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.

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)

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

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

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.

The big pre-match change for Kerry…

Enter Paudie Clifford.

James Lawlor / INPHO James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO

Call it…

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.

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

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.

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 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.

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 0-1 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 0-3 Donegal 1-4

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

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 0-5 Donegal 1-4

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

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 1-5

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

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

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.

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 0-7 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 0-8 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 0-8 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 1-9

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

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

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.

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 0-9 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 0-9 Donegal 1-11

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

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.

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

Regardless, 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!

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

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.

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

Evan Looney is booked too. 

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

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.

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 1-12

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 1-13

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

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 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

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 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 1-14

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

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

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 0-11 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.

Kerry 0-11 Donegal 1-15

52 mins - An unmarked Shane O’Donnell gets in on the scoring act, all 15 of Donegal’s points coming from play.

Kerry 0-11 Donegal 1-16

54 mins – Brosnan looks to be sending over another score, but Mulreany claims.

Michael Murphy booms over at the other end to silence the Kerry crowd’s boos.

Kerry 0-11 Donegal 1-17

56 mins – Langan fires over his fifth point, light work for Donegal.

Donegal sub - Shea Malone for Gallen.

Kerry sub - Killian Spillane for Geaney.

Kerry 0-11 Donegal 1-17

57 mins – POST! Malone crashes off the post from a tight angle with his first involvement, Shane Murphy may have gotten a touch. 

Kerry drop another effort short at the other end.

Kerry 0-11 Donegal 1-18

58 mins - Mogan fires over his second point as Donegal continue to cruise.

Lots of Kerry fans heading for the exit doors.

Donegal sub - McHugh gets a big reception as he returns to action and Roarty makes way.

Kerry 0-12 Donegal 1-18

59 mins - Cillian Trant, with his first touch, curls over a beauty from just inside the arc.

Trant replaced Sean O’Brien. 

Donegal sub - Daire Ó Baoill for Michael Murphy.

Kerry 0-12 Donegal 1-19

60 mins - Malone points to stretch Donegal’s lead to 10.

Kerry 0-12 Donegal 1-19

Donegal sub - Sean Martin for Campbell.

GOAL FOR DONEGAL! Shea Malone

Sensational stuff as Malone makes it 2-19 to 0-12. A real statement.

Kerry 0-14 Donegal 2-19 

66 mins - David Clifford hits back with a two-pointer, before Jason McGee points at the other end. 

Apologies, GAA+ has crashed on me – doing my best to keep you updated down the home stretch!

Kerry 0-16 Donegal 2-20

69 mins - Brosnan with another two-pointer, he has impressed off the bench in a day to forget for Kerry.

FULL-TIME: Kerry 0-16 Donegal 2-20

James Lawlor / INPHO James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO

Here’s Shea Malone with Donegal’s second goal late on…

DONEGOAL🥅🟩

Shea Malone seals the deal for Donegal with a spectacular goal🚨‼️#KERvDON@Kerry_Official @donegalgaa

Clips courtesy of@AIB_GAA pic.twitter.com/uNLqH05XUV

— GAA+ (@GAAPlusOfficial) May 23, 2026

So that’s that as Donegal run out 10-point winners, Ciaran Moore and Shea Malone with the goals in a statement 2-20 to 0-16 win on the road. 

Micheal Burn’s half-time red card for a strike on Ryan McHugh was a major blow, Kerry trailed by five and couldn’t claw their way back in a disappointing second half.

That’s all for our live coverage, but Fintan O’Toole’s match report is available to read on The 42 and much more will follow. 

Here’s Fintan’s early thoughts from Fitzgerald Stadium…

21,738 in Killarney, underwhelming second half after excellent first. Burns red card hit a Kerry team already chasing game by five.

Kerry head to Round 2B after ten-point defeat at home, Donegal back on track and into Round 2A. Both play again on weekend 13-14 June.

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

Donegal's shooting efficiency excellent, only two wides during the game. Oisin Gallen and Michael Langan with 0-5 apiece, both superb.

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

Thanks for reading, enjoy your evening!