Keys to the kingdom won for 37th time

Thy Kingdom come. On a day when north and south converged and a green and gold haze fell over Croke Park, Kerry, the perpetual masters of Gaelic football, delivered a lesson that seemed almost biblical in its sternness.

This was supposed to be Dublin’s year. And yesterday was supposed to Donegal’s day. By half-past five, those notions were just so much dust. Kerry were All-Ireland champions for the 37th time. They claimed the minor title for good measure, with Donegal also their victims, guaranteeing a long and contemplative pilgrimage home to the hills. This was not a match of bountiful attacking, finishing 2-09 to 0-12 with a mad, last-second goal-line scramble denying Donegal a draw. But Kerry shaped and designed this day, from their imperturbable young manager Eamonn Fitzmaurice to the bullet-headed Kieran Donaghy.

Won the All-Ireland

His 1-2 from play essentially won the All-Ireland for Kerry and the goal was a moment of vintage opportunism from the Kerry cult hero. The hot talk beforehand was that the Tralee man was hobbled with an injury. “I just heard that,” mused Fitzmaurice when the silverware had been raised. “Another one of those rumours. He was perfect. There was nothing wrong with him.”

Rewind the clock to spring and the forecasts were deeply pessimistic. Colm Cooper laid-up with injury and a humiliating league loss to Cork: the year would be a wash out. Other counties, foolishly, believed them. They worked. They kicked. They plotted. They did what Kerry football teams do.

“It is a massive achievement any time that you win an All-Ireland,” says Fitzmaurice, who won three as a player. “It is a special achievement. They are a special group of lads. Very focused. Absolute pleasure to work with. Nothing is too much.” Donegal fought hard and until the bitter end but were bamboozled here for reasons Jim McGuinness could not fully understand. “It is a big occasion,” he pointed out. And it is true: Donegal were playing September football for just the third time ever.

“ Maybe that is one of the reasons. I will have to look at it. Maybe we wanted it to be nine o’clock and be out in Citywest with the cup. But the game was at half-past three. So why, I don’t know.”

Kerry is one explanation. They materialise at the appointed hour and are inexplicably brilliant at winning these days.