It is nine years since Murphy made his championship debut, but he has only made 13 appearances. Can Kerry make history with back-to-back All-Star goalkeepers with two different players?<\/p>\n
Their kickout is an obvious weapon. Murphy has made some big saves too, although one was overshadowed due to the goal-line controversy that followed. His response since a tough day in the league final has been admirable.<\/p>\n
\n Paul Murphy (Rathmore)\u00a0\n <\/p>\n
The 34-year-old found the going tough at times against Dublin. He is bidding to become a four-time All-Ireland winner having been Man of the Match in the 2014 decider. Murphy did not start the 2022 final with Graham O\u2019Sullivan and Tom O\u2019Sullivan starting in the corners. One of their vital veterans.<\/p>\n
\n Jason Foley (Ballydonoghue)\u00a0\n <\/p>\n
The Ballydonoghue man has 52 championship appearances in green and gold. He learned his remarkable running dynamics at Listowel Athletic Club. He spoke impressively before last year\u2019s final about his work as a special needs assistant at Nagle-Rice Primary School in Milltown. A good outing should secure him a second All-Star.<\/p>\n
\n Dylan Casey (Austin Stacks)\u00a0\n <\/p>\n
He previously endured a tough outing against Mayo in 2023 when he marked Aidan O\u2019Shea. That day Kerry\u2019s 39-match unbeaten home championship run came to an end. He has been a crucial cog this season, especially given their injuries.<\/p>\n
\n Graham O\u2019Sullivan (Dromid Pearses)\u00a0\n <\/p>\n
Mr versatile. He can operate in almost every line. He has assisted 14 points this year and scored 0-6. One of six players who were not nominated for an All-Star in 2025.<\/p>\n
\n Mike Breen (Beaufort)\u00a0<\/p>\n
A creative force. Breen has created a total of 24 points this season. Jack O\u2019Connor consistently heralds his essential work, having worked with him as a minor previously.<\/p>\n
\n Gavin White (Dr Crokes)\u00a0\n <\/p>\n
The man who lifted their 39th Sam Maguire and was named man of the match that night.<\/p>\n
The 29-year-old has had serious injury issues in 2026, yet still managed to come in as a late change before throw-in for the quarter-final and thrive. Will Mayo dedicate a man to track him, like they did with Sam Callinan on Craig Lennon in the semi-final?<\/p>\n
\n Mark O\u2019Shea (Dr Crokes)\u00a0\n <\/p>\n
The 28-year-old became the oldest first-time All-Ireland SFC winner as a starter last year since Tadhg Kennelly who was 28 in 2009 (Donnchadh Walsh was 30 in 2014 but had been part of \u201909 panel).<\/p>\n
He is a beast around the middle and he gives them depth by running into the full-forward line to occupy defenders. Interestingly, he was one of three players who didn\u2019t kick the ball once in the 2025 decider. The other two were Dylan Casey and Jason Foley.<\/p>\n
O\u2019Shea has never scored for Kerry. What a day it would be to get your first.<\/p>\n
\n Sean O\u2019Brien (Beaufort)\u00a0\n <\/p>\n
A two-time Kerry U20 captain. His punch runs to the inside line helped him to score two points against Donegal last year as well as the contentious goal against Dublin. Kerry selector James Costello worked with him as a minor and played him wing-back. One of several starters who played a lot of basketball.<\/p>\n
\n Joe O\u2019Connor (Austin Stacks)\u00a0\n <\/p>\n
A former rugby prospect who was with the Munster U18s back in 2016 before he committed fully to football. The nominated captain in 2022, his story last year was remarkable as a cruciate setback saw him recover to become a Footballer of the Year contender. His brother is London-based fashion director James.<\/p>\n
\n Sean O\u2019Shea (Kenmare Shamrocks)\u00a0\n <\/p>\n
The glue. A warrior. After the Armagh game, Jack O\u2019Connor revealed they were worried O\u2019Shea would miss the entire season due to his recent injury. At times in the semi-final, it looked like the tank was running dry. Somehow he rallied again, such as when he caught a mark and carried it back out to curl over a gorgeous score from outside the arc.<\/p>\n
