Kerry supporters celebrate after roaring their footballers on to All-Ireland final glory
Four-year-old Ellie Kenny from Ballyheigue was one of thousands of Kerry supporters who had plenty to cheer about at Croke Park as Kerry defeated Donegal in Sunday's Football All-Ireland final. Picture: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
Kerry fans declared themselves “shocked, and speechless” as they streamed out of Croke Park following their side's victory over Donegal in the All-Ireland football final, having roared their team to victory over 70 minutes.
“I did all my screaming in there, I think I’m in shock, I can barely take it in, it’s shocked faces you’re looking at” said Ian Mac Giolla Chuda from Beaufort. He added: "Honestly, it was unreal."
It was easy to tell the fans sporting the green and gold jerseys apart as they made their way home afterwards — but the ones will the glum faces admitted they were happy for Kerry with many saying, “the best team won”.
Disappointed Donegal fans were the first to leave.
Many of them spilled out on to Jones's Rd before the game even finished while the Kerry fans could be heard all over Dublin from the stadium during the celebrations.
After the final whistle many paid also tribute to the Donegal team saying, “we weren’t sure how this would go”.
Sadbh O’Shea from Caherciveen told the : “I feel amazing, they played absolutely amazing.
“People were going mad inside, the atmosphere inside was unbelievable. I think people are just wrecked now after all the screaming”.
Sadbh added that she was going to “make a Kerry man" out of her Carlow boyfriend Fiach O’Byrne who was joining her in the celebrations.
Wearing a Kerry jersey, Fiach said: “Carlow doesn’t get to the final too often so the Carlow people will let me away with it for the day”.
Odhran O’Shea, Sadbh’s younger brother, was envious of his parents who he said were still inside because they had “the good tickets” at the Hogan stand.
“They’re still in there celebrating they didn’t give their tickets to the children” he joked.
"It was fantastic in there, we won in 2023, so we just came up to bring the trophy back."
Darragh O’Connor from Beaufort said Kerry “fought so hard and never let up.
"They totally deserved that, we are going to hit the town now”.
His friend Jack O’Connor “It was tough. We were in the heart of Donegal, we had to stand up for themselves.
“It was hard; some lads had to go home because it was too much for them.
"But it was electrifying when Mike Breen had the ball. He is a tantalising player. The whole place stopped to watch him when he had the ball”.
Michael O’Donohue, and his friends Adam O’Donoghue, Cian O’Connor, Ned O’Connor, and Katie Walshe travelled up from Castleisland for the game.
Katie Walshe said “We were all bawling, I was screaming and roaring at the same time.
"It was the most amazing thing ever, the cheering and going on was unbelievable. I will never forget it”.
Meanwhile Donegal supporters Mary Kate McCormack, Oscar Reid, Andrea Reid, Mia Fallon, Ollie Reid, Sharon Cahill, and Debbie McNulty had travelled from Ballybofey for the day.
Debbie said: “We are very disappointed, but we are proud of Donegal. We missed a lot and Kerry stepped up every time we tried to go at them. We are going home tonight.
“We will get them yet; we’ll wait in the long grass” she laughed.
Ollie Reid said: “We are very disappointed, but the best team won. We’ll be back.”
