FIXTURES
Munster SFC final: Kerry 4-20 (4-3-15) Clare 0-21 (0-2-16)
Connacht SFC final: Galway 1-17 (1-3-11) Mayo 1-15 (1-2-11)
For any Kerry fans out there, here is Ian O’Riordan’s match report from Killarney. For Clare fans, maybe look away now ...
[ Kerry's first-half goal blitz enough to see off ClareOpens in new window ]
Gordon Manning has smoke coming out of the laptop after all that...
“Galway held off Mayo’s second-half comeback to claim a fourth consecutive Connacht title for the first time since the 1960s. But, as ever, Mayo will have regrets.
“It was there for them but the home side just couldn’t nudge in front during a second half in which they wiped out a half-time deficit of eight points in just 18 minutes. They never managed to get in front – and Connor Gleeson’s ability to leap and get his hand on Ryan O’Donoghue’s 53rd minute two-pointer was a massive moment in this contest. The Galway goalkeeper got his fingertips to the ball as it drifted over the crossbar – that touch reducing the score to a single point rather than two. It brought Mayo level but crucially denied them the oxygen of going in front.
“Mayo hit three wides in the moments later. Matthew Tierney made some great fetches in the middle of the field for Galway in the closing stages and the black card to Mayo defender Rory Brickenden left the home side at a numerical disadvantage coming down the straight. Dylan McHugh made an incredible extra-time-denying diving block in the closing seconds to prevent a Mayo equaliser.
“Where Kevin McStay’s men might believe they came up short, Galway will feel they showed the steel and resilience of champions. A missed opportunity for Mayo but ultimately it’s a record 51st Connacht title for Galway.”
So much for people thinking twice about trying to win the Connacht final. That was a monumental game of football. Galway’s reward is to bring Dublin to Salthill in a fortnight. Mayo will be at home to Cavan.
Full game highlights. Hell of a day in Castlebar.
The game swung on two goalkeeping moments. Colm Reape’s kick-out that got Rory Brickenden black-carded killed Mayo’s momentum. And then, late on, Connor Gleeson’s save from Enda Hession kept Galway’s noses in front. Huge moments.
What a result for Galway. Mayo had pretty much wiped out their eight-point lead inside the opening 10 minutes of the second half. But they hung in there and kept Mayo at arms’ length, never actually going behind. Brilliant from Joyce’s team.
FULL-TIME: Galway win! Mayo needed to score a two-pointer after the hooter went. It fell to Mattie Ruane to try it and he skewed it wide on the right! Galway 1-17 Mayo 1-15
68 mins: Fantastic score from Galway! Brilliant block-down at one end, gorgeous finish at the other by Liam Ó Conghaile. Galway 1-17 Mayo 1-15
67 mins: WHAT A SAVE! Connor Gleeson dives to his left to deny Enda Hession. Mayo have a 45 - Colm Reape has to score this. And he does! Galway 1-16 Mayo 1-15.
65 mins: Oh, that’s a very harsh free on Galway. But Ryan O’DOnoghue leaves the free short! Mayo’s body language is so poor now. They just need to settle and take their chances. But Galway are seeing this out professionally.
64 mins: Paul Conroy kicks Galway two clear! Galway have an extra man at all times now and it makes such a difference. The life has gone out of Mayo just for a bit. But they have the wind, remember. Galway 1-16 Mayo 1-14
62 mins: Black card for Mayo! Rory Brickenden pays for a terrible kick-out from Colm Reape, leaving it short inside the arc. It was intercepted and Brickenden dragged his man down. Finnerty kicks the free, Galway will have an extra man for the rest of the game. Galway 1-15 Mayo 1-14
60 mins: O’Donoghue levels it again after Jack Glynn touches the ball on the ground. Mayo 1-14 Galway 1-14
57 mins: Phenomenal resistance from Cillian McDaid. That’s a towering score on the run, showing the accuracy that Mayo have been missing. Galway 1-14 Mayo 1-13
Mayo are rushing their shots. That’s three wides in a row, two from sub Paul Towey. If they keep their heads, they’ll win this. Galway hanging on by a fingernail.
