Electric Ireland All-Ireland Minor Football Championship Final – Kerry 0-17 Donegal 1-10

Kerry defeated Donegal by 0-17 to 1-10 in the Electric Ireland All-Ireland Minor Football Championship Final on Sunday September 21st at Croke Park.

All-Ireland MFC: Kerry win first title since 1994

ELECTRIC IRELAND ALL-IRELAND MFC FINAL: KERRY 0-17 DONEGAL 1-10

Report from GAA.ie

Kerry are All-Ireland Minor Football champions for the first time since 1994 after holding off a spirited Donegal comeback to win by four points at Croke Park on Sunday.

The Kingdom are now back on top of the roll of honour in their own right on 12 titles, and the win also created a significant bit of history for manager Jack O’Connor – he is only the second man after Mickey Harte to guide a team to minor, U21 and senior All-Ireland titles. Kerry were the better side throughout and leading by six points with 10 minutes to go, they looked as though they were cruising to the title. However, a goal from Donegal’s Jamie Brennan sparked a late comeback and when it was followed by two quick-fire points, the lead was down to one with five minutes to go.

However, Kerry finished the game brilliantly with points from Tom O’Sullivan, Jordan Kiely and Killian Spillane securing the victory for them.
Spillane top-scored with 0-5 while two of O’Connor’s substitutions also proved significant, Liam Carey and Jordan Kiely coming on and kicking 0-4 between them from play.

A tight first half came to an end with Kerry leading 0-8 to 0-6. Both sides were guilty of some poor wides in the first half, but there was also plenty of quality on display as the sun poured down on the Croke Park pitch. The sides traded the first six points, Jamie Brennan, Stephen McBrearty and Caolán McGonagle on target for Donegal and Spillane (free), Matthew Flaherty and Micheál Burns registering the early scores for Kerry.

There was a flurry of scores towards of the end of the first quarter, with Kerry taking the upper hand in the game. Points from Barry O’Sullivan and Burns edged them two clear, and while the gifted McBrearty kept Donegal in touch with a booming effort, Kerry led 0-6 to 0-4 at the end of the first quarter. Defences tightened up considerably for the second quarter, but the best two points of the half came in quick succession on 20 minutes – a superb score from Cian Mulligan putting Donegal one behind before Spillane scored a gem off his right to restore the two point lead. Kerry were three clear before the break through a Spillane free, but a John Campbell free completed the first half scoring.

Jordan Kiely, surprisingly dropped for this game, came on at half-time and immediately found his range as he edged Kerry three clear with a good score on the turn, and it was followed by a good score from swashbuckling midfielder O’Sullivan. Kerry led 0-12 to 0-8 at the end of the third quarter following a brilliant individual score from Liam Carey, but that point was preceded by a bad miss from Donegal’s Jamie Brennan. The Bundoran man was clean through on goal, but he shanked the shot badly wide when he should have found the net.

Within five minutes, Kerry’s lead was six. The talented Carey landed an excellent point from distance and it was followed by a perfectly executed free from nearly 45 metres from goalkeeper Shane Ryan. With Kerry leading by six with less than 10 minutes to go, they looked to be in cruise control. However, within seconds of Ryan’s point, Brennan made up for his earlier miss with a well-taken goal off his left foot.

Cutting in from the left, he latched onto a diagonal ball, picked his spot and buried the ball into the far corner of the net past Ryan. When it was followed by points from substitute Niall Harley and Lorcán Connor (free) moments later, Donegal trailed by just one point with five minutes left. A stirring comeback.

However, Kerry showed all their class in the closing five minutes, hitting three superb scores to take victory. Corner-back Tom O’Sullivan roamed upfield for the first before Kiely and Spillane wrapped up Kerry’s win with scores of real elegance.
***
Scorers for Kerry: K Spillane 0-5 (3f), M Burns 0-2, B O’Sullivan 0-2, L Carey 0-2, J Kiely 0-2, M Flaherty 0-1, T Ó Sé 0-1, S Ryan 0-1 (1f), T O’Sullivan 0-1

Scorers for Donegal: J Brennan 1-1, S McBrearty 0-2, J Campbell 0-2 (1f), L Connor 0-2 (2f), C McGonagle 0-1 (1f), C Mulligan 0-1, N Harley 0-1

KERRY: Shane Ryan; Dan O’Donoghue, Brian Ó Beaglaoich, Tom O’Sullivan; Brian Sugrue, Andrew Barry, Cormac Coffey; Barry O’Sullivan, Mark O’Connor; Micheál Burns, Brian Rayel, Matthew Flaherty; Killian Spillane, Liam Kearney, Tomás Ó Sé
Subs: Liam Carey for Cormac Coffey (29), Jordan Kiely for Liam Kearney (HT), Robert Wharton for Brian Sugrue (40), S O’Sullivan for T Ó Sé (50), Ivan Parker for Brian Rayel (62).

