All Ireland Gaelic Football Final 2014 Kerry v Donegal

[muppet]

Midfield is where it will be won and lost.

Gallagher is a very influential player but this year's version of Moran is so amazingly consistent that I think think this can be decisive. However, often when two in form high profile midfielders come up against against each other like this,  they can be outshone by the other two. Think Colm Cavanagh and Seamus O'Sé in last year's semi-final. It is hard to see Moran's game dipping that much though.

I was impressed with Kerry in their games with us. They fight for everything, before the ref has taken the field, long after the whistle is gone. A lot of it is annoying, but the message is crystal clear. They will fight to the death and you know you are in a game.

Donegal's defeat of Dublin has changed everyone's opinion of them. But I think it might be over-estimated.

Kerry for me.

Well Jim decided to play Neil Gallagher in front of Donaghy, effectively handing midfield to Kerry. I should have guessed. I'm only surprised he didn't put Michael Murphy there as well.

Poor game but I don't blame Kerry for that in the way you couldn't blame Dublin for the 2011 semi-final. I do feel sorry for Durcan, I thought his kick outs had improved immensely this year, only for that to happen to him.

Congrats to Kerry.

[J70]

Unfortunate for Durkan that his mistake will always be remembered because it ultimately cost his side the game.  Who is going to remember Frank McGlynn dropping the ball and Chris McGuinness grabbing it and sticking away a goal in the Ulster final. Who is going to remember the Kerry keeper gifting Mayo a goal in the replay?

[seafoid]

Unfortunate for Durkan that his mistake will always be remembered because it ultimately cost his side the game.  Who is going to remember Frank McGlynn dropping the ball and Chris McGuinness grabbing it and sticking away a goal in the Ulster final. Who is going to remember the Kerry keeper gifting Mayo a goal in the replay?

Hopefully Durkan can win again. The punishment for being seen to be responsible for losing a big match can last a lifetime


The words of Moacir Barbosa, the goalkeeper scapegoated for the defeat in the final 1950 game against Uruguay, resonated. Shortly before his death in 2000, Barbosa said: "The maximum punishment in Brazil is 30 years' imprisonment but I have been paying, for something I am not even responsible for, by now for 50 years."

[yellowcard]

Feel really bad for Durkan this morning, he has had a career most can only dream of and yet he will be forever remembered for this mistake. Ultimately it was the defining factor of the match.

[Captain Obvious]

Some mighty comments , fine lines etc.

If Mayo had of put Kerry away the first day , if Connolly had of netted , would it all of been different . I dont agree the best team in Ireland always win the all Ireland thats for sure, knockout competitions have a habit of not always producing the best team in it as the winner. I still believe Dublin are the best team in Ireland and Mayo second best.

There needs to be a change to the structure of our main competition, the big teams need to play eachother more often . It will happen eventually and we will have a fair and competitive race for Sam , unfortunately it will take another while though.

Still? would Mayo have beaten Kerry if they played them last year? Mayo fourth at best this year in my opinion. Before the Kerry games Mayo only bet Cork by one point and also struggled past Roscommon. I don't think the Mayo form was good enough to beat Dublin,Donegal this summer. Plenty of what ifs in every game look at Durcans mistake yesterday and fair play to Kerry they made the most of breaks that went their way.

[ballinaman]

Some mighty comments , fine lines etc.

If Mayo had of put Kerry away the first day , if Connolly had of netted , would it all of been different . I dont agree the best team in Ireland always win the all Ireland thats for sure, knockout competitions have a habit of not always producing the best team in it as the winner. I still believe Dublin are the best team in Ireland and Mayo second best.

There needs to be a change to the structure of our main competition, the big teams need to play eachother more often . It will happen eventually and we will have a fair and competitive race for Sam , unfortunately it will take another while though.

Still would Mayo have beaten Kerry if they played them last year? Mayo fourth at best this year in my opinion. Before the Kerry games Mayo only bet Cork by one point and also struggled past Roscommon. I don't think the Mayo form was good enough to beat Dublin,Donegal this summer. Plenty of what ifs in every game look at Durcans mistake yesterday and fair play to Kerry they made the most of breaks that went their way.

Ok Captain my Captain. what was his/her name from Mayo and what did they do to you? Obviously in Mayo, we're experts in moving on from the past so I think it's best you....

[WT4E]

My favourite part of Kerry Puke performance yesterday??

Two Kerry defenders trying to pull Murphy down at the end and he bulled them out of the road! lol

[Christmas Lights]

Before the game all last week I said I had a sneaky feeling that Kerry would win because I felt it would be very difficult for Donegal to repeat the level of performance they put in against Dublin.  It was such a good performance and the players and management must have been on such a high after the victory in the semi final that there is inevitably going to be a come down and it would be hard to get that high again.....even for a final.

