All-Ireland SFC Final: Kerry win the Sam Maguire Cup for the 39th time

All-Ireland SFC Final

Kerry 1-26 (1-5-16) Donegal 0-19 (0-0-19)

By Paul Keane at Croke Park

So it really is true what they say about Kerry teams, they come alive at Croke Park.

Meandering their way through the 2025 Championship, and even beaten in one All-Ireland SFC group game, Jack O'Connor's crew suddenly moved up the gears when the home of Gaelic games came into view.

Firstly, they took out holders Armagh at the quarter-final stage, Tyrone were next to fall, and now on the biggest stage of all they have dismantled Ulster champions Donegal with quite ruthless precision. The Sam Maguire Cup is heading south for the 39th time.

Two-point scores were crucial for the Kingdom who slotted five of them in total, including three from the boot of David Clifford who top scored overall with nine points.

Clifford was simply inspirational in the first-half when Kerry put themselves into a big lead that provided them with a vital cushion throughout.

Sibling Paudie was exceptional too, scoring three points and setting up so much more while Sean O'Shea grabbed six points and accounted for Kerry's other two-pointers.

Captain Gavin White led by example as well, chipping in with three points from wing-back and turning in a powerhouse performance that was up there with his best in a Kerry jersey.

The list of awesome Kerry performers on a day to remember for the southerners was lengthy. Joe O'Connor, brilliant all season, popped up in the 70th minute to strike the game's only goal, lending a slightly lopsided look to the scoreline. The double digits margin probably flattered Kerry.

Mind you, there was no question about who the better team was with Kerry doing a fantastic job of shutting down a Donegal side that had won nine of their 10 Championship games this year.

Donegal trailed by seven points at half-time and while they got it back to a four-point game at the end of the third quarter, Kerry finished strongly and shut the door with a bang.

O'Shea nailed Kerry's fifth two-pointer in the 59th minute, reestablishing a six-point lead and the Clifford brothers then pointed before the O'Connor goal, sending the Kerry fans in the packed out stadium into delirium.

Those who tipped Donegal beforehand to score a landmark third All-Ireland win argued that they carried a greater cutting edge, pointing to their dozen different scorers in the semi-final defeat of Meath.

But they were unable to get their running game going in the opening 20 minutes or so as Kerry pinned them back and laid down the terms of engagement with a relentless effort.

Brendan McCole went straight onto David Clifford and attached himself to the Kingdom dangerman like a limpet. Peadar Mogan tracked David's big brother, Paudie, and Caolan McColgan, nominally a wing-back, marked Dylan Geaney.

But all three of the Kerry inside men were on top initially and with their middle third dominating the exchanges, were happy to apply the finishing touches in the shape of scores at the Davin End.

With 18 minutes on the clock, Kerry already led by 0-13 to 0-4 and couldn't have hoped for a much better start.

They were 0-5 to 0-3 up when David stepped up with back-to-back two-pointers, finding just enough space on the edge of the arc to split the posts.

Donegal finally got it going in the second quarter with two Oisin Gallen points and a couple of inspirational Michael Murphy scores.

GAA President Jarlath Burns was fulsome with praise afterwards for Murphy, pointing to his legendary status in the Tir Chonaill county. Murphy finished with eight points but an early free that struck the post probably summed up his frustrations on the day.

Clifford drilled his third two-pointer after the half-time hooter, closing out the opening half and leaving Kerry 0-17 to 0-10 ahead.

By that stage, Ciaran Thompson had limped off for Donegal with an ankle injury. That reduced their two-point threat and robbed them of a lionheart performer. Ryan McHugh took a heavy bang after the restart and had to be replaced in the 41st minute also.

Donegal were in the horrors at that stage and trailed by nine at one stage early in the second-half.

The side managed by Jim McGuinness lifted things impressively for the guts of 20 minutes. Conor O'Donnell struck his third and fourth points of the game, Murphy reeled off five points from frees and suddenly Kerry's big lead was down to just four points, 0-22 to 0-18.

You got the feeling that Donegal needed a goal though - and they never really got a sniff of one. They didn't try for two-pointers either, sticking instead to their plan to open up the Kerry defence with penetrating, angled runs.

Substitutes lent impressively to Kerry's effort late on. Tadhg Morley and Killian Spillane combined to play in O'Connor for the late goal, a penetrating run in along the right endling at the Hill 16 End which the half-forward finished well. Evan Looney was a calming presence for Kerry after coming on as well.

A famous day for Kerry all told and a fifth All-Ireland senior medal for Jack O'Connor in what is his third spell as manager. He chided those who were critical of Kerry off at one stage during the Championship but had the last laugh, engineering three brilliant Croke Park performances that were enough to take the silverware back south.

Scorers for Kerry: David Clifford 0-9 (2tp, 1 tpf), Sean O'Shea 0-6 (2 tpf), Joe O'Connor 1-0, Dylan Geaney 0-3, Gavin White 0-3, Paudie Clifford 0-3, Sean 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, Daire O Baoill 0-1.

Kerry: Shane Ryan; Paul Murphy, Jason Foley, Dylan Casey; Brian O Beaglaoich, Mike Breen, Gavin White; Sean O'Brien, Mark O'Shea; Joe O'Connor, Sean O'Shea, Graham O'Sullivan; Paudie Clifford, David Clifford, Dylan Geaney.

Subs: Diarmuid O'Connor for O'Brien 50, Killian Spillane for Geaney 54, Evan Looney for O Beaglaoich 63, Tadhg Morley for Breen 65, Michael Burns for O'Sullivan 69.

Donegal: Shaun Patton; Caolan McColgan, Brendan McCole, Peadar Mogan; Eoghan Ban Gallagher, Finbarr Roarty, Ryan McHugh; Caolan McGonagle, Michael Langan; Ciaran Moore, Ciaran Thompson, Shane O'Donnell; Conor O'Donnell, Michael Murphy, Oisin Gallen.

Subs: Daire O Baoill for Thompson 23, Hugh McFadden for McColgan h/t, Jason McGee for McHugh 41, Patrick McBrearty for Gallen 50, Jamie Brennan for Gallagher 59.

Referee: Brendan Cawley (Kildare).