THE FINAL FLOURISH on a supremely dominant day for Kerry football came in the form of the only goal of the game.
A chain of passes along the Cusack Stand side culminated in Killian Spillane feeding Joe O’Connor inside and the Austin Stacks man blasted a drive to the net past Shaun Patton.
With that last minute strike Donegal’s defeat was confirmed, but in truth the signs had been there throughout that Sam Maguire was heading to the south-west as Jack O’Connor collected his fifth title as manager.
The tone was set from an early stage. Kerry were in blistering form in the opening period, exploding from the blocks as they chalked up 0-7 after nine minutes and had scored 0-13 by the close of the opening quarter.
David Clifford didn’t touch the ball until the ninth minute when he sweetly struck over a two-pointer from play and he finished the half with the same scoring act, brilliantly splitting the posts after Paudie Clifford patiently held the ball around the middle until the hooter blasted, then accelerated into space and fed his brother on the loop.
Kerry were ahead 0-17 to 0-10 at the interval, full value for that position of scoreboard supremacy. They disrupted Shaun Patton’s kickout early on with Mark O’Shea and Joe O’Connor ruling the skies. Gavin White notched two early points for Kerry, while Sean O’Brien and Dylan Geaney both weighed in with a brace of points apiece in the first half as well.
Kerry's Mark O'Shea and Michael Langan of Donegal. Bryan Keane / INPHO
Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO
Donegal were gasping for air in the face of the early Kerry onslaught. They trailed by nine points entering the second quarter but stirred themselves to show signs of life. Michael Murphy atoned for knocking a straightforward free against the upright by hitting two points, while Oisin Gallen and Conor O’Donnell also showed up in the scoring sense.
A seven-point deficit faced Donegal at the break while Ciaran Thompson also went off injured in that first-half, another setback for the Ulster champions.
The second half saw Kerry snap over the opening two points, courtesy of David Clifford and Sean O’Shea. Then Donegal enjoyed their best phase of the game, outscoring Kerry 0-7 to 0-2 between the 38th and 53rd minutes.
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Murphy knocked over four frees while Conor O’Donnell’s elusive running and trickery opened up gaps for him to add further Donegal points. Jason McGee added presence at midfield and Donegal got some joy out of Shane Ryan’s kickouts. They trailed 0-21 to 0-17 entering the final quarter and were 0-22 to 0-18 adrift by the 59th minute.
But there was no further kick in them and no sign of a goal that they badly needed to truly ignite their comeback. Kerry got a major boost when Sean O’Shea fired over a two-pointer from a free 11 minutes from time. Donegal would only add a single point in the finale, courtesy of Daire Ó Baoill, while the Clifford brothers raised a white flag apiece and Joe O’Connor banged home the goal that rounded the day off.
A ten-point success was a reflection of their superiority with the Cliffords, Joe O’Connor and captain Gavin White giving towering displays to fire them to a success they will savour.
Kerry’s Gavin White lifts the Sam Maguire Cup. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO
Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO
Scorers for Kerry: David Clifford 0-9 (3 2pt play), Seán O’Shea 0-6 (2 2pt free, 0-1 free), Paudie Clifford 0-3, Dylan Geaney 0-3, Gavin White 0-3, Joe O’Connor 1-0, Seán O’Brien 0-2.
Scorers for Donegal: Michael Murphy 0-8 (0-6f), Conor O’Donnell 0-4, Oisin Gallen 0-3, Shane O’Donnell 0-2, Caolan McGonagle 0-1, Dáire Ó Baoill 0-1.
Kerry
1. Shane Ryan (Rathmore)
2. Paul Murphy (Rathmore) 3. Jason Foley (Ballydonoghue) 4. Dylan Casey (Austin Stacks)
5. Brian Ó Beaglaoich (An Ghaeltacht) 6. Mike Breen (Beaufort) 7. Gavin White (Dr Crokes)
8. Seán O’Brien (Beaufort), 9. Mark O’Shea (Dr Crokes)
10. Joe O’Connor (Austin Stacks), 11. Sean O’Shea (Kenmare), 12. Graham O’Sullivan (Dromid Pearses)
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Dominant Kerry turn on the style on All-Ireland final day to defeat Donegal
Kerry 1-26
Donegal 0-19
THE FINAL FLOURISH on a supremely dominant day for Kerry football came in the form of the only goal of the game.
A chain of passes along the Cusack Stand side culminated in Killian Spillane feeding Joe O’Connor inside and the Austin Stacks man blasted a drive to the net past Shaun Patton.
