FIRST OFF, PREDICTION time. David Moran immediately nails his colours to the mast and effusively backs his former side. No yerra-ing here.
“I think Kerry will win. I think it’ll be close for long periods. But I think Kerry will win in the end.”
Jack O’Connor’s side are widely backed to overcome Mayo and win back-to-back All-Ireland titles for the first time since 2007 with a record-extending 40th success.
But 2026 has not been straightforward, as Moran points out. He reflects on a difficult period amid an injury crisis and league final and championship defeats to Donegal.
“I’d say it was a very testing time for the squad, given the level of injuries,” says the three-time All-Ireland winner.
“I think the level of injuries probably would have been a bigger concern than the results because you weren’t playing with a full deck in any of the games. But I suppose credit to the medical staff, they got it right at the right time and they built nicely.”
O’Connor’s experience, too, will have been key for the Kingdom. “I’d say back in 2009 it was nearly worse. We were finding it hard to get our groove. This year you could see that there was very, very influential guys missing in terms of leadership and that kind of stuff.
“(O’Connor) would have went through that in 2009, and he came good in the end and we won it, thankfully. Maybe he leaned on that a little bit, but he’s been through qualifiers, he’s been around the block, he’s done it every way. So that definitely would have been a help.
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“As a manager he’s quite calm anyway. I don’t see him getting panicked that much. His natural tendency to be relaxed will have helped. He’ll have seen the big picture. He’d be quite level-headed in that regard.”
Moran with O'Connor back in 2022. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO
Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO
Unbeaten since, having blitzed Armagh in Killarney, and overcome Tyrone and Dublin in Croke Park, Moran feels Kerry have another gear after showing glimpses in recent weeks.
“There’s been periods where they’ve shown, where they’ve kicked down a side for a while and they have had the experience, managed the games and controlled out each one,” says Moran.
“I do think in the final you always need to be a step better because most teams do raise their game in the final – particularly Mayo, I know they mightn’t have won recently but they’ve performed in most of them.
“I do think it’s going to be similar on Sunday. Do I think there’s an extra level in Kerry? I hope so. I think if there is, then I think Kerry will win.”
Moran is weary of the Mayo challenge, particularly their potent full-forward line of Ryan O’Donoghue, Kobe McDonald and Darragh Berine.
“They have really, really exciting forwards who have come good in the last couple of games, which they wouldn’t have had previously. We’ve no idea how high the ceiling is for some of the young Mayo guys. It’s been really exciting. They’re playing at a really high level, and they’ve got guys coming off the bench up front that are making a huge difference. I think that’s made them a real danger. They certainly don’t have any baggage from previous years. And obviously, they’re coming in as underdogs, which is dangerous.
“When we were playing Mayo those times, you were going to war. Lee Keegan, Colm Boyle, the O’Sheas, they had so many warriors there. It was just a little bit of a different game. Now you’re going in and the likes of Tommy Conroy and these guys, your heart’s in your mouth, they could get three goals in a second. Whereas before, we were going into the trenches. Maybe it’s a little bit of the unknown of what these guys are going to do if they click form.
“Mayo have had plenty of good forwards before, sure Andy Moran was one of the best we’ve seen, but probably there wasn’t as many. You can concentrate on one, or double up, but there’s three and potentially four guys who really, really seem to be playing well and it’s much harder to mark those guys.”
In terms of key battles, who picks up David Clifford will be crucial, with Moran anticipating Donnacha McHugh will do so, with Enda Hession tasked with shackling his brother, Paudie.
Two-time All-Star Moran feels his successors in midfield “have gone to a new level this year” with Mark O’Shea and Seán O’Brien the beating heart, but adds:
“Oftentimes we’re looking at the battles around the middle or whatever, but a final like this it’s how does David Clifford play? Or Seán O’Shea or Ryan O’Donoghue, the big guys. I do think that’s going to have a huge impact on the game, the marquee names and how much they can get ball into their hands.”
David Moran alongside Joe Wallace, Ruth Wallace, Marie Wallace, Jason Wallace, Niall Hourigan, Dara McCarthy, Micheal McCarthy and Bella the dog, pictured in Tralee for AIB ahead of the 2026 GAA All-Ireland senior football championship finals. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Moran laughs that he is “mixed” as a spectator as he prepares to head to Croke Park with his wife.
Having retired from inter-county football at the start of 2023, and called time on his club career with Kerins O’Rahillys last year, the 38-year-old is embracing the next chapter.
“There are times you still feel you could do a job somewhere when you’re watching things. No, I’ve quite enjoyed it. I really miss the games, but I really don’t miss the training, the level of commitment and stuff.
“I was lucky I had the bones 15 years inside there. Sometimes it’s just your time to go. I’ve definitely got better since the first year. When you lose a final, it’s you could have done a little bit if you’d stayed on, you could have made a difference. But since then, no, I’m happy out the last couple of years.”
