Martin the hero as Tyrone edge Kerry late to claim ninth All-Ireland MFC title

July 06, 2025

Kerry's Tadgh O Slatara challenges for the ball with Diarmuid Martin and Padraig Donaghy of Tyrone ©INPHO/Tom Maher

Diarmuid Martin grabbed the winning point in injury-time as Tyrone triumphed over Kerry to their first All-Ireland minor football championship title in 15 years.

It finished 1-16 to 1-15 in favour of Gerard Donnelly’s lads in Newbridge, where Kerry had led at the halfway stage thanks to Ben Kelliher’s superbly taken goal in the run up to half-time.

Minus the services of West Ham United-bound ace attacker Joel Kerr, who had been named in their starting line-up this morning before being replaced by Martin prior to the 1.30pm throw-in, Tyrone had built up a 0-8 to 0-5 lead after 25 minutes at Cedral St Conleth’s Park with James Mulgrew and Eoin Long among those on target for them.

Kerry put together a strong finish to the first-half however, which saw points from Gearoid White (free) and Danny Murphy flying over ahead of Kelliher rifling in their goal in the 29th minute which left the scoreboard reading 1-7 to 0-8 at the interval.

Aodhan Quinn and Long shot points early in the restart to level things up for the Ulster champions but a two-pointer from skipper White and another from Kevin Griffin surged their Munster counterparts ahead again.

Matthew Daly’s point trimmed Tyrone’s deficit to three and the same player would win a penalty which Peter Colton fired into the top-corner to nudge Tyrone a point ahead with nine minutes remaining.

Murphy drew the Kingdom level and Kelliher saw a goal bound effort tipped over as the game entered into its added minutes where the Red Hands came up trumps with a Colton (free) equaliser prior to Martin landing what proved to be the winning point.

The corner-forward found him himself in the right place at the right time to nab the rebound of Mulgrew’s point effort off the post and send over the decisive score in his county's ninth ever Tom Markham Cup success.


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