Donegal v Kerry - 2025 All-Ireland Football Final

[downgael2065]

Kerry great performance today. Donegal seem flattered in hindsight by wide margin victories in previous rounds and looks likely it wasnt the best preparation for the challenge today.

Mcguiness will rue the decision not to put someone on paudie clifford he got so much ball early and got settled and helped established the kerry rhythm. Gavin whyte incredible aswell.

Donegals vaunted athletic ability was overstated in the build up, all the top teams are very fit. Kerry dominated possession early and got the stranglehold of the game and never let go. Donegal just not at the same level unfortunately.

I still believe mcguiness is a very good coach to get that team turned around from a low ebb i
Just 2 years ago. Be interesting to see what mcguinness does from here. Murphy will likely walk away now and its hard to see donegal closing the gap next year to kerry who had players injured. Donegal short some forwards in order to close the gap.

Kerry definitely the team to beat next year again.

[Wildweasel74]

Donegal defence is way too small, with McCole been cleaned out there was no other option to change him. Kerry unheralded midfield got on top of Langan (poorest game i seen him play this year) until McGee came on. McBearty done, McHugh pass it as well. Murphy can give another yr but off the bench. McGuiness has brought Donegal on really well, bringing C Moore,C O'Donnell, F Roarty in, but they don't have the firepower up front compared to Kerry, Armagh, Galway. Once Murphy goes again,they fall away quickly.

[twohands!!!]

1986 Final aside that is the first time Kerry have went to win it after beating Tyrone.

In historic terms it says a lot about how infrequently Tyrone have gotten to the business end of the championship given this is title 39 for Kerry.

[downgael2065]

Donegal defence is way too small, with McCole been cleaned out there was no other option to change him. Kerry unheralded midfield got on top of Langan (poorest game i seen him play this year) until McGee came on. McBearty done, McHugh pass it as well. Murphy can give another yr but off the bench. McGuiness has brought Donegal on really well, briinging C Moore,C O'Donnell, F Roarty in, but they don't have the firepower up front compared to Kerry, Armagh, Galway. Once Murphy goes again,they fall away quickly.

Yeah this was the chance for this squad. Will take another rebuild. Armagh tyrone probably best placed to challenge kerry next year in my opinion

[balladmaker]

The Armagh v Kerry Quarter Final was the de facto final as it turned out.  Donegal not at the races, and with MM and PMcB not getting any younger, difficult to see an All Ireland in them at this point. 

[Wildweasel74]

f**k me,Donegal v Kerry final, yet somehow Tyrone's making it about them!

[tyrone08]

Kerry great performance today. Donegal seem flattered in hindsight by wide margin victories in previous rounds and looks likely it wasnt the best preparation for the challenge today.

Mcguiness will rue the decision not to put someone on paudie clifford he got so much ball early and got settled and helped established the kerry rhythm. Gavin whyte incredible aswell.

Donegals vaunted athletic ability was overstated in the build up, all the top teams are very fit. Kerry dominated possession early and got the stranglehold of the game and never let go. Donegal just not at the same level unfortunately.

I still believe mcguiness is a very good coach to get that team turned around from a low ebb i
Just 2 years ago. Be interesting to see what mcguinness does from here. Murphy will likely walk away now and its hard to see donegal closing the gap next year to kerry who had players injured. Donegal short some forwards in order to close the gap.

Kerry definitely the team to beat next year again.

Jim will stay until the gravy train runs out. He has no other prospects given his soccer career was awful.

No idea how or why he picked mcbrearty as captain. Hes about 3 years past his prime and at his prime he relied on scoring against weaker opponents to boost his image. A leader he is not.

Jim came back relying on his previous system and completely ignoring the new rule changes. Did donegal even have a 2 point effort ?

[An Watcher]

Couldn't believe that they didn't try some 2 pointers.  Fairly obvious they were told not too until it was too late.
Also, sat in defence for far too long.  With 15 mins to go, they were still at it

[Stickittotheman]

Very disappointed in Donegal today. From breaking early from the parade(disrespectful to the band and tradition) to not laying a glove on Kerry it was a day to forget.

Kerry however from the first whistle were absolutely superb. Gavin Whyte was incredible. Paudie Clifford was majestic. Joe O'Connor an absolute mountain in midfield. Deserved winners. Best team throughout the Championship by a fair distance.

