Kerry are champions again

Kerry captain Declan O’Sullivan with the Sam Maguire Cup

17 September 2006

Kerry claimed their 34th All-Ireland SFC by virtue of a comprehensive 4-15 to 3-5 defeat of Mayo in a one-sided final at Croke Park.

The Kingdom delivered a typically ruthless display, with big performances all over the field, while Mayo must be desperately disappointed with a very poor collective effort.

The Connacht champions completely misfired in the biggest match of the year and were a pale shadow of the side that dispatched Dublin in such style last month. Indeed, the losers managed just three points – all from Conor Mortimer frees – in the second half as Jack O’Connor’s men tore them to pitiful shreds.

The match had an astounding start, with an unbelievable tally of six goals scored in the first half. It was all-out attack from both teams, with no defence in evidence at either end.

The aristocrats led by a whopping twelve points at one stage, with goals from Declan O’Sullivan, Kieran Donaghy and Colin Cooper, but somehow Mayo managed to get back into the game and gave themselves hope with three-pointers by Kevin O’Neill (2) and midfielder Pat Harte.

Kerry started best with points from Mike Frank Russell in the first and sixth minutes and captain Declan O’Sullivan added a goal in the seventh minute. O’Sullivan swapped passes with giant full forward Donaghy and fired the ball to an empty net.

Incredibly, Donaghy added a second Kingdom goal almost immediately. He rose above David Heaney in trademark fashion and plucked the ball from the heavens before sending an unstoppable rocket past the exposed David Clarke to the roof of the net.

Mayo could have had a goal of their own earlier when Mortimer cleverly worked a quick free to O’Neill but the Na Fianna man’s soccer-style shot struck Diarmuid Murphy’s leg.

O’Sullivan added a third Kerry point and the beaten Munster finalists led by 2-3 to no score after ten minutes. James Nallen – injured in the build-up to the second three-pointer – had to make way for David Brady and Aidan O’Mahony cut inside his man to stretch the Kerry advantage.

A dream opening sequence for Jack O’Connor’s men; a nightmare start for Mayo.

Mayo finally opened their account in the 16th minute – and what a score! Aidan Higgins worked his way forward into the attack and picked out O’Neill, who this time made no mistake, placing a majestic shot to the top corner of the net for a timely goal. But Kerry still led by seven points- 2-4 to 1-0.

Paul Galvin swivelled to extend the differential and, with the Mayo defence all over the place, Colin Cooper soon added a third goal: the Gooch found himself free in front of goal and Clarke diverted his initial shot onto a post. But the Kerry No.13 effortlessly latched onto the rebound and stepped past Keith Higgins before tipping a low shot to the bottom of the net.

Billy Joe Padden contributed Mayo’s second score and Donaghy added a point before Seamus Moynihan stole forward to get his name on the scoresheet. Ciaran McDonald got a point from a free and, sensationally, Mayo bagged two goals inside a minute just before the end of first-half normal time.

Pat Harte and O’Neill got the majors as Mickey Moran’s men closed the gap to five points. Harte demonstrated some sublime soccer skills to create the chance for himself after a neat one-two with O’Neill and the No.15 then grabbed his second goal when he took possession after McDonald’s high shot came back off a post at the Hill end.

Kerry closed the first-half scoring with a late Sean O’Sullivan point and the half-time whistle sounded with the Kingdom ahead by six points, 3-9 to 3-3.

There was an ominous air about the second half as Kerry coasted to the winning line.

Cooper resumed the scoring three minutes after the turnaround and McDonald missed a ’45’, much to the frustration of the massive Mayo support crammed into Headquarters.

Aidan Higgins floored Cooper with a very cynical frontal challenge in front of the Mayo goal but Kerry lost the free when Donaghy retaliated by clattering David Brady. It was a let-off for the Connacht champions but they still trailed by seven points with ten minutes played in the second period.

McDonald drove a 45-metre free wide from his hands and substitute Eoin Brosnan stretched the Kerry lead with a sumptuous strike from play before the out-of-sorts McDonald hit his third wide of the second half.

Gooch gave Higgins the slip twice in one graceful movement and then sent over his second point off his left boot.

Mortimer converted a free but his marker O’Mahony cancelled that score out immediately with his second point from open play.

Kerry substitute Brian Sheehan nonchalantly converted a free within seconds of entering the action and the Kingdom were in total command, 3-13 to 3-3, with seven minutes remaining.

The game was over as a contest long before Mortimer knocked over a late free and winning captain O’Sullivan nailed his second point three minutes from the end.

Donaghy kicked a huge point from play via an upright to put eleven points between the teams and Brosnan added a fourth Kerry goal in the second of four added minutes, chipping the ball skilfully over the prostrate Clarke at the second attempt.

There were 13 points between the teams when the final whistle sounded. It could have been a lot worse for Mayo, who endured an All-Ireland final nightmare at Croke Park.

As for Kerry, a year that started so tentatively has ended in a dream league and championship double.

Kerry: D Murphy; M O Se, M McCarthy, T O’Sullivan; T O Se, S Moynihan (0-1), A O’Mahony (0-2); D O Se, T Griffin; S O’Sullivan (0-1), Declan O’Sullivan (1-2), P Galvin (0-1); C Cooper (1-2), K Donaghy (1-1), MF Russell (0-2). Subs: E Brosnan (1-1), Darren O’Sullivan, B Sheehan (0-1), E Fitzmaurice, B Guiney

Mayo (SF v Kerry): D Clarke; D Geraghty, D Heaney, K Higgins; A Higgins, J Nallen, P Gardiner; R McGarrity, P Harte (1-0); BJ Padden (0-1), G Brady, A Dillon; K O’Neill (2-0), C Mortimer (0-3), C McDonald (0-1). Subs: D Brady, B Moran, T Mortimer, A Kilcoyne, A Moran