53 mins: We’re level! Ryan O’Donoghue kicks a monster free that looks like it should be a two-pointer but Gleeson gets a fingertip to it as it crosses the bar and that reduces it to one. Replays suggest the ball had already crossed the bar but we go on regardless. Mayo have all the momentum now. Mayo 1-13 Galway 1-13
50 mins: Davitt Neary pulls it back to one. It was a goal chance but it was blazed over. Galway 1-13 Mayo 1-12
45 mins: This is a cracking game now. Mayo turn Rob Finnerty over in their own full-back line and break forward with kick passes, ending up with Darren McHale splitting the posts to bring it back to one. But Cillian McDaid puts in a heroic run to lift the siege for Galway and he’s eventually fouled in front of the posts. Finnerty polishes it off and the gap is two again. Galway 1-13 Mayo 1-11
43 mins: Connor Gleeson’s kick-outs are under huge pressure now and this one has ended up with a tap-over free from O’Donoghue. And though he gets the next one away, O’Donoghue robs Sean Mulkerrin and sprints forward to fist a point from the endline. Two in it now. Galway 1-12 Mayo 1-10
39 mins: Another two-pointer for Mayo, this time from Mattie Ruane. O’Donoghue kicked a free and then they monstered the Galway kick-out, culminating in Ruane hooking a lovely score. Four in it now. Galway 1-12 Mayo 1-8
37 mins: Matthew Tierney replies for Galway after a brilliant back-door cut. Galway 1-12 Mayo 1-5
36 mins: Just like that, in fact. Ryan O’Donoghue immediately cuts the gap with a two-pointer. The Galway players are saying it took a touch from a defender but the orange flag goes up and the gap is down to two. Galway 1-11 Mayo 1-5
Almost ready to go again in Castlebar. If Mayo are going to win this, their shooting has to improve enormously. Aidan O’Shea, Jordan Flynn and Davitt Neary all made bad shooting errors in that first half. The wind is all well and good but they need to find their radar.
From Gordon Manning in Castlebar...
“Galway lead at the interval but is the advantage with Mayo? The main question being debated all around MacHale Park right now is one that is fast becoming the phrase of this year’s All-Ireland senior football championship: ‘What do you think that wind is worth?’
“While Colm Reape’s kickouts hung in the air, Connor Gleeson was able to drive his well into opposition territory. Mayo started the game well and Darren McHale’s seventh minute goal gave the home side a 1-2 to 0-2 lead. However, it would be the 34th minute before they added to that tally.
“Galway’s first three scores of the game were a trio of booming two-pointers by Paul Conroy. Matthew Tierney tucked away a 27th minute penalty for Galway though Mayo could justifiably feel it was a soft spot-kick to be given against them.
“Worryingly for Galway, at the half-time whistle John Maher appeared to indicate to the line that he was injured and he limped gingerly off the pitch at the break.
“So, Galway lead by eight but is that a 10-11-12 point wind they face in the second half? And if it is, do Mayo have the forwards to take advantage of that breeze? We’ll find out soon enough.”
Half-time highlights.
Half-time: Galway 1-11 Mayo 1-3. Rob Finnerty finishes the half with an easy free from the right-hand side. Eight points up at the break. Both sides will tell themselves the’ve done okay.
34 mins: Well worked score for Darren McHale. Mayo will be happy enough if they get to half-time just seven behind. They’ve had chances to make it less than that, all the same. Galway 1-10 Mayo 1-3
That peno...
30 mins: Big save for Mayo. Colm Reape gets his hand to a Thmpson shot to put it out for a 45. Mayo need more from their headline acts here - Aidan O’Shea and Ryan O’Donoghue have both made needless mistakes that resulted in turnovers.
28 mins: PENALTY FOR GALWAY! That’s soft enough - given against Mattie Ruane for a pull on Johnny McGrath’s arm. Matthew Tierney couldn’t care less - he buries the spot kick. That’s an eight-point lead and Galway are rampant now. Galway 1-10 Mayo 1-2
26 mins: Mayo haven’t scored since the McHale goal and they cough up possession again as Neary takes the ballinto contact and overcarries. Galway break froward and Sean Kelly kicks a point. They murder the kick-out against and Rob Finnerty does the needful. Galway well on top now. Mayo 1-2 Galway 0-10
23 mins: Galway getting much more joy from the Mayo kick-out now. Cian Darcy won that one and sent Cillian McDaid away. Easy score. Mayo 1-2 Galway 0-8
21 mins: Matthew Thompson kicks Galway’s first one-pointer of the day. Mayo 1-2 Galway 0-7
19 mins: Conroy is doing this on his own, pretty much. That’s another two-pointer, again from beyond the 45. Off his left this time. Mayo 1-2 Galway 0-6
17 mins: A two-point free from Paul Conroy, which was badly needed. Pádraic Joyce’s side look a bit short on ideas so far, as if they’re waiting for the wind to do the work for them. Mayo 1-2 Galway 0-4
Here’s the Mayo goal.
