Donegal stroll to league final victory over subpar Kerry

Donegal landed a significant psychological blow with their second ever Division 1 title.

Donegal's Conor O'Donnell shoots to score his side's first goal of the match. Pic:  ©INPHO/Tom Maher

Allianz FL Division 1 final: Donegal 3-20 (3-4-12) Kerry 2-10 (2-1-8) 

A second-ever Division 1 title was won with aplomb by a Donegal team who made light work of an abject Kerry display.

Nothing will make up for losing last year’s All-Ireland final but they landed a significant psychological blow on Kerry here in Croke Park.

All five of Jack O’Connor’s All-Irelands have been preceded by Division 1 titles but he and Kerry will have to break that habit following this insipid showing in front of a 35,071 crowd.

There had been reports from the Kerry camp that last Sunday’s draw with Armagh had taken a lot of the players physically. Still, this was one meek performance aside from the personal efforts of a couple of players.

Donegal were purposeful throughout and three second-half goals in as many minutes, between the 43rd and 45th minutes, nailed Kerry’s coffin.

Conor O’Donnell blasted his fourth goal of the campaign when he benefitted from lovely work by Michael Langan and a patient Donegal build-up.

Michael Murphy intercepted Mark O’Shea's pass and his finish to Shane Murphy’s bottom corner was perfect. The pièce de resistance was Caolan McGonagle’s lob on Murphy for the third goal to propel Donegal 15 points clear.

Kerry's Shane Murphy reacts after Michael Murphy of Donegal shoots to score his side's second goal of the match. Pic: ©INPHO/Tom Maher

And the hits came on coming for Kerry, another six points including a two-point free by Murphy before Armin Heinrich eventually stopped Donegal’s 3-6 blitz.

A David Clifford goal in the 65th minute combined with some other consolation scores meant Kerry saved a blush or two and the 15-point loss to Meath in the 2001 All-Ireland semi-final remained their biggest Croke Park defeat. But their cheeks should be scarlet after this no-show.

So lax were Kerry from the middle of the half that their collapse didn’t come as much of a surprise. They trailed 0-13 to 1-2 at the break and the breeze in Donegal’s favour wasn’t enough of a mitigating factor to believe they would recover.

Before they disappeared in the second quarter, Kerry had turned up in the first. Peadar Mogan had to be sharp to clear off the line less than two minutes in after a David Clifford shot dropped short.

Clifford sent over a fifth minute point and after three points from Michael Langan with two kicks they found the net in the 13th minute.

Keith Evans ghosted in off the wing to take a pass from Joe O’Connor, breaking Peadar Mogan’s tackle attempt and beating Gavin Mulreany to put Kerry one up.

It was another 20 minutes before Kerry managed their third and final score of the half as Donegal made mincemeat of Shane Murphy’s kick-out.

Similar to last year’s All-Ireland quarter-final albeit with Kerry on the receiving end, Kerry players struggled to gather Murphy’s restarts. The wind played havoc but not enough to excuse the poor retention.

Murphy’s namesake Michael was instrumental in foiling his long kicks to the right although the former Donegal captain was fortunate to remain on the field after landing closed fists on Dylan Casey. As Casey received treatment in the 16th minute, Murphy was booked.

The scoreline read one point in Donegal’s favour at that point, 0-5 to 1-1. Twelve minutes later and the margin had ballooned to nine.

Ryan McHugh sent over a couple of points as did Max Campbell, a late replacement for Finnbarr Roarty. McHugh’s second in the 23rd minute was a goal attempt that Murphy was able to deflect over for a point.

Joe O’Connor had a sniff of a goal on the half-hour mark that was kept out by Mulreany but Kerry were otherwise snatching at things. Two minutes from the interval, Seán O’Shea ended that 20-minute spell without a score. Tomás Kennedy was on for Liam Smith who could hardly have imagined a quieter half. Kerry needed inspiration. It never came.

Scorers for Donegal: M. Murphy (1-5, 2 tpfs, 1 45); M. Langan (0-6, 2 tp); C. O’Donnell (1-1); C. McGonagle (1-0); M. Campbell, M. McHugh (0-3 each); P. Mogan, F. Roarty (0-1 each).

Scorers for Kerry: K. Evans, D. Clifford (1-1 each); P. Geaney (0-2, 1 tp); A. Heinrich (0-2); S. O’Shea, D. Geaney, T. O’Sullivan, T. Kennedy (0-1 each).

DONEGAL: G. Mulreany; E. Gallagher, B. McCole, C. McColgan; P. Mogan, C. McGonagle, M. Campbell; J. McGee, H. McFadden; S. O’Donnell, M. Langan (c), R. McHugh; S. Malone, M. Murphy, C. O’Donnell.

Subs for Donegal: F. Roarty for M. Murphy (56); S. McMenamin for S. Malone (60); S. Martin for M. Campbell (63); E. McHugh for R. McHugh (64).

KERRY: S. Murphy; D. Casey, T. Morley, J. Foley; A. Heinrich, M. Breen, T. O’Sullivan; M. O’Shea, L. Smith; G. O’Sullivan, S. O’Shea (c), J. O’Connor; D. Clifford, D. Geaney, K. Evans.

Subs for Kerry: T. Kennedy for L. Smith (32); M. Burns for G. O’Sullivan (46); T.L. O’Sullivan for J. Foley (inj 53); P. Geaney for D. Geaney (56); C. Trant for K. Evans (60).

Referee: D. Gough (Meath).