GAA Football All Ireland Senior Championship Quarter-Final – Donegal 1-12 Kerry 1-10

Donegal hang on to reach final four

Report from the GAA.ie web site

GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Quarter-Final: Donegal 1-12 Kerry 1-10

Donegal are through to the semi-finals of the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship for the second year running after a deserved win over Kerry at Croke Park on Sunday. Colm McFadden hit 1-6 for the Ulster champions, who were comfortably in control of the game, and six points clear with five minutes left, before Kerry staged a dramatic late comeback to set up a thrilling finale to a tense game. Kieran Donaghy snaffled a Kerry goal on 65 minutes, and quickfire scores from Paul Galvin and Anthony Maher left just a point between the sides in added time. Kerry went in search of an equalisier, but Donegal hit the final score of the game, two minutes into added time from the boot of Karl Lacey, to seal their place in the last four, where they will play Cork in on August 26.

Donegal led by 1-4 to 0-5 the break after McFadden hit a fortuitous goal from a sideline ball on six minutes. Jim McGuinness’s side were on top for most of the second half and had Kerry at arm’s length for long periods until the Kingdom came charging back in the closing stages. In the end, despite the late lapse in concentration, Donegal thoroughly deserved the win having given yet another powerful display of disciplined defending and artful, counter-attacking football.

The flair shown in the Ulster final win over Down may have been lacking, but McGuinness was always going to implement a modified gameplan to contain the lethal Kerry attack. They did so in style, with Kerry hitting a string of wides in the second half, while Jack O’Connor’s main tactic of hitting Kieran Donaghy early went largely unrewarded until the final seven minutes. Donegal opened with real intent, their veteran inside forward McFadden getting what would prove to be a very fruitful first half off to the perfect start with a second minute score from play. Kerry’s response was equally impressive, Colm Cooper sending over an equaliser with his first touch of the ball.

However, the game was turned on its head on six minutes when Donegal hit a precious goal. McFadden was credited with it, but luck played a huge part. His long delivery from a sideline ball tempted both Michael Murphy and Aidan O’Mahony to contest the ball on the edge of the square, and when it missed both, Kerry goalkeeper Brenan Keeley was powerless as the ball slipped into the empty net. Murphy then added another point immediately after as Donegal asserted their dominance early on in a brutal battle.

Declan O’Sullivan raised Kerry spirits when he found room and slotted over a score that left a goal between the sides, before Bryan Sheehan added his first score of the day, a free from a narrow angle. Kerry made it three in a row when James O’Donoghue nailed a superb effort. It was a precious score because Donegal were packing their defence and denying Kerry the oxygen of space. They were also uncompromising in the tackle and subjected Kerry to a series of big hits, while their appetite was highlighted when Killian Young was stripped of possession and McFadden clipped the ball over the bar.

Thirteen minutes elapsed before either side would score again, with Darran O’Sullivan replacing Young in the meantime and centre-back Eoin Brosnan forced off with an injury. However, Kerry’s 36th minute point was a telling one and gave them an idea of exactly what they needed to do to break Donegal down. Cooper ran at the Donegal defence and traded passes with Donaghy before slotting over another score. Typically, Donegal had the last say of the first half, with McFadden landing a free to give his side a 1-4 to 0-5 lead. Kerry started the second half with a fine Maher point, but struggled badly in the face of intense Donegal pressure, with a pair of Cooper frees their only reward in the third quarter, as Donegal moved well clear with a string of four unanswered points – including two from McFadden – to leave them 1-11 to 0-8 ahead and seemingly home and dry.

The game was turned on its head when Donaghy touched a Donnchadh Walsh pass to the back of the net on 65 minutes, before Galvin and the excellent Maher added scores to leave just one point between the sides with added time approaching. Kerry went in search of the equaliser, but Patrick Curtin fired wide and Lacey tore up the other end to deliver the fatal blow to Kerry’s hopes.

Donegal Scorers: C McFadden 1-6 (1-0 sl, 0-2f), M Murphy 0-3 (0-2f), L McLoone 0-1, K Lacey 0-1, C Toye 0-1.

Kerry Scorers: C Cooper 0-4 (0-2f), Declan O’Sullivan 0-1, B Sheehan 0-1 (0-1f), J O’Donoghue 0-1, K Donaghy 1-0, A Maher 0-2, P Galvin 0-1.

Donegal: P Durcan; P McGrath, N McGee, F McGlynn; E McGee, K Lacey, A Thompson; R Bradley, R Kavanagh; R Bradley, R Kavanagh; M McElhinney, L McLoone, M McHugh; P McBrearty, M Murphy, C McFadden.

