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SHOWTIME: Kerry and Dublin ready to rock Croke Park

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2 years ago

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Brian Fenton of Dublin is challenged by Kerry's Stephen O'Brien during last year's semi-final. Photo: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile.

by Adam Moynihan

All-Ireland Football Final

Kerry v Dublin

Sunday at 3.30pm

Croke Park

(Live on RTÉ 2 from 2.30pm)

Some of the most famous rock musicians in the world have played in Croke Park. U2, Bruce Springsteen and the Rolling Stones, to name but a few.

This week, hundreds of thousands of people queued online for hours on end, trying (and in most cases failing) to get tickets for Coldplay’s upcoming gigs at GAA headquarters.

Hosting concerts is a major source of income for the Association and it’s wonderful to see these global superstars performing in our nation’s most iconic stadium. But with all due respect to Bono and the Boss and Jagger and Chris Martin, none of them will ever rock Croke Park like Dublin and Kerry do.

The deafening noise at 3.29pm on Sunday beats all their biggest hits. That jumbled up chorus of 'Come on Kerry!' and 'Come on Dublin!' between Amhrán na bhFiann and throw-in is sweeter than Sweetest Thing, more glorious than Glory Days, more satisfying than Satisfaction, and more paradisiacal than Paradise.

The game’s greatest rivals on the main stage in the All-Ireland final. Music to our ears.

BACK TOGETHER

If you’ll bear with the musical metaphors for just a little longer, Dublin really got the band back together for 2023. Stephen Cluxton, Jack McCaffrey and Paul Mannion, all preposterously decorated players, returned to the panel after some time away. To paraphrase Kerry manager Jack O’Connor, they didn’t come back to make up the numbers.

After coming up short in 2021 and 2022, the Dubs are hungry for another All-Ireland. It would be a flamboyant exclamation point at end of some of their careers, most notably for Cluxton, James McCarthy and Mick Fitzsimons, all of whom are seeking a record-breaking ninth Celtic Cross.

For others, like Con O’Callaghan and Brian Fenton, it would be a communiqué to the rest of the country that they haven’t gone away, and that they’re not going anywhere any time soon.

ARC

Kerry, meanwhile, are at a very different point on their developmental arc. Having secured what was, for the vast majority of the panel, a first All-Ireland last year, they are now hoping to show us they are no one-hit wonders.

In David Clifford they have the sport’s undisputed superstar, a young man who has been in impressive form since around 2004. He was born in 1999.

If Kerry do manage to beat Dublin and go back-to-back, he will go back-to-back with Footballer of the Year awards, there is zero doubt about that.

Jack O’Connor has made one change to his starting line-up ahead of Sunday’s final. Stephen O’Brien played a starring role when he was introduced after half-time in the semi-final win over Derry, and he has been rewarded with the No. 12 jersey. He replaces Adrian Spillane, who drops to the bench.

As for the replacements, Tony Brosnan has sadly been ruled out due to the recurrence of a respiratory issue, but the return of Killian Spillane (ankle) is a boost. The Templenoe sharpshooter scored a goal against Dublin in the drawn 2019 final. Remarkably, Cluxton hasn’t conceded a goal in the championship since.

Listry and East Kerry midfielder Ronan Buckley has also been inserted into the 26.

KERRY TEAM

1. Shane Ryan

2. Graham O’Sullivan

3. Jason Foley

4. Tom O’Sullivan

5. Paul Murphy

6. Tadhg Morley

7. Gavin White

8. Diarmuid O’Connor

9. Jack Barry

10. Dara Moynihan

11. Seánie O’Shea

12. Stephen O’Brien

13. Paudie Clifford

14. David Clifford (captain)

15. Paul Geaney

Subs: Shane Murphy, Adrian Spillane, Brian Ó Beaglaoich, Mike Breen, Barry Dan O’Sullivan, Ruairí Murphy, Micheál Burns, Killian Spillane, Dylan Casey, Donal O’Sullivan, Ronan Buckley.

Several high-profile pundits reckon Dublin boss Dessie Farrell should recall talismanic half forward Ciarán Kilkenny to the first 15 but the Castleknock man will start on the bench (that’s if the the official team released on Friday morning is to be believed).

Joining Kilkenny amongst the substitutes is Seán Bugler, who missed the semi-final with a calf injury.

The personnel in Farrell’s starting line-up remain unchanged.

DUBLIN TEAM

1. Stephen Cluxton

2. Eoin Murchan

3. Michael Fitzsimons

4. David Byrne

5. James McCarthy (captain)

6. John Small

7. Lee Gannon

8. Brian Fenton

9. Brian Howard

10. Paddy Small

11. Paul Mannion

12. Niall Scully

13. Cormac Costello

14. Con O’Callaghan

15. Colm Basquel

Subs: Evan Comerford, Seán Bugler, Ciarán Kilkenny, Tom Lahiff, Seán McMahon, Jack McCaffrey, Ross McGarry, Cian Murphy, Daire Newcombe, Lorcan O’Dell, Dean Rock.