14 mins: Mayo will be delighted with the opening to this game. They’ve kept possession for long stretches and pinned Galway back. No score from either side for seven minutes here.
7 mins: Huge GOAL for Mayo! Davitt Neary broke through the Galway rearguard to feed Darren McHale. His shot was almost cleared off the line by Johhny McGrath but it finds the net. That’s a massive score against the wind. Mayo 1-2 Galway 0-2
6 mins: That’s the danger for Mayo in playing against the wind. Paul Conroy stroked that over from outside the 45 for a two-pointer. Mayo 0-2 Galway 0-2
5 mins: Ryan O’Donoghue opens the scoring with a handy free after Aidan O’Shea was fouled. And then another after a 4v3 breach by John Maher. Mayo 0-1 Galway 0-0
And we’re underway.
Anthem time.
A word from the managers...
Mayo look to have won the toss and chosen to play against the wind in the first half. Not entirely sure why - that’s a huge breeze in Castlebar.
Before we get there, a quick word from King David of Fossa.
Team check from Castlebar. Throw-in four o’clock.
MAYO: Colm Reape; Jack Coyne, Donnacha McHugh, Enda Hession; Rory Brickenden, David McBrien, Stephen Coen; Diarmuid O’Connor, Matthew Ruane; Davitt Neary, Darren McHale, Jordan Flynn; Aidan O’Shea, Jack Carney, Ryan O’Donoghue. Subs: Adrian Phillips, Conal Dawson, Conor Reid, Dylan Thornton, Fenton Kelly, Fergal Boland, Frank Irwin, Kevin Quinn, Paddy Durcan, Paul Towey, Sam Callinan.
GALWAY: Conor Gleeson; Johnny McGrath, Seán Fitzgerald, Jack Glynn; Dylan McHugh, Sean Mulkerrin, Liam Silke; Paul Conroy, Sean Kelly, Cein Darcy, John Maher, Cillian McDaid; Matthew Tierney, Robert Finnerty, Matthew Thompson. Subs: Conor Flaherty, Daniel Ó Flaherty, Cian Hernon, Kieran Molloy, Cathal Sweeney, John Daly, Sam O’Neill, Liam Ó Conghaile, Tomo Culhane, Colm Costelloe, Peter Cooke.
On to the Connacht final. It will surely be a different story, won’t it? Gordon Manning is in Castlebar for us and has sent this over to set the scene...
“MacHale Park is filling up nicely on what is a beautiful sunny May afternoon in Castlebar. There has been a decent buzz around the town all morning and already it looks like there will be a big crowd to watch the latest Mayo-Galway showdown.
“Four in-a-row chasing Galway enter the game as favourites but there has been one constantly repeated message coming from the local stewards outside and inside the ground today – ‘Mayo won’t win the All-Ireland but we’ll win today.’
“Whether that’s misplaced confidence, wishful thinking or prophetic analysis will become evident over the next few hours. Either way, given the one-sided nature of events transpiring in Killarney let’s hope for a more competitive contest here.
“The goalkeepers are on the pitch going through their warm-up, Phil Lynott is singing about Whiskey in the Jar over the PA system, the 2025 Connacht SFC final is just over half an hour away from throw-in.”
David Clifford announced as Man of the Match - he scored 2-5 from seven shots. Can’t really argue with that.
Here’s Ian O’Riordan’s early verdict from Killarney...
“So that’s Munster football title number 86 for Kerry, a fifth in succession, as they eased past Clare 4-20 to 0-21.
“Despite Clare winning the second half by four points, four Kerry goals inside the first 26 minutes made absolutely sure this ended as a contest even before half-time.
“Two goals by David Clifford in the first six minutes, followed by Micheál Burns on 23 minutes, then Barry Dan O’Sullivan three minutes later, turned it from match to spectacle.
“To their credit Clare battled hard in the second half, Emmet McMahon and Mark McInerney leading the chase, but it wasn’t enough to impact on Kerry’s overall dominance. Seanie O’Shea also hit two two-pointers, finishing with 0-8, and Clifford scored 2-5.”
The second half was a dead duck, as we all presumed it would be. Clare did at least win the second half, as they would have aimed to at the break. But it was over very early and it stayed over. Five Munster titles in a row for Kerry. They will play Roscommon at home in the first round of the Sam Maguire.
