He repaired the morale as well after Kerry losing the best player in the country in the Gooch best player in the country. I think you’d have to say Éamonn has worked wonders. They’ve both done incredible jobs and one of them will want to finish it off now today.”
2. The midfield battle
“The Kerry midfield are a very traditional midfield pairing. They’d probably be the most traditional left in the country alongside ourselves in Mayo. Dave (Moran) and Anthony (Maher) are very much catch and kick.
“With Donegal it’s a bit different. Jim throws in something different to the equation in each game. Neil Gallagher went in full-forward at the start of the first-half and then came out in the second-half where had an excellent game and had a major influence. I don’t think Donegal will kick ball out like they did against Dublin. It’s intriguing as to what way they’ll play it.
“Dave is a very good kicker of the ball. I remember playing a Sigerson game a few years back – DIT against UL – and he kicked the lights out. He’s come on another level this year. Odhrán MacNiallais has been a breath of fresh air for Donegal. He’d an excellent game against Armagh and a really good first-half v Dublin. He’s given them a lot of energy around the pitch and is breath of fresh air.”
Here’s the Donegal team named to start:
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)
10. Christy Toye (Naomh Mícheál)
11. Leo McLoone (Naomh Conaill)
12. Ryan McHugh (Cill Chartha)
13. Patrick McBrearty (Kilcar)
14. Michael Murphy (Gleann Suili, capt)
15. Colm McFadden (Naomh Micheal)
And here’s the Kerry team named to start:
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)
Referee today is Laois man Eddie Kinsella. Marty Duffy is the standby referee, Padraig Hughes linesman and Rory Hickey the sideline official.
Fans gathering outside the stadium:
So here’s our readers are calling today’s final:
Right the countdown is on. The players have just met the President and the match parade will soon commence.
The Kerry substitutes are:
16. Brendan Kealy (Kilcummin)
17. Shane Enright (Tarbert)
18. Michael Geaney (Dingle)
19. Declan O’Sullivan (Dromid Pearses)
20. Bryan Sheehan (St Mary’s)
21. Barry John Keane (Kerins O’Rahilly’s)
22. Darran O’Sullivan (Glenbeigh-Glencar)
23. Kieran O’Leary (Dr Crokes)
24. Jonathan Lyne (Legion)
25. Mark Griffin (St Michael’s-Foilmore)
26. Pa Kilkenny (Glenbeigh-Glencar)
And the Donegal substitutes are:
16. Michael Boyle (Termon)
17. Darach O’Connor (Buncrana)
18. David Walsh (Naomh Bríd)
19. Declan Walsh (Malin)
20. Dermot Molloy (Naomh Conaill)
21. Hugh McFadden (Killybegs)
22. Leon Thompson (Naomh Conaill)
23. Luke Keaney (Four Masters)
24. Martin McElhinney (St Michael’s)
25. Martin O’Reilly (Sean Mac Cumhaill)
26. Rory Kavanagh (St Eunan’s)
Late Donegal changes, Rory Kavanagh and Darach O’Connor in for Christy Toye and Paddy McBrearty.
Really looking forward to this, the 2014 All-Ireland senior football final is about to start.
Kerry 1-0 Donegal 0-0
1 mins – What a start! Stephen O’Brien’s point attempt drops shot, Paul Geaney catches and turns his man before shooting low to the corner of the net.
Geaney did brilliantly well there to turn Paddy McGrath. All the attention on Donaghy and O’Donoghue before this game but it’s the third member of Kerry’s full-forward line who really makes his mark at the start.
Kerry 1-1 Donegal 0-0
3 mins – Kerry are flying. Donaghy points off his left after Geaney palmed the ball down to him following a Johnny Buckley shot that hit the upright.
Kerry 1-1 Donegal 0-1
5 mins – Donegal are up and running as Michael Murphy slots a free.
A look at that Geaney goal:
Geaney’s first senior football championship goal for Kerry. What a time for it to arrive.
Kerry 1-1 Donegal 0-2
11 mins – Donegal starting to settle? Murphy knocks over another free.
Kerry 1-2 Donegal 0-2
13 mins – Nice Kerry play. Two good accurate foot passes from David Moran and Buckley culminates in Donaghy fetching the ball and being fouled. Geaney does the rest from a close-range free.
Wow! Eamonn McGee is turned over as charges upfield by Paul Murphy and James O’Donoghue pumps the ball in where it evades Geaney and Paul Durcan before flashing just wide. That would have been some goal.
Kerry 1-2 Donegal 0-3
16 mins – Three from three for Murphy as he points a free following a foul on Leo McLoone.
Couple of huge turnovers, David Moran on Neil Gallagher and then Eamonn McGee on Donaghy. The crowd in full voice now.
Kerry 1-2 Donegal 0-4
23 mins – The gap is down to one as Colm McFadden taps over a free following a foul on Ryan McHugh.