VERDICT

Dublin will provide Kerry with their toughest test to date and their strength in depth is a definite advantage.

However, Kerry have developed a knack of getting over the line in close games and in David Clifford they have a certified match-winner.

Kerry to prevail by a point, or maybe two.

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Competition and camaraderie at Flesk Valley indoor event

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7 days ago

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14 March 2025

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Flesk Valley Rowing Club hosted an enjoyable and competitive indoor rowing competition at the Killarney Racecourse on Sunday last, in association with the Kerry Coastal Rowing Association.

At a venue more renowned for the soothing sounds of traditional music and dance, the relentless grind of rowing machines dominated.

Flesk Valley welcomed 10 clubs from as far afield as Cahersiveen and Ballinacurra in County Cork and the event proved a great success, with racing from U12 beginners up to Masters.

The highlight of the day was undoubtedly the relay showdown between the appropriately named ‘Legends’ and the mixed U18 crews of the participating clubs. On this occasion – perhaps not surprisingly – experience won out.

Speaking after the event, the Flesk Valley chairman John Fleming (himself a medal winner on the day) said that the club was delighted with how the event went and thanked the Kerry Coastal Rowing Association, the Irish Coastal Rowing Federation and participating clubs for their support. “This is our first time running an event like this and there was a fantastic atmosphere in the venue all day. The racing was very competitive but there was also great camaraderie and fun amongst all the clubs which is every bit as important.”

John also thanked the members of his own club who organised and ran the event. “We have a very enthusiastic and proactive committee in the club, and we get great support from parents and rowers whenever we ask for it.”

John went on to thank Celtic Steps and the Killarney Racecourse for their encouragement and support, and he expressed optimism that it might become a fixture on the Kerry rowing calendar moving forward.

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Is Gooch the GOAT? Players and fans have their say

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7 days ago

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14 March 2025

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Legendary Killarney footballer Colm Cooper is the greatest Kerry player of all time, according to former teammates Seán O’Sullivan and Barry John Keane.

Speaking to Killarney Advertiser sports editor Adam Moynihan on The Kerry Football Podcast, O’Sullivan and Keane both selected the Dr Crokes man as the county’s best-ever talent, with the great Maurice Fitzgerald and modern-day superstar David Clifford also name-checked in the conversation.

In an Instagram poll hosted by Adam that had over 500 respondents, Kerry supporters also chose Gooch as the Kingdom’s GOAT. The five-time All-Ireland winner attracted 44% of the vote, with Clifford (26%) and Fitzgerald (24%) in second and third.

A fourth option of ‘someone else’ was selected by 6% of fans with Jack O’Shea, Séamus Moynihan, Declan O’Sullivan, James O’Donoghue and Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh all mentioned.

“From the first night at training (in 2002), Gooch just changed our set-up,” O’Sullivan recalled. “He lit the place up and didn’t stop for the bones of 14 years. I think that really says it all. I wouldn’t do him justice if I tried to describe the things he did at training.

“The biggest compliment I could give Colm Cooper is he brought the best out of the rest of us. No matter where you were, whether it was the Stadium, Stack Park, Páirc Uí Chaoimh or Croke Park, once you saw Colm running out alongside you, you knew you had a chance. Clifford is in that vein and so is Maurice Fitz, but the Gooch was just incredible.”

Keane agreed. “It’s so hard but Gooch has always been my GOAT,” the Kerins O’Rahillys forward said. “Clifford is 100% my number two but even if he goes on to do better things, I probably won’t change my mind. There’s just something about the Gooch. He was a cheat code.”

Putting forward an argument for Clifford, Adam said he believes the two-time Footballer of the Year is capable of doing things no one else could. “I loved watching Gooch. Some days he was just untouchable. He was a warrior and an unbelievable player.

“The things you single Gooch out for – his skill levels, his scoring, his creativity and his passing – I think Clifford can do most, if not all, of what Gooch could do. I think he’s that good. And there are certain things, because of his size, that Clifford can do that Gooch and Maurice Fitz couldn’t.

“Of course, legacy comes into it too and if you’re talking about legacy the Gooch has more All-Irelands, so he goes ahead. But, for me, just judging the player out on the field, I’m going to go for David Clifford. I just think he’s the best footballer I’ve ever seen.”

There were honourable mentions also for Pat Spillane, Mikey Sheehy, Mick O’Connell and Dick Fitzgerald, though the lads agreed that it was difficult to fairly assess players from past generations. 

The question was also put to former Kerry captain Dara Ó Cinnéide on last week’s episode of The Kerry Football Podcast. He opted for Fitzgerald.

“I always say to people that Maurice had as many bad games for Kerry as he had good games. He wasn’t as consistent as someone like Séamus Moynihan or these lads. But when he was good…

“When Maurice hit the high notes, there was nobody to compare with him.”

What do you think? Who is Kerry’s greatest ever player? Email sport@killarneyadvertiser.ie to join the debate.

You can listen to The Kerry Football Podcast on Patreon. Become a member and get exclusive access to all episodes, including big game previews, post-match analysis and interviews with Kerry stars past and present.

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