FULL-TIME: Kerry 4-21 Clare 0-20
64 mins: A quick couple of points from Mark McInerney and Clare move onto 0-19. To be far, they’ve been far mroe energetic in this second half and McInerney has shown fine quality inside. But they’re not at the races at this level. Kerry 4-20 Clare 0-19
60 mins: It’s all just playing out time now. McMahon and Geaney swap frees, as Kerry pass the 30-point mark. David Clifford moves his tally for the day to 2-5 with a point from just inside the arc. Fourteen in it with 10 minutes to go. Kerry 4-19 Clare 0-17
57 mins: Kerry’s kick-passing is such a class apart here. Tony Brosnan and Micheál Burns are peppering passes into full-forward line all day and Clare are getting run ragged by them. Burns picked out Dylan Geaney with a sumptuous one there and he did the needful. Kerry 4-17 Clare 0-16
54 mins: It’s all a bit turgid now but that’s a lovely two-pointer from Clifford to put Kerry 14 clear. Kerry 4-16 Clare 0-14
48 mins: Clifford and O’Shea reply with frees for the home side. Kerry 4-13 Clare 0-13
43 mins: And that’s another two-pointer for McMahon, after the ref brings them forward 50m for Kerry not handing the ball back. Five points in a row for Clare. Kerry 4-11 Clare 0-12
41 mins: A 4v3 rule breach by Kerry gives Emmet McMahon the chance to kick a two-point free for Clare and he duly obliges. Kerry 4-11 Clare 0-10
36 mins: No change on either side and we continue as we were - Dylan Geaney notches his first point of the day for Kerry straight from the throw-in. Kerry 4-11 Clare 0-7
Ian O’Riordan has whipped this account of the first half up the line from Killarney...
“Four Kerry goals inside the first 26 minutes made absolutely sure this Munster football final ended as a contest even before half-time, and it could make for an even longer second half from Clare.
“Two typically majestic goals by David Clifford in the first six minutes, followed by Micheál Burns on 23 minutes, then Barry Dan O’Sullivan three minutes later, took the life out of whatever fight Clare brough to Killarney to begin with.
“Seanie O’Shea also hit two two-pointers, one from a free, one from play, and with Paul Geaney and Tony Brosnan in excellent form, Clare had no way of keeping with the pace.
“They did get a soft penalty on 27 minutes, only for Keelan Sexton to blast his shot over the bar, and O’Shea continued to show a welcome return to top form, adding two more frees before the break.
“Kerry are cruising in the afternoon sunshine, 4-10 to 0-7, some of the Clare supporters perhaps eyeing the exit gates already.”
It’s not even as if the Kerry goals were amazing. Look at these, by Clifford and O’Sullivan. Clare are frequently killing themselves here.
Half-time: Kerry 4-10 Clare 0-7. Entirely straightforward stuff for Kerry. David Clifford should have a hat-trick - he rattled the crossbar after his early brace. Seanie O’Shea has looked very sharp and the Kerry midfield is rampant. But even by the standards of one-sided Munster finals between these two, Clare have been extremely poor.
