While Mayo have rightly taken a huge amount of plaudits for their performance in the All-Ireland final, questions will be asked about Kerry and their apparent lack of intensity in the biggest fixture of the year.
They came into the decider as heavy favourites, boasting both a hugely talented team and plenty of recent big match experience. However, that seemed to count for little on the day.
Jack O’Connor’s side could not match the intensity produced by Mayo. They also failed to get their most influential players involved for large stretches of the game.
In the end, they could have no complaints about the result.
Pat Spillane highlights Donaghy & Kerry change in buildup to Mayo loss
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Looking at Kerry’s performance in the final, one of the more notable aspects was their lack of urgency in attack. Whereas Mayo drove forward with a ferocious intensity, their opponents seemed content to meander around with the ball in the opposition half for long periods before attempting to get a shot away.
It was quite the contrast from the football we saw Kerry play earlier in the season, most notably in the win over Armagh in the All-Ireland series. It is a change that was also noted during the narrow wins over Tyrone and Dublin.
Speaking on the Indo GAA Podcast, Pat Spillane shared the contrasting messages being shared by coach Kieran Donaghy on the sideline to sum up this switch, something he feels ultimately cost them against Mayo.
Kerry’s best performance was against Armagh down in Killarney. I thought that was Kerry football at its best. Quick tempo football, kicking the ball in.
Kieran Donaghy was on the sideline in Killarney that day and all he kept shouting was ‘quick, kick the ball in, get it in fast’. Funnily enough he was doing that all during the league and even the McGrath Cup. There was a huge emphasis on kicking and getting the ball into the three-man full forward line quick.
Whatever happened, when they came to Croke Park this year against Tyrone, against Dublin, and against last Sunday, they came with a different attacking game plan.
Their game plan didn’t have any high tempo, it didn’t have as much kicking as they had. Their game plan seemed to be all about slow build up, too conservative, too safe, and not getting shots off…
During the Tyrone or Dublin game, Donaghy was shouting ‘slow it down, keep possession, don’t carry it into contact’.
Whatever it was about it, those three performances were not Kerry playing at their best. I thought their attacking play, particularly last Sunday, was too choreographed, too rehearsed, too structured.
It lacked the chaos, quick play, and kicking that Kerry excel at.
Kerry left to rue missed opportunity vs Mayo
Kieran Donaghy has been a prominent figure on the Kerry sideline this year, acting as the go between for management and the players on the field. As a result, it was interesting to hear that he was calling for a more contained approach during their recent fixtures.
This is something that Jack O’Connor may well address during the off-season, with the 65-year old already confirming that he will remain in charge for the 2027 campaign.
It will be interesting to see what changes he looks to make ahead of that campaign.