DONEGAL: Danny Rodgers; Danny Monagle, Ciarán Gillespie, Colm Kelly; Stephen McMenamin, Tony McCleneghan, Cian Mulligan; Eoghan Ban Gallagher, Caolán McGonagle; Stephen McBrearty, Lorcán Connor, Micheál Carroll; Jamie Brennan, John Campbell, Ethan O’Donnell
Subs: Niall Harley for Colm Kelly (37), Gavin McBride for Ethan O’Donnell (47), Christian Bonner for Eoghan Ban Gallagher (51), Ciarán Diver for Niall Harley (57).

Referee: Fergal Kelly (Longford)
***
Report: Arthur Sullivan

Congrats to @Kerry_Official's Mícheál Burns who was earlier named @ElectricIreland #GAA Minor Final Man of the Match pic.twitter.com/fyMLdSBxch

— The GAA (@officialgaa) September 21, 2014

Preview: @ElectricIreland All-Ireland MFC Final, @Kerry_Official v @officialdonegal, Croke Park, Sunday, 1.15pm – http://t.co/DEo9W0inMs

— The GAA (@officialgaa) September 19, 2014

Fixture Details

21.09.2014 (Sun)
Electric Ireland GAA Football All Ireland Minor Championship Final
Páirc an Chrócaigh 13:15
Ciarraí v Dún na nGall
Referee: Fergal Kelly (An Longfort)

Team News

Team News: @Kerry_Official have also revealed their selection for the All-Ireland minor final against Donegal: http://t.co/M2dxK1pe07 #gaa

— The GAA (@officialgaa) September 18, 2014

KERRY (MFC v Donegal): S Ryan (Rathmore); D O’Donoghue (Spa), B Ó Beaglaioch (An Ghaeltacht), T O’Sullivan (Dingle); B Sugrue (Renard), A Barry (Na Gaeil), C Coffey (Kerins O’Rahillys); B O’Sullivan (Dingle), M O’Connor (Dingle); M Burns (Dr Crokes), B Rayel (Lispole), M Flaherty (Dingle); K Spillane (Templenoe), L Kearney (Spa), T Ó Sé (An Ghaeltacht).
Subs: E O’Connell (St Senans), J Kiely (Dr Crokes), L Carey (Beaufort), S O’Sullivan(Templenoe), R Wharton (Renard), I Parker (Churchill), J Morgan (Austin Stacks), R Ó Sé (An Ghaeltacht), J Foley (Ballydonoghue). Additional players: S Ryan (Austin Stacks), G White (Dr Crokes), C Bambury (Dingle), A Murphy (Dr Crokes), B Ó Seanacháin (Ballydonoghue), C Geaney (Dingle).

2014 Football Final Referees Announced

The GAA has confirmed the referees and match officials for the 2014 GAA Football All-Ireland Senior and Minor Championship finals on September 21 with Eddie Kinsella from Courtwood, Co. Laois confirmed as the referee for the senior final, while Fergal Kelly of Longford will officiate in the Minor game between Donegal v Kerry.
This will be Eddie Kinsella’s first senior assignment, as he takes charge of the Donegal vs Kerry contest having previously taken charge of the All-Ireland Minor Final in 2009. He has also officiated the All-Ireland Under 21 final in 2011, the All-Ireland Senior Club final in 2014 between St. Vincent’s (Dublin) and Castlebar Mitchells (Mayo), one Leinster Football Championship Final, and one Munster Football Championship Final.
In this year’s football championship, Eddie has refereed the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Quarter-Final between Kerry and Galway, the Round 3B Qualifier between Roscommon and Armagh, Roscommon and Mayo’s Connacht Football Semi-Final and and Ulster Quarter-Final meeting of Monaghan and Tyrone.
His umpires on the day will be Arthur O’Connor, Alan O’Halloran, Pat Connell and Niall Murphy (all Courtwood).
Sligo’s Marty Duffy will be the standby referee. The other linesman is Padraig Hughes (Armagh), while the sideline official will be Rory Hickey (Clare).
Fergal Kelly, who will be officiating the Minor match, is a member of the Ballymahon club.
In this year’s football championship Fergal has refereed the Connacht Quarter-Final between London and Galway, the meeting of Cork and Tipperary in the Munster Semi-Final and the Football Qualifier between Sligo and Limerick.
Fergal has also refereed the 2014 Leinster Colleges Senior Football Championship Final, the Bord na Móna O’Byrne Cup Final in 2014, the 2013 Intermediate Club Championship Final, the Allianz Football League Division Four Final in 2012, and the Leinster GAA Football Minor Championship Final 2011.
His umpires on the day will be Paul Kelly and Phelim Kelly (both Ballymahon), Patrick Maguire (St. Mary’s, Granard) and Tomás O’Rourke (Longford Slashers).
Wicklow’s Anthony Nolan will be the standby referee, the other linesman is Jerome Henry (Mayo) and the Sideline Official will be James Molloy (Galway).

