As it happened: Donegal hammer Kerry at Croke Park
Conor O'Donnell of Donegal celebrates after scoring his side's first goal. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile
Donegal are Division One champions!
Another score for wing-back Armin Heinrich. Gap down to 13, and will stay like that.
Goal for Kerry. David Clifford calmly slots past Gavin Mulreaney. It'll mean little, however.
Couple of points traded. Finnbarr Roarty for Donegal. Tom O'Sullivan and Tomas Kennedy for Kerry.
Paul Geaney is on for Kerry, his first involvement of the year. The Dingle man wastes no time in getting stuck in. He's knocked over a two-pointer already.
Max Campbell and Ryan McHugh add to their personal tallies before Armin Heinrich finds a Kerry reply.
Michael Murphy's work is done for the day.
Two-point free converted by Murphy. Jason Foley has gone off injured it seems too. Tom Leo O'Sullivan in.
What a scutching this is for Kerry. Record books are being checked at this stage.
First Murphy, from a placed ball, and now Langan. Donegal lead now stands at 17.
Another goal. Wow. This is turning nasty for Kerry. Caolan McGonagle this time. He seemed to be going for a point but the ball dropped underneath Shane Murphy's crossbar. Fifteen-point gap.
Murphy intercepts, Murphy finds the net. Reminiscient of a goal Kerry conceded against Mayo in a league semi-final some time back. Kerry aren't at the races. There was talk from camp that they were smarting physically after the Armagh game. Seems to be the case.
A fourth goal in this campaign for Conor O'Donnell. Patiently worked by Donegal and Michael Langan did so well to create it.
Jim McGuinness is again spending most of his time outside his area between the 45m and 20m lines. Fourth official doesn't seem to mind an iota.
Donegal are pressing out more aggressively in defence and cheating off players to tuck in just behind them. Kerry clearly looking to go more direct in response. They tried two long kicks already and Tomas Kennedy is currently positioned on the edge of the square.
Bit more urgency from Kerry already. Dylan Geaney grabs a point and Keith Evans takes his tally to 1-1 after good play from Joe O'Connor.
Here's that Michael Murphy incident:
Yellow card 🤔 #GAA #Kerry #Donegal #GAABEO pic.twitter.com/jUZVDKaeCW
— Barry Jones ® (@getoffthehill) March 29, 2026
35,071 in Croke Park.
Half-time - Kerry 1-2 Donegal 0-13.
Decidedly flat half for Kerry. If Jack O'Connor's double pattern is to continue, they will have to step up three gears. The wind will do its bit but Kerry don't appear to be all that pushed.
Really nice score from Sean O'Shea. Tight angle but he manages to arrow it over.
First score in 20 minutes for Kerry. It would be fair to say they have been rattled.
Joe O'Connor goal chance save by Gavin Mulreaney.
Donegal beat a weak Kerry team 1-12 to 0-6 in 2013. This is as bad a scoring half for them since that difficult league campaign. JF
Tomás Kennedy is being prepped to come on. Kerry need something.
Conor O'Donnell and Max Campbell extend the Donegal lead. Big gap now.
Peadar Mogan gets in on the act. Eight Donegal points since Evans' goal. Kerry can't get their hands on Shane Murphy's restarts.
Kerry are getting Armagh'd on their own kickout.
Ryan McHugh adds two score for Donegal, one of which he will feel should've been a goal. Good Shane Murphy save.
Lovely Donegal move. Patience, then execution. Shane O'Donnell the provider for Max Campbell's score.
Murphy adds a two-pointer of his own.
Three two-pointers for Donegal in less than 18 minutes. They didn't score one in last year's All-Ireland final.
Michael Murphy was pretty fortunate there to receive a yellow. The closed hand on Dylan Casey came after the ball had gone.
The Michael Langan Show continues. He's landed another two.
Super Keith Evans goal. Keel man breaks the Donegal rearguard and finishes well with his left.
Brilliant from Langan. He adds to his opener with a very tidy two-pointer. Good work done by Conor O'Donnell in the build-up.
Michael Langan is the man to open the Donegal account.
Jim McGuinness comes right down the sideline to make his point to McColgan marking David Clifford.
Still no score for Donegal.
