When and where?
Sunday, July 24th. Throw-in is at 3.30pm. Turnstiles open at Croke Park at 1pm as Kerry and Galway look to win the Sam Maguire Cup.
Where can I watch?
TV coverage on RTÉ2 starts at 2pm. Sky Sports Arena will also show the game with their coverage starting at 2.30pm. You can also follow The Irish Times Sport liveblog that gets under way at 3pm. Available on desktop and our mobile app.
Path to the final
Kerry
Munster championship:
Cork 0-11 Kerry 0-23
Kerry 1-28 Limerick 0-08
All-Ireland quarter-final
Kerry 1-18 Mayo 0-13
All-Ireland semi-final
Dublin 1-13 Kerry 1-14
Kerry began their campaign with an easy win over old bitter rivals Cork before trouncing Limerick in a one-sided Munster final. Mayo provided more of a challenge for the Kingdom before they pulled away in the quarter-final at Croke Park before Kerry beat Dublin thanks to a last-minute wonder Seán O’Shea point in an epic.
Galway
Connacht championship
Mayo 0-16 Galway 1-14
Galway 4-20 Leitrim 0-09
Galway 2-19 Roscommon 2-16
All-Ireland quarter-final
Galway 2-21 Armagh 3-18 (Galway won 4-1 on penalties)
All-Ireland semi-final
Galway 2-08 Derry 1-06
Galway began their campaign with a tough assignment against Mayo in Castlebar, but edged out Mayo by a point, setting the tone for the season. The Tribesmen made short work of Leitrim before beating Roscommon in an entertaining Connacht final. Another fantastic encounter in the quarter-final against Armagh saw them emerge winners in a rare GAA penalty shoot-out. They then beat Ulster champions Derry to book their place in the final.
What are the bookies saying?
Kerry are clear favourites at 1/3. Galway are 10/3. The handicap betting is Kerry -4 points.
Teams
KERRY: Shane Ryan; Graham O’Sullivan, Jason Foley, Tom O’Sullivan; Brian Ó Beaglaíoch, Tadhg Morley, Gavin White; David Moran, Jack Barry; Diarmuid O’Connor, Seán O’Shea, Stephen O’Brien; Paudie Clifford, David Clifford, Paul Geaney.
[ Darragh Ó Sé's player-by-player guide to the Kerry teamOpens in new window ]
GALWAY: Connor Gleeson; Liam Silke, Seán Kelly, Jack Glynn; Dylan McHugh, John Daly, Kieran Molloy; Paul Conroy, Cillian McDaid; Patrick Kelly, Matthew Tierney, Johnny Heaney; Robert Finnerty, Damien Comer, Shane Walsh.
[ Kevin McStay’s player-by-player guide to the Galway team to face KerryOpens in new window ]
Key players
Kerry — David Clifford: The forward missed the Munster final through injury but has scored 1-12 in the championship in his three games, including an eye-catching four points from play against Dublin and a stunning goal against Mayo. Accurate off feet, strong, quick with a gifted ability to make room for a shot, can he be stopped? Michael Fitzsimons did a good job in the second half of the semi-final, Galway captain Seán Kelly will look to replicate but it is likely to face a tough job on Sunday.
Galway — Shane Walsh: The forward has scored 1-27 in the championship, his goal against Roscommon in the Connacht final a demonstration of his ability. A beautiful feint and shimmy and a powerful shot into the corner. Walsh scored 1-6 that day and has been Galway’s main threat throughout the championship. Comer, Finnerty and others add to a strong attack but it is Walsh that carries the heaviest load and if Kerry can stop him, it will make their task much easier.
[ Cool-hand Kelly the ideal on-pitch expression of Joyce’s leadership of GalwayOpens in new window ]
What have the coaches said
Galway’s Padraic Joyce: “I wanted Galway to win the All-Ireland and I still do — we haven’t won anything yet. We are on a journey this year that might help us get there, we are as close as we have ever been.”
Kerry’s Jack O’Connor: “Supporters see All-Ireland finals as occasions with razzmatazz and atmosphere whereas players have to divorce themselves most of the time from that, the whole county has come alive and it’s no different from Galway.”
[ Jack O’Connor and Kerry exactly where they want to beOpens in new window ]
What our writers say
Kevin McStay: Kerry are very good. But Galway are improving at a rate of knots. I feel that Kerry will shade it but Galway will force the All-Ireland final to a significant, critical moment late in the second half.
[ Kevin McStay: A resurgent Galway are never to be treated lightlyOpens in new window ]
Darragh Ó'Sé: I expect Kerry to tighten up on those few areas where they have scope for improvement. The reality is that even with some of their most experienced players underperforming and with their bench being underwhelming and with them coughing up the sort of goal they’ve made it their business all year not to cough up. Tidy all that up and it should be Kerry’s All-Ireland.
Ciarán Murphy: Your family is your family, wherever they are in the world, but football is the most potent, emotionally-charged thing linking me to my homeplace. The Galway footballers going on a run is the simplest, most enjoyable, most satisfying way to stay in touch with the people you grew up with. And the longer you spend away from your county, the more you cling to the links that remain.
[ Ciarán Murphy: Family is family, but Galway football is my closest link to homeOpens in new window ]