Subs: David Walsh for McBrearty (28- 32), N Gallagher for M McElhinney (HT), David Walsh for R Bradley (60), C Toye for McLoone (61), D McLaughlin for McBrearty (71),

Kerry: B Kealy; M Ó Sé, A O’Mahony, S Enright; T Ó Sé, E Brosnan, K Young; A Maher, B Sheehan; P Galvin, Declan O’Sullivan, D Walsh; J O’Donoghue, C Cooper, K Donaghy.

Subs: B Maguire for Brosnan (25), Darran O’Sullivan for Young (32), J Buckley for Sheehan, K O’Leary for Declan O’Sullivan (both 46), P Curtin for J O’Donoghue (56),

Referee: Marty Duffy (Sligo)

Attendance: 56,191

Fired-up Donegal pull plug on Kingdom

Donegal 1-12 Kerry 1-10

By John Fogarty for the Irish Examiner web site

It’s official now — August 5, 2012 will be remembered as the day the music died for this once great Kerry team. Martin Carney may have been premature in his assessment that their song was cut short on June 10 when Cork frogmarched them to the Munster SFC exit but yesterday an authoritative Donegal pulled the plug on Kerry’s record player and while their tune isn’t as sweet it proved the loudest.

With their bench having been emptied in the 56th minute, a desperate Kerry came close to doing almost exactly what Dublin did to them last September and overturn a deficit in the last 10 minutes, they ultimately came up short. Deservedly too. Six points down in the 66th minute, Donnchadh Walsh’s squared hand-pass in the direction of two Donegal defenders left Kieran Donaghy looking more hopeful than anything.

However, the Kerry full-forward managed to palm the ball to the net to narrow the gap to three. Prior to the goal, the sizeable Donegal support in the 56,191 crowd were lapping up what they had anticipated was going to be a famous victory. They eventually got it but they had to watch through fingers as Paul Galvin and then Anthony Maher pointed to leave the bare minimum between the teams. Luck was ridden too as a foul on Walsh in a scoring area was ignored by referee Marty Duffy while Paddy Curtin made a poor fist of an equaliser attempt.

With Kerry stretched in search of a leveller, the excellent Karl Lacey strode forward with ease to give Donegal their insurance point, which was greeted with rapturous applause. So, another Ulster team — the third in five years — had sent Kerry packing from the championship. They could have no qualms with it either. In general play, Donegal were the better team, never going behind in the game, and running at the Kerry defence with purpose to extend their half-time lead of two points to six with five minutes to go.

The only time Kerry were on parity with them came in the fifth minute when Colm Cooper replied to Colm McFadden’s opening score of the game. Seconds later, Kerry’s goal was breached when McFadden’s sideline kick managed to find its way past Brendan Kealy. Michael Murphy proved himself a most useful nuisance in distracting Kealy, even with Aidan O’Mahony in close quarters, and Donegal were handed the start they wanted.

Kerry responded with three points on the trot, Declan O’Sullivan, Bryan Sheehan from a free and then James O’Donoghue, as Donegal went 16 minutes with scoring. McFadden broke that duck in the 23rd minute thanks to a poor Killian Young hand-pass, the Kerry defender finding himself replaced nine minutes later. Before that, Eoin Brosnan was lost to injury and it was Kerry’s turn to go through a scoring famine. Seventeen minutes passed between O’Donoghue’s effort and Cooper’s second but it was an excellent point, the Kerry captain combining with Donaghy to fist over after beginning the move 50 metres out.

However, Donegal saw out the half with the last score via a McFadden long-range free to make it 1-4 to 0-5. With Darran O’Sullivan having entered the fray for Young, Anthony Maher collected a pass from him two minutes into the second half to bring one between the sides. Leo McLoone returned fire after a scintillating Donegal attack involving Paddy McBrearty before Cooper punished a Leon Thompson foul on Darran O’Sullivan. Murphy banged over a free after a dubious foul was called on Marc Ó Sé to push Donegal two clear.

Shortly afterwards, Jack O’Connor made the unusual decision to call Declan O’Sullivan ashore with injured Bryan Sheehan also making way. Psychologically, Donegal must have been delighted to see two All Stars leave the action at the same time. Their football for the following 20 minutes certainly exhibited an increased level of confidence. Murphy pinged a second free, which was matched by one from Cooper, but then Donegal converted four chances without reply.

With Karl Lacey becoming more prominent in attack, McFadden and Paddy McBrearty found their range and then substitute Christy Toye made his first touch count with a point to put Donegal five ahead in the 62nd minute. With Kerry firmly being put on the back, Kieran O’Leary was yellow-carded for fouling David Walsh and McFadden gratefully took advantage.

