That has to be the worst Kerry team to have ever won an all Ireland. Where was the so called master tactics from Jim mcguinnes? disappointed that the best team of 2014 will be named Kerry when history looks back but I firmly believe we could have beaten them by at least 10 points today.
Comghairdeas to the Kerry posters enjoy the night

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 21/09/2014 17:13:05    1654510

Terrible match but Brolly's got it right, it's all about 'the system' these days and Kerry out-Donegaled Donegal. Thought Christy Toye was the best player on the field today. Definitely not a day for the purist though.

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4700 - 21/09/2014 17:15:18    1654511

Game2Halves
County: Tyrone
Posts: 185

1654506
Congrats to Kerry, a well deserved victory. It is unfortunate Kerry had to resort to Donegal style tactics but it was the only way to defeat Mcguinness and co. I think Donegal has been found out, Armagh gave indication of how to play Donegal, Dublin gave indication how not to play Donegal. Kerry with better footballers mirrored Donegal and as a result they are All Ireland Champs. I dont think we will see Donegal lifing Sam for a very long time


They have more chance than we do you've an axe to grind with Donegal for some reason but take a seat and listen they are waaaay ahead of our boys.

duke_raul (Tyrone) - Posts: 993 - 21/09/2014 17:16:17    1654513

Hopefully this will put to bed the myth that McGuinness (or any other manager for that matter) is a tactical genius - that word is bandied about too often and too easily - to the victor the spoils.
Kerry had to play ugly against an ugly team to win and they did just that. Durkan was obviously rattled and was abysmal with his kickouts. Hard to watch but Kerry won't care - Congrats to the Kingdom and commiserations to Donegal and their fans but hopefully that will see the end of their 'system', unlikely though as Kerry look to have adopted it somewhat but with far better footballers.

Anyway, roll on next year.

dubdec99 (Dublin) - Posts: 180 - 21/09/2014 17:22:34    1654522

Don't agree with the whole system malarky
If Dublin had of taken their goal chances they would have beaten Donegal the same way they beat Monaghan, system or no system as I said that day it was no great tactics that won that game simple maths. The same thing today Kerry took their goals which won the game . Albeit the winning goal was the greatest gift in history no system in the world has that planned out

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 21/09/2014 17:27:23    1654527

The great Jimmy outfoxed by fitzmaurice who saw that coming!Murphy is disgracefully wasted in dat "system"

Piratehooker (Leitrim) - Posts: 197 - 21/09/2014 17:29:15    1654529

Kerry can never win, first we were soft, we cant close out a close game, 2014 may make up for 2011, swings and roundabouts, people have short memories. Well done Kerry and hard luck to Donegal.

kerryrowz (Kerry) - Posts: 833 - 21/09/2014 17:34:35    1654537

No complaints, Finals are for winning and Kerry won. And deservingly so I might add. They had a wee bit more composure and as a result got over the line. No all Ireland is won handy and that point was proved again today. Kerry deserve credit for adapting to donegal's approach, ugly but effective. I'm as proud of donegal now as I was before the game started. They owe us nothing and deserve a good rest and time to themselves. Hopefully donegal regroup and give it a lash again next year. When the dust settles we'll consider this year a good one. Promotion back to division 1. An ulster tittle and nearly the top prize. Shows how far we've come since that dark day in crossmaglen in 2010.

Bain (Donegal) - Posts: 470 - 21/09/2014 17:41:37    1654549

Kerry are back, well done to them, hard luck to Donegal. Poor game, but finals seem to be like that, semis are better known for their drama, roll on 2015, look forward to taking Sam back off the Kerry lads :D

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8596 - 21/09/2014 17:41:39    1654550

Congrats Kerry. I believe ye won what passes nowadays for the "Football" All Ireland. 15 mins max of that ráiméis was about all I could endure.

Maroonatic (Galway) - Posts: 1060 - 21/09/2014 17:54:36    1654558

Abysmal final. Congratulations to Kerry, but to call their style puke football would be an insult to puke football.

Gabriel. (Down) - Posts: 412 - 21/09/2014 17:54:59    1654560

Donaghy was man of match. Did exactly same against Cork in 2007 All Ireland Final. Very alert in front of goal. He gives Kerry a lot of options in attack, where they are never frustrated by the blanket defence.Also, he scored some nice points.

Rockies (Cork) - Posts: 947 - 21/09/2014 18:06:06    1654566

I Love to have the World back to Normality again! The Sam back where it belongs. Back to the Home of Football. Back to where Football started and where football will finish, Well done Kerry. Great to see the PROPER Champions being Champions as GOD Intended. Great day for the Whole Country. Now when KK will win McARTHY The whole PLANET will be back to Normality and the Way God Intended. BLESS Kerry and KK.

SAMMYTHEBULL (Galway) - Posts: 1646 - 21/09/2014 18:14:57    1654577

Congratulations to Kerry. I've so many ifs and buts coming away from that game but in all fairness we never deserved to win the game. Fair play to Fitzmaurice he couldn't have got his tactics more spot on. Really feel for Durcan after that. He had a shocker. We all.know he is better than that, and it will take him a long time to get over that kick out. Thought toye was the only man that performed for us today. Again, fair play to Kerry, thoroughly deserved.

HandballRef (Donegal) - Posts: 520 - 21/09/2014 18:16:01    1654578

Comhgairdeachas ciarrai, especially donaghy, need a shower with brillo pads to wash away the horror of that drivel. Thank God there's a real match on next week

flack (Dublin) - Posts: 1054 - 21/09/2014 18:16:29    1654580

Poor final in what has been a poor year for football. Very little between the sides it was going to take some special or a bad error to separate the sides unfortunately the latter happened and would have to feel sorry for Durcan who was probably going to win All-star before todays display. Well done to kerry though to win in transition without cooper etc is a fine achievement but surely the overall quality has to improve next year?

Gaa_lover (USA) - Posts: 3353 - 21/09/2014 18:27:52    1654594

The day donegal got out donegaled and I loved every minute of it!
No plan b to puke football.

OhtobeARossie (Roscommon) - Posts: 1764 - 21/09/2014 18:43:30    1654616

Hard luck Donegal.
They were within the width of a post of earning a replay.

Has to be said though that Kerry were the better team and deserved their victory.

Brutal game to watch and not a great final at all, but I suppose it is all about winning now at whatever means possible.

Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 3733 - 21/09/2014 18:50:19    1654632

Gutted for Donegal, but massive congratulations to the Kerry team and management. They got tactics spot on and probably swayed from the traditional Kerry football values to get over the line. I think they learnt from past final defeats and used a system which firstly allowed them to cope with the modern day game and then use that bit of Kerry class to get the job done fair play to them.

sam1884 (UK) - Posts: 999 - 21/09/2014 18:55:59    1654641

Kerry were hungry for this AI Final. Some of their veterans retired. Gooch was out for the year. Some newer players yet to experience the long road to the Final. They had to play a combined 160+ minutes to get past a very good Mayo team. Kerry were hungry and wanted to prove to themselves (than to others) that they are Champions. They had tremendous drive.

It is small consolation, but Christy Toye is a superb footballer and nearly changed the momentum of the match for Donegal.

mikeyjoe (USA) - Posts: 415 - 21/09/2014 18:59:12    1654644