Off the field, this year he set up a new business with his partner Molly O\u2019Brien, sister of former Kerry star Stephen. It is called SONA\u00cd and supports children\u2019s physical development.<\/p>\n
\n Diarmuid O\u2019Connor (Na Gaeil)\u00a0\n <\/p>\n
At first, he was an all-action wing-forward. O\u2019Connor broke into the Kerry team in 2019 when they had David Moran, Jack Barry and Adrian Spillane as midfield options. Gradually, they needed him in midfield. He works as a teacher at Gaelcol\u00e1iste Chiarra\u00ed.<\/p>\n
After the semi-final, O\u2019Connor was interviewed by RT\u00c9 pitchside and asked whether they targeted inside marks. His answer was comically reserved: \u201cNo. I wouldn\u2019t say so. I think it is just fellas using their heads.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n Paudie Clifford (Fossa)\u00a0<\/p>\n
The well-told arc is that he wasn\u2019t a Kerry minor or U21. A diehard Aston Villa and Pittsburgh Steelers fan, the 28-year-old has timed his run perfectly for two successive years. He has scored 1-18 from 24 shots.<\/p>\n
\n David Clifford (Fossa)\n <\/p>\n
91 shots. 92 scores. What else do you need to know?<\/p>\n
The three-time Footballer of the Year has scored 9-12-41 so far. He is also tied as their second-best assister. He is currently third on the all-time championship scoring list, just behind Colm Cooper. His dual with Donnacha McHugh in the 2025 league final saw then Mayo-boss Kevin McStay frustrated.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he is a fabulous player in the game but I thought today he got well looked after,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\n Dylan Geaney (Dingle)\u00a0<\/p>\n
Second on their scoring list for 2026. He has scored a total of 37 points from 34 shots. His two-point ability is proven, four from five with the one that dropped short ending in a goal anyway. Has any player a better record of missed two-point attempts? After that wonder kick in Thurles in the Munster club final last December, Geaney revealed he was trying to kick it to the edge of the square.<\/p>\n
He has carried his Dingle form into this campaign.<\/p>\n
\n The bench\u00a0\n <\/p>\n
Keith Evans has a habit of delivering golden moments from the bench, such as his stunning block against Tyrone. Shane Ryan, Tom O\u2019Sullivan, Tadhg Morley and Brian \u00d3 Beagla\u00edoch have all started All-Ireland finals.<\/p>\n
Brian \u00d3 Beagla\u00edoch is looking to add to an impressive medal collection. He is a double Hogan Cup winner as part of a stacked Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne side that included O\u2019Sullivan and Mark O\u2019Connor. He is a Sigerson Cup winner too.<\/p>\n
Captain Geaney has crossed over golden generations. Just think about the Dingle man\u2019s championship debut. It was in 2013 against Cavan at Croke Park. Paul Galvin, Colm Cooper, Donnacha Walsh, Declan O\u2019Sullivan, Kieran Donaghy and Darran O\u2019Sullivan were their starting front six.<\/p>\n
What he did for his club in 2025 was extraordinary. The payoff was obvious, the price has been lingering injury issues, the latest of which ruled him out of the semi-final. Do not be surprised if we see his aerial ability in this game, just like 2014.<\/p>\n
Team management\n <\/p>\n
Cian O\u2019Neill is bidding for his fourth All-Ireland title, 16 years after his first with the Tipperary hurlers. They have a famous water-carrier in Kieran Donaghy. James Costello is a highly-regarded coach who previously worked with the county minors as well as Clare. Interestingly, when Jack O\u2019Connor rebuilt his ticket in 2025, the man who was listed as assistant coach to O\u2019Neill was Pa McCarthy.<\/p>\n
Aod\u00e1n MacGearailt is an All-Ireland winner as a player and a coach. Armagh native Colin Trainor is their analyst.<\/p>\n
Trainor previously worked in professional soccer and wrote for StatsBomb, a data source for player recruitment, performance analysis and opposition scouting.<\/p>\n
Clubs across the world currently used a metric called PPDA. It is a means of measuring the intensity of a high press. Trainor invented it. One particular detailed blog on Dortmund\u2019s form gained so much traction that the club themselves shared a link online. When Bournemouth were first promoted to the Premier League, Trainor came on board as a consultant.<\/p>\n