Croke Park is dead. The lack of atmosphere here is striking. Maurice Brosnan
David Clifford has clipped his, and Kerry's, first of the day.
Game on at Croker. No David Clifford duty for Brendan McCole as Caolan McColgan is given the job.
Just the 15 men in the Donegal parade for this final!
Here's Eoghan Cormican's Meath v Cork match report from Croke Park:
James Conlon made a wonderful contribution off the bench with four points. His black card foul at the death was done with a smile. A previous Central Competitions Control Committee warned before that the hooter would lend to negative football and conclusions to game. They were right.
Maurice Brosnan sends his thoughts from his vantage point at HQ: It has been a deeply embarrassing weekend for the hooter rule change. It was seemingly prompted by Kerry's keepball before David Clifford's two-pointer in last year's All-Ireland final but as Down showed last night, that issue remains. Furthermore, it actively rewards cynical fouling. Meath conceded a late black card and it didn't matter a damn. This issue was obvious after the opening round of the league.
We'll have plenty of reaction and analysis of that very entertaining curtain raiser over the coming hours, of course, but focus will soon switch to the 4pm meeting of Kerry and Donegal.
John Fogarty brings us team news: Two changes to Kerry - Tadhg Morley replaces Brian Ó Beaglaoich whose spot in the panel is taken by Joey Nagle. Seán O'Brien is also out of the panel and Liam Smith starts for him. O'Brien's place is taken by Tom O'Donnell. For Donegal, Finbarr Roarty is replaced by Max Campbell.
Tony Leen writes: "One self-evident fact from the weekend’s four Football League finals - the current ‘basketball-type’ clock to finish a game remains unsatisfactory simply because, gaelic football is not basketball and not susceptible to the same clock sensitive rhythms as hoops. Very unsatisfactory."
: Meath are Divison Two champions!
The Royals play down the clock, incur a late black card, but get the job done against Cork.
"Kick-out difficulty and the couple of Jones' misses came back to bite Cork but some positives even if their run of defeats in Croke Park has extended to eight games."
A huge moment.
After a long build up, ultimately Cork go for it but O'Driscoll is swallowed up and it's a free out to Meath.
A long passage of Cork possession as they try to work the score -- and the two pointer.
The Royals are struggling to hang on now but both sides are underperforming at their own restart.
Hang on! Just when you thought this Meath side were kicking for home, Brian Hurley has drilled the ball to the bottom corner of the net. Conlon had earlier pointed for the Royals. Two points in it.
John Fogarty writes: Cork have lost six of their last eight kick-outs. Sherlock is almost in double-digits, though. Another starring performance from The 'Barrs man in defeat?
That Sherlock point was badly needed.
The Royals are rampant now with Frayne nailing another and then Ciaran Caulfield.
"Cork's kickout is at 25% this half. Nightmare stuff," notes Maurice.
Rory Maguire is on. Maguires, Deane, Walsh, McDonnell. Cork are now as big around the middle third as any of Conor Counihan's sides.
Because of the wind, Patrick Doyle probably feels he has to kick long right where he now has Seán Walsh but everything is breaking Meath's way right now.
The Royals take the lead!
Conlon punches the air as he scores again. Cork had possession up the other end before Sean Fahy was blocked down well.
Mark Cronin trots off with Sean Walsh on. Will Paul Walsh go midfield?
Conlon adds another as I write. Some impact form him.
We're all square!
Cork try a short kick-out but, once more, it's too short. Frayne converts the free.
Conlon does now narrow the gap to one and they won't take this one awya form Meath.
John Cleary makes another Cork change as Ruairi Deane is on for Sean McDonnell.
Kevin O'Donovan from Nemo is on for Maurice Shanley, and it looks like a blood sub.
Cathal Hickey replaces Cian McBride for Meath.
Big moment as I type, as detailed by John in the Hogan Stand:
"Brendan Griffin cancels Meath's point as the two-point free attempt was considered an advantage. Seán Brennan puts it wide. Costly risk. What's the saying? A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush."
Eight points for Steven Sherlock. Meath waved the white flag on his marker Seamus Lavin. Ronan Ryan is now tagging him.
Kinsella tags one for the Royals and they haven't gone away you know.
