Martin Breheny: Jim McGuinness is not a genius – Kerry’s sloppiness rather than Donegal tactics were decisive in final

Donegal’s Conor O’Donnell shoots to score his side’s first goal during the Division 1 final. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile If only Spurs had a representative at the Donegal-Kerry game last Sunday. Just as the relegation-threatened Premier League outfit sacked manager Igor Tudor after 44 days in charge, another boss was thoroughly enjoying himself in Croke … Read more

Kerry boss Jack O’Connor questions Michael Murphy yellow card decision

O’Connor believes former Donegal captain Murphy was fortunate to avoid a red card for challenges on Dylan Casey during Donegal’s Division One final win at Croke Park Donegal’s Michael Murphy and Liam Smith of Kerry(Image: ©INPHO/James Crombie) Kerry manager Jack O’Connor believed Donegal’s Michael Murphy was lucky to avoid a red card during yesterday’s Division … Read more

Colm Keys: Donegal raise the possession stakes with skill in keeping ball from Kerry

There is much for Kingdom to digest, top being their inability to disrupt chains of command Donegal manager Jim McGuinness with members of his backroom team after his side’s victory over Kerry in the NFL Division 1 final. Photo: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile Many moons ago, Armagh played Galway in the All-Ireland senior football final and were … Read more

Donegal play down victory over Kerry team who may be trying to kid rivals – The Irish Times

It’s probably accurate to say Jack O’Connor and Jim McGuinness had shown as much enthusiasm for Sunday’s Division 1 final as Heimir Hallgrímsson has done for Tuesday’s meeting with North Macedonia, almost to the point where you’d a notion the championship might be their priority. They decided to come to Dublin anyway to fulfil the … Read more

Conor McKeon: The plot thickens as Donegal enter league of their own with Kerry rout

The Kingdom can no longer be considered certainties for Sam Maguire after yesterday’s result Kerry players including David Clifford (centre) and Seán O’Shea (right) following the Division 1 final defeat at Croke Park. Photo: Seb Daly/Sportsfile Come back. Come back everyone. We’re going to have a football championship after all. Phew. For a while there, … Read more

National Football League, Division 1 final: Donegal storm to victory against Kerry

All over in the Division 1 decider and it’s an emphatic 13-point victory for Jim McGuinness and Donegal. They extract some revenge for last year’s All-Ireland final defeat. As for Kerry, they looked a shadow of their usual selves.  That flurry of three consecutive goals for Donegal between the 42nd- and 45th-minute effectively sealed the … Read more

Donegal lead sluggish Kerry in Division 1 final – The Irish Times

Division 1 final: Kerry v Donegal, Croke Park, 4pm (Live on TG4) Division 2 final: Meath 1-22 Cork 2-17 (FT) 56 Mins: Armin Henirich chps over a lovely score for Kerry. Kerry 1-5 Donegal 3-19 54 Mins: Peadar Mogan punches the hole this time, finds Max Campbell, and the late replacement decides to fist it … Read more

Joe Brolly: Yerra, after avoiding relegation and luckily getting to a league final, Kerry may as well show up

Donegal have been working flat-out on beating David Clifford this year Kerry’s David Clifford in action against Donegal’s Brendan McCole during last year’s All-Ireland SFC final. Photo: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile Jack O’Connor said last week: “Yerra, we were only aiming to avoid relegation, so we are all a bit surprised to be in a league final. … Read more

Philly McMahon: Why the Paudie Clifford All-Ireland final narrative completely misses the point

The conclusion was that leaving influential Kerry forward free represented an egregious miscalucation on the part of Jim McGuinness – it’s never that simple Paudie Clifford in possession with Jamie Brennan of Donegal giving chase during last year’s All-Ireland SFC final. Photo: Ray McManus/Sportsfile In Gaelic football, consensus is the killer of decent analysis. Most … Read more

All-Ireland winner embarks on new career after surgeon’s retirement advice

The surgeon delivered a stark message to Paddy McBrearty following his fourth operation on his left knee in a decade last October. It was time to consider hanging up his boots. So there’s a temptation to feel sympathy for the 32-year-old, who will be a notable absentee from the Donegal squad when they take to … Read more