With 18 minutes on the clock, Kerry already led by 0-13 to 0-4 and couldn’t have hoped for a much better start.
They were 0-5 to 0-3 up when David stepped up with back-to-back two-pointers, finding just enough space on the edge of the arc to split the posts.
Donegal finally got it going in the second quarter with two Oisin Gallen points and a couple of inspirational Michael Murphy scores.
GAA President Jarlath Burns was fulsome with praise afterwards for Murphy, pointing to his legendary status in the Tir Chonaill county. Murphy finished with eight points but an early free that struck the post probably summed up his frustrations on the day.
Clifford drilled his third two-pointer after the half-time hooter, closing out the opening half and leaving Kerry 0-17 to 0-10 ahead.
By that stage, Ciaran Thompson had limped off for Donegal with an ankle injury. That reduced their two-point threat and robbed them of a lionheart performer. Ryan McHugh took a heavy bang after the restart and had to be replaced in the 41st minute also.
Donegal were in the horrors at that stage and trailed by nine at one stage early in the second-half.
The side managed by Jim McGuinness lifted things impressively for the guts of 20 minutes. Conor O’Donnell struck his third and fourth points of the game, Murphy reeled off five points from frees and suddenly Kerry’s big lead was down to just four points, 0-22 to 0-18.
You got the feeling that Donegal needed a goal though – and they never really got a sniff of one. They didn’t try for two-pointers either, sticking instead to their plan to open up the Kerry defence with penetrating, angled runs.
Substitutes lent impressively to Kerry’s effort late on. Tadhg Morley and Killian Spillane combined to play in O’Connor for the late goal, a penetrating run in along the right endling at the Hill 16 End which the half-forward finished well. Evan Looney was a calming presence for Kerry after coming on as well.
A famous day for Kerry all told and a fifth All-Ireland senior medal for Jack O’Connor in what is his third spell as manager. He chided those who were critical of Kerry off at one stage during the Championship but had the last laugh, engineering three brilliant Croke Park performances that were enough to take the silverware back south.
Scorers for Kerry: David Clifford 0-9 (2tp, 1 tpf), Sean O’Shea 0-6 (2 tpf), Joe O’Connor 1-0, Dylan Geaney 0-3, Gavin White 0-3, Paudie Clifford 0-3, Sean O’Brien 0-2.
Scorers for Donegal: Michael Murphy 0-8 (0-6f), Conor O’Donnell 0-4, Oisin Gallen 0-3, Shane O’Donnell 0-2, Caolan McGonagle 0-1, Daire O Baoill 0-1.
Kerry: Shane Ryan; Paul Murphy, Jason Foley, Dylan Casey; Brian O Beaglaoich, Mike Breen, Gavin White; Sean O’Brien, Mark O’Shea; Joe O’Connor, Sean O’Shea, Graham O’Sullivan; Paudie Clifford, David Clifford, Dylan Geaney.
Subs: Diarmuid O’Connor for O’Brien 50, Killian Spillane for Geaney 54, Evan Looney for O Beaglaoich 63, Tadhg Morley for Breen 65, Michael Burns for O’Sullivan 69.
Donegal: Shaun Patton; Caolan McColgan, Brendan McCole, Peadar Mogan; Eoghan Ban Gallagher, Finbarr Roarty, Ryan McHugh; Caolan McGonagle, Michael Langan; Ciaran Moore, Ciaran Thompson, Shane O’Donnell; Conor O’Donnell, Michael Murphy, Oisin Gallen.
Subs: Daire O Baoill for Thompson 23, Hugh McFadden for McColgan h/t, Jason McGee for McHugh 41, Patrick McBrearty for Gallen 50, Jamie Brennan for Gallagher 59.
Referee: Brendan Cawley (Kildare).