In the arena of football, Galway and Armagh stand out for their unmatched defence skills. The two teams have demonstrated exceptional defence in 16 games played in both leagues and championships, yielding goals only in three matches while successfully maintaining clean sheets in the other 13.
Armagh’s robust defensive strategy was compromised during their seventh league game against Cork, conceding two goals as Cork managed to breach the Orchard’s defence, a similar incident also happened on their match against Down during an Ulster semi-final. However, Kerry couldn’t manage more than one green flag score against them during last Saturday’s All-Ireland semi-final.
Galway, on the other hand, conceded two goals in their introductory league match with Mayo and allowed Derry to register three goals on February 25th. However, they managed to play eight successive matches without conceding a goal, showing exceptional defence. The All-Ireland’s group stages saw Galway falter again, allowing Tiernan Kelly from Armagh to score a major due to a clearing mistake. Notably, Armagh was the only team to achieve a championship goal against Galway during the summer.
When quizzed about his successful defensive strategy post their victory against Donegal on Sunday, Pádraic Joyce, Galway’s manager, acknowledged his initial naivety and realised the importance of shoring up his defence despite their attractive style of play. His words echo appreciation for the critical roles played by Cian O’Neill and John Divilly in structuring the team; he also extends his pride towards his team players, Johnny McGrath, Jack Glynn, and Seán Fitzgerald, whom he described not as gigantic, but outstanding young men, demonstrating impressive skills in the game.
Seán Mulkerrin and Dylan McHugh are dedicated football players who perform in a competitive environment and due to their skills, they have maintained the restraints on Kieran Molloy and John Daly from joining their squad. The performance of Seán and Dylan is definitely satisfying and ensures a promising scenario whilst they manage to limit their opponents from high-score gains, confirms Gordon Manning.
In the context of Kerry’s association with Northern Ireland, Jack O’Connor was able to encapsulate the essence of Kerry’s game while responding to overly enthusiastic inquiries regarding the significance of defeating Tyrone in the 2005 All-Ireland final; just two years post the notorious ‘puke football’ incident: “This isn’t equivalent to winning two All-Irelands in the final.”
On the contrary, Kerry’s championship history against Ulster teams is quite formidable, emphasised by its recent loss to Armagh. Nearly two decades back, during their final match, Kerry had a balanced record against Northern Ireland, a record which seems disappointing when compared to their performance against Connacht and Leinster counties.
One could observe two major shifts in the game since then. First, the equilibrium tipped with the addition of two more losses in the All-Ireland finals against Tyrone and a single win against Donegal. Secondly, as matches between provinces are more common in All-Ireland fixtures, Kerry seems to capitalise this by playing against less recognised teams like Cavan and Antrim in the preliminary stages.
Kerry basked in some victories over Monaghan, but it was the 2018 tie match in Clones, finalised by a goal from David Clifford which led to Kerry’s disqualification. Teams from the Munster counties joined the All-Ireland lineup and Cork lost both their finals against their neighbouring provinces.
The supreme performance by Dublin also affected the situation with Leinster as it is the only team from the province to defeat Kerry since 2001, but still has credit whereas Connacht’s record got better in that period. The increased frequency of matches between Kerry and Ulster turned out to be advantageous for the former. Out of 19 matches in 20 years, Kerry won 12, drew 2, and lost 5 against various teams from Ulster.
The aftermath of the losses Kerry has suffered has often been drastic. This argument could undoubtedly be extended to the defeat Kerry endured against Antrim in 2009, an event that last occurred during the semi-finals in 1912. As manifested last Saturday, Ulster continues to pose disproportional challenges for Kerry.
Within the past two decades, the teams dismissing Kerry from the championship have principally been from Ulster, accounting for seven occurrences. Six instances were at the hands of Dublin, representing Leinster, whereas Connacht only had one representation via Mayo in 2017.
These experiences with Ulster have led to the departure of four out of the last five Kerry managers, such as the most recent, Jack O’Connor, who resigned after his second tenure in 2012 upon his defeat to Donegal. He has one remaining year in his present contract and aspires to fulfil it. – Commentary by Seán Moran.
