Kerry stun Derry with two late goals to win thriller

Two quickfire goals, the first from Donal O'Sullivan, and then another from Paul Geaney - his second of the game after coming on as a substitute - won the game for the Kingdom. 

KINGDOM COME: Paul Geaney came on as a 53rd minute substitute and scored two goals for Kerry, including the winner. Pic: ©INPHO/Lorcan Doherty

AFL Division 1: Derry 1-24 (1-2-20) Kerry 5-15 (5-2-11)

Listen to this. Four goals in the last five minutes, Kerry four down with two minutes left only to win by three. What a finish to their first league fixture of 2025 and what a start for Gaelic football’s new rules.

A week after he bemoaned the influence of the goalkeeper in the new rules, Paddy Tally gave Eoin McNicholl his senior debut. The outfielder-turned-shot stopper could do nothing to stop Conor Geaney’s opening goal, created by the constantly lively Paudie Clifford.

That was one of five scores in the opening five minutes of a frantic half. Derry led 0-13 to 2-5 at the turnaround. Many heads in Celtic Park were spinning at that stage. Donnacha Gilmore’s final point came after he fisted an effort wide, only for referee Martin McNally to pull it back for an offensive mark. Not even Gilmore seemed to realise he had the advantage.

The midfield battle was awesome with Conor Glass and Anton Tohill completely ruling Shane Ryan’s kickout. Both of the former AFL players had an opportunity to show their immense fielding ability. He sought refuge in a short restart only for Shane McGuigan to pick it off and send the ball over. Brendan Rogers and Sean O’Shea engaged in a terrific dual, Rogers summoning a superb early two-pointer to counter two O’Shea frees.

68 nóim #DERvKER@Doiregaa 1-24 (27)@Kerry_Official 4-15 (27)

CÚL EILE! Botún déanta ag Doire agus cúl faighte ag Donal O'Sullivan 🤯

Kerry level the game with another goal!

BEO/LIVE AR @TG4TV 📺@AllianzIreland #AllianzLeagues #GAABEO pic.twitter.com/GuNgVSnhOC

— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) February 2, 2025

Kerry sought to kick to their inside line whenever possible. Killian Spillane found the going tough with Eoin McEvoy marking him, but Conor Geaney linked up expertly with his brother Dylan to finish a give-and-go with a second goal after 27 minutes. Kerry were three up at that stage only for the home outfit to fire three consecutive points, one a two-pointer by Lachlan Murray.

Glass and Paul Cassidy quickly pushed Derry further clear at the start of the second half. The margin could have been even more if not for a terrific Shane Ryan save to deny Glass a goal, with Damien Bourke alive to the rebound. Another block by the Na Gaeil man cut off Conor Doherty soon after.

Two-pointers brought Kerry back into the contest. The first from Dylan Geaney, the second a Sean O’Shea free after a three-up breach. O’Shea’s first from play on the hour mark made the margin two.

Donal O’Sullivan was introduced and delivered consecutive points to draw level. The game continued to lurch violently. Derry rattled off a quick 1-2 with the assist-machine Ethan Doherty sending McGuigan free for the goal. Paul Geaney fetched a short shot from O’Shea and hit Kerry’s third goal in response.

McGuigan kicked for home only for the Kingdom bench to produce a sucker punch. Paul Geaney set up Donal O’Sullivan for a goal in extra-time, from the kickout O’Sullivan returned the favour.

Scorers for Derry: S. McGuigan 1-4 (1 free); N. Toner 0-4 (2 free); B. Rogers 0-3 (1 tp); E. Doherty 0-3; D. Gilmore 0-2 (1 mark); B. McCarron 0-2 (1 tp); P Cassidy 0-2; C. Glass 0-2 (1 45); D. Baker, L. Murray 0-1 each.

Scorers for Kerry: C. Geaney 2-2; P. Geaney 2-0; D. O’Sullivan 1-2; S. O’Shea 0-5 (0-2, frees, 0-1 tp free); D. Geaney 0-2 (1 tp); B. O’Sullivan 0-2, D. O’Connor, S. O’Brien 0-1 each.

DERRY: N. McNicholl; D. Baker, E. McEvoy, M. Doherty; C. Doherty, B. Rogers, D. Gilmore; C. Glass, A. Tohill; C. Murphy, P. Cassidy, E. Doherty; N. Toner, S. McGuigan, B. McCarron.

Subs: L. Murray for Murphy (48); P. McGurk for McCarron (53); D. Higgins for Tohill (58);D. Cassidy for Gilmore (59); J. McDermott for Baker (60-63 temp).

KERRY: S. Ryan; D. Bourke, J. Foley, T. O’Sullivan; G. O’Sullivan, T. Morley, S. O’Brien; D. O’Connor, B. O’Sullivan; P. Clifford, S. O’Shea, R. Murphy; C. Geaney, K. Spillane, D. Geaney.

Subs: D. O’Sullivan for Murphy (46); K. Evans for Spillane (49); P. Geaney for C. Geaney (53); C Ó'Beaglaoich for O’Sullivan (57); E. Healy for O’Brien (67).

Referee: M. McNally (Monaghan).