With that last minute strike Donegal’s defeat was confirmed, but in truth the signs had been there throughout that Sam Maguire was heading to the south-west as Jack O’Connor collected his fifth title as manager.
The tone was set from an early stage. Kerry were in blistering form in the opening period, exploding from the blocks as they chalked up 0-7 after nine minutes and had scored 0-13 by the close of the opening quarter.
David Clifford didn’t touch the ball until the ninth minute when he sweetly struck over a two-pointer from play and he finished the half with the same scoring act, brilliantly splitting the posts after Paudie Clifford patiently held the ball around the middle until the hooter blasted, then accelerated into space and fed his brother on the loop.
Kerry were ahead 0-17 to 0-10 at the interval, full value for that position of scoreboard supremacy. They disrupted Shaun Patton’s kickout early on with Mark O’Shea and Joe O’Connor ruling the skies. Gavin White notched two early points for Kerry, while Sean O’Brien and Dylan Geaney both weighed in with a brace of points apiece in the first half as well.
Donegal were gasping for air in the face of the early Kerry onslaught. They trailed by nine points entering the second quarter but stirred themselves to show signs of life. Michael Murphy atoned for knocking a straightforward free against the upright by hitting two points, while Oisin Gallen and Conor O’Donnell also showed up in the scoring sense.
A seven-point deficit faced Donegal at the break while Ciaran Thompson also went off injured in that first-half, another setback for the Ulster champions.
The second half saw Kerry snap over the opening two points, courtesy of David Clifford and Sean O’Shea. Then Donegal enjoyed their best phase of the game, outscoring Kerry 0-7 to 0-2 between the 38th and 53rd minutes.
Murphy knocked over four frees while Conor O’Donnell’s elusive running and trickery opened up gaps for him to add further Donegal points. Jason McGee added presence at midfield and Donegal got some joy out of Shane Ryan’s kickouts. They trailed 0-21 to 0-17 entering the final quarter and were 0-22 to 0-18 adrift by the 59th minute.
But there was no further kick in them and no sign of a goal that they badly needed to truly ignite their comeback. Kerry got a major boost when Sean O’Shea fired over a two-pointer from a free 11 minutes from time. Donegal would only add a single point in the finale, courtesy of Daire Ó Baoill, while the Clifford brothers raised a white flag apiece and Joe O’Connor banged home the goal that rounded the day off.
A ten-point success was a reflection of their superiority with the Cliffords, Joe O’Connor and captain Gavin White giving towering displays to fire them to a success they will savour.
Scorers for Kerry: David Clifford 0-9 (3 2pt play), Seán O’Shea 0-6 (2 2pt free, 0-1 free), Paudie Clifford 0-3, Dylan Geaney 0-3, Gavin White 0-3, Joe O’Connor 1-0, Seán O’Brien 0-2.
Scorers for Donegal: Michael Murphy 0-8 (0-6f), Conor O’Donnell 0-4, Oisin Gallen 0-3, Shane O’Donnell 0-2, Caolan McGonagle 0-1, Dáire Ó Baoill 0-1.
Kerry
1. Shane Ryan (Rathmore)
2. Paul Murphy (Rathmore) 3. Jason Foley (Ballydonoghue) 4. Dylan Casey (Austin Stacks)
5. Brian Ó Beaglaoich (An Ghaeltacht) 6. Mike Breen (Beaufort) 7. Gavin White (Dr Crokes)
8. Seán O’Brien (Beaufort), 9. Mark O’Shea (Dr Crokes)
10. Joe O’Connor (Austin Stacks), 11. Sean O’Shea (Kenmare), 12. Graham O’Sullivan (Dromid Pearses)
13. David Clifford (Fossa), 14. Paudie Clifford (Fossa). 15. Dylan Geaney (Dingle)
Subs
Donegal
1. Shaun Patton (St. Eunan’s)
7. Caolan McColgan (St Patrick’s Muff), 4. Peadar Mogan (St. Naul’s), 3. Brendan McCole (St. Naul’s),
5. Ryan McHugh (Kilcar), 6. Eoghan Bán Gallagher (Killybegs), 2. Finnbarr Roarty (Naomh Conaill)
20. Caolan McGonagle (Buncrana), 9. Michael Langan (St. Michael’s)
10. Shane O’Donnell (St. Eunan’s), 11. Ciarán Thompson (Naomh Conaill), 12. Ciarán Moore (St. Eunan’s)
15. Oisín Gallen (Seán Mac Cumhaills), 14. Michael Murphy (Glenswilly), 13. Conor O’Donnell (Carndonagh)
Subs
Referee: Brendan Cawley (Kildare)
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Donegal GAA Kerry Kingdom Rulers