As it happened: David Clifford gives an exhibition as Kerry edge Galway in All-Ireland final

So that’s that... Kerry end their famine (eight year wait) for All-Ireland glory with Jack O’Connor leading them to the promised land for the fourth time, and David Clifford and Sean O’Shea getting their hands on Sam Maguire for the first time. It’s hard to imagine it being their last. O’Shea lifted the trophy but it was Clifford who provided a performance of inside play for the ages: four points in each half, the second four from as many shots.

He was matched by Galway’s Shane Walsh who kicked nine points in a pulsating, high quality encounter, but Galway’s energy dropped in the closing stages and they didn’t have the same quality or experience off the bench. Kerry kicked the final four points of the match, and eight of the last 10, and that’s what makes champions.

Scroll down to follow the action as it happened. The match report from Croke Park is incoming on the homepage so keep an eye out for that. For now though, thanks for joining us.

@DonoghueEamon

FT Kerry 0-20 Galway 0-16

Scorers

Kerry: David Clifford (0-8, three frees, two marks), Seán O’Shea (0-3 frees), Paudie Clifford (0-2), Killian Spillane (0-2), Graham O’Sullivan (0-1), Gavin White (0-1), Diarmuid O’Connor (0-1), Stephen O’Brien (0-1), Paul Geaney (0-1 mark).

Galway: Shane Walsh (0-9, four frees, one 45), Cillian McDaid (0-3), Jack Glynn (0-1), Kieran Molloy (0-1), Paul Conroy (0-1), Johnny Heaney (0-1).

Teams

KERRY: S Ryan; G O’Sullivan, J Foley, T O’Sullivan; B Ó Beaglaoich, T Morley, G White; D Moran, J Barry; D O’Connor, S O’Shea, S O’Brien; P Clifford, D Clifford, P Geaney.

Subs: A Spillane for D Moran, K Spillane for P Geaney (both h-t); J Savage for P Clifford (temp 43-47 mins); M Burns for S O’Brien (57); P Murphy for B Ó Beaglaoich (63); J O’Connor for P Clifford (73).

GALWAY: C Gleeson; K Molloy, S Kelly, D Walsh; D McHugh, L Silke, S Kelly; P Conroy, C McDaid; P Kelly, M Tierney, J Heaney; S Walsh, D Comer, R Finnerty.

Subs: F Ó Laoi for R Finnerty (47 mins); C Sweeney for P Conroy (58); E Finnerty for J Heaney (63); N Daly for M Tierney (75).

Referee: S Hurson (Tyrone).

David Clifford (with 0-4 from four efforts in the second half): “It’s very hard to put into words, it’s something I’ve dreamt of all my life. I was always confident we would.”

David Moran: “It was a real panel effort and the lads who came in made a huge difference.”

Sean O’Shea: “We’ve talked all year about loving the grind and that was certainly a grind out there today.”

Jack O’Connor who for the third time has taken over Kerry and won the league and championship in his first year: “I am a bit too long in the tooth to be feeling pressure. I really enjoyed the year. Look I’m a bit emotional now but just delighted for this group, they’ve been under huge pressure from everyone and they showed their mettle.”

That’s it!! Kerry are All-Ireland champions!!

FT Kerry 0-20 Galway 0-16 - David Clifford is out shaking all of the Galway players’ hands, what a performance from him. And a word too for Shane Walsh. That was an exhibition of score taking there today and Kerry come out on top down the stretch. Their bench made the difference and a few years later than expected - Kerry’s five in a row minor winning teams have come of age!

Kerry 0-20 Galway 0-16 (74′) O’Shea taps it over. Kerry are almost there! Another long ball into the Kerry square goes out wide for a kickout.

Dylan McHugh kicks a long ball into the square but it’s not the best one and it breaks into Shane Ryan’s hands. Kerry counter and Gleeson rushes out of his goal to give away a free.

Kerry 0-19 Galway 0-16 (72′) Sean O’Shea picks White out with a brilliant pass over the top and the latter fists it over. Kerry are seeing this out like champions.

