4 days ago
All you need to know about Kerry v Donegal in the All-Ireland football final
All-Ireland SFC final: Donegal v Kerry, Croke Park, 3.30pm (B. Cawley, Kildare) Live RTÉ2, BBC2
The SFC kicked off last April 5, and to date there have been 98 games played, with one to go.
HOW THEY GOT THERE
DONEGAL
(Won 9, Lost 1)
Ulster SFC preliminary rd: Donegal 1-25 Derry 1-15.
Ulster SFC quarter-final: Donegal 0-23 Monaghan 0-21.
Ulster SFC semi-final: Donegal 1-19 Down 0-16 Ulster SFC final: Donegal 2-23 Armagh 0-28 (after extra time) All-Ireland SFC group stages: Tyrone 2-17 Donegal 0-20, Donegal 3-26 Cavan 1-13, Donegal 0-19 Mayo 1-15.
All-Ireland SFC prelim quarter-final: Donegal 2-22 Louth 0-12 All-Ireland SFC quarter-final: Donegal 1-26 Monaghan 1-20 All-Ireland SFC semi-final: Donegal 3-26 Meath 0-15.
KERRY
(Won 7, Lost 1)
Munster SFC semi-final: Kerry 3-21 Cork 1-25 (after extra time) Munster SFC final: Kerry 4-20 Clare 0-21 All-Ireland SFC group stages: Kerry 3-18 Roscommon 0-17, Kerry 1-28 Cork 0-20, Meath 1-22 Kerry 0-16.
All-Ireland SFC prelim quarter-final: Kerry 3-20 Cavan 1-17 All-Ireland SFC quarter-final: Kerry 0-32 Armagh 1-21.
All-Ireland SFC semi-final: Kerry 1-20 Tyrone 0-17.
DID YOU KNOW?
Jack O'Connor is leading Kerry into the All-Ireland Final for the eighth time, having presided over wins in 2004 (Mayo), 2006 (Mayo), 2009 (Cork), 2022 (Galway) and defeats in 2005 (Tyrone) 2011 (Dublin) and 2023 (Dublin).
Both Donegal and Kerry have been taken to extra-time once in this championship, with both winning. Kerry beat Cork by two points in the Munster Semi-Final, while Donegal beat Armagh by a point in the Ulster Final.
Brendan Cawley is the first referee from Kildare to referee an All-Ireland Final since Michael Monahan in 2005 (Kerry v Tyrone).
2025 Allianz League and Championship Records:
Donegal: P17, W13, Lost 4 (Galway, Tyrone and Mayo in Division 1 and Tyrone in SFC). Kerry: P16; W12, L4 (Donegal, Dublin and Mayo in Division 1 and Meath in SFC).
KERRY v Ulster opposition in All-Ireland finals (W5, D1, L6) 1930: Kerry 3-11 Monaghan 0-2
1937: Kerry 2-5 Cavan 1-8 (draw) 1937: Kerry 4-4 Cavan 1-7 (replay) 1947: Cavan 2-11 Kerry 2-7.
1953: Kerry 0-13 Armagh 1-6.
1960: Down 2-10 Kerry 0-8.
1968: Down 2-12 Kerry 1-13.
1986: Kerry 2-15 Tyrone 1-10.
2002: Armagh 1-12 Kerry 0-14.
2005: Tyrone 1-16 Kerry 2-10.
2008: Tyrone 1-15 Kerry 0-14.
2014: Kerry 2-9 Donegal 0-12.
John Fogarty's big match preview
You might think there's nought between this pair. We speak not of 2014 but the indications in Kerry that Donegal's 2025 preparations began before the clocks went back in '24.
'I think the whole country knows they have a lot of training done, a good bit more than us,' said Jack O'Connor in January before the counties' Division 1, Round 1 game, which was postponed as Donegal couldn't travel. 'I'm trying to be as diplomatic as I can there.' Kerry know they have been in the crosshairs of Jim McGuinness for quite some time now. Nevertheless, irrespective of their injuries and playing just one less game than Donegal this year, they will consider themselves fresher.
To offset Donegal's energy, they will have to be. Putting an argument together for a Donegal win isn't difficult – their superior spread of scorers, what should be an advantage in midfield and the towering presence of Michael Murphy.
Their recent routs against Monaghan and Meath might suggest they are peaking at the right time. But Kerry's Croke Park experiences have come against Division 1 opposition. Adding Donegal to Armagh and Tyrone would complete quite the trifecta for O'Connor.
In even better form than 2022, David Clifford will have a shadow behind him in Brendan McCole and in front of him likely in the form of Ryan McHugh. To combat that resistance, the drives Joe O'Connor, Gavin White and Brian Ó Beaglaoich are what will pull Donegal out of shape and the Ulster champions have been porous on occasions. Where it seems an occupational hazard for Kerry and Shane Ryan's expert shot-stopping is consider the fail safe, such a trade-off is not part of the deal for Donegal.
Two of Jack O'Connor's last two All-Ireland successes have been achieved without a goal. If they aren't booming over two-pointers, they will have to find the net here. Paul Geaney's clinical eye was missed as Kerry gave up an abundance of goal chances against Tyrone. He should see action for the first time since the group game against Cork. Before he does, Seán O'Shea's high level of execution could be utilised in the inside line.
From McGuinness to Ryan McHugh to Paddy McBrearty, the remaining members of Donegal's class of 2014 have spoken openly about how that final defeat has haunted them. For Murphy too, it must be too be a potent rallying cause.
If captain McBrearty believes Donegal have underachieved since 2012, what must Kerry's golden generation of minors think of these past eight senior seasons? Sunday marks skipper White, Clifford, Seán O'Shea, Diarmuid O'Connor and Ó Beaglaoich's fourth final, excluding the 2019 replay. Their one All-Ireland brings to mind what O'Connor told the Mayo dressing room after the 2006 final, that one season without the Sam Maguire Cup was akin to the 55 years Mayo at that time had been waiting for the cannister.
Donegal's modus operandi seems to be doing it for the county. For Kerry, it's a lot more personal. In what should be a game of seconds, their years of hurt can count for more.
Verdict: Kerry.
