How Kerry 'evolved' after false dawn of five-goal splurge against Derry
Having had their opening League game against Donegal postponed due to Storm Eowyn, Kerry opened away to Derry in round two, winning a rip-roaring encounter by 5-15 to 1-24.
A feature of Kerry's League campaign was that they weren't prolific in terms of two-pointers, though there was a notable change in that respect once they hit Croke Park in the summer, particularly in the All-Ireland final win over Donegal, in which they nailed five of them.
Mac Gearailt said: 'I think we were still playing that traditional looking for goals first during the League. Did we get five goals against Derry in the National League, and I think we saw that as this is the way to go after it because teams are going to push out on the arc and they're going to leave space in behind.
'It evolved. It depends on the opposition. Donegal don't push out, they sit back. We obviously got five two-pointers. Against a different team, you wouldn't get as many opportunities. Armagh were similar. They sat back a little bit inside the arc, protected the goal. It's about analysing the opposition and then using the rules to suit what will get you over the line, I suppose, at the end of the day.
'We knew that they'd be very concentrated down David Clifford's side. So, obviously, we had to exploit it on the other side to get them to shift over. I thought Gavin White gave an exhibition bursting through from the seven and we got a lot of joy out of that.'
The An Gaeltacht man believes that Kerry's kicking game stood to them once they played in calmer conditions at Croke Park.
'It's the latter stages of the Championship, when you get into Croke Park, you really see how the rules impact games. In National League, when you might be playing in wet conditions, heavy rain, there's a lot of just piking the ball out the middle, hoping you'll win breaks and try and work from there. Kerry selector Aodán MacGearailt (Image: ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne)
"But when you get good conditions in an open pitch like Croke Park, you really do see the value of the new rules, what they've added to the game in terms of space and the two-pointers. It took us a bit of time, I won't lie, to adapt to our strategy on kick-outs and even breaking ball. It took a bit of work.
"There's a lot in it, but I think if you have a good kicking game, you can always exploit defences and you can move the ball quicker. It'll obviously move a lot quicker by foot. I think maybe that was an advantage we had, definitely.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The 42
3 hours ago
- The 42
Kerry and Cork to be seeded in separate 2026 Munster semi-finals
KERRY AND Cork will be seeded on opposite sides of the draw at the semi-final stage for next year's Munster senior football championship. The Munster Council have tonight ratified a new proposal whereby the seeding will be determined by league placings rather than featuring in the previous year's provincial decider. This means newly-crowned All-Ireland champions Kerry, along with Cork, will be seeded for the 2026 championship, based on their 2025 league positions. The Munster Council statement in full reads: Advertisement 'At tonight's Munster Council meeting, a proposal that the highest two ranking teams from the Allianz Football League are placed on opposite sides of the Semi Final Draw for the following year's Munster Senior Football Championship draw was ratified for a three-year period beginning in 2026. 'For the 2026 Munster Senior Football Championship, Kerry and Cork, as the two highest ranking Munster teams in the 2025 Allianz Football League, will be placed on opposite sides of the Semi-Final draw.'
The 42
3 hours ago
- The 42
Dublin and Meath name teams for All-Ireland final showdown
DUBLIN AND MEATH have named their starting teams for Sunday's All-Ireland ladies senior football final. Dublin have made one change in personnel, with Orlagh Nolan replacing Caoimhe O'Connor, while Meath are unchanged. Nolan is in line for a first inter-county start since the 2024 All-Ireland series after recovering from an ACL injury. O'Connor suffered a hamstring setback in Dublin's All-Ireland quarter-final win over Galway, but she's fit enough to make the bench. Nolan replaced O'Connor after 27 minutes on that occasion to make her return, capping an impressive substitute appearance with 0-1 — and an assist for Carla Rowe's brilliant back-heel goal in extra-time. Meath have announced the same starting fifteen that dethroned Kerry in the semi-final — and for the seventh successive game — but key defender Katie Newe is a doubt after suffering a knee injury that day. Rivals Dublin and Meath renew their rivalry in a repeat of the 2021 final, when the Royals ended the Drive for Five to win their first All-Ireland title. Advertisement Throw-in at Croke Park on Sunday is 4.15pm, with the game live on TG4. Dublin 1. Abby Shiels (Lucan Sarsfields) 2. Jess Tobin (Cuala), 3. Leah Caffrey (Na Fianna), 4. Niamh Donlon (St Oliver Punkett ER) 5. Sinéad Goldrick (Foxrock-Cabinteely), 6. Martha Byrne (Cuala), 7. Niamh Crowley (Fingallians) 8. Éilish O'Dowd (Na Fianna), 9. Hannah McGinnis (Skerries Harps) 10. Nicole Owens (St Sylvester's) 11. Carla Rowe (Clann Mhuire — captain), 12. Orlagh Nolan (Ballinteer St Johns) 13. Hannah Tyrrell (Na Fianna), 14. Niamh Hetherton (Clontarf), 15. Kate Sullivan (St Sylvester's). Meath 1. Robyn Murray (Navan O'Mahonys) 2. Áine Sheridan (St Michael's), 3. Mary Kate Lynch (Summerhill), 4. Katie Newe (Ratoath) 5. Aoibhín Cleary (Donaghmore Ashbourne, captain), 6. Sarah Wall (St Peter's Dunboyne), 7. Karla Kealy (Dunshaughlin Royal Gaels) 8. Orlaith Sheehy (Dee Rangers), 9. Marion Farrelly (St Michael's) 10. Megan Thynne (Dunsany) 11. Niamh Gallogly (Dunshaughlin Royal Gaels), 12. Ciara Smyth (Skryne) 13. Emma Duggan (St Peter's Dunboyne), 14. Vikki Wall (St Peter's Dunboyne), 15. Kerrie Cole (Na Fianna) ***** Laois and Tyrone, and Antrim and Louth, have also named their teams for the intermediate and junior finals. You can see them here. Dublin's full matchday squad is available to view here. *****
