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All Ireland Football Championship 2025

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Beating Kerry isn't for everyone!

RoyalBadger (Meath) - Posts: 573 - 27/07/2025 22:29:28    2628447

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For the past 20 years or so Cian O' Neill has left his mark everywhere he's gone: Limerick, Tipperary, Mayo, Kerry, Kildare, Cork, Galway and now, back to the Kingdom. This is his ninth All-Ireland final. His tally includes 11 provincial titles and two All-Irelands. He has been involved in county titles across Kildare, Limerick and Cork.

In my opinion he has to be ranked as the best ever coach that includes both codes hurling and football. He deserves an extended round of applause, don't you think.?

supersub15 (Carlow) - Posts: 3232 - 27/07/2025 22:35:51    2628450

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Replying To P.Mckenna:  "Donegal's championship was only about McGuinness & Murphy. The rest of the team were forgotten about. McGuinness made a cod of himself, letting his ego supersede the team. Donegal supporters only focused on Murphy.
Gaelic football won today and Kerry GAA and their supporters epitomise all that is good about the game - honesty, humility and cohesion. Each person as important as the other"
What a load of guff

shaggykev (Donegal) - Posts: 422 - 27/07/2025 22:37:07    2628451

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Replying To Saynothing:  "Congratulations Kerry and enjoy your celebrations to the Kerry folk on here. Sign of a great team when different players step up to the MOTM every game. They are no one trick pony team, a great team. Enjoy."
Thanks! Fair play!
Tyrone were tough in the semi finals. Possibly our toughest opponent in my humble opinion.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9060 - 27/07/2025 23:01:28    2628455

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The Galway posters outdoing themselves tonight with the most ludicrous posts

Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2303 - 27/07/2025 23:12:43    2628459

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Congrats to Kerry, absolutely terrific performance from start to finish. Not much I can add about David Clifford that hasn't already been said but also stunning performances from Paudie, Joe O'Connor and Gavin White. Kerry dominated midfield in the first half and Donegal just couldn't get their hands on the ball. We did get it back to 4 points at one stage but then kicked a couple of wides. But not sure Donegal ever looked like winning.

Donegal have had a great year, shame to put in a below par performances in the final but Kerry deserve the credit today. Reading the posts I can see there is already a lot of negative comments on Jim. Easy to forget we were in Div 2 when he took over, has won us two Ulster titles and made an All Ireland final.

Green_Gold (Donegal) - Posts: 1929 - 28/07/2025 01:05:40    2628476

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Mark McHugh on tsg.Absolutely superb

CiarraiMick (Dublin) - Posts: 4059 - 28/07/2025 02:25:27    2628482

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Replying To Wally:  "Poor enough game today. Kerry can't be blamed for that. They were excellent in almost every sector.

Donegal seemed like a team totally out of their depth. They couldn't get to the pitch of the game at all while their decision making was horrendous.

Hopefully next year a team can put it up to Kerry and find a way to get around the Clifford conundrum."
A bit of jealousy there in that post imo ... Tyrone are a shockingly poor team imo , the day freaked Donegal out end of story. You over achieved this year. Go back under ur rock ... zzzz

letterkennyGuy (Donegal) - Posts: 183 - 28/07/2025 03:16:10    2628483

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Looking at the championship (and year) as a whole, the best team won at their ease.

For all the talk of hard roads through Ulster, Kerry stuffed every Ulster team they played. They showed the "low block" defensive system to be obsolete which is what the FRC set out to do.

RIP to the low block and many thanks to Kerry for killing it.

All other counties have to get back to basics again.
Kerry won with a simple game plan.
1. Mark man to man
2. Win the breaks at midfield
3. Bring pace and running power from wing back/wing forward
4. Keep 4 scoring forwards on at all times
5. Dont force it by trying to run or kick the ball into a zonal defence
6. Kick 2 pointers with the wind behind you and dont bother when your kickin into the wind


Donegal, Armagh and Tyrone all had their defensive systems found out by Kerry.
Sitting in a low block for 60 mins while losing by 6/7 points is just crazy.
They all have to come back with a man to man press that they can use when behind on the scoreboard.