21.09.2014 (Sun)
GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Final
Ciarraí v Dún na nGall RTÉ/SKY Sports
Páirc an Chrócaigh, 15.30

Referee: Eddie Kinsella (Laois)
Stand By: Marty Duffy (Sligeach)
Linesman: Padraig Hughes (Ard Mhacha)
Sideline: Rory Hickey (An Clár)
Umpires: Arthur O’Connor, Alan O’Halloran, Pat Connell and Niall Murphy

Electric Ireland GAA Football All-Ireland Minor Championship Final
Ciarraí v Dún na nGall TG4
Páirc an Chrócaigh, 13.15

Referee: Fergal Kelly (An Longfort)
Stand By: Anthony Nolan (Cill Mhantáin)
Linesman: Jerome Henry (Maigh Eo)
Sideline: James Molloy (Gaillimh)
Umpires: Paul Kelly, Phelim Kelly, Patrick Maguire and Tomás O’Rourke

Electric Ireland GAA Football All Ireland Minor Championship 2014 Final

Donegal are in the minor final for the first time while Kerry are seeking their 12th title, having last won the Tom Markham Cup in 1994. A win would take Kerry into the outright lead on the All-Ireland honours list, one ahead of Dublin.

Coached by former senior manager, Jack O’Connor, Kerry beat Clare, Tipperary, Cork, Kildare and Mayo to reach the final while Donegal, managed by former senior All-Ireland medal winner, Declan Bonner beat Derry, Antrim, Armagh, Roscommon and Dublin.

Paths to the final
DONEGAL
Donegal 1-10 Derry 0-8 (Ulster quarter-final)
Donegal 2-19 Antrim 1-10 (Ulster semi-final)
Donegal 2-12 Armagh 0-10 (Ulster final)
Donegal 0-10 Roscommon 1-5 (All-Ireland quarter-final)
Donegal 1-12 Dublin 1-11 (All-Ireland semi-final)

Top scorers
Lorcan O’Connor……….0-17
Jamie Brennan……………3-7
John Campbell……………2-9

KERRY
Kerry 2-16 Clare 0-7 (Munster quarter-final)
Kerry 2-18 Tipperary 0-7 (Munster semi-final)
Kerry 2-17 Cork 2-13 (Munster final)
Kerry 2-15 Kildare 1-8 (All-Ireland quarter-final)
Kerry 1-14 Mayo 2-7 (All-Ireland semi-final)

Top scorers
Killian Spillane…………..0-35
Jordan Kiely………………5-4
Tomas O’Se……………….4-4

All-Ireland Minor Football Roll of Honour
11 – Kerry (1931-32-33-46-50-62-63-75-80-88-94)
11 – Dublin (1930-45-54-55-56-58-59-79-82-84-2012)
10 – Cork (1961-67-68-69-72-74-81-91-93-2000)
8 – Tyrone (1947-48-73-98-2001-2004-2008-2010)
7 – Mayo (1935-53-66-71-78-85-2013)
6 – Galway (1952-60-70-76-86-2007)
4 – Derry (1965-83-89-2002)
4 – Down (1977-87-99-2005)
4 – Roscommon (1939-41-51-2006)
3 – Laois (1996-97-2003)
3 – Meath (1957-90-92)
2 – Cavan (1937-38)
2 – Louth (1936-40)
2 – Armagh (1949-2009)
2 – Tipperary (1934-2011)
1 – Clare (1929)
1 – Offaly (1964)
1 – Westmeath (1995)