Goal chance for Donegal as Darach O’Connor cuts in from the left but his low shot goes across the goalmouth and wide as Brian Kelly advanced.
Kerry 1-3 Donegal 0-4
27 mins – Paul Geaney so close to a second goal! James O’Donoghue comes deep, wriggles clear and sends in a cross that Geaney catches. The Dingle man fakes to shoot, turns on to his left and blasts a shot that just clears the crossbar. First score for Kerry since the 13th minute.
Kerry 1-3 Donegal 0-5
28 mins – Odhrán MacNiallais has the ball stripped from his grasp by Donnchadh Walsh but the ball spills loose and MacNiallais gets clear to first time it over the bar from 25 yards.
Good chance for James O’Donoghue to open his scoring account as he breaks onto a ball but his shot from a central position just tails wide.
Kerry 1-3 Donegal 0-6
31 mins – And Donegal draw level! It’s Karl Lacey who grabs the point.
Donegal must be pleased at how this half has developed. They’ve recovered from the body blow of that early Geaney goal and slowly got to grips with the game.
Donaghy close to a glorious point but the ball knocks off the upright and goes wide.
All square at the break. Yellow cards for Neil Gallagher and Anthony Maher just before the half-time whistle. Still all to play for.
Here’s the first half scorers:
Kerry: Paul Geaney 1-2 (0-1f), Kieran Donaghy 0-1.
Donegal: Michael Murphy 0-3 (0-3f), Colm McFadden (0-1f), Karl Lacey, Odhrán MacNiallais 0-1 each.
Donegal 0-7 Kerry 1-3
37 mins – For the first time in this game Donegal go ahead. It’s their captain who points the way as Michael Murphy converts a brilliant score from play.
Kerry 1-4 Donegal 0-7
39 mins – Great point for Kerry and from the most unlikely source. Wing-back Paul Murphy pops up with a long range effort from the Cusack Stand side.
Nearly another fine Kerry score but David Moran’s shot hits the post and Donegal clear their lines.
Shooting leaving plenty to be desired at the moment. McFadden engineered some space but then screwed his shot high and wide.
Donegal continuing to frustrate Kerry as a Kingdom phase of build-up play culminates in Walsh hoofing a shot wide.
Kerry 2-5 Donegal 0-7
52 mins – Incredible! Paul Durcan’s shot kick out goes straight to Kieran Donaghy who races through and billows the back of the net. Moments before the scoring impasse had been broken after Killian Young made a surging run, was fouled and Barry John Keane popped over the free.
Kerry 2-5 Donegal 0-8
53 mins – McBrearty punches over a point for Donegal and then kicks another. Two point advantage with Kerry though.
Kerry 2-5 Donegal 0-10
55 mins – What a response by Donegal to that goal! A third successive point and this time it’s Neil McGee who comes forward to score after a great initial break by McElhinney.
Kerry 2-6 Donegal 0-10
56 mins – Cracking point for Kerry by Johnny Buckley. The game has really come to life now.
Subs: Declan O’Sullivan on for Kerry for Donnchadh Walsh while Donegal bring in David Walsh for McLoone.
Kerry 2-7 Donegal 0-10
58 mins – Kerry showing their mettle. Beautiful through ball by James O’Donoghue to Keane, he’s fouled by Gallagher and then Keane taps over the free.
Kerry 2-8 Donegal 0-10
61 mins – Aidan O’Mahony pumps in a ball that Donaghy wins, he swivels under pressure and fists a point.
Sub: Last throw of the dice from Donegal? Dermot Molloy on for Rory Kavanagh. Six minutes left and they trail by four points.
Kerry patiently recycle the ball and win a vital free 45 yards out. And they’ve brought on Bryan Sheehan for David Moran. Big kick this one.
Kerry 2-9 Donegal 0-12
68 mins – Sheehan nails it! Kerry go three points in front.
Incredible! Donegal so close to a goal as the ball pinged around the Kerry goalmouth but Kerry clear.
Unfortunately that was like watching a game from 2018/19 Limericks persistent fouling not being blown. Jack O’Connor had 3 Limerick lads hanging out of him at one stage and no free. Maybe just an Alan Kelly thing but hopefully the powers that be haven’t stepped in here because of Kielys comments against Galway
@Jamie Bent: stick to old Trafford jamie
@Jamie Bent: bang on. Cork B team wasn’t too bad. The young lads did ok
@Jamie Bent: in fairness Jamie I think you’ve been influenced greatly by the whole narrative about limerick fouling. The same used be said about the great kk team. Its a tough game, let them at it, I think the refs are blowing for the softest stuff now. There wasn’t a dirty stroke in that game, it’ll get a lot more intense in championship, do we want refs blowing up everything? If there’s no dangerous shots then let them play
@Jamie Bent: talking out through your hoop
@Jamie Bent: ah start beating a different drum lad, getting beyond boring now.
@Sean Barry: nothing to fear in 4 weeks so, should be wiping that Limerick team outta the way once the A team is back. Roll on qualifiers for us.