Five minutes have been added on as Shane Walsh has a go with a free from the left sideline but it’s wide!

Kerry 0-18 Galway 0-16 (69′) Killian Spillane is shown the sideline but he carries it down to the inline and across it before fisting over!! Two point game!

Kerry 0-17 Galway 0-16 (66′) Comer makes a huge turnover in his own backline, but Kerry are awarded a free as Daly was adjudged to have grabbed the tackler’s arm to try and win a free. From a very tight angle Clifford scores it!!!

Kerry 0-16 Galway 0-16 (64′) Walsh nails it, what a player. One point game. McDaid is playing on. Comer grabs the next kickout and that man McDaid kicks his fourth point from midfield! Level!

Kerry 0-16 Galway 0-14 (62′) Hawkeye denies Tom O’Sullivan his usual contribution up from corner back. McDaid then gets hit hard from both sides, but gets his free and Walsh is lining it up as McDaid receives treatment.

Kerry 0-16 Galway 0-14 (56′) Paudie Clifford takes the ball at pace, makes his angle and puts Kerry two points up at the end of a lightning counter attacking move. That’s four in a row for Kerry.

Kerry 0-15 Galway 0-14 (53′) Kerry take the lead for the second time as Clifford slots a free. McDaid then kicks what’s just a second wide for Galway. It wasn’t a bad shot but they had a big overlap on the far side if he or Conroy before him had spotted it!

Kerry 0-14 Galway 0-14 (52′) It’s level again, as a patient Kerry attack is worked across the field to Graham O’Sullivan who comes on the overlap and points on the run from 30m.

Kerry 0-13 Galway 0-14 (50′) Killian Spillane is dragged down by Galway goalkeeper Connor Gleeson who probably didn’t need to be out that far with a defender tracking Spillane. He’s lucky to avoid a black card and O’Shea slots the resultant free.

Kerry 0-12 Galway 0-14 (47′) Killian Spillane and Kieran Molloy exchange points and the shooting accuracy in this second half has been a joy to watch. Cillian McDaid then breaks through the middle, puts the breaks on and kicks his third point from 40m. This one the pick of the bunch without doubt! Finnian Ó Laoí is on for Finnerty.

Kerry 0-11 Galway 0-12 (44′) It’s level again in this end to end encounter. Comer does well as Galway’s forward line shows brilliant patience to work it to the best man, Cillian McDaid is found in space to the left of the D and he scores his second point.

Shane Walsh then curls one over right footed cutting in from the left wing. Magic! What a battle he and Clifford are having, at opposite ends!!

Kerry 0-11 Galway 0-10 (42′) Diarmuid O’Connor takes the ball cutting into the D, and slips between two tacklers at pace and points. He made a similar run in the first half but steadied himself and made sure this time. Galway respond immediately, Shane Walsh after being fouled and dragged out of is forced down the right wing, and despite being off balance he curls it over right footed. Paudie Clifford then wins a long ball in his chest, turns for goal and blazes it over!

Kerry win the subsequent kickout, it’s into David Clifford and he puts his team in front for the first time!

Kerry 0-8 Galway 0-9 (37′) Galway win a free under the throw in. They kick it into Shane Walsh and he’s fouled, and so is Damien Comer coming on to the breaks. Not sure for which the free was awarded but Walsh gets up and slots it! Kerry respond immediately, Clifford wins a 50/50 when it hits the ground, is forced on to his right and from a tight angle points it off the post!

Adrian Spillane and his brother Killian are on for Paul Geaney and David Moran. Kerry are already out for the second half!!

Galway’s fears before the game: their slow start - they led 0-4 to 0-1 after the opening 13 minutes. Kerry kicking it in long - they’ve done that and had little joy in the way of goalscoring chances and have probably been overdoing it.

Their confidence is high and most of their key men are on it. If they can keep defending with the same focus this looks very good for them. BUT Kerry have quite a strong bench to bring in, whereas can Galway maintain this energy with the usual two or three changes they make? Let’s see!

