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Donegal have problems to solve but don't write them off yet
Donegal have problems to solve but don't write them off yet

Irish Daily Mirror

time2 days ago

  • Sport
  • Irish Daily Mirror

Donegal have problems to solve but don't write them off yet

The scoreboard never lies. But sometimes it fails to tell the whole truth and nothing else but. And this was the situation after 56 minutes of Sunday's All-Ireland. On the giant screen above Hill 16, the bare details were outlined in big, bold print: Kerry 0-22, Donegal 0-18. There was no question over who had been the better team. The scoreboard doesn't lie, after all. READ MORE: Passionate Paudie Clifford fires back at Kerry's critics after All-Ireland final win READ MORE: David Clifford hailed as the 'greatest ever' as he wins second All-Ireland Football title But from time to time it does leave out details. And this was one. Across the previous 15 minutes, Donegal had outscored Kerry by eight points to three. Better again, they were just after thieving Shane Ryan's kick-out, the play transferred towards Paddy McBrearty, so often their hero, introduced here as a potential saviour. Except there was a problem. McBrearty is so long in the tooth that his debut came way back in 2011, during Jim McGuinness' first spell. Time, as has been proven repeatedly, always wins against an athlete. It affects the body, erodes pace, stops a footballer reproducing the things their younger self managed to effortlessly do. And that was the dilemma McBrearty was up against. As the ball edged towards the touchline, McBrearty had a choice. Bend low but risk allowing the ball creep over the sideline or kick it along the ground towards a colleague. He took the second option and chose wrong, losing possession and with it all the momentum Donegal had been carefully building over the previous 15 minutes. From the turnover, Sean O'Shea eventually scored a two-pointer. Donegal, meanwhile, scored just once more in the remaining 14 minutes, losing the endgame 1-4 to 0-1. It may not have seemed such a big deal at the time but in hindsight this was a seismic moment. And it led to the inevitable question after such a convincing defeat whether McBrearty and a few other Donegal players had taken too much physical pounding over the years. After all, Michael Murphy is about to turn 36. McBrearty, for his part, is only 31 but has just completed his 15th season as an inter-county player. Between this pair, and Ryan McHugh, there are 219 Championship appearances on their CVs. And it showed, McHugh forced off with an injury, Murphy pushing his body to extraordinary lengths to last the 70 minutes, McBrearty struggling in the 15 minutes he got on the park. What if this is it for all three players? What if they all go together over the winter? Or what if they stay but aren't able to reproduce the magic in 2026? Those are the questions that McGuinness will be thinking about on his long trip home today. From history's scrapbook, he'll know that sometimes a defeat becomes a stepping stone - Offaly in 1981, Cork in 1987/88 and The Rebels again in 2007/09. But unless you are Dublin or Kerry, winners of 70 All-Irelands between them, there are no guarantees or 'rite of passage' as McGuinness alluded to in advance of Sunday's final. For every Offaly story from 1982, there are tales of woe: Roscommon in '80, Galway in '83, and Tyrone in '86, Mayo countless times, Kildare in '98, Cork in '99, Down in 2010. Each county lost a final. On no occasion did it lead to something better which is something that often happens outside the Big Two. Teams emerge. Teams lose big games. Teams then disappear. Will this be the case for Donegal? Perhaps not because the evidence suggests Sunday was a blip rather than the start of a worrying trend. Following Sunday's 10-point defeat, it has been suggested that Donegal have a problem scoring goals. Yet only Kerry and Galway raised more green flags in this year's Championship. Then there is the accusation they don't have a marquee forward. And yet between them, Murphy, Conor O'Donnell and Oisin Langan scored nine points from play yesterday, Murphy finishing the season as the Championship's second highest scorer; O'Donnell and Langan as the summer's third and fourth top scorers from play. What if the younger two push on from here? What if Murphy hangs on? What if their messianic manager stays on? While he didn't have his best day on Sunday - failing to figure out that Paudie Clifford needed to be closed down - McGuinness has previously shown his capacity to recover from setbacks, the 2013 defeat to Mayo being way worse than Sunday's loss to Kerry. The following year they bounced back, defeated Dublin, made it an All-Ireland. This season too is an upgrade on last year - a fourth All-Ireland final coming on the back of a semi-final appearance in 2024. Continuing their upward trajectory will take nerve, not necessarily a change of manager but certainly change within the manager. Alex Ferguson constantly evolved, and frequently replaced his assistants. Bill Belichick was the same, likewise Brian Cody and Joe Schmidt. What McGuinness now needs is a fresh voice rather than a dissenting one, a person who can replicate the role Rory Gallagher provided in 2011 and 2012. Remember only one team in the country were better than them in 2025 and even if that was by a considerable margin, the reality remains that for Donegal to reach the top, evolution rather than revolution will get them there. Don't write them off just yet.