\n
MAYO<\/p>\n
\n Jack Livingstone (Breaffy)\n <\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t play minor or under 20 with the county, but always wanted to emulate his club mate Rob Hennelly and ended up taking his spot during this campaign. His kick outs will be targeted but he\u2019s not one for letting the pressure show either. Everything is on his terms.<\/p>\n
\n Jack Coyne (Ballyhaunis)\n <\/p>\n
First All-Ireland final in his fourth year. Made captain in the autumn off the back of a brilliant 2025 season. His debut year included a superb defensive effort in Mayo\u2019s win in Killarney. Back to his best since Mayo hit Croke Park.<\/p>\n
\n Donnacha McHugh (Castlebar Mitchels)\n <\/p>\n
At his best when he\u2019s roving around the field tracking a key opponent, Brian Fenton, Michael Murphy and Steven Sherlock have all had the treatment. If he\u2019s assigned to David Clifford he\u2019ll be tested in a whole new way. It\u2019s his 53rd appearance since his debut in 2022.<\/p>\n
\n Eoin McGreal (Garrymore)\u00a0\n <\/p>\n
One of three teenagers in the team. A leading man for Garrymore last year and earmarked by Moran for a key role as a result. As a marker, he is relentless in his pursuit of the ball but cunning in how he can shadow and discourage.<\/p>\n
\n Sam Callinan (Ballina Stephenites)\n <\/p>\n
The engine for Mayo. He will launch attacks or track a dangerous opponent, one of the options for Paudie Clifford, not as accurate as others when he gets forward but hugely effective at cutting holes in defensive shields.<\/p>\n
\n David McBrien (Ballaghaderreen)\n <\/p>\n
he club that produced Kevin Cahill know a good full back when they have him. His club mate Andy Moran understands his strengths. Has moved between midfield, centre backs and at times his more natural full back role this season but the six jersey is where he\u2019s settled.<\/p>\n
\n Enda Hession (Garrymore)\n <\/p>\n
As soon as the All-Ireland series started, Hession hit top form and hasn\u2019t stopped, defensively sound and good for points too if needed, another that might be tasked with keeping tabs on Paudie Clifford, he\u2019ll embrace such a challenge. His second All Ireland final.<\/p>\n
\n Bob Touhy (Castlebar)\n <\/p>\n
Some storming exhibitions of fielding during the early stages of the league, hasn\u2019t been able to replicate such feats in the championship and might be targeted by Kerry. But it\u2019s worth noting that while he\u2019s not catching clean balls, his opponents aren\u2019t either.<\/p>\n
\n Jack Carney (Kilmeena)\n <\/p>\n
His 2022 man of the match display for Kilmeena in the All Ireland Junior final was his finest hour to date. When he starts to feel like he\u2019s in the ascendancy, the problems begin for opponents. Crafty player who possesses a two point threat with six from play so far in championship.<\/p>\n
\n Stephen Coen (Hollymount-Carramore)\n <\/p>\n
In the side for his leadership and positional awareness, at his best when he\u2019s plugging gaps and making quick smart decisions. Captained Mayo to All-Irelands at minor in 2013 and under 21 in 2016, plus he was UCD captain when they won the Sigerson in 2018.<\/p>\n
\n Conor Loftus (Crossmolina Deel Rovers)\n <\/p>\n
Sunday will be his 99th appearance in all competitions, scored 1-2 from the bench on his championship debut in 2016 and this will be his fifth All Ireland Final. Won an All Ireland intermediate title with Crossmolina at the venue in the January 2025, scoring the winning penalty. <\/p>\n
\n Jordan Flynn (Crossmolina Deel Rovers)\n <\/p>\n
His third All Ireland Final and first start, Flynn is part of the core leadership group. Repurposed this year as a powerhouse in the middle, he\u2019s fulfilling the kind of role Seamus O\u2019Shea used to do for Mayo. Could provide a couple of critical additional scorers too.<\/p>\n
\n Darragh Beirne (Claremorris)\u00a0\n <\/p>\n