HT Kerry 0-7 Galway 0-8 The Tribesmen play keep ball, trying to engineer one final attack before the half-time whistle. Heaney makes a strong break and pops it to Sean Kelly but he fumbles coming through the D, and that’s that for the first half!

David Clifford has been on it but Kerry have kicked some erratic wides especially early on when on top under the long kickout around the middle. They went direct several times and have some pointed marks out of it but Galway’s defence and goalkeeper have avoided any real goal scare.

Galway meanwhile have grown into it, they are working their socks off in defence, Patrick Kelly, Heaney, McDaid and Tierney are all moving well and Shane Walsh has been superb. They’ve been clinical throughout and deserve their lead.

Kerry 0-7 Galway 0-8 (34′) Paudie Clifford wins a free and Seanie O’Shea slots it. Galway then go long to Patrick Kelly from the kickout. Cillian McDaid wins the breaks and combines with Rob Finnerty before floating over a beauty down the right wing. Both of them needed that after quiet enough starts. Three minutes added on.

Kerry 0-6 Galway 0-7 (32′) Clifford kicks Kerry’s seventh wide. Galway have not kicked a single wide in the opening half hour.... But then after 32 minutes Walsh kicks wide from distance, left footed.

Kerry 0-6 Galway 0-7 (29′) A patient Galway attack leads to young Jack Glynn breaking the line with a brilliant run. He looked to be heading into trouble but a quick solo and dummy gives him space to drop the ball one handed and kick it over on the run. Excellent skill from the corner back!

Kerry 0-6 Galway 0-6 (26′) Gleeson’s short free is straight to Clifford but Daly’s tackling is brilliant and forces a poor shot. Galway then scramble all over O’Brien who picks up the breaks and he kicks wide under pressure. A let off for the Connacht champions.

Kerry 0-6 Galway 0-6 (23′) Kerry go long again, and Clifford judges the flight of it best and grabs it over head. Takes and points the mark. He then picks up a yellow for a high tackle on Kelly.

Kerry 0-5 Galway 0-6 (22′) Matthew Tierney takes contact brilliantly and wins a free. Walsh slots it off his left! Damien Comer then almost turns over a short kickout but Kerry just about work it out!

Kerry 0-5 Galway 0-5 (20′) Stephen O’Brien carries brilliantly through traffic and points from the edge of the D. Level game after three in a row for the Kingdom!

Kerry 0-4 Galway 0-5 (18′) Clifford loses his man with a run across the play, and from just inside the 45 he’s given way too much space and floats it over. You can’t give the man an inch.

Kerry 0-3 Galway 0-5 (17′) Shane Walsh takes it down the left wing, he cuts inside, shows his pace to make the space to shoot and from 40m he bends over a magical right footed score. Walsh is on it today!! Geaney responds with a good mark and point!

Kerry 0-2 Galway 0-4 (14′) David Clifford taps over a free for his second point. Paul Geaney then kicks his second wide, the latest from a tight angle in the left corner.

Kerry 0-1 Galway 0-4 (13′) Jason Foley is the wrong man at the end of a swift Kerry attack and he blazes his shot wide from 25m. Patrick Kelly then dominates White under the long kickout. Walsh is picked up inside and fouled. He gets up and taps it over but looks to have picked up a dead leg.

Kerry 0-1 Galway 0-3 (9′) Shane Walsh gets out in, front sprints into space and backs himself from 40m. What a score! Galway’s forward line is linking up very nicely early on.

Kerry 0-1 Galway 0-2 (8′) Tadhg Morley grabs a long Galway kickout and Diarmuid O’Connor goes on a strong run but shoots wide. Sean Kelly looks to be marking David Clifford.

John Daly then picks out Johnny Heaney with a wonder pass and a brave Stephen O’Brien block sends his goal effort over the bar. Clifford then wins a mark over his head and taps it over!

