ON 20 AUGUST 2006, Kerry defeated Donegal by 2-13 to 1-10 in All-Ireland minor semi-finals at Croke Park.
Today, both counties meet in the All-Ireland senior football final, where seven players who played that day in 2006, are likely to feature.
The game
The game itself is best remembered for an unstoppable performance by Kingdom full forward Paddy Curran, who kicked 1-6 as they secured progression through to the final.
After a tight opening ten minutes, where the sides were level at 0-2 apiece, Kerry took control of the tie but only added a solitary point to the scoreboard. They kicked five wides during that spell and were duly punished by Donegal.
A scoring blitz inspired by the excellent Martin McElhinney saw the Ulster champions race into a four point lead. In the game’s turning point, centre-forward Dualtach Molloy went on a mazy run before being wonderfully denied by Kerry keeper Tomas Mac an tSaoir.
Kerry responded with four unanswered points, taking in a 0-7 to 0-6 interval lead. Early in the second half, sub Jamie Doolan found the net after after that Kerry enjoyed control all over the field.
Paddy Curran added a second goal to round off a wonderful personal display and while McElhinney goaled late on for Donegal, it served as only a consolation as Kerry ran out six point winners.
Donegal: L McFadden, D Walsh, S Boyle, M McGowan, P McGinley, P Thornton, L McLoone, R Wherity(0-1), M Murphy(0-3), E Waide, D Molloy, M McElihinney(1-2), D Gallagher(0-3), G Ward, B Faherty Subs: J Carroll(0-1) for B Faherty, R Wherity for D Gavigan, D McGarvey for D Molloy, C Geanry for L McLoone
Kerry: T Mac an tSaoir, B Russell, M Moloney, D O Se, S Enright, A Greaney, B Costello, T Walsh(0-1), G O’Driscoll(0-1), P Curtain, D O’Shea(0-1), D Moran(0-2), G Sayers, P Curran(1-6), E Kennedy(0-2) subs: S Browne for B Russell, J Doolan(1-0) for G Sayers, J Buckley for P Curran, L O’Sullivan for D O’Shea.
Those on the current senior panels
Four Donegal players from that day are in the shake-up to play on Sunday, with Leo McLoone and Michael Murphy nailed on starters, while Declan Walsh and Martin McElhinney stand every chance of being introduced from the bench.
McLoone played at centre-back for the Ulster champions but we’ve become more accustomed to him featuring on Donegal’s half-forward line under McGuinness. Michael Murphy line out at midfield, despite only turning 17 less than three weeks beforehand. The following year while still a minor, Murphy would make his senior debut.
Meanwhile for Kerry, Shane Enright, David Moran and Johnny Buckley were all part of the winning team that day, alongside plenty of other notable names.
Moran, who really blossomed into an outstanding midfielder this campaign, kicked two points from wing-forward, while Shane Enright played at wing-back and Johnny Buckley was introduced as a second-half sub at wing-forward. Interesting to note how Moran and Buckley will occupy far more central positions in the Kerry team today.
The best of the rest
It was a game perhaps more interesting for the players who won’t be lining out for their county’s today.
Much of that talented Kerry squad went on to win the U21 All-Ireland title two years later including ‘keeper Tomas Mac an tSaoir. Dr Crokes duo Mike ‘Smiler’ Moloney and Jamie Doolan have since helped the Killarney club establish dominance in both Kerry and Munster.
Waterville native Paddy Curran looked set to take off after a glittering underage career but was sadly blighted by cruciate troubles afterwards and never made the step up to Kerry’s senior side. Elsewhere, that team’s most talented footballer Tommy Walsh, won a senior All-Ireland title with Kerry in 2009 before moving Down Under to play with the Sydney Swans.
From a Donegal perspective, a significant portion of that side form a Donegal contingent based in New York. A midfielder that day against Kerry, Ross Wherity, is the most well-known of the trio. He had spent time in Australia with the Grovedale Tigers in 2010 and was part of the Donegal in 2013 before departing for the States.
Full-back Shane ‘Baker’ Boyle works as a bartender in Manhattan but travels each weekend to play with Parnell’s in Chicago, while his house-mate and wing-back that day Paul McGinley works in AIB’s corporate department and plays with Donegal New York.
Dualtach Molloy, centre forward that day, recently won a London Intermediate football title with North London Shamrocks, having moved to the English capital. Elsewhere, Eoin Waide and Mark McGowan have represented Donegal at senior level in the past.
