Donegal vs Kerry Recap as the Ulster champions withstand late fightback to deny the Kingdom

National Football League Division One: Donegal 1-22 Kerry 1-18

Donegal waited six months to get another crack at Kerry and they were full value for a four-point win over the All-Ireland champions in Ballyshannon on Sunday.

A crowd of youngsters surrounded the Kerry bus on its arrival to Fr Tierney Park. They were hoping to spot Gaelic football’s MVP. They were to be disappointed. David Clifford wasn’t on the bus due to a bout of flu.

Scorer of 0-9 in last summer’s All-Ireland SFC final between the counties, it was one less headache for Jim McGuinness.

Paudie Clifford, Donegal’s tormentor-in-chief in Croke Park, was also absent with Sean O’Shea almost single-handedly keeping Kerry in touch with four two-point frees.

Dáire Ó Baoill’s goal before half-time and back-to-back two-pointers from Michael Langan put Donegal in command, but those O’Shea frees and a late goal from substitute Donagh O’Sullivan left four points between the sides – a margin of defeat that flattered the visitors.

The Ballyshannon venue was bursting at the seams by the time David Coldrick threw the ball in – all 9,000 tickets for this rematch were sold out 24 hours beforehand.

There was plenty of needle in the early stages – Conor O’Donnell and Tadhg Morley were wrestling moments after the off.

The sides traded scores for much of the first quarter with Young Footballer of the year Finnbarr Roarty scoring a brace of points playing in a more advanced role than in 2025.

Shane O’Donnell won a ton of possession for the home side with the raiding Peadar Mogan adding a classy point while Conor O’Donnell was on target with 0-3 in the first half.

After Donegal goalkeeper Gavin Mulreany had scored a 45 after Shane Murphy’s restart went wrong, the Ulster champions finally made their midfield dominance count with a goal before half-time.

Shea Malone won the break and, with options off both shoulders, he passed to Shane O’Donnell when Dáire Ó Baoill was unmarked inside. The St Eunan’s ace spotted Ó Baoill and delivered a perfect pass with the Gweedore clubman able to round Murphy and slot the ball into the Kerry net.

Mogan’s second from play on the cusp of half-time left Donegal 1-8 to 0-7 ahead at the break.

Michael Langan added a brace of cracking two-pointers on the restart with Hugh McFadden also scoring a two with Kerry increasingly reliant on O’Shea’s dead-ball prowess to keep them in touch.

A huge roar greeted Michael Murphy’s introduction midway through the half with Oisin Gallen also marking his introduction with a point.

Having trailed by nine points, Kerry finished on top with O’Shea moving to 0-11 with Armin Heinrich also chipping in with a good score.

The scrappiest of goals for Kerry gave them a brief, late lifeline with O’Sullivan finding the net after Donegal failed to clear their lines.

The Kingdom tried in vain to engineer another goal to snatch a draw, but it was Murphy who had the final say with a point in the final minute to ensure the Ulster champions were victorious.

Two points on the first Sunday of February won’t atone for that loss in the fourth Sunday of July and Jack O’Connor knows his hand will only get stronger as the season progresses.

Donegal: G Mulreany 0-1 (0-1 45); C McColgan; B McCole, P Mogan 0-2; K Gallagher, C McGonagle, F Roarty 0-3; H McFadden 0-2 (1tp), M Langan 0-4 (2tps); D Ó Baoill 1-2, S O’Donnell, C Moore 0-1; C O’Donnell 0-3 (0-1f), J McGee, S Malone 0-1.

Subs: R McHugh for Gallagher (49), Michael Murphy 0-2 (0-1f) for Malone (44), T Carr for Ó Baoill (62), O Gallen 0-1 for S O’Donnell (62), K Muldoon for C O’Donnell (68).

Kerry: S Murphy; E Looney, J Foley, D Casey; A Heinrich 0-1, M Breen, T Morley; S O’Brien, C Trant; J O’Connor, S O’Shea 0-11 (4tpfs, 0-1 45, 0-1m), M Burns; K Spillane, T Kennedy, T Brosnan 0-6 (2tps, 0-1f).

Subs: L Smith for O’Brien (19), C Keating for Breen (HT), D Lyne for Spillaine (42), D O’Sullivan 1-0 for Burns (52), R Murphy for Trant (55).

Referee: D Coldrick (Meath)