David Clifford hailed as the 'greatest ever' as he wins second All-Ireland
David Clifford hailed as the 'greatest ever' as he wins second All-Ireland

Irish Daily Mirror

time3 days ago

  • Sport
  • Irish Daily Mirror

David Clifford hailed as the 'greatest ever' as he wins second All-Ireland

David Clifford has been hailed as the 'greatest ever' footballer after he earned his second Celtic Cross as Kerry beat Donegal in the 2025 All-Ireland Football. In the build-up to the game, much was made of Jim McGuinness and his coaching staff's plan for the two-time Footballer of the Year after his rampant season. The Fossa man has thrived under the new rules and produced his best season to date, and despite being marshalled by Brendan McCole, Clifford managed to score a remarkable 0-09, including a clinical solo score in the second half score to maintain daylight between the two teams. Donegal manager McGuinness said earlier in the week that Clifford could go down as the greatest footballer ever, while Dessie Farrell said something similar in 2023 in the build-up to the final. And GAA fans couldn't praise Clifford highly enough following the performance. "David Clifford just played one of the most unselfish games ever in an All Ireland Final. He spread out the Donegal defence and allowed other Kerry players to thrive . When asked he was absolutely clinical. A masterclass of a performance from the big man," said one fan. "David Clifford is the best to ever kick a ball," said another. "He had a quiet second half, and I've said it again, and I will be saying it for the rest of my life, but David Clifford is the greatest to ever do it. Incredible" "Cliffords are unreal, David, one of the best I've ever seen play GAA," said another. Clifford will be heavily favoured to win a third Footballer of the Year Award and would become the first player to do so. The second Celtic Cross will cement his legacy, while he'll undoubtedly pick up his sixth All-Star Award as Kerry ran out 1-26 to 0-19 winners.

Surprising voice at Croke Park as Kerry legends honoured ahead of All-Ireland
Surprising voice at Croke Park as Kerry legends honoured ahead of All-Ireland

Irish Daily Mirror

time3 days ago

  • Sport
  • Irish Daily Mirror

Surprising voice at Croke Park as Kerry legends honoured ahead of All-Ireland

TV and radio star Daithi O Se was on hand to honour Kerry's 2000 All-Ireland winning team on Sunday afternoon in front of a packed out Croke Park. As is tradition, the All-Ireland winning team from 25 years ago is honoured ahead of the All-Ireland final and it was Kerry's turn after their memorable replay win in 2000. There was a big reception for Kerry great Maurice Fitzgerald while Daithi O Se went through the roll call of the entire team. Galway and Kerry played two thrilling games 25 years ago. In the first game, they drew 0- 14 apiece, but Kerry won the replay 0-17 to 1-10. Both managers for the two epic finals, John O'Mahony and Páidí Ó Sé, have passed away, and Ó Sé was represented by his son Padraig Og. Ó Sé rivals Mick O'Dwyer for the mantle of Kerry's greatest, winning eight titles as a player and a further two as a manager as he guided the Kingdom to victory as manager in 1997 and 2000. He passed away suddenly in 2012. Most of the heartbroken Galway team of 2000 will be invited to GAA HQ for next year's final after they beat Meath in 2001 to lift the Sam Maguire. Kerry take on Donegal in today's All-Ireland Football final, with manager Jack O'Connor hoping to win his fifth title as manager while Jim McGuinness is hoping to win his second All-Ireland title.

Kerry vs Donegal live stream FREE: How to watch GAA All-Ireland Football final without paying
Kerry vs Donegal live stream FREE: How to watch GAA All-Ireland Football final without paying

Scottish Sun

time3 days ago

  • Sport
  • Scottish Sun

Kerry vs Donegal live stream FREE: How to watch GAA All-Ireland Football final without paying

The biggest match on the football calendar has arrived APPOINTMENT VIEWING Kerry vs Donegal live stream FREE: How to watch GAA All-Ireland Football final without paying Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) KERRY will chase a record-extending All-Ireland Football final win TODAY in a massive match at Croke Park! Donegal are the team trying to stop the dominant side from a 39th title - and lift the trophy themselves for the first time since 2012. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Kerry are looking to win a 39th All-Ireland football final on Sunday 2 Donegal are standing in their way and hoping to win for the first time since 2012 Last week's All-Ireland Hurling final drew rave reviews from TV viewers as underdogs Tipperary stunned Cork in an absolute thriller. Fans will be hoping for a similar show on Sunday, with Kerry the heavy favourites to take the crown. There will also be a break from tradition in the match with BOTH sides decked out in the alternate kits for the final. With both sporting green and yellow colours, the GAA have confirmed that the two teams will wear a changed strip. That means Kerry will appear in blue and Donegal in white. Kerry have seen some mixed team news in the build-up to the game, with Tom O'Sullivan ruled out with injury but Diarmuid O'Connor back and available. How can I watch Kerry vs Donegal for FREE and is there a live stream? Kerry vs Donegal will be shown by the BBC and RTE. In the UK and Northern Ireland, it will be show live on BBC2. Fans can also live stream the action via iPlayer and RTE Player. In Ireland it will be shown on RTE One - rather than the usual RTE Two. That's because the broadcaster has made the decision to switch channels and avoid a clash with the Women's Euro 2025 final between England and Spain. Fans in the US can live stream through the GAA+ app or website. Alternatively, SunSport will cover the build-up and all the live action as it happens. When is the GAA All-Ireland Football final between Kerry and Donegal?

