Kerry 0-11 Donegal 1-14

50 mins – Brosnan with an inspirational two-pointer for Kerry’s first score since the 31st minute! It cuts the gap to six. 

Big impact from another sub, Ó Beaglaoich, not long beforehand as he blocks down Max Campbell.

Referee Sean Hurson gives Micheál Burns of Kerry a red card at the start of the second half. James Lawlor / INPHO James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO

Kerry 0-9 Donegal 1-14

48 mins - Yellow card for Hugh McFadden for a high hit.

The Kerry attack really isn’t firing, another move breaking down.

Kerry 0-9 Donegal 1-14

47 mins - Peadar Mogan – in oceans of time and space – angles over to finish another good Donegal team move, their extra man really showing.

Kery sub: Joe O’Connor replaces Keith Evans.

Kerry 0-9 Donegal 1-13

46 mins – David Clifford drops a free from the sideline short, and Mulreany claims. Some confusion around the free being awarded, seems to have been for a Donegal player overstepping while taking a sideline ball.

Kerry subs: Tony Brosnan comes in for Paudie Clifford and Brian Ó Beaglaoich replaces Graham O’Sullivan, who limps off after receiving treatment.

Kerry 0-9 Donegal 1-13

44 mins – Donegal just holding the ball here, frustrating Kerry and the home crowd. A turnover lifts them, relieving some pressure. Langan is booked for a challenge just after.

Kerry 0-9 Donegal 1-13

43 mins – Langan extends Donegal’s lead to seven after another patient build-up.

Kerry 0-9 Donegal 1-12

40 mins – Roarty with a big block on Paudie Clifford, another Kerry attack ending without a score. Donegal are on the hunt once more.

Kerry 0-9 Donegal 1-12

39 mins - Donegal holding possession and reasserting their control, Michael Murphy being booed every time he touches the ball.

Gallen fires over his fifth point from play.

Kerry 0-9 Donegal 1-11

36 mins - O’Sullivan with a poor wide for Kerry, an early chance missed.

Kerry sub - Eddie Healy for Tadhg Morley.

Donegal sub - Shane O’Donnell for Ryan McHugh.

THROW-UP: We’re underway once more, with some half-time changes which we’ll bring you as soon as possible.

RED CARD for Michéal Burns for the strike on Ryan McHugh, and Kerry are down to 14 men. 

Evan Looney is booked too. 

Donegal take their time coming back out, and tensions begin to simmer once again.

Ryan McHugh is bandaged up and on the sideline, Hurson is having a word with Jim McGuinness and Jack O’Connor.

No video footage of that incident available online, but here are some photographs from INPHO:

James Lawlor / INPHO James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO

James Lawlor / INPHO James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO

Both teams seem to have made it into the dressing rooms, as Hurson and his match officials gather to dissect what just happened.

Irregardless, Donegal lead 1-11 to 0-9 at the break. Ciaran Moore’s second-minute goal handed them a dream start, and the scoring exploits of Oisin Gallen, Michael Langan and co have ensured they’ve maintained the upper hand on the scoreboard.

Dylan Geaney has sparked to life for Kerry, leading their scoring charge, but the hosts have been pretty wasteful. A big second half ahead, sit tight!

HALF-TIME: Kerry 0-9 Donegal 1-11

James Lawlor / INPHO James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO

Tempers flare on the hooter. There has been an edge through this game, and it explodes out of nowhere. Hard to see what happened, but Jim McGuinness is absolutely furious.

Kerry 0-9 Donegal 1-11

34 mins - Langan caps a well-worked Donegal team move with another score.

Kerry 0-9 Donegal 1-10 

30 mins - Geaney squeezes over for his third of the game after another lovely dummy. Great link-up from Burns and O’Brien in the build-up, and Geaney does the rest.

Kerry 0-8 Donegal 1-10

29 mins - This one is good from Gallen, his fourth of the afternoon stretching Donegal’s lead to five.

Kerry 0-8 Donegal 1-9

28 mins – Gallen with Donegal’s first wide, after a good team move.

Small break in play before that as a few scuffles – one involving David Clifford – are simmered down.

Here’s a look at Ciaran Moore’s early goal:

🚨GOAL🚨

A flying start for the league champions with a glorious goal from Ciarán Moore in the 2nd minute!👌🔥@Kerry_Official@donegalgaa

Clips courtesy of @AIB_GAA pic.twitter.com/QCHrpsIJp6

— GAA+ (@GAAPlusOfficial) May 23, 2026

Kerry 0-8 Donegal 1-9

25 mins – Finnbarr Roarty with Donegal’s latest point as they reap rewards from their long kick-out once more.

Kerry 0-8 Donegal 1-8

24 mins - Langan hits right back with another two-pointer at the other end, Donegal’s third of the game.

Kerry 0-8 Donegal 1-6

23 mins - Geaney with another superb effort, dancing in from the left and slamming over for one of the scores of the afternoon.

Kerry 0-7 Donegal 1-6

20 mins - Dylan Geaney opens his account with a lovely point, Kerry’s sixth different scorer of the afternoon. 

Mulreany sends the subsequent kickout over the sideline to ironic cheers, and the Kingdom come again.

Kerry 0-6 Donegal 1-6

18 mins - Moore brings his tally to 1-1 as he puts Donegal three in front once more. 

