Kernan: Donaghy’s Armagh time was stepping stone to Kerry role

Aaron Kernan said that Armagh's players will "definitely miss" Kieran Donaghy. 

Aaron Kernan believes Donegal will be Kerry in the All-Ireland SFC final. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

Aaron Kernan reckons Kieran Donaghy's five years with Armagh were all part of a long-term journey towards a major management role with Kerry.

Donaghy stepped down from his position as coach and selector in Armagh last week, leaving boss Kieran McGeeney with a significant hole to fill.

Former Armagh defender Kernan said that the Kerry legend was a big part of the county's All-Ireland win in 2024, pointing to the special bond he helped create with his energy and enthusiasm alone.

Four-time All-Ireland winner Donaghy, a towering midfielder and full-forward for Kerry, previously worked as a performance coach with the Galway hurlers and with IT Tralee's Sigerson Cup team too.

Asked if Donaghy is a likely future Kerry manager, Kernan nodded.

"Yeah, absolutely," said Kernan, who was speaking exclusively to BOYLESports as a Gaelic Games ambassador ahead of the All-Ireland SFC final.

"Whether that is as a manager or a head coach or someone who is heavily involved within Kerry.

"As much as we're grateful for everything he gave to Armagh football, you would have to imagine that that was all really a learning experience for him in terms of trying to take something back to Kerry, whether that's maybe doing a stint with Austin Stacks and then obviously you would have to imagine ultimately it would be with a view to getting involved in Kerry football and management.

"So I think it started out maybe as a learning experience for him and then something that he just went full out and became completely ingrained in.

"But yeah, you would have to imagine that somewhere down the line, the experiences and the learnings that he would have had over the past few years will go a long way to shaping him as a head coach or a manager somewhere in Kerry in the near future."

Crossmaglen man Kernan, son of 2002 All-Ireland winning boss Joe, said that Donaghy was a huge personality in the Armagh backroom.

"As an Armagh person, you couldn't but say fair play to him for being so committed," said Kernan, a coach with Sligo this year. "He has a young family, is busy with work, so to stick at something like that for five years given the travel that was involved was incredible.

"His personality was huge. If you exclude what he could bring in terms of coaching insights, his personality was infectious enough on its own to have around the group because he brings so much energy and he instils so much confidence in those around him through his personality, through his own nature.

"I think that's going to be a huge loss within the group because when you have someone like that who has been there and one it as a player, if he's telling you that you're going well, if he's telling you you're flying fit or your form's great, you tend to believe it when it comes from someone who has played in the biggest days and achieved everything there was to achieve.

"So it's not a shock that he's gone because giving five years as he did was incredible. But I would say the biggest thing would be the camaraderie, the energy and the positivity that he brings around the group. The players will definitely miss him."

Kernan reckons that Donegal will beat Donaghy's native Kerry in Sunday's final, 'by one or two', pointing to the Ulster champions' defensive ability firstly, but also their counter-attacking excellence when they win back the ball.

He is disappointed that it will be the last game under the current Championship format though with the decision taken to switch to the current Sigerson Cup format for 2026.

"As the season is closing, to me, I would have liked to see the new rules get a couple of years in the current format," said Kernan. "The new rules have been unbelievably positive, they've absolutely changed the landscape.

"But just the way the season has went, and the amount of quality games that we've seen all across the board, it's just a pity that they are changing now. I'm not sure if the avenue is there to revert it back, or to vote to leave it as it is, but from my own personal point of view, I would like to see it stay for another year, maybe two years, where it gives you a proper trial period to see are the new rules benefiting long-term.

"They certainly look like they are at the moment but I'd like to see them in the current format rather than everything being completely changed again next year."