The ciot\u00f3g has notched up 4-27 in his debut year at the age of 19. He finishes goals with finesse and can blast points from beyond the arch too. He\u2019s a threat off the right and his trajectory is only pointing up. Scoring four points per game in Championship football.<\/p>\n
\n Ryan O\u2019Donoghue (Belmullet)\n <\/p>\n
His third All Ireland final. Carried so much on his shoulders in 2021 when Cillian O\u2019Connor was out but no longer foraging a lone foray. His physicality and ability to turnover possession marks him out as more than just the team’s top marksman. Averages eight points per game.<\/p>\n
\n Kobe McDonald (Crossmolina Deel Rovers)\u00a0\n <\/p>\n
The team\u2019s heartbeat. Provides aerial prowess, long range passing and deadly finishing. A joyfully creative attacker. The jibes and jeers he shipped in Tralee can\u2019t be far from his mind this week. Kicked 2-32 in nine games for his county including five beyond the arch.<\/p>\n
\n The bench\u00a0\n <\/p>\n
Tommy Conroy is key, his impact from the bench has been immense, the first signs of his return to form of old were in Omagh against Tyrone and his performances in the three games since have brought points, assists and earned frees. Cian McHale is another talented option up front.<\/p>\n
Around the middle, Mayo have options, Matthew Ruane has become a go to option after a long spell out with injuries, Diarmuid O\u2019Connor is back involved and had a major impact during the win over Meath and there\u2019s more experience that in Paddy Durcan and Aidan O\u2019Shea.<\/p>\n
Also worth noting that Fenton Kelly has put in some strong performances when brought in and Mayo are likely to utilise almost all their options here if the game goes to extra time as there\u2019s no player that won\u2019t be able to step in if needed.<\/p>\n
\n Team management\u00a0\n <\/p>\n
Here\u2019s a quote from Andy Moran\u2019s opening press conference back in August when asked if he\u2019s targeting All-Irelands. \u201cI think you can make incremental gains and then you can make huge gains. In 2011 we should have lost to London, two months later we beat the reigning champions Cork. You\u2019ll make small gains, no one sees them and all of a sudden you\u2019re competing in All-Ireland finals.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Moran\u2019s team includes his old comrade Colm Boyle who thinks forensically on the game and you can\u2019t help but feel that his track record rubs off on the young players who know he\u2019s asking nothing of them that he wouldn\u2019t expect from himself.<\/p>\n
Then there\u2019s Paddy Tally, a man who Moran met once and felt chimed with his philosophy on how to set a team up in the new game. Tally took some heat during Mayo\u2019s dip in form but he\u2019s taking plenty of praise for their Croke Park shape. All Ireland winning Donegal \u2018keeper Paul Durcan is there too.<\/p>\n
Ultimately though the team encapsulates Andy\u2019s attack centred approach to football that ensures collective drive and work rate provides the bedrock to fast transitions and getting the ball into the hands of proven finishers. Not unlike Padraic Joyce\u2019s first year with Galway in 2022.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It is nine years since Murphy made his championship debut, but he has only made 13 appearances. Can…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":566976,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[217463,177329,4365,6937,61,60,4185,43],"class_list":["post-566975","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-ireland","tag-all-ireland-football-final","tag-championship-2026","tag-gaelic-football","tag-kerry-gaa","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-mayo-gaa","tag-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/566975","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=566975"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/566975\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/566976"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=566975"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=566975"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=566975"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}