TOMÁS Ó SÉ has finally led Kerry to the promised land.
Four years into his reign as U20 manager, and 18 since they last won the All-Ireland title at the grade, the Kingdom are belatedly back on top.
No doubt the win will be all the sweeter given that they took out the holders, and their great rivals, Tyrone, who were chasing down a national three-in-a-row.
Even more impressive was the fact that Kerry trailed by 0-2 to 1-7 with 20 minutes on the clock and had to haul themselves up off the canvas to secure revenge for their 2024 final loss.
They forced a 16-point swing on the scoreboard by full-time thanks in a big way to their terrific midfield which was superbly led by man of the match Evan Boyle.
Gearóid White fired five important points, including two two-pointers, while captain Paddy Lane battled back from a serious ankle injury over winter to climb the steps of the Hogan Stand.
County senior Tomás Kennedy had a big impact too while Kerry’s defensive effort was superb after that bad start, restricting Tyrone to just two points from the 19th minute onwards.
Mind you, it wasn’t looking so good for the Munster champions at that early stage and you wouldn’t have predicted an 11th title.
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Tyrone were entirely on top initially, surging into a big lead after battling back from the brink of an early championship exit themselves in Ulster when they lost two of their opening three games.
Their main attacker, Shea McDermott, only needed four minutes to get the scoreboard moving again, drilling a long-range two-pointer that was followed by points from colleagues Adrian McGurren and Peter Colton.
And when McDermott then made it goal number six for the championship in the 11th minute, the Ulster champions were 1-4 to 0-2 up.
It was a goal to savour and a move that McDermott began with an injection of speed 40 metres out, the Errigal Ciarán man eventually receiving it back from McGurren and slotting low to the net.
Roll on to the 19th minute and Tyrone were in an even better position, 1-7 to 0-2 clear and getting a sweet tune from their inside forward men McDermott and McGurren.
If you’d told us at that stage that they’d only add one more point in the next 30 minutes, we’d have laughed you off.
Kerry’s midfield suddenly kicked into gear, led superbly by Boyle who scored the first of four points in a row before half time.
Boyle’s high fielding was central to the turnaround, a throwback to the days of manager Tomás Ó Sé’s brother Darragh lording in the Kerry midfield as he plucked ball after ball from the sky.
Tyrone still led 1-8 to 0-9 at the break but as Kerry continued to pile it on, laying waste to the opposition kick-out, they inevitably caught up with Paul Devlin’s side and overtook them.
Kerry registered five points in a row in the opening 19 minutes of the second half before Tyrone finally ended their own barren streak, McDermott clipping a point.
McDermott brought his tally to 1-6 for the afternoon with another score moments later, leaving just two in it, 0-15 to 1-10.
But Tyrone were still living on scraps and weren’t giving themselves any sort of platform to rescue a result.
And Kerry hit the afterburners again in the closing 10 minutes or so, this time registering six points without response to set the seal on a victory that has been a long time coming.
Substitute Jack Joy was among the late scorers though White’s two-pointer from a free out on the right wing was the pick of the bunch.
Kerry scorers: Gearóid White 0-5 (2 tpf, 0-1f), Tomás Kennedy 0-4 (1 s/l, 0-1m, 0-2f), Evan Boyle 0-3 (1 tp), Daniel Kirby 0-3, Eoin O’Flaherty 0-1, Ronan Carroll 0-1, Pa Walsh 0-1, Killian Dennehy 0-1, Jack Joy 0-1, Jack O’Sullivan 0-1.
Tyrone scorers: Shea McDermott 1-6 (1 tpf, 0-1f), Adrian McGurren 0-3, Peter Colton 0-1.
KERRY
1. Kacper Robak (Dr Crokes)
2. Michael Lynch (Milltown/Castlemaine), 3. Gearóid Evans (Keel), 4. Dara Stack (Kilcummin)
5. Eoin O’Flaherty (Ardfert), 6. Aodhna Ó Beaglaoich (An Ghaeltacht), 7. Pa Walsh (Listowel Emmets)
8. Daniel Kirby (Austin Stacks), 9. Evan Boyle (Ballyduff)
18. Seán Ó Cuinn (An Ghaletacht), 11. Gearóid White (John Mitchels), 10. Jack O’Sullivan (Kenmare Shamrocks)
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Kerry deny Tyrone's three-in-a-row and end long wait for All-Ireland U20 glory
Kerry 0-21
Tyrone 1-10
Paul Keane reports from Croke Park
TOMÁS Ó SÉ has finally led Kerry to the promised land.
Four years into his reign as U20 manager, and 18 since they last won the All-Ireland title at the grade, the Kingdom are belatedly back on top.
No doubt the win will be all the sweeter given that they took out the holders, and their great rivals, Tyrone, who were chasing down a national three-in-a-row.
Even more impressive was the fact that Kerry trailed by 0-2 to 1-7 with 20 minutes on the clock and had to haul themselves up off the canvas to secure revenge for their 2024 final loss.
