Christy O'Connor's Kerry v Donegal preview: All-Ireland final is certain to throw up some curveballs
David Moran, Kerry, in action against Paddy McGrath, Donegal, in 2014 at Croke Park. Picture:: David Maher/SPORTSFILE
In his autobiography ‘ ’ Jim McGuinness devotes a quarter of the book to Donegal’s All-Ireland winning season of 2012, the turning point of which was a league pasting from Kerry in Killarney in February of that year.
McGuiness paints a vivid picture of the aftermath of that defeat, of how much it hurt him and the players, but also of how Donegal looked upon Kerry at that time, and how much that perception affected their performance.
“Our boys were Kerry admirers,” wrote McGuinness.
“Our boys believed in the romance of Kerry. Sharing the same field as them? Life was wonderful. And Kerry send out a message when they get us on the field.
“Last thing Kerry wanted was a new set of Ulster upstarts. They hit us hard and then harder, and then they hit us fairly. Our boys cowed.
"Too respectful.”
As McGuinness was walking towards the tunnel afterwards, he found himself sharing Fitzgerald Stadium with Paul Galvin for those few seconds. Galvin was about 10 metres in front, not looking back to see if anyone was behind him, lost in the moment of private euphoria and satisfaction.
“He starts shouting as if to himself, C’mon Kerry, C’mon Kerry,’” writes McGuinness.
“As if to say: ‘You are in Kerry now boy. And you know what you’ll do? Go into that dressing-room. Pack your bags. Get your players.
"Get on that bus. And f*** off. As if to say: That’s youse told.”
In the dressingroom afterwards, there was total silence. The players were in shock. McGuinness gathered them in a huddle and asked what had happened.
“No answer from anyone because we all know the truth and nobody wants to voice it,” writes McGuinness.
“I was in awe. I respected them too much. I was subservient.
That day in Kerry was one of those disguised days for McGuinness; a bad day from which good things came.
McGuiness made a promise to himself that day that the next time Donegal met Kerry they would be ready. They were, sacking Kerry in the All-Ireland quarter-final five months later.
When Donegal had played Kerry in that league game in February 2012, they were still trying to figure out who they were and who they could become.
They had been pigeon-holed after the 2011 All-Ireland semi-final against Dublin as an ultra-defensive team, but that 2012 All-Ireland winning season showcased just how much Donegal had evolved.
Kerry did nothing in that game that Donegal hadn’t flagged. Donegal just didn’t perform. They were all devastated because they hadn’t shown themselves for who they are.
McGuinness and the Donegal players who played that day – Michael Murphy, Paddy McBrearty and Ryan McHugh – have carried that regret with them ever since. And that’s a huge theme now of Sunday’s All-Ireland final.
Winning is everything but Donegal are also out to show who they are – something they failed to do in that 2014 final.
They’ve been showing it all season. When Ciaran Moore scored Donegal’s second goal in the 48th minute of the All-Ireland semi-final against Meath, the game was effectively over as a contest.
Meath were in an attacking position when Finbarr Roarty forced the turnover in possession and Moore had the ball in the net at the other end within seconds.
That is Donegal’s game, it’s absolutely who they are, but their semi-final performance also proved that there is far more to Donegal than just their running and transition game.
When the game was there to be won, Donegal won it off restarts, sourcing 2-13 off Shaun Patton’s kickouts, and 0-8 off the Meath kickout.
When Donegal first began to turn the screw, it came from deconstructing Meath’s kickout in the second quarter, when they won eight of Billy Hogan’s restarts in that period and turned that possession into 0-5.
Meath had clearly gone for broke around two-pointers with the wind at their backs, but they only converted two of eight two-point attempts in that first half.
Donegal made a tactical adjustment around the right side of the arc to shut down that outlet but it was going to be harder again for Meath to attempt two-pointers into the breeze. And Meath didn’t go for any two-pointers in the second half.
Kerry had burned Armagh in the quarter-final with two-pointers but they went after green flags against Tyrone in their semi-final. Kerry only got one goal but they could have raised eight green flags.
Kerry brilliantly kicked through the lines against Tyrone whereas Donegal have consistently shown the power and precision of their running game throughout this championship.
Sunday’s final is being billed as Kerry’s brilliance against Donegal’s systematic relentlessness but that’s an oversimplistic generalisation.
Donegal have just as many brilliant players, but both teams have shown how much they have adapted under the new rules to win whatever way is required.
Donegal have continued to evolve while Kerry continue to reinvent themselves. One of the most fascinating aspects of Sunday’s final will hinge on how both teams adapt and answer the questions they ask off each other.
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