The influence of spectators:
In his conversation with RTÉ following the match as well as during his Saturday press conference, Jack O’Connor acknowledged the role of the spectators. This sentiment was similarly echoed by Eamon Fitzmaurice during his commentary of the match when Armagh retained possession at the centre field and their fans erupted with cheers. The generated enthusiasm was palpable.
However, the way in which O’Connor deliberated it mirrored the rhetoric commonly used by football coaches while being on hostile grounds, away from home. “Armagh gaining momentum from a conceded goal negated our efforts to silence their fans,” exclaimed O’Connor.
Despite Kerry supporters being accommodated and ample space being available, Croke Park is deemed as a neutral ground. O’Connor expressed disappointment towards his team’s inability to subside the Armagh crowd, primarily noted by the prevalent colours in the stands and on Hill 16. Even if extraordinary effort was put forth by his team towards the Kerry fanbase, O’Connor believes the generated commotion could not have possibly mirrored that of Armagh’s. “We were clearly outnumbered on the field,” confirmed O’Connor.
Ignoring the thinly disguised criticism of O’Connor, many of the Kerry fans, who would most likely be at home waiting for the final, are not paying it much mind. The expectation for a county such as Kerry, which is always in contention, is that they should have no difficulty beating Armagh unassisted. The list of matches that stir excitement among their supporters apart from All-Ireland finals is rather scant. As such, the influence of the crowd is unlikely to be a topic of lengthy discussion in the ensuing enquiry.
Kieran Donaghy, who remained until the last possible moment in the Armagh changing room post-match on Saturday night, was the embodiment of a mixture of exhaustion, exhilaration and confusion. His feelings were complicated given that he was contemplating his former teammates’ defeat to a team he had been helping to train. Donaghy, a figure of significant standing, was trying to compute his own Kerry, losing to Armagh – the team he had been part of for four years. His family was with him at the match, demonstratively wearing Armagh colours, while also displaying their Kerry roots with green and gold hues in their hair.
His loyalty to both sides is evident. Despite receiving messages from family members reminding him they are sporting green and gold – a nod to their Kerry heritage –, his connection to Armagh is undoubted. He does empathise with his family, given that he dedicated 15 influential years to Kerry. Similarly, he has committed the same energy to Armagh, making his standing in both camps complex yet understandable.
“My family, inclusive of my wife, children and mother, were solid supporters. Nonetheless, my uncle, a Kerryman with passion beyond measure, sent me an extensive message discussing potential results and how to cope with them.
The week has been insane, and I anticipate the next two to be as such. I acknowledge the sorrow of numerous individuals from Kerry, given their profound love for football. There’s no denying the weight it carries. The Winter will undoubtedly be harsh but I believe, Kerry will always bounce back.” — Malachy Clerkin.
Looking back at the Tailteann Cup’s history, it becomes evident that teams such as Down, Meath and Westmeath were perhaps not the target in setting up the competition. Down made a return to the final only last weekend, successfully attaining the victory that evaded them during the 2023 showdown with Meath. Westmeath, remembered as the champions in 2022, will be competing alongside these teams in the forthcoming Division Two season. Clearly, the competition has not been the breeding ground for the less established teams.
Given this, it’ll be intriguing to ascertain whether the second tier contest retains its charm in 2025 due to increased indications of necessitating the third tier. The utility of the competition might come into question if it procures the interest of the ‘larger’ counties beset with challenging times, pushing the smaller counties further down the pecking order.
The existence of the Tommy Murphy Cup, from 2004-2008, lasted five years. Following its discontinuation post the 2008 season, the revival of a second-tier competition occurred via the Tailteann Cup. The cessation of the Tommy Murphy Cup resulted from its diminished appeal, lack of adequate promotion, and insufficient player commitment, reducing it to an afterthought. Assessing the current state, the Tailteann Cup seems in a stronger position three years on; however, public disregard may soon emerge, prompting the necessity for a third tier more urgently than anticipated.” — Gordon Manning.