It really was a strange game IMO, riddled with errors and lacking quality at times but nevertheless, it was still an intriguing watch.  Donegal started so so flat and conceded an incredibly soft goal in the opening minute even though Ganey finished it well.   In the first 15-20 minutes, Kerry where on top but their shooting and shot selection was awful.  Donegal couldn't really get going and Murphy was kicking some lovely frees from tactical & cynical Kerry fouling far out the field to keep them within touch.  About the last 15 minutes of the 1st half, Donegal started to edge their way back into the game.  I thought they were paying poorly but staying within touch.  At this stage, I thought Kerry had a went to shit a bit.  They kicked some awful wide's, some of their passing was atrocious and they were just lumping ball in, coming up to half time I thought Kerry has lost their way and at half time ill admit I could only see a Donegal win as I felt they had played none first half and had a lot more to give in the second half.  I thought Kerry had shot their load too early to be honest.  With JOD playing out the field, I could not see Kerry getting enough scores through Star and Ganey alone. 

The second half was bizarre to watch at times as well.  Start of the second half, both teams score a point a piece and then for 10 minutes solid, we see an array of turnovers, atrocious handling and awful shooting / shot selection from both teams.  I was sat there thinking, who the hell is going to win this, neither of them are playing well enough to win it.  In the end, it really came down to a horrific goalkeeping error.  What the shocking thing is though, Donegal actually had their best spell after they conceded that and started to play with a bit more drive and ambition and kicked 3 beautiful scores straight away.  McBreaty was on fire with 2 lovely scores but after those scores, he hyped himself too much and missed 2 good chances thereafter which he really should have been converted.  His head was in the clouds at that stage, he could see the headlines and wasn't thinking straight.  You could see it in his eyes.  He was TOO SPACED out after those 2 earlier points.  Donegal where within a point and on top but the point Johnny Buckley got after that was a crucial score to Kerry.  Donegal will be massively disappointed with that score.  It was a bit of a wonder point but he ghosted in with nobody tracking him and had all the time in the world to get his shot away.

It's the worst Kerry team ive seen to win an all Ireland but at the same time they deserve huge credit to win an AI with basically a bunch of unknowns and boys like Maher & Moran who you thought probably just where not good enough to win an AI.  Boys Like Peter Crowley, Fionn Fitgerald, the 2 Ganeys, Paul Murphy, Stephen O'Brien, like who are these guys and they have just won an All Ireland? 

Id say Donegal have to be massively disappointed today and McGuiness will be sick as this is one they left behind I feel.  I still think they are probably a better team than Kerry at present and if the game was played today, they would probably win.  McGuiness has to be criticized for his decisions on Colm McFadden this year who has just not produced at all. He's been quite shocking and did nothing yesterday bar kick a point from a free.  He's right when he says that yesterday, Donegal just collectively where not good enough.  Too many of their players had off days.  Even Karl Lacey was very quiet yesterday.  They were incredibly flat Donegal and that's what cost them.  I'm not even that convinced by Kerry yet.

Overall, its been a very meh All Ireland series with the semi finals being the only memorable games.  Everyone bar Pat Spillane last night on the SG said there needs to be a shake up of some sort and id fully agree with that.  Cork and Tyrone's regression this year hasn't helped the series as a whole either.           

[blanketattack]

My favourite part of Kerry Puke performance yesterday??

Two Kerry defenders trying to pull Murphy down at the end and he bulled them out of the road! lol

Should have been a free out for barging.

[GalwayBayBoy]

was murphy injured yesterday?

Certainly seemed to be limping slightly from early on in the game.

[WT4E]

My favourite part of Kerry Puke performance yesterday??

Two Kerry defenders trying to pull Murphy down at the end and he bulled them out of the road! lol

Should have been a free out for barging.

L O L!

Good one!

[Bingo]

Donegal lost the all-Ireland in the semi final V Dublin. If they had just made it over the line, they'd have just been the blanket defending Donegal that you have to grind out a win against. Instead they were suddenly this high scoring, fast breaking, goal scoring machine and McHugh was a superstar in waiting.

Suddenly the light shone on them in a different way and Kerry adapted to that. The pressure was on Donegal and expectations rose.

I think Kerry learned a lot more about Donegal than anyone could have expected. They had no shock and awe left, much like they used against Mayo in 2012. wasn't going to happen again.

One of McGuinness's quotes was telling, he talked about the players wanting it to be 9.30 in the city west before the game rather than realising the game starts at 3.30. Maybe he felt he couldn't get the intensity into them that is needed for an All Ireland.

[J OGorman]

My favourite part of Kerry Puke performance yesterday??

Two Kerry defenders trying to pull Murphy down at the end and he bulled them out of the road! lol

Should have been a free out for barging.

correct, you canny charge through defenders

[WT4E]

My favourite part of Kerry Puke performance yesterday??

Two Kerry defenders trying to pull Murphy down at the end and he bulled them out of the road! lol

Should have been a free out for barging.

correct, you canny charge through defenders

I don't think you can class it as a charge when he's shrugging cubs off who are trying everything to get him to the ground!

[Dont Matter]

Was a poor enough game. We're well used to defensive matches these days but score taking has improved greatly over recent years, yesterday it was very poor. Loads of shots wide and there was a lack of pace to the attacks. Both teams were over cautious. Kerry deserved the win though and great credit must go to Fitzmaurice.
On another note, something has to be done about the finances for inter county teams. It's no coincidence that the four semi finalists had far more resources available to them than most of the other counties. Dubl$n obviously had the most but the other three had plenty of cash to spend too.
It's an amateur sport lads, the spending and other stuff going on is getting out of control. We need to cut the legs from underneath it before it's too late.