Donaghy’s goal ended a 15-minute gap to the last Kerry score and it certainly tilted the momentum back in Kerry’s favour. It rocked a team who had previously conceded just two goals in Jim McGuinness’s 10 championship games in charge. But they eventually recovered to seal the victory through Lacey, a victory that could turn out to make one team and break another.

Scorers for Donegal: C McFadden 1-5 (1-0 s/l, 2f), M Murphy 0-3 (2f), L McLoone, C Toye, P McBrearty, K Lacey 0-1 each.

Scorers for Kerry: C Cooper 0-4 (2f), K Donaghy 1-0; A Maher 0-2; Declan O’Sullivan, J O’Donoghue, B Sheehan (1f), P Galvin 0-1 each.

Subs for Donegal: David Walsh for McBrearty (blood 28-32), N Gallagher for McElhinney (h-t), David Walsh for Bradley (60), C Toye for McLoone (61), D McLaughlin for McBrearty (71).

Subs for Kerry: B Maguire for Brosnan (inj, 25), Darran O’Sullivan for Young (32), K O’Leary for Declan O’Sullivan, J Buckley for Sheehan (inj) (both 46), P Curtin for O’Donoghue (56).

Referee: Marty Duffy (Sligo)

Team News

Kerry (SFC v Donegal, Corke Park, 4pm Sunday): B Kealy; M O’Se, A O’Mahony, S Enright; T O’Se, E Brosnan, K Young; A Maher, B Sheehan; P Galvin, D O’Sullivan, D Walsh; J O’Donoghue, C Cooper, K Donaghy.

Kerry V Donegal past meetings

(Complied by Tim Slattery from Austin Stacks GAA Club Tralee)

Kerry and Donegal have never met in the All Ireland Championship. Next Sunday’s game will the first Championship encounter between the counties. Kerry has played Donegal 17 times in the Allianz League since 1965. Kerry Have won 11 Donegal won 6.

Match Preview

A first ever championship game between the counties as Donegal arrive in Croke Park as double Ulster champions for the first time while Kerry used the qualifiers to reach the quarter-finals for a 12th successive season. Their only quarter-final defeat was in 2010 when they lost to Down. Donegal have won two, drawn two and three of their seven previous quarter-final appearances. In fact they drew three times (in normal time) but year’s clash with Kildare went to extra-time, with Donegal winning by a point.

The last competitive clash between the counties was on March 11 last when Kerry won an Allianz League game by 2-16 to 1-8 in Killarney. Bryan Sheehan scored 1-7 for Kerry while Michael Murphy kicked 1-5 for Donegal.

How they got here….

Donegal

Donegal 1-16 Cavan 1-10 (Ulster preliminary round)

Donegal 2-13 Derry 0-9 (Ulster quarter-final)

Donegal 0-12 Tyrone 0-10 (Ulster semi-final)

Donegal 2-18 Down 0-13 (Ulster final)

Average For: 1-16; Average Against: 0-11

Kerry

Kerry 0-16 Tipperary 0-10 (Munster quarter-final)

Cork 0-17 Kerry 0-12 (Munster semi-final)

Kerry 2-10 Westmeath 1-12 (Qualifier Round 2)

Kerry 1-16 Tyrone 1-6 (Qualifier Round 3)

Kerry 2-22 Clare 1-6 (Qualifier Round 4)

Average For: 1-16; Average Against: 1-9

Previous quarter-final appearances

Donegal

2011: Donegal 1-12 Kildare 0-14 (after extra-time)

2009: Cork 1-27 Donegal 2-10

2006: Cork 1-11 Donegal 1-10

2003: Donegal 0-14 Galway 0-11 (Replay)

2003: Donegal 0-14 Galway 1-11 (Draw)

2002: Dublin 1-14 Donegal 0-7 (Replay)

2002: Dublin 2-8 Donegal 0-14 (Draw)

Played 7, Won 2, Drew 2, Lost 3

Kerry

2011: Kerry 1-20 Limerick 0-10

2010: Down 1-16 Kerry 1-10

2009: Kerry 1-24 Dublin 1-7

2008: Kerry 1-21 Galway 1-16

2007: Kerry 1-12 Monaghan 1-11

2006: Kerry 3-15 Armagh 1-13

2005: Kerry 2-15 Mayo 0-18

2004: Kerry 1-15 Dublin 1-8

2003: Kerry 1-21 Roscommon 3-10

2002: Kerry 2-17 Galway 1-12

2001: Kerry 2-12 Dublin 1-12 (replay)

2001: Kerry 1-14 Dublin 2-11 (draw)

Played 12, Won 10, Drew 1, Lost 1