The 42
3 hours ago
- The 42
Even the incessant rain couldn't spoil a fun week in Sydney
EVEN WITH THE incessant rain, we have got lots of glimpses of how special a place Sydney is. The Lions arrived on Sunday in party mode, rolling over from Saturday night in Melbourne to give it socks in Sydney. Some of the travelling Irish media took in the All-Ireland football final that night. It was another eye-opening moment as we bore witness to the remarkable number of Donegal and Kerry folk kitted out in their home counties' jerseys. Many of them were squeezed into the famous sports bar Cheers. Because it's a 24-hour spot, the Kerry people were able to celebrate for as long as they wanted after the Donegal heads moved on in disappointment. It's amazing how many Irish people are here in Australia. The latest figures say that over 100,000 Irish-born people are living Down Under, while around than 2.5 million Australians have Irish heritage. No matter where you go, there seems to be someone Irish. That's magnified now with the Lions tour bringing them together, but it's still remarkable. That said, just over four weeks in Australia has underlined exactly why the Irish are all here. It's a brilliant country with good infrastructure, largely gorgeous weather, incredible natural beauty, limitless craic, and world-class food and drink. You always see the best of any place when you're having fun on a rugby tour. Australia undoubtedly has the same major issues every big country does. But this trip has given a greater understanding than ever of why some of our Irish friends might never move back to Ireland. Maro Itoje at Shore School in Sydney. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo The Lions got up and running again on Tuesday at the immaculate Shore School, which is set on the hills in North Sydney. The views from the school grounds down over Sydney Harbour Bridge and the CBD are surreal. Annual fees at the private school range up towards €30,000 a year, and you'd know it walking around the pristine grounds. Advertisement Shore won the Great Public Schools of New South Wales rugby union competition last year. Some of their players have committed to NRL clubs when they graduate from school, while others will remain in union. Their facilities are good enough for the Lions. Wednesday saw a group of the travelling media venture out on an end-of-tour social to the Southern Highlands, where there are lots of wineries and vineyards. The train ride home involved a big singsong, which continued in a pub in The Rocks area of Sydney. At one stage, an Irishman sang, followed by a Welshman, then an Englishman. There was no sign of a Scot but it was what Lions tours are all about. Many fans you meet here have happy stories about falling in with a crew from what are otherwise rival nations. This tour seems to have been met with apathy by some back home, but those who made it over here have had the time of their lives. There hasn't been much talk of the Lions not coming back to Australia, aside from bemusement at the suggestion. Thursday was a hectic one as the Lions and Wallabies named their teams before the two head coaches, Andy Farrell and Joe Schmidt, spoke to the media. There was a nice touch from Farrell just before the Lions' press conference as he presented jerseys to two long-serving members of the press pack. Dave Rogers, a photographer for Getty, has covered every Lions tour since 1980. Stephen Jones of the Times has been ever-present since 1983. Farrell said a few nice words about them. Andy Farrell presents Dave Rogers with a jersey. Billy Stickland / INPHO Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO On Thursday evening, the Lions their own jersey presentation ceremony as they welcomed the Hardman family into camp. The Hardmans hail from the UK and have had to face great adversity in recent years. Kriss was diagnosed with testicular cancer back in 2020 and then in 2023, Kate was diagnosed with incurable breast cancer while she was pregnant with their youngest daughter. Kriss and Kate have been chasing the Lions in Australia along with their three young children, determined to keep enjoying life as much as possible. Kate, who was only 38 when she got her diagnosis, stood in front of the Lions players and staff last night to speak to them about her journey, as well as the experience of supporting them in Australia. She then presented captain Maro Itoje with his jersey. That must have been a stirring evening for the Lions ahead of their bid to complete a 3-0 series clean sweep. The Wallabies, meanwhile, have been working to lift their spirits after the sheer dejection of losing the series at the death last weekend in Melbourne. There were plenty of smiles at today's captain's run in the Accor Stadium, with every player and member of staff donning a fake moustache in tribute to scrum-half Nic White, who will retire from international rugby after starting tomorrow's final Test against the Lions. It turns out that a moustache suits Joe Schmidt. The Wallabies wearing their moustaches. Tom Maher / INPHO Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO Even if they have lifted their morale in recent days, the Wallabies know they will need to find something special tomorrow. With their best player, Rob Valetini, ruled out again due to his badly-timed calf injury, they may struggle to hit last weekend's heights. And yet, the occasion will surely draw something from them. Even with the series decided, it will be a sold-out crowd of 82,000 at the Accor. The only thing dampening the build-up for all the Lions fans in town has been the very Irish rain, which has only briefly let up since Wednesday and is forecast to continue tomorrow for the third Test. Even still, we're all hoping this thoroughly enjoyable Lions tour ends with a bang in Sydney.
