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Donegal weather Kerry storm to take Division 1 win in Killarney

Jack O’Connor: ‘It was obvious that Donegal were a fair bit ahead of us’

Kerry’s Paudie Clifford in action against Donegal's Donal McBride. Photograph: Lorraine O’Sullivan/Inpho
Kerry’s Paudie Clifford in action against Donegal's Donal McBride. Photograph: Lorraine O’Sullivan/Inpho
Sat Feb 08 2025 - 18:35
NFL Division 1: Kerry 1-18 Donegal 0-23

A week earlier, Kerry mustered three late goals in Celtic Park to hijack an unlikely win away to Derry.

Against Donegal on Saturday, Diarmuid O’Connor struck for a goal to cut a four-point deficit to one point after 62 minutes, but lightning wasn’t about to strike twice.

Donegal weathered whatever storm was on the horizon before hosts really began to blow back, and two points from substitute Jamie Brennan and another from Conor O’Donnell ensured Jim McGuinness’s men got out of Killarney with a two-point win and two more league points.

Delayed a fortnight due to Storm Éowyn, it was a case of better late than on time as the Ulster champions made their trip to Fitzgerald Stadium a worthwhile one, claiming victory against a Kerry side that fell just short of backing up their win in Derry last weekend.

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With Kerry tiring, Donegal’s response to O’Connor’s goal were points from Brennan and O’Donnell before Seán O’Shea’s two-point score in the 68th minute brought the gap down to one again.

But as the final hooter loomed, Brennan popped over his second point of the afternoon to send Donegal back to the hills happy men.

Not that Jack O’Connor was too despondent afterwards, with the Kerry boss upbeat despite the loss.

“It was obvious that Donegal were a fair bit ahead of us, sharpness-wise and maybe fitness-wise and, you know, there were times when it looked like they had a run on us. But in fairness to our fellas I felt we battled well.

“We possibly could have got something out of it. I would say in many ways we played better than we did last Sunday, without getting anything out of the game. A lot of positives, we fought back well,” said O’Connor.

Kerry’s Diarmuid O’Connor celebrates after scoring a goal against Donegal at Fitzgerald Stadium. Photograph: Lorraine O’Sullivan/Inpho
Kerry’s Diarmuid O’Connor celebrates after scoring a goal against Donegal at Fitzgerald Stadium. Photograph: Lorraine O’Sullivan/Inpho

Ryan McHugh landed an early two-point score for the visitors and Donegal were four ahead before Dylan Geaney opened Kerry’s account in the 11th minute. For much of the first half Kerry had the edge around the middle with Diarmuid O’Connor particularly good under the kick-outs.

Scores from O’Shea, Conor Geaney, Barry Dan O’Sullivan and Dylan Geaney made it 0-5 apiece after 20 minutes.

McBreaty converted a two-point free as Donegal were able to keep ahead on the scoreboard, and late points from Ryan McHugh, Eoghan Ban Gallagher and Oisin Gallen had Donegal 0-11 to 0-7 ahead at half-time.

Kerry started the second half with points from O’Shea, Dylan Geaney and Diarmuid O’Connor to make it a one-point game, but Gallen’s two-pointer gave Donegal more breathing space, 0-13 to 0-10, and then Ciaran Moore fired them four ahead.

Tom O’Sullivan pointed for Kerry, but one from McBrearty and two from Ryan McHugh put Donegal six ahead after 48 minutes.

Spectators didn’t quite get the grandstand finish like Celtic Park last time out, but O’Connor’s goal, slapping in Paudie Clifford’s cross, in the 62nd minute to make it 1-16 to 0-20 gave Donegal something to think about. Their response coming in the form of those late scores from Brennan and O’Donnell for the win.

Like his Kerry counterpart, McGuinness was sanguine in victory. “The ebb and flow of the new rules kicked in there in different periods. We were in control, Kerry then came very hard for us. They got the goal and had the crowd behind them.

“A wee bit like last weekend, they managed to weather the storm and get important scores at important moments and seen it out. I’d prefer not to be in that situation but I am not sure if that is going to be a reality for any team moving forward,” the Donegal manager said.

Move forward they do, though, with two wins from two, and Armagh going to Ballybofey next Sunday. Before that, Kerry welcome Dublin to Tralee on Saturday. The hits keep on coming.

KERRY: S Ryan, D Bourke, J Foley, T O’Sullivan (0-0-1), G O’Sullivan (0-0-1), T Morley, S O’Brien, D O’Connor (1-0-1), B O’Sullivan (0-0-1), P Clifford (0-0-2), S O’Shea (0-2-1; 1 2p, 1 2pf), C Trant, C Geaney (0-0-3; 2f), D O’Sullivan, D Geaney (0-0-3).

Subs: M Breen for Morley (30 mins), R Murphy for Trant (ht), P Geaney for D O’Sullivan (51), C Ó Beaglaíoch (0-1) for B O’Sullivan (51), K Spillane for C Geaney (60).

DONEGAL: S Patton, E Gallagher (0-0-1), B McCole, F Roarty, R McHugh (0-1-3; 1 2p), C McGonagle, P Mogan (0-0-1), M Langan, H McFadden, D Ó Baoill, S O’Donnell (0-0-2), C Moore (0-0-1), O Gallen (0-1-1; 1 2p), C Thompson (0-0-2), C O’Donnell (0-0-3).

Subs: P McBrearty (0-1-1; 1 2pf) for Langan (inj, 4 mins), J Brennan (0-0-2) for McFadden (50), E McHugh for Ó Baoill (59), M Curran for R McHugh (61), O Doherty for Gallen (67).

Referee: B Cawley (Kildare).