32 mins: Paul Geaney cuts inside for a nice score, Seanie O’Shea takes a mark and when it coems to nothing, goes back and kicks the free. That’s a 15-point lead for Kerry with half-time approaching. Mark McInerney coems on the loop for a nice one for Clare in response. Kerry 4-9 Clare 0-7
28 mins: And as if in tribute, that’s desperately sloppy stuff from Kerry at the other end, handing Clare a penalty - which Keelan Sexton drives over the bar! Sexton had been left free inside the boix from a quick Clare free and was tripped in the act of going for goal. But he’s made a mess of the penalty. Kerry 4-7 Clare 0-6
26 mins: GOAL number four for Kerry. Clare haven’t turned up here at all. They had the ball there in their own defence but David Clifford snapped onto a sloppy pass and found Paul Geaney, who and flicked it across to Barry Dan O’Sullivan. Kerry 4-7 Clare 0-5
22 mins: A third GOAl for Kerry. Dylan Geaney finds Burns with the brilliant turn and handpass. It came Clare gave up the kick-out following a fine point from Brian McNamara. Kerry 3-7 Clare 0-5
16 mins: Ah, that’s a killer black card for Clare. Emmet McMahon wrapped his arm around Paul Geaney’s leg in a scramble on the ground - there wasn’t a lot in it but Noel Mooney decided it was a deliberate trip and he’s gone for 10 minutes. Seanie Shea nails the resultant free. Kerry 2-7 Clare 0-4
14 mins: Mark McInerney lands a 45 to settle himself. He actually missed an easier one earlier in the game that would have counted for two points so that’s a bit better. And now Keelan Sexton gets in on the act as well, dancing inside the Kerry cover to whip one of his own. They need loads more of that. Kerry 2-5 Clare 0-4
8 mins: Another GOAL for Kerry. And it’s Clifford again. Micheál Burns was in a mile of space eight yards out and draw a fine save from Eamon Tubridy. But Clifford was on hand to tap home. Referee Noel Mooney went in to ask his umpires whether Clifford might have been in the square but the goal is given. Seanie O’Shea and Paul Geaney follow up with points of their own and this is already a hopeless cause for Clare. Kerry 2-4 Clare 0-1
4 mins: GOAL for Kerry. And who else? David Clifford rolls home his 15th championship goal with a slightly scruffy effort after slaloming around the Clare full-back line. Daniel Walsh fists Clare’s opener at the other end. Kerry 1-2 Clare 0-0
2 mins: Kerry are off the mark with a two-pointer from Seánie O’Shea. So much for Kerry being reluctant to tale those shots on. Kerry 0-2 Clare 0-0
A quick pre-match dispatch from our man in Killarney, Ian O’Riordan...
“A day for the sunscreen and watermelon on the terraces at Fitzgerald Stadium, as Kerry play Clare in the Munster championship football final for the third successive year. Kerry won the last two by a combined 21 points.
“Both teams will play as selected. Kerry manager Jack O’Connor has made six changes from the Munster semi-final win over Cork, Seán O’Shea set to start his first game for Kerry since February.
“Gone are the suspended Paudie Clifford and injured Shane Ryan, Paul Murphy and Graham O’Sullivan, along with Tadhg Morley and Ruairí Murphy. O’Shea starts along with Tony Brosnan, Micheál Burns, Shane Murphy, Tom O’Sullivan and Mike Breen.
“Kerry are chasing Munster title number 86, a fifth in succession, Clare’s last success coming against Kerry back in 1992.
“It’s the first time Clare manager Peter Keane, the former Kerry manager, will face his native county. A crowd of 15, 514 attended the final in Ennis last year, something less expected today.”
Team check for the Munster final, 15 minutes to throw-in.
KERRY: Shane Murphy; Dylan Casey, Jason Foley, Tom O’Sullivan; Brian Ó Beaglaoich, Mike Breen, Gavin White; Joe O’Connor, Barry Dan O’Sullivan; Tony Brosnan, Seán O’Shea, Micheál Burns, David Clifford, Paul Geaney, Dylan Geaney. Subs: Seán Coffey, Tadhg Morley, Damien Bourke, Killian Spillane, Ruairi Murphy, Mark O’Shea , Armin Heinrich, Seán O’Brien, Conor Geaney, Evan Looney, Keith Evans.
CLARE: Eamon Tubridy; Manus Doherty, Cillian Brennan, Ronan Lanigan; Cillian Rouine, Ikem Ugweuru, Alan Sweeney; Brian McNamara, Daniel Walsh; Aaron Griffin, Emmet McMahon, Dermot Coughlan; Keelan Sexton, Eoin Cleary, Mark McInerney. Subs: Tristan O’Callaghan, Fionn Kelleher, Conor Meaney, Shane Griffin, Gavan Murray, Darragh Burns, Rory McMahon, Evan Cahill, Diarmuid O’Donnell, Cormac Murray, Darren Nagle.
Away from today’s football, the big row over the weekend in Gaelic games was, of course, the skorts controversy in yesterday’s camogie. Here’s Denis Walsh on a row that was long overdue.
And as if by magic, here’s your pic of Fitzgerald Stadium in all its gorgeousness.
Two games today on the Irish Times GAA liveblog. First up, it’s Kerry v Clare in the Munster final in Killarney - without being too dismissive, it’s likely to be one of those days where the photos of the Reeks off in the distance are as big a draw as the action on the pitch. It throws in at 1.45.
The Connacht final at 4pm promises to be much closer fare, with Mayo trying to stave off a Galway four-in-a-row and neither Shane Walsh nor Damien Comer available for the defending champions. We’ll be with you until the last ball is kicked, whatever happens.