They forced a 16-point swing on the scoreboard by full-time thanks in a big way to their terrific midfield which was superbly led by man of the match Evan Boyle.
Gearóid White fired five important points, including two two-pointers, while captain Paddy Lane battled back from a serious ankle injury over winter to climb the steps of the Hogan Stand.
County senior Tomás Kennedy had a big impact too while Kerry’s defensive effort was superb after that bad start, restricting Tyrone to just two points from the 19th minute onwards.
Mind you, it wasn’t looking so good for the Munster champions at that early stage and you wouldn’t have predicted an 11th title.
Tyrone were entirely on top initially, surging into a big lead after battling back from the brink of an early championship exit themselves in Ulster when they lost two of their opening three games.
Their main attacker, Shea McDermott, only needed four minutes to get the scoreboard moving again, drilling a long-range two-pointer that was followed by points from colleagues Adrian McGurren and Peter Colton.
And when McDermott then made it goal number six for the championship in the 11th minute, the Ulster champions were 1-4 to 0-2 up.
It was a goal to savour and a move that McDermott began with an injection of speed 40 metres out, the Errigal Ciarán man eventually receiving it back from McGurren and slotting low to the net.
Roll on to the 19th minute and Tyrone were in an even better position, 1-7 to 0-2 clear and getting a sweet tune from their inside forward men McDermott and McGurren.
If you’d told us at that stage that they’d only add one more point in the next 30 minutes, we’d have laughed you off.
Kerry’s midfield suddenly kicked into gear, led superbly by Boyle who scored the first of four points in a row before half time.
Boyle’s high fielding was central to the turnaround, a throwback to the days of manager Tomás Ó Sé’s brother Darragh lording in the Kerry midfield as he plucked ball after ball from the sky.
Tyrone still led 1-8 to 0-9 at the break but as Kerry continued to pile it on, laying waste to the opposition kick-out, they inevitably caught up with Paul Devlin’s side and overtook them.
Kerry registered five points in a row in the opening 19 minutes of the second half before Tyrone finally ended their own barren streak, McDermott clipping a point.
McDermott brought his tally to 1-6 for the afternoon with another score moments later, leaving just two in it, 0-15 to 1-10.
But Tyrone were still living on scraps and weren’t giving themselves any sort of platform to rescue a result.
And Kerry hit the afterburners again in the closing 10 minutes or so, this time registering six points without response to set the seal on a victory that has been a long time coming.
Substitute Jack Joy was among the late scorers though White’s two-pointer from a free out on the right wing was the pick of the bunch.
Kerry scorers: Gearóid White 0-5 (2 tpf, 0-1f), Tomás Kennedy 0-4 (1 s/l, 0-1m, 0-2f), Evan Boyle 0-3 (1 tp), Daniel Kirby 0-3, Eoin O’Flaherty 0-1, Ronan Carroll 0-1, Pa Walsh 0-1, Killian Dennehy 0-1, Jack Joy 0-1, Jack O’Sullivan 0-1.
Tyrone scorers: Shea McDermott 1-6 (1 tpf, 0-1f), Adrian McGurren 0-3, Peter Colton 0-1.
KERRY
1. Kacper Robak (Dr Crokes)
2. Michael Lynch (Milltown/Castlemaine), 3. Gearóid Evans (Keel), 4. Dara Stack (Kilcummin)
5. Eoin O’Flaherty (Ardfert), 6. Aodhna Ó Beaglaoich (An Ghaeltacht), 7. Pa Walsh (Listowel Emmets)
8. Daniel Kirby (Austin Stacks), 9. Evan Boyle (Ballyduff)
18. Seán Ó Cuinn (An Ghaletacht), 11. Gearóid White (John Mitchels), 10. Jack O’Sullivan (Kenmare Shamrocks)
13. Ronan Carroll (Austin Stacks), 14. Tomás Kennedy (Kerins O’Rahillys), 15. Paddy Lane (Austin Stacks – Captain)
SUBS
TYRONE
1. Oisín Watson (Fintona)
2. Seán Broderick (Killyclogher), 3. Luke Neeson (An Corra Chríocadh), 4. Michael McNamee (Loughmacrory)
5. Aodhán Quinn (Errigal Ciarán), 6. Conor Devlin (Ardboe – Captain), 7. Brian Gallagher (Dromore)
8. Enda Donaghy (Loughmacrory), 9. Conor O’Neill (Donaghmore)
10. Conall Sheehy (An Corra Chríocadh), 11. Leo Hughes (Dungannon), 12. Turlough Muldoon (Eglish)
13. Adrian McGurren (Dromore), 14. Peter Colton (Fintona), 15. Shea McDermott (Errigal Ciarán)
SUBS
Referee: Matthew Farrell (Offaly).
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All-Ireland U20 Football Final GAA Gaelic Football Kerry GAA The kingdom Tyrone GAA