All teams who are seriously in the running for Sam, probably need to tailor their provincial championship aspirations.

We will all need 5/6 man markers, 5/6 shooting forwards, 3 fielding midfielders and 2 "ballers" on an intercounty panel from now on.
Having 2 scorers, 2 man markers and 15/16 runners won't cut it anymore

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1535 - 28/07/2025 07:05:34    2628486

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Replying To mr305:  "The winning ceremony needs to be freshened up going forward. Its been the same bit of gold ticker take for years now. People are paying big money for 1 game and not even a minor match. How about some day time fireworks from the roof of the Davin, Hogan and Cusack Stands?"
The 'winning ceremony' is terrible as we will always compare it to what used to happen at the end of finals/ games in Croke park pre-2010 and what happens at the end of games in every other ground outside Croke Park- ie. the people mingle on the pitch at the end of games.
The people mingling on the pitch after the match was fitting of a community organisation.

GreenMan1987 (Meath) - Posts: 98 - 28/07/2025 07:29:18    2628487

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Replying To Gaaforlife2023:  "Here we go you are out Jack is great manager . Sour grapes"
Has to be considered as one of the greatest now. Just behind Micko who was the greatest hands down

boxtyburgerbuns (Leitrim) - Posts: 515 - 28/07/2025 07:31:29    2628488

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Replying To lilywhite1:  "The Leinster championship certainly wasn't a farce this year. It was very competitive. Credit where credit is due."
Intermediate Championships are usually the most competitive.

Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 27 - 28/07/2025 08:19:11    2628494

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Replying To RoyalBadger:  "Beating Kerry isn't for everyone!"
Ha you are right! I know Kerry were off and down key men but Meath were exceptional on the day and that was Meath's peak this year. Meath did not perform great versus Galway by any means at all and obviously were error ridden in semi.
I think Meath were out of juice physically and mentally for Donegal game as you would expect an inexperienced team to be after overcoming the likes of Dublin, Cork and Kerry. Meath shoukd have taken Louth and got bogged down by doubts and inexperience and fair play to Louth on the day!
I think a Kerry win especially against the Conservative rubbish does wonders for the game and expect Dublin, Meath, Kildare, Galway and Cork to improve and hopefully grasp the nettle. If Meath pick up a few more players plus get all injuries back, teams may forget about taking them for granted again.

winatallcost (Meath) - Posts: 771 - 28/07/2025 08:25:12    2628495

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No complaints at all, Kerry were the better team and are worthy All Ireland champions. Many congratulations to them.
As for Donegal I would like to express my gratitude to each and evet one of them for the great year they have given us. I am sure they are hurting this morning but I am equally sure they will get a great reception this evening and it is the least they deserve.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5030 - 28/07/2025 09:01:28    2628497

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Replying To P.Mckenna:  "Donegal's championship was only about McGuinness & Murphy. The rest of the team were forgotten about. McGuinness made a cod of himself, letting his ego supersede the team. Donegal supporters only focused on Murphy.
Gaelic football won today and Kerry GAA and their supporters epitomise all that is good about the game - honesty, humility and cohesion. Each person as important as the other"
Jim after the Ulster final made a point to BBC that the Jimmys Winnin' Matches thing isn't true, the interview was over and he said no, it's the players winning the matches.

The media can focus on Jim and Michael all they want, are they then supposed to just ignore interview requests or not answer questions put to them? Then they'd be called arrogant and playing mind games.

Any time there was a focus on Murphy other players have been bigged up in the squad like Roarty, Langan, Thompson, Patton, Shane O'Donnell Mogan & McHugh.

