GAA | Kerry sweep past Donegal to claim 39th All-Ireland title

Kerry have beaten Donegal by 1-26 to 0-19 in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final at Croke Park.

The Kingdom claimed the Sam Maguire for the 39th with an assured display in Dublin, taking the lead after 13 seconds and keeping Donegal at arm's length for the majority of the contest. Having raced into a 0-13 to 0-04 lead after just 20 minutes, Kerry led 0-17 to 0-10 at the break.

Jim McGuinness' men, whose zonal defending failed to contain Kerry's lethal attack, never get closer than four points behind in the second half.

There were immense performances all over the pitch for Jack O'Connor's men. Paudie Clifford, largely left unmarked, was superb. David Clifford pitched in with 0-9, making Donegal pay despite being limited to a modest amount of touches. Sean O'Shea (0-6) was as composed and clinical as ever, and Gavin White rampaged forward tirelessly from wing back, chipping in with three points of his own.

Joe O'Connor put the icing on the cake with a well-taken goal late on as the Kingdom sealed their first All-Ireland title since 2022 in front of 83,000 fans in Croker.

Jack O'Connor has now led the Munster county to five All-Ireland titles across three spells, and his third treble (2004, 2022, 2025) in what may be his last hurrah for the Kingdom.

More to follow...

Kerry: Shane Ryan; Paul Murphy, Jason Foley, Dylan Casey; Brian O Beaglaoich, Mike Breen, Gavin White (0-03); Sean O'Brien (0-02), Mark O'Shea; Joe O'Connor (1-00), Séan O'Shea (0-06, 1f), Graham O'Sullivan; David Clifford (0-09), Paudie Clifford (0-03), Dylan Geaney (0-03).

Subs: Diarmuid O'Connor for O'Brien (49), Killian Spillane for Geaney (54), Evan Looney for Ó Beaglaoich (62), Tadhg Morley for Breen (65), Micheál Burns for O'Sullivan (68).

Donegal: Shaun Patton; Finnbarr Roarty, Brendan McCole, Peadar Mogan; Ryan McHugh, Eoghan Bán Gallagher, Caolan McColgan; Caolan McGonagle (0-01), Michael Langan; Shane O'Donnell (0-02), Ciarán Thompson, Ciarán Moore; Conor O'Donnell (0-04), Michael Murphy (0-08, 6f), Oisín Gallen (0-03).

Subs: Daire Ó Baoill (0-01) for Thompson (22), Hugh McFadden for McColgan (35), Jason McGee for McHugh (40), Paddy McBrearty for Gallen (49), Jamie Brennan for Gallagher (58).