Kerry 0-0 Galway 0-1 (3′) Galway go long with their first kickout and Jack Barry grabs it. Gavin White then launches another long ball in on Gleeson who opts to fist it away again. Galway’s first attack then sees Liam Silke’s shot go out for a 45 after a slight block. Shane Walsh nails the 45!

Kerry 0-0 Galway 0-0 (1′) GAME ON! Paul Conroy touches the ball on the ground from the throw-in. David Moran launches the free in to the square and Connor Gleeson comes out to fist clear. It’s out for a 45 and Sean O’Shea sends it wide (a rare miss).

Team news. No late changes to either side. Gavin White has won his fitness race and starts in the Kerry half back line.

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.

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.

Galway fans are reminiscing in Croke Park - PJ is spraying passes during the warm up!

Kerry have suffered, reset and prepared for this weekend all year. In every sense it has now arrived

Check out Sean Moran’s preview in full here - he fancies Kerry for the win!

KERRY

Jack O’Connor is back at the helm in the Kingdom and they started the season off with a league title following a hammering of Mayo in the final. David Clifford and Sean O’Shea have been in unstoppable form and Jack has brought in Paddy Tally to coach the team’s defensive system.

Diarmuid O’Connor or Adrian Spillane start in the half forward line to lend a hand around the middle and Kerry have tried to be that bit more pragmatic.

Munster was navigated as easily as usual. An injury-hit Mayo caused little problems in the quarter-final, Dublin came without Con O’Callaghan or the confidence and depth of previous years, but Kerry got over the line against them too. Two of the biggest teams of the past decade down, they go in as big favourites today.

Dara Moynihan picked up an injury in training and is a loss for his impact off the bench, he’d probably be their first sub in. But if they can test the Galway full back line and goalkeeper out with some long high ball, do damage early on before Galway build confidence, and if they can get on top around the middle, they’ll likely deliver on that favouritism. Yet they’ve managed to find a way not to in recent years!

[ David Clifford carries the torch for Kerry just as Maurice Fitzgerald did before him ]

Route to the final...

GALWAY

After sealing promotion back to Division 1 with relative ease, Galway again raised questions over their defence and consistency by losing the final game to Roscommon and then the league final to the Rossies. They bounced back however with wins over Mayo and Roscommon in Connacht, backing that up with a thrilling penalty shoot out victory over Armagh in the quarter-final.

All teams Galway have beaten already in recent years, but to do so in three games in a row caught the attention. Galway then delivered on the expectation that they rise to the occasion on the big day in Croke Park with a semi-final win over Derry, and they’re now one win away from a first All-Ireland in 21 years.

There was a lot of talk pre-season of some players departing the Galway squad unhappy with the set-up, but without doubt Pádraic Joyce is the man the Tribesmen want to be leading them at this stage of the season. Expect his confidence and leadership to shine through in the Galway team this afternoon.

With Sean Kelly, Paul Conroy, Cillian McDaid, Matthew Tierney, Damien Comer and Shane Walsh they match up against anyone and have a lovely balance to their forward line, BUT they have been starting games very slowly, their bench looks a bit light and their last line of defence has struggled.

[ Memories of maroon magic still linger through the decades ]

[ St Jarlath’s long reach still guiding the spirit of Galway football ]

Teams (as per programme)

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 team ]

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 Kerry ]

Hello and welcome… It’s All-Ireland football final day! Kerry v Galway throws in at Croke Park at 3.30pm and it promises to be a serious game of football!

For just the fourth time in the past 12 years a team other than Dublin will walk up the steps of the Hogan Stand at the season’s end. The Kingdom and Tribesmen are first and third on the roll of the honour but Kerry come to Croke Park looking to win their first title since 2014, and Galway haven’t lifted Sam Maguire since 2001.

Two of the traditional football powerhouses, both with a modern and defensive look to them this year but we should still be expecting a high quality contest here today with all the basic skills of the game executed to the highest standard!

Keep in touch via Twitter (@DonoghueEamon) but for now, let’s get started!!