Jim is a divisive character over the years but he's never been anything except humble in defeat, rightly gave full credit to Kerry yesterday and he looks after the players and goes to bat for Donegal. He does nothing but praise Kerry football and tradition and spent many years in Tralee yet people then accuse him of bigging them up as mind games. He is a genuine man. It seems to rub some people up the wrong way that he has high standards and will advocate for Donegal but I'm fed up of some of the rubbish spouted about him to be honest.

Kerry were fantastic yesterday and deserving AI winners we can have no complaints, totally outclassed and that is hard to take

CCFabu (Donegal) - Posts: 269 - 28/07/2025 09:01:33    2628498

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Comhairgheas do Chiarraí. A well deserved All-Ireland win. Jack O'Connor deserves a lot of credit for adapting the best to the new rules.

For all the criticism that Donegal are getting for their performance yesterday, I think it's worth noting that with about 15 mins to go Donegal had put the ball over the ball 17 times, and Kerry had put the ball over the bar 17 times. In old scores the game was level. In fact in old scores the game was a lot tighter throughout. It was Kerry's ability to score from outside that was the main difference.

I've been sceptical on the 2 pointers from the outset, and I think they have an outsized influence on the game now, and an influence that will only continue to grow.

That's not to take from Kerry's win, they exploited the new rules brilliantly, and are deserving champions. Just from a neutral point of view it made the final less of a spectacle imo.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13837 - 28/07/2025 09:20:58    2628502

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Replying To CiarraiMick:  "Mark McHugh on tsg.Absolutely superb"
Yes thought he came across very well, measured and points well made. A lot of waffle going on around him.

ahsure. (Galway) - Posts: 1744 - 28/07/2025 09:33:39    2628505

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Congratulations to our neighbours Kerry, and commiserations to Donegal. I feel your pain Donegal folk; I was in their last week as our team completely wilted in the second half and it really is a hard one to take. Obviously, you lads fought back in the second half but overall, you'd have to say Kerry were unreal on the day and ran out easy winners.

It's a real head scratcher when your team is blown away, especially when you are quietly confident coming in. Take no notice of the snidey comments from other counties either, they'd bite your hand off to be in AI final.

bloodandbandage (Cork) - Posts: 440 - 28/07/2025 09:36:38    2628506

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Congrats to Kerry. No dispute they are the best team in the land. Final was very flat and a disappointment for us neutrals not that it will bother Kerry one bit.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11715 - 28/07/2025 09:44:50    2628507

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Replying To tirawleybaron:  "Looking at the championship (and year) as a whole, the best team won at their ease.

For all the talk of hard roads through Ulster, Kerry stuffed every Ulster team they played. They showed the "low block" defensive system to be obsolete which is what the FRC set out to do.

RIP to the low block and many thanks to Kerry for killing it.

All other counties have to get back to basics again.
Kerry won with a simple game plan.
1. Mark man to man
2. Win the breaks at midfield
3. Bring pace and running power from wing back/wing forward
4. Keep 4 scoring forwards on at all times
5. Dont force it by trying to run or kick the ball into a zonal defence
6. Kick 2 pointers with the wind behind you and dont bother when your kickin into the wind


Donegal, Armagh and Tyrone all had their defensive systems found out by Kerry.
Sitting in a low block for 60 mins while losing by 6/7 points is just crazy.
They all have to come back with a man to man press that they can use when behind on the scoreboard.

All teams who are seriously in the running for Sam, probably need to tailor their provincial championship aspirations.

We will all need 5/6 man markers, 5/6 shooting forwards, 3 fielding midfielders and 2 "ballers" on an intercounty panel from now on.
Having 2 scorers, 2 man markers and 15/16 runners won't cut it anymore"
Also when in possesion and the oppoenent is close to you move the ball quickly, Kerry played what looked like one touch football at times despite a crowded Donegal defense. Can't recall them holding on to ball too long and getting turned over too often.

FullOfPorter (Roscommon) - Posts: 282 - 28/07/2025 09:45:43    2628508

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