IT WAS ALL-Ireland football final weekend and the kingdom will leave Dublin with two crowns after winning both the minor and senior All-Ireland titles in what will always be remembered as a special day for Kerry football.
On the flip side, Donegal fans will wince when thinking of 21 September 2014 as they were the beaten team in both finals.
Here’s what you need to know after All-Ireland football final weekend.
Talking Points
- People thought the All-Ireland final might be a cagey affair, and unfortunately that proved to be the case for the majority of Kerry’s 2-09 to 0-12 win over Donegal. The game caught fire on a few occasions but the first 15 minutes of the second half produced just one score for each team and it was a very demoralising experience for the spectators.
- The decision of Eamonn Fitzmaurice to bring Kieran Donaghy in from the cold paid off again as ‘Star’ scored 1-02 after profiting from a terrible Paul Durcan kick-out to bury the ball in the net. That goal came in the second half at a time when Donegal were in the ascendancy, and Kerry never relinquished their lead. Kerry needed Donaghy to deliver though, because star man James O’Donoghue was held scoreless by the Donegal defence.
- It was also a great day for underage football in Kerry as Jack O’Connor’s minor team delivered their first title at the age grade since 1994. Killian Spillane, nephew of Kerry legend Pat, kicked five points as Kerry ran out four-point winners against Donegal by a score of 0-17 to 1-10.
- Mayo have filled their senior football managerial vacancy with Noel Connelly and Pat Holmes set to form the managerial ticket to replace James Horan.
- The biggest story from the club action was Portlaoise keeping their eight-in-a-row bid alive in the Laois SFC after overturning a six-point half-time deficit in the quarter-final against Portarlington to win by eight.
Team of the year
James O’Donoghue was chosen as The Sunday Game player of year and here is their all-star 15.
Man of the match
Kerry defender Paul Murphy beat off competition from Kieran Donaghy and centre back Peter Crowley to win The Sunday Game man of the match award.
Joy
And despair
Paul Geaney knows how to use his ‘arse’
https://vine.co/v/O7mEZ7XiPUj
The cult of Jimmy were hopeful beforehand
Not a chance, mate
NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA
This guy is a hero
I would rather jump out of a plane than re-watch today’s final
Your team lost but you got to ride a camel – I’d say that works out as a draw
Well, Joe?
This bit of time-wasting pissed a lot of people off
https://vine.co/v/O7K5tn1bleu
A touch of class from Donaghy
Kerry have their swagger back
Top marksmen
Cillian O’Connor finishes as the championship top scorer with 5-36, James O’Donoghue is second with 4-24, Galway’s Shane Walsh is third with 1-29, Tipp’s Conor Sweeney is fourth with 4-19 and fifth was Conor McManus of Monaghan with 1-27.
The young guns ended the 20-year drought
Jack O’Connor became the second manager after Mickey Harte to win senior, U21 and minor All-Ireland titles after his Kerry team beat Donegal.
The mentor with his mentee
Eamonn Fitzmaurice won an All-Ireland title as a player under Jack O’Connor and also as a selector with him. It was fitting that the two could celebrate together after the game.
Seventh heaven
St Gall’s of Antrim won the Kilmacud All-Ireland football sevens title, beating Bryansford (Down) by 1-11 to 1-10 in an all-Ulster final.
Club round-up
#ClareSHC Cratloe beat Clarecastle by five to set up a county final date with Crusheen.
#WaterfordSHC Mount Sion are back in the county final for the first time since 2006 after beating De La Salle by seven points.
#LaoisSFC Portlaoise, Graiguecullen and Arles-Kileen are all through to the semi-final stage.
#LimerickSHC Ahane and Kilmallock advanced to the final four.
#WexfordSHC Five in-a-row champions Oulart-The-Ballagh were sensationally dumped out of the championship at the quarter-final stage by Glynn-Barntown.
What’s next?
We have one more bumper weekend of GAA action left in the season, with the All-Ireland hurling final replay between Kilkenny and Tipperary fixed for Saturday and the ladies football final between Cork and Dublin taking place on Sunday.
