Familiar end to odd setting

GAELIC GAMES: It may have been an odd National Football League final, what with the late start and the near certainty that this revised timing would destroy the resolve of two of the more fastidious sets of supporters within the GAA - which it did in delivering a record low turnout of 7,598 - but in the end there was a familiar conclusion to this year's Division One final, as Kerry pulled ahead at the top of the competition's roll of honour.

Winning manager Jack O'Connor was wary of the frequent reminders that two years ago he began his first-season march on the All-Ireland with victory at this stage over the same opposition.

But that challenge to his powers of diplomacy had looked the least of his problems at half-time with Galway swarming all around his tentative forwards and denying them space in the best Tyrone fashion.

"We regrouped at half-time," he said, "and made a few changes. We occupied their spare men a bit better than we'd done in the first half. The we got on top in the middle of the field, which allowed us to get in early ball. I don't know what ye thought but I thought it was a great performance by us in the second half."

The changes made a big impact, varying Kerry's attacking formation by throwing more mobility and pace into the mix. That and a cameo of creative inspiration from Colm Cooper tilted the match in the winners' favour. Eoin Brosnan and Darren O'Sullivan were introduced to telling effect.

"The way the game was going, according to O'Connor, "didn't really suit Eamonn Fitzmaurice. Eoin ran at them and caused them problems and it meant their centre back had to come out. Darren O'Sullivan came on and gave us more structure. He stayed out in the corner and allowed us lay the ball out there."

It was a relaxed interview until a query about whether the afternoon's performance would "be good enough to win an All-Ireland". Had acid been splattered at him the reaction wouldn't have been more startled. "Ah Jesus - hold on a minute. Sure we haven't played the first round of the championship yet."

Galway counterpart Peter Ford didn't have the opportunity to deal with inquires about All-Irelands. On one level the display in the first half had been encouraging and, as was pointed out, the Galway manager had been fielding questions about relegation at one stage of the league.

But as he pointed out you don't go into finals glad to not have been relegated. "We would have liked to win the league. There's no point saying that we were just happy to be here."

Reviewing the match the Galway manager knew that they hadn't turned the screw when the opportunity had presented itself. "It was a tale of two halves. We played very well in the first half and should have been ahead by more. They completely dominated the second half and made us pay.

"In the first 10 minutes (of the second half) we'd a bit of the ball but the long balls were coming back out every time and they got on top out the field. We seemed to tire. We'd put in a huge effort in the first half and maybe needed a few more scores to justify the effort. We've no complaints. In the last 25 minutes Kerry made us pay for every mistake we made."

• There was further bad news for Waterford hurlers at the weekend when forward John Mullane suffered a suspected broken hand playing for his club De La Salle in a challenge match against the Wexford under-21s. It is now feared he could miss the Munster championship.

This comes on top of apprehensions that other noted players Eoin Kelly and Paul Flynn could be facing lengthy suspensions after receiving straight red cards in league matches against Offaly and Limerick, respectively.