Kerry ratings: Gavin White plays captain's role for victors

RTÉ News​

19 hours ago

Kerry are All-Ireland champions once more after a dominant performance against Donegal.
Here is how we rated their performances.
Shane Ryan - 7
Kept a clean sheet on All-Ireland final day and got 16 of his 24 kick-outs away. A decent return, even if he did fail to convert a potential 0-03 from a two-point free and a 45. He'd only scored 0-04 all season so Sean O'Shea was probably the better option for those kicks, particularly the two-point attempt which was at a crucial stage. Ryan put a kick-out over the sideline late on too though performed his basic duties well.
Paul Murphy - 7.5
Marked Oisin Gallen who scored three points in the first 22 minutes and, in the 25th minute, passed straight to Gallen who fed Michael Murphy for a score. But Murphy kept Gallen scoreless after that and the Donegal forward was eventually replaced. The former captain conceded a free for receiving a kick-out inside the arc in the 45th minute. Probably the sensible option to avoid a goal at that stage.
Jason Foley - 7
Went head to head with Michael Murphy. Fouled him twice in the second-half for frees that Murphy converted. Also fouled Gallen for a free that Murphy nailed. Kept Murphy to two points from play overall and will have been content with his efforts.
Dylan Casey - 6.5
Bottled up and overcarried for a 21st minute free that Murphy should have converted. That was a bad start and Casey struggled at times to contain Conor O'Donnell who sniped four points from play. He marked Paddy McBrearty for a spell when the Donegal captain came on.
Brian Ó Beaglaoich - 7
Coughed up a handy free with a touch on the ground in the 34th minute. He and Kerry got away with that one. Winced after kicking a wide in the third quarter also. Lent to a Trojan defensive effort overall, the best Donegal have come up against all season.
Mike Breen - 7
Spent plenty of time in the Donegal half in the first quarter when Kerry were applying the heat and laying down the terms of engagement with their relentless onslaught. Kicked one two-point effort wide but got his hands on plenty of ball and moved it on efficiently. Eventually replaced in the 65th minute by Tadhg Morley.
Gavin White - 9
Inspirational stuff from the Kingdom skipper. Ostensibly a wing-back, the Killarney man tormented Donegal's defence with his powerful running down the left wing. Ciaran Moore must have felt like he was in reverse gear at times, trying to cover that side against him. White scored 0-03 and was still setting up scores late on, feeding Paudie Clifford for a 61st minute point.
Sean O'Brien - 7.5
Any nerves that O'Brien must have been feeling in just his ninth Championship game for Kerry were overcome early on. He powered into the game, putting in a brilliant block on Finbarr Roarty in the 16th minute and helping to provide a powerful midfield platform. Weighed in with two points and repaid Jack O'Connor's faith in him this season.
Mark O'Shea - 7.5
The other half of Kerry's midfield engine. Lasted the duration and did plenty to ensure that Michael Langan wasn't the colossus for Donegal that he can be on his day.
Joe O'Connor - 8
Another big performance from a player firmly in the running for the Footballer of the Year award. Two catches in the first half ended up in points for Gavin White and Paudie Clifford. Ran relentlessly at the Donegal defence, particularly in that first half and got through a ton of work. A big part of the reason why Kerry won the middle third battle. Capped a stunning effort with his late goal.
Sean O'Shea - 8
The first player to finish an All-Ireland football final by booting the ball out of play. O'Shea deserved the honour after a strong display which yielded 0-06, taking his seasonal tally to 1-50. Nailed two two-point frees, a free and a score from play. Assisted Dylan Geaney for a point as well.
Graham O'Sullivan - 7
Dropped a point attempt short late on. It looked like a jaded kick after a huge effort and he was taken off moments later. Jack O'Connor wasn't complaining about O'Sullivan's effort as he put in a huge shift around the middle.
David Clifford - 9
A brilliant ending to a landmark campaign for Kerry's generational attacking talent. His nine-point haul took him to 8-62 for the season, just shy of 10 points per game. That's some shooting across nine matches but Clifford consistently delivers. His back-to-back two pointers in the first-half put Kerry in a winning position and provided a vital cushion. His solo point off his right foot in the second half after burning Brendan McCole again was the pick of the scores.
Paudie Clifford - 8.5
Had Peadar Mogan for company for the most part. Played a stormer and delivered a sumptuous dinked kick pass to brother David for a 37th minute point. There were so many positive, creative moments like that throughout and Paudie struck three points too. The only blots on his copybook were a couple of two-point attempts that flew wide.
Dylan Geaney - 8
We wondered if one Geaney, Dylan, might be forsaken for another, Paul, when the team was initially announced. But Dylan more than repaid his manager's faith and was probably unlucky to be taken off after 54 minutes. He scored three points from play and did well with a run down the right to create a Paudie Clifford score in the 43rd minute.
Substitutes
Diarmuid O'Connor - 7.5
Walked straight into a war zone as Donegal were turning the screw in the middle third, midway through the second half. Won an important free from a Ryan kick-out when under the cosh in the 54th minute, leading to a Gavin White point. Won another big free two minutes later.
Killian Spillane - 7
The experienced attacker fed Joe O'Connor for Kerry's goal and can be happy with this contribution over the 15 minutes or so that he was on the field.
Evan Looney - 7
An assured presence in the closing minutes when he handled lots of ball, gobbling up the break after one dangerous Garryowen in towards Michael Murphy.
Retained possession well as Kerry played down the clock.
Micheal Burns - 6