Paudie Clifford kicks a fourth Kerry wide at the other end.

Kerry 0-6 Donegal 1-5

16 mins - Tadhg Morley fizzes over when the goal was on. After a patient Kerry build-up, O’Sullivan lands a cross-field kick into the arms of Sean O’Brien, who dummies a Donegal defender, and plays Morley clean through.

Ciarán Moore scored Donegal's early goal. James Lawlor / INPHO James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO

Kerry 0-5 Donegal 1-5

13 mins – Oisin Gallen with an excellent score, squeezing through two or three Kerry defenders and going direct before splitting the posts.

Kerry 0-5 Donegal 1-4

12 mins - Paudie Clifford flashes wide as he goes for goal, Kerry breaking fast after a Dylan Casey turnover in defence. The ball takes a nick for a ’45, which Paudie Clifford takes and it tails wide.

Kerry 0-5 Donegal 1-4

10 mins - Graham O’Sullivan scores Kerry’s fourth point in a row, after his earlier wide.

Kerry 0-4 Donegal 1-4

10 mins – Kerry have been aggressively pressing the Donegal kickout, and Gavin Mulreaney is pinged for taking too long over the ball.  David Clifford taps the free over.

Kerry 0-3 Donegal 1-4

8 mins - David Clifford announces himself with a lovely curled effort, before his brother Paudie adds another.

Kerry 0-1 Donegal 1-4

7 mins – Ryan McHugh with another brilliant two-pointer for Donegal. Comes just after Michael Langan fetches the Donegal kickout, and the ball is worked to McHugh.

Kerry 0-1 Donegal 1-2

5 mins - Michéal Burns with Kerry’s first score of the afternoon, a patient build-up before the space opens up for Burns to angle over.

Kerry 0-0 Donegal 1-2

4 mins - Donegal in the ascendency since that early Moore goal, enjoying a prolonged spell of possession before Oisin Gallen booms over a two-pointer.

GOAL FOR DONEGAL! (Ciaran Moore, 2 mins)

First blood Donegal, as Moore uses his pace to good effect and slams home to make it 1-0 to 0-0 early doors.

Kerry 0-0 Donegal 0-0

1 min - A dramatic, frantic start. As Hurson throws the ball in, players are getting to know each other. Then Kerry go straight for the jugular, and after a goalmouth scramble, a free out is awarded. 

Diarmuid O’Connor follows up with the first wide of the afternoon, and Kerry will be disappointed with two early opportunities squandered.

THROW-IN: Referee Sean Hurson throws the ball in and we’re underway in Killarney.

The teams are out on the pitch and we’re almost ready to go as the All-Ireland champions and Division 1 league winners prepare to lock horns once more.

Call it…

The big pre-match change for Kerry…

Enter Paudie Clifford.

James Lawlor / INPHO James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO

Donegal changes: Four pre-match switches, listed below.

In – Max Campbell, Jason McGee, Oisin Gallen and Michael Langan.

Out – Caolan McColgan, Seán Martin, Shane O’Donnell and Shea Malone.

Kerry changes: Paudie Clifford and Sean O’Brien in for Tony Brosnan and Cillian Trant.

Fintan O’Toole is on the ground for us in Killarney, where the venue is pristine.

Venue update - remains majestic https://t.co/lnLFIWgWFl pic.twitter.com/QOabQLJB7D

— Fintan O'Toole (@fotoole13) May 23, 2026

Here’s how the teams have been named to start. We’ll keep you up to date if there are any late changes.

Kerry

1. Shane Murphy (Dr Crokes)

2. Evan Looney (Dr Crokes), 3. Jason Foley (Ballydonoghue), 4. Dylan Casey (Austin Stacks)

5. Tadhg Morley (Templenoe), 6. Mike Breen (Beaufort), 7. Graham O’Sullivan (Dromid Pearses)

8. Mark O’Shea (Dr Crokes), 9. Diarmuid O’Connor (Na Gaeil)

10. Micheál Burns (Dr Crokes), 11. Keith Evans (Keel), 12. Cillian Trant (St Senan’s)

13. Tony Brosnan (Dr Crokes), 14. David Clifford (Fossa), 15. Dylan Geaney (Dingle)

Donegal

1. Gavin Mulreany (St Naul’s)

2. Caolan McColgan (St Patrick’s Muff), 3. Brendan McCole (St Naul’s), 4. Peader Mogan (St Naul’s)

5. Ryan McHugh (Kilcar), 6. Eoghan Bán Gallagher (Killybegs), 7. Finbarr Roarty (Naomh Conaill)

8. Caolan McGonagle (Buncrana), 9. Hugh McFadden (Killybegs)

10. Seán Martin (Sean Mac Cumhaills), 11. Shane O’Donnell (St Eunan’s), 12. Ciarán Moore (St Eunan’s)

13. Conor O’Donnell (Carndonagh), 14. Michael Murphy (Glenswilly), 15. Shea Malone (Naomh Conaill)

Good afternoon, and welcome along to our live coverage of Kerry versus Donegal in the All-Ireland senior football championship.

The sun is shining in Killarney, and we’re counting down to a heavyweight clash to open the All-Ireland series with a bang.

Throw-in at Fitzgerald Stadium is 3pm, with the action live on GAA+. We’ll keep you up to date right here.