[imtommygunn]

Kerry were the best team by a mile but Donegal were probably second best.

McGuinness seemed to back his system today and didn't come up with any special plans. Either his says or his players were not as good as he thought they were - maybe both. I do think he hasn't adapted to the new rules.

[twohands!!!]

Kerry great performance today. Donegal seem flattered in hindsight by wide margin victories in previous rounds and looks likely it wasnt the best preparation for the challenge today.

Mcguiness will rue the decision not to put someone on paudie clifford he got so much ball early and got settled and helped established the kerry rhythm. Gavin whyte incredible aswell.

Donegals vaunted athletic ability was overstated in the build up, all the top teams are very fit. Kerry dominated possession early and got the stranglehold of the game and never let go. Donegal just not at the same level unfortunately.

I still believe mcguiness is a very good coach to get that team turned around from a low ebb i
Just 2 years ago. Be interesting to see what mcguinness does from here. Murphy will likely walk away now and its hard to see donegal closing the gap next year to kerry who had players injured. Donegal short some forwards in order to close the gap.

Kerry definitely the team to beat next year again.

In hindsight the Meath semi-final in particular was a serious pitfall.
The standard of the Meath defending was zero use wkatsoever in preparing for Kerry's defensive performance today. Just absolute miles apart in terms of intensity and workrate. Donegal joining the list of sides who blow away a side in an All-Ireland semi-final and then go on to turn in a flat performance in the final.

Can't help but wondering if they made the right decision to start Murphy?
He really looked a spent force down the closing straight.
He never looked like he had 70 minutes in him the whole year.

Kerry injured lads didn't seem to affect them much if it all - Paudie was immense - 76 possessions in an All-Ireland final. Completely dictated things. Diarmuid O'Connor didn't have much of an impact but he did a bit when he came on got on a few balls and Paul Geaney made no appearance. I thought these three would be key and I was a third right. Giving Paudie Clifford freedom of the park will go down as one of the great tactical gaffes in an All-Ireland.

People going on about the standard of the game - I thought the standard was decent for a final especially in the first half where there was barely a wide kicked between the two sides. The fact that Donegal didn't come out and try and put more pressure on Kerry in possession until there was five or so minutes left was mind-boggling.

Still amazed at the Kerry starting midfield of Mark O'Shea and Sean O'Brien - they look a good bit off some of  the traditional classic Kerry standard of midfielder but both have All-Ireland medals in their pockets now so I'd say they don't care a whit

Kerry deserving winners. Intercounty done for the year. Roll on the serious business of club action.

[gallsman]

Tyrone eejits and Armagh eejits squabbling over their position based on the extent of the tanking Kerry doled out to them.

Tyrone lost to Armagh and Mayo in games that mattered.

Armagh collapsed completely and managed to lose an AIQF in 20 mins.

But somehow Kerry will be telling themselves they really won the thing when they overcame one or the other.

[gallsman]

1986 Final aside that is the first time Kerry have went to win it after beating Tyrone.

Do people actually give a f**k or think this means something?

In the Tyrone v Kerry rivalry yes actually.

Embarrassing.

Yeah sure it is.

Massively so. Kerry people don't give a f**k about you. It's not 2008.

[bennydorano]

If the thread is to degenerate via Tyrone inspired delusion- You could at least make a claim that while we got tanked, Armagh were caught cold, Tyrone & Donegal have no such excuse, they were well warned, Kerry's full hand was laid bare for all to see and they still got their arses handed to them. Despite all the post game delight in our defeat I think Armagh are in a good place - maybe 1 or 2 retirements are expected but as long as McGeeney stays we'll be there or thereabouts.

[omagh_gael]

Small gripe but Donegal have been at this 'we'll do our own thing' shit for ages, taking a lifetime to come out for second half, not joining the parade today for well over a minute when they were supposed to, then breaking away ridiculously early.

Psychology shite that fell on its face today.

As for the game, Jacko pulled a masterstroke playing David way out on the right wing and nearly back on the 45. Pulled Donegal defence zone far enough over to leave a load of space down the left and softer Channel up the middle. Donegal don't do well when 5 plus points behind. The monaghan game was a false flag as monaghan had a complete system crash.

Kerry best team this year, one thing rarely mentioned is their size and power. Completely overran Armagh, Tyrone and now Donegal.

Be interesting to see how the next few years pan out. Fair play to the kingdom on a great year.