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David Moran: Kerry will win back-to-back All-Ireland titles if they find 'extra level'
FIRST OFF, PREDICTION time. David Moran immediately nails his colours to the mast and effusively backs his former side. No yerra-ing here.
“I think Kerry will win. I think it’ll be close for long periods. But I think Kerry will win in the end.”
Jack O’Connor’s side are widely backed to overcome Mayo and win back-to-back All-Ireland titles for the first time since 2007 with a record-extending 40th success.
But 2026 has not been straightforward, as Moran points out. He reflects on a difficult period amid an injury crisis and league final and championship defeats to Donegal.
“I’d say it was a very testing time for the squad, given the level of injuries,” says the three-time All-Ireland winner.
“I think the level of injuries probably would have been a bigger concern than the results because you weren’t playing with a full deck in any of the games. But I suppose credit to the medical staff, they got it right at the right time and they built nicely.”
O’Connor’s experience, too, will have been key for the Kingdom. “I’d say back in 2009 it was nearly worse. We were finding it hard to get our groove. This year you could see that there was very, very influential guys missing in terms of leadership and that kind of stuff.
“(O’Connor) would have went through that in 2009, and he came good in the end and we won it, thankfully. Maybe he leaned on that a little bit, but he’s been through qualifiers, he’s been around the block, he’s done it every way. So that definitely would have been a help.
“As a manager he’s quite calm anyway. I don’t see him getting panicked that much. His natural tendency to be relaxed will have helped. He’ll have seen the big picture. He’d be quite level-headed in that regard.”
Unbeaten since, having blitzed Armagh in Killarney, and overcome Tyrone and Dublin in Croke Park, Moran feels Kerry have another gear after showing glimpses in recent weeks.
“There’s been periods where they’ve shown, where they’ve kicked down a side for a while and they have had the experience, managed the games and controlled out each one,” says Moran.
“I do think in the final you always need to be a step better because most teams do raise their game in the final – particularly Mayo, I know they mightn’t have won recently but they’ve performed in most of them.
“I do think it’s going to be similar on Sunday. Do I think there’s an extra level in Kerry? I hope so. I think if there is, then I think Kerry will win.”
Moran is weary of the Mayo challenge, particularly their potent full-forward line of Ryan O’Donoghue, Kobe McDonald and Darragh Berine.
“They have really, really exciting forwards who have come good in the last couple of games, which they wouldn’t have had previously. We’ve no idea how high the ceiling is for some of the young Mayo guys. It’s been really exciting. They’re playing at a really high level, and they’ve got guys coming off the bench up front that are making a huge difference. I think that’s made them a real danger. They certainly don’t have any baggage from previous years. And obviously, they’re coming in as underdogs, which is dangerous.
“When we were playing Mayo those times, you were going to war. Lee Keegan, Colm Boyle, the O’Sheas, they had so many warriors there. It was just a little bit of a different game. Now you’re going in and the likes of Tommy Conroy and these guys, your heart’s in your mouth, they could get three goals in a second. Whereas before, we were going into the trenches. Maybe it’s a little bit of the unknown of what these guys are going to do if they click form.
“Mayo have had plenty of good forwards before, sure Andy Moran was one of the best we’ve seen, but probably there wasn’t as many. You can concentrate on one, or double up, but there’s three and potentially four guys who really, really seem to be playing well and it’s much harder to mark those guys.”
In terms of key battles, who picks up David Clifford will be crucial, with Moran anticipating Donnacha McHugh will do so, with Enda Hession tasked with shackling his brother, Paudie.
Two-time All-Star Moran feels his successors in midfield “have gone to a new level this year” with Mark O’Shea and Seán O’Brien the beating heart, but adds:
“Oftentimes we’re looking at the battles around the middle or whatever, but a final like this it’s how does David Clifford play? Or Seán O’Shea or Ryan O’Donoghue, the big guys. I do think that’s going to have a huge impact on the game, the marquee names and how much they can get ball into their hands.”
Moran laughs that he is “mixed” as a spectator as he prepares to head to Croke Park with his wife.
Having retired from inter-county football at the start of 2023, and called time on his club career with Kerins O’Rahillys last year, the 38-year-old is embracing the next chapter.
“There are times you still feel you could do a job somewhere when you’re watching things. No, I’ve quite enjoyed it. I really miss the games, but I really don’t miss the training, the level of commitment and stuff.
“I was lucky I had the bones 15 years inside there. Sometimes it’s just your time to go. I’ve definitely got better since the first year. When you lose a final, it’s you could have done a little bit if you’d stayed on, you could have made a difference. But since then, no, I’m happy out the last couple of years.”
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2026 All-Ireland football final All-Ireland final 2 GAA Kerry Kerry v Mayo Kingdom Come Mayo