Sherock adds his second of the second period - he's been the standout man of the afternoon.
Steven Sherlock can't be stopped and he stretches the Cork lead to two once more.
Meath make a switch with Ronan Ryan on for Seamus Lavin.
Good response from the Rebels as Mark Cronin curls over his first after a bit of a shake and bake to carve out the space for the shot.
"Brian Hurley introduced for Dara Sheedy. The Bantry Blues youngster started well and was busy but his effectiveness faded. A good school day for him."
Instinctive save there from Patrick Doyle to keep out Ciarán Caulfield. Then a rasper of a goal by Jack O'Connor from a Cork kick-out, won by Jack Flynn. Level game.
41 nóim @MeathGAA 1-13 @OfficialCorkGAA 1-13
— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) March 29, 2026
A leithéid de cúl faighte ag Jack O'Connor! Dochreidte ar fad!🔥
Meath hit back with a goal of their own!
BEO/LIVE AR @TG4TV 📺@AllianzIreland #AllianzLeagues #GAABeo pic.twitter.com/2Bhf4S2Hbb
It has been called once, but overall, the policing of steps today has been very generous.
Cork back it up with O'Callaghan kicking his second point of the afternoon.
Jack O'Connor carries on where he left off from the last time he kicked into Hill 16. And then Jones retaliates with a goal. Game on.
No changes to report and we're underway with the sun now shining brighly on Dublin's northside.
The teams are back on pitch with Cork first out ahead of this second period.
Big questions for both teams at half-time. Do Meath swap Lavin off Sherlock? Do Cork keep risking it with the short kickout to the corner? (They have to, Meath have monsters in the middle). Can Cork turn the screw on Brennan? They have won six of his kickouts for four shots, three points.
Six wides a piece and understandable on a blustery day. Meath have a variety of two-point exponents to take advantage in that pocket underneath the Cusack Stand in the second half.
"Unforced turnovers has cost us ".🗣️
— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) March 29, 2026
Smaointe Aaron Kernan agus Micheál Ó'Cróinín ag leath ama.
BEO/LIVE AR @TG4TV 📺@AllianzIreland #AllianzLeagues #GAABeo pic.twitter.com/BqiSCoz7Ma
A rushed shot just before the hooter makes it Cork 1/3 on two-point attempts. Meath are 3/6.
Jordan Morris with a really great score to keep Meath in touch.
32 nóim @MeathGAA 0-10 @OfficialCorkGAA 0-12
— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) March 29, 2026
Ní rud amháin ar a intinn ach scór a fháil!🙌
Jordan Morris keeping Meath in touch approaching half-time.
BEO/LIVE AR @TG4TV 📺@AllianzIreland #AllianzLeagues #GAABeo pic.twitter.com/doZ26nAEcF
Daniel O'Mahony with a huge turnover in the corner. His reward is a questionable free. Rafferty makes a huge hit to win it back. Nice to see a bit of physicality in Croke Park.
He didn't lick it off the ground, as amateur genealogist Eoghan Cormican confirmed this week.
"Another goal chance for Jones and he puts it wide. For all their dominance, in this new game of swings and roundabouts, Cork have to making them count."
Paul Walsh had edged the Rebels three in front with a point with his other foot.
Two blockbuster match-ups in front of the Hill here. Stephen Sherlock is torching Seamus Lavin. He has 0-6 scored already. All-Star Sean Rafferty going toe-to-toe with Chris Óg Jones. At the other end, Jordy Morris is being marked by Daniel O'Mahony.
The Royals get the scoreboard ticking over again with Aaron Lynch scoring from a very narrow angle.
"It's Meath's turn to lose their way on kick-outs. Cork won four in a row before a free broke the pattern. Sherlock is really enjoying himself with six points, five from play."
Steven Sherlock has the TG4 commentators purring once more with a beautiful effort. Ar fheabhas. This is a productive period for the Rebels.
Cork stretch their lead with a fisted point from Chris Óg Jones. This is entertaining fare so far.
The swirling breeze now appears to be coming from the Cusack Stand and Sherlock has boomed over a couple from that side, including the latest two-pointer. Brennan's kick-out into that area had back spin.
Cork take the lead as the Barrs man shows his class.
Sherlock adds another lovely score after good work from Maurice Shanley.