8 priests respond to Reek Sunday callout as some opt for earlier climb due to All-Ireland clash
8 priests respond to Reek Sunday callout as some opt for earlier climb due to All-Ireland clash

The Journal

time4 days ago

  • General
  • The Journal

8 priests respond to Reek Sunday callout as some opt for earlier climb due to All-Ireland clash

EIGHT PRIESTS HAVE responded to a callout to help administer sacraments at the top of Croagh Patrick on Reek Sunday. Reek Sunday, also known as Garland Sunday, falls annually on the last Sunday of July but a change in how the GAA operates its county championships is impacting the celebrations for a second year in-a-row. There was already a shortage of celebrants for the occasion this Sunday. And now some pilgrims are opting to begin the traditional climb of the Mayo mountain earlier so that they avoid a clash with the All-Ireland Football final between Donegal and Kerry at 3.30pm. The pilgrimage sees thousands scale Mayo's Croagh Patrick – some barefoot – to celebrate St Patrick. Masses are held at the summit and the Eucharist and confessions are ministered by priests each hour from morning until late afternoon. Confessions will be available from 7.30am. Earlier this month, Administrator of Westport parish, Father John Kenny, issued a callout for priests who have the capacity to make the journey to join him among other clergymen on Croagh Patrick on 27 July. An ageing clergy has created difficulty in sourcing enough priests able to climb the mountain to attend to the thousands that turn out for the pilgrimage. Weekends are also priests' busiest times and it is difficult to find the numbers. Pilgrims atop the mountain in 2006. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Speaking to The Journal , Fr Kenny said eight priests have put their names forward in advance, but that others will turn up on the day. 'We have a core group to look after the pilgrimage, thank God.' Masses will be celebrated hourly in the old church on the top of Croagh Patrick from 8am to 2pm. In years gone by, Masses on top of the mountain would have been held every half hour. Fr Kenny said the main reason for cutting back is the lack of priests being able to take part. However, he added that the second reason was feedback from pilgrims that they liked 'quiet time' on the summit of the mountain as well. 'This means that it wouldn't be just Mass after Mass after Mass… that was a feeling I had myself.' However, there will also be an ecumenical service at 10.30am at the summit, as well as one at 2.30pm at the foot of the mountain. An ecumenical service brings together members of different Christian denominations. Church of Ireland parishes have been invited to attend both these services. 'That's kind of a new feature,' said Fr Kenny, 'and hopefully that will be a feature going forward on the occasional half hour.' Advertisement Meanwhile, Fr Kenny noted that the pilgrimage once more clashes with the All-Ireland Football final. 'People set their alarms earlier as a result and take part earlier, that's a feature in recent times,' said Fr Kenny. 'They still want to do the pilgrimage, but do it earlier than they would normally because of what's going on in Croke Park in the afternoon.' And as for Fr Kenny himself, he acknowledged that the 'logistics are difficult'. 'When I wasn't looking after the logistics I used to get more out of it, to be honest. 'While I'm in charge of the logistics, it can be difficult, but it's always great to witness the faith and witness the people turning out.' Fr Kenny also expressed hope that the pilgrimage can continue for the long-term and said he is 'sure the Lord will provide'. 'I can't tell the future but the perhaps we will have to be a Church in a new way and the ordained ministry will still be part of that, but we won't have the numbers that we used to.' Advice to pilgrims Nurse Marie Lyons of the Mayo Mountain Rescue Team has spent the last 20 Reek Sundays working in the medical tent on Croagh Patrick. She said many patients on Reek Sunday present to the medical tent because of a slip and urged people to wear the correct footwear. While she said ankle support is optional, she recommends people check the sole of the shoe. 'A rubber sole on a shoe, or preferably a boot, with a good grip is the most suitable.' And no matter your fitness levels and regardless of the weather, she reminded people to bring water. ' Every year scores of people ask us for water from the medical tent,' said Lyons. 'At the risk of sounding mean, bring your own! At least one litre, two if you sweat a lot.' She also recommended people take salty food to replace electrolytes and sugary food to sustain your energy. Meanwhile, Lyons note that some pilgrims are 'offering up the hardship for a specific purpose or intention'. 'People are often consumed with making it to the summit but then find it difficult to descend on overly fatigued legs. 'If you are really struggling with severe fatigue on the ascent, and your legs feel wobbly and flat, please do not continue. 'Stop, have a snack, enjoy the people and the scenery and descend. The mountain will stay put until your next visit.' She also reminded pilgrims that 'hypothermia is a real problem' and to be prepared for all weather conditions. She advised to bring a small rucksack with an extra couple of layers and a rain jacket. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal

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