@Sean Barry: what about the b limerick team.
@Jamie Bent: did you actually watch the game, pretty sad trolling bud.
@Jamie Bent: So limerick didn’t foul in 2020 when they won everything and went unbeaten.Fair point.
@Daniel Roche: Too easy rattle the Cork biys. Limerick missing almost as many as Cork tonight.
@Jamie Bent: hurling might not be for you lad. They’re a big physical team, like the tipp teams of past, or KK, or even Cork themselves during Diarmuid Ó Sullivan time. If you can’t mix it and match it at inter County level then go home. Waterford were well able for them a few weeks ago and galway before that.
@Jamie Bent: get over yourself. Limerick by far the better team. It’s a contact sport. 4 weeks time will be alot closer….
@Daniel Roche: Limerick had 9 of their all Ireland team, that B. Cork had a bunch of kids
@Sean Barry: so missing over a third of the team,ya and we will need to really improve, very poor from limerick.
Limerick will take some beating this year. Cop on media and give them a break. They only won an all Ireland a few weeks back ye expect them to hit the ground running. And stop putting the pressure on referees to influence the way they play the game. They are super team who play on the edge the way every county would love to see their team playing. I love watching them and their hunger and desire to compete is incredible. Shades of the greatest team to play the game a few years back. From a Kilkenny man.
@James Fox: only people putting pressure on the refs are KK former players and limerick people.
@James Fox: 25 weeks back wasn’t it?
@Shane Roche: yes about that. So if the All Ireland was the middle of August as it should be would you expect them to be back hitting the ground running in the middle of December. No I didn’t think so
Lynch an absolute wizard
Limerick needed to put that performance out. Absolutely dominant in all aspects. Allowed Kiely to put out his whole bench early into second half. Always felt like limerick took the foot off the pedal and looked like they had a few more gears if they wanted. Cork definitely aiming to bang goals and to be fair when they did get on those 1v1 situations they looked dangerous and have a few youngsters that look like solid future players. Limericks tackling is improved they are clearly trying to be more accurate in the tackle and its working. Nonsense hearing people give out about the swarm when no fouls are being committed it’s just crowding out the oppositionplain and simple. Any team in the country would give anything to have the ferocity and work rate limerick bring to the tackle.
Limerick were utterly dominant but it was a very inexperienced Cork team. I hope we learned some valuable lessons in terms of puck outs but I won’t hold my breath. Limerick must be red hot favourites in 4 weeks time.
UTR
@Harry Corry: not red hot but favs all the same, your forward line is easily one of the most deadliest when given space, let’s not build this up to be a Limerick cakewalk, it will be far from it. Given space and some clinical finishing, goasl there for that Cork side, but replicate the same puckout strategy and you’ll need the 4 or 5 goals to keep in it, gonna be a cracker.
The fact Cork look so nervous doing the short game says it all. Needs to change. Not a major gulf in scoreline in the end but cant help but feel Limerick had a few more gears if needed.
Limerick very dominant today but that was a very young and inexperienced Cork team and I’m going to call it that Cork are keeping their cards close to their chest this year and it wouldn’t surprise me if they win Munster this year .
@Finnster: think none of the teams are fully firing yet , you could pick a name out of the hat at the moment for Munster, Tipp, Cork, Waterford will all fancy their chances and we will have to be at it from the start to justify being favourites.
Will be a great battle this year for Liam , Kilkenny and yourselves will be up for it also and will not fear anyone.
Can’t wait for championship to start.
Cork not at much tonight. Limerick did as well as expected. Championship will be a different kettle of fish.
Really laid down a marker there i must say. Last few weeks put to bed. The new guys adding to competition as well.
@Conor Houlihan: Not so sure about that. The game was pretty much shadow boxing by Cork. They lacked the work rate of the first 3 games.
Between scores and wides Limerick had in excess of fifty scoring attempts. Challenge match type stuff.
Delighted with that all the moaning will stop now for a few weeks
Delighted to get a good performance. Might get the pundits to lay off limerick about how they weren’t scoring enough and giving away 2 may frees. Ok they did give a good few in the second half.I know Cork were missing players, limerick were also. 4 weeks time will be alot closer but good preparation anyway. Also said limerick don’t get goals but if u can score 30 plus pints and 22 wides. U don’t need goals.
Lot of limerick fouling but this is what cork have to face. All these years they still get blown out of every tackle. I know they were kids but still
@Finbarr O Donovan: cork put more fouls in than limerick , two very young teams out there , both teams giving players their chances . Young leaving cert students o neill And Coughlan for limerick are finds of the season , kiely will manage them well . Limerick are still only building up momentum , not at their best at all yet .
Most boring match I have seen for a while. Limerick play like robots
@SandraMeyler: so you don’t like watching skillful players,Cian lynch is one of the most skillful players in the country,if that is like robots,hope more copy him.
@SandraMeyler: so what do ye know in Carlow about hurling?