Steven Sherlock is right at home in Croke Park. Makes it look so easy. pic.twitter.com/6G3lJKl51Q
— Kieran McCarthy (@KieranMcC_SS) March 29, 2026
Royals keeper Sean Brennan converts a two-pointer.
Maurice Brosnan writes, from Croker:
The kick to the right corner is causing Cork a lot of trouble currently. They've gone there twice, both ended in Meath frees and the kicked them both for a 0-3 total. Cork are currently at 38% on their own kickout.
Morris edges the Royals ahead with a kick from a central position inside the D, on the run.
We're all square Kinsella misses a big attempt before Jones ties it up down the other end, despite massive pressure.
The overuse of the hand-pass was a narrative in last night's Division 3 and 4 games, but Dara Sheedy's looping transfers are really helping Cork change their point of attack. What a find he has been.
Goal chance!
Chris Óg Jones is played in with a lovely kick pass from Sean McDonnell but Jones pulls it wide with the goal at his mercy.
Jordan Morris splits the post from the 21m line with his left after Cork concede a free after a kick-out malfunction.
Steven Sherlock opens his account with a point.
John Fogarty checks in from Croke Park: That's 3-20 from play in the league now for Chris Óg Jones. Not as heralded as other forwards but his stats don't lie. O'Callaghan follows up with a point and Cork are within one.
The Royals kick two two-pointers on the bounce in reply - Ruairi Kinsella nailing both impressively from similar positions.
: First blood to the Rebels as Paul Walsh kicks the opening score. Good work from Ian Maguire to set it up.
We're up and running. Cork are playing into the Hill.
The teams will line out as selected we're told.
: Patrick Doyle; Maurice Shanley, Daniel O'Mahony, Seán Meehan, Brian O'Driscoll, Tommy Walsh, Luke Fahy, Colm O'Callaghan, Ian Maguire, Paul Walsh, Mark Cronin, Seán McDonnell, Chris Óg Jones, Dara Sheedy, Steven Sherlock.
: Seán Ó Braonáin; Seamus Ó Lamhain, Seán Ó Raifeartaigh, Brían Ó hAllúrain, Dónall Mac Eochagáin, Seán Ó Cofaigh, Ciarán Mac Cathmhaoil, Brían Ó MaintainDomhnach Mór/Cill Dhéagláin, Seac Ó Floinn, Seán Ó Conchobhair, Ruairí Ó Cinnsealaigh, Cian Mac Giolla Bhríde, Jordan Ó Muiris, Eoghan De Fréin,Árón Ó Loingsigh.
We're almost reay to go at HQ and it looks a good day for football.
Some pre-game reading?
Éamonn Fitzmaurice knows a thing or two about preparing a Kerry side to take on Denegal.
He previews that top-division decider plus the curtain raiser.
"The fact that Croke Park is now a home venue for [Meath] is good for their long term prospects, but it also gives them an edge against Cork in Sunday's Division 2 final, it being their fourth game there already in 2026.
"With all that said Cork will equally fancy their chances. They won the regulation game in Páirc Uí Rinn. There is never much between the sides. Looking back over the games in league and championship over the last five seasons there has been only once when more than four points separated the sides, the 2022 league game which Meath won by eight."
Cork v Meath - The Sweetest Thing
— GAA BEO (@GAA_BEO) March 29, 2026
Tugann sean-naimhde @OfficialCorkGAA v @MeathGAA aghaidh ar a chéile @ 13:45 Dé Domhnaigh
GAA BEO nó Dornálaíocht BEO?? Cad a bheidh againn? 🏐 🥊
BEO ar @TG4TV ó 13:15 📺 pic.twitter.com/PE16wEyzJ8
An energy crisis, inflation fears, Rick Astley headlining the 3 Arena... and Cork and Meath in a national final.
Pass my shell suit.
Two old rivals of Gaelic football are reunited with silverware on the line - think that intense duopoly in the late '80s and early '90s -- as well as a Double-denying All-Ireland final in '99 -- will meet again in the first game of an intriguing double header this afternoon.
We'll go kick-by-kick for the Royals and the Rebels from 1.45pm before Kerry v Donegal in a mouth-watering Division 1 decider at 4pm.
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