Ireland final: Kerry v Mayo

All-Ireland SFC final

Kerry v Mayo, Croke Park, 3.30pm

ONLINE

Live blog, match report and reaction on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app.

TV

Live coverage of the 2026 All-Ireland SFC final commences at 2.15pm on Sunday on RTÉ One and the RTÉ Player.

Full Irish language coverage from 2.55pm on RTÉ News channel and RTÉ Player. The game is also broadcast on BBC2 NI, with coverage starting at 3pm.

Watch highlights, reaction and interviews from the All-Ireland winners' banquet (barring a draw) on The Sunday Game from 9.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player.

RADIO

Live commentary and reaction on Sunday Sport, RTÉ Radio 1, and Spórt an Lae on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta. Local radio listeners will be catered for on Radio Kerry and Midwest Radio.

WEATHER

Some rain and showers expected, though there will be some sunny spells too, especially in the south and east. Highest temperatures will range from the mid to high teens in the north and west to the low twenties in the south and east. For more go to met.ie.

Mayo take scenic route back to decider

With a game to go in the championship, 2026 has been a year when football's resuscitation under the new rules has found even greater expression.

It's not fully perfect some will say, alluding no doubt to the periods of keep-ball close to the arc that some engage in more than others. A few contentious decisions during the Kerry-Dublin semi-final resulted in calls for technology to help the officials. Was the ball over the line or what?!

Former Dubs star Michael Darragh MacAuley, speaking on RTÉ Radio's Inside Sport, said: "Going into the whole VAR thing is a whole probably different kettle of fish maybe, in terms of do we want to take the momentum out of the game, but I think the goal line is a no-brainer for me."

And Mayo manager Andy Moran believes that Championship 2027 will see a system in place that will determine whether the ball crossed the white line or not.

Before all that, however, there is a piece of silverware to be handed out. Will Sam Maguire winter in Kerry for a 40th time? Can Mayo, in Moran's first year at the helm, finally take home the big prize?

A pairing, it's fair to say we did not see coming. Exactly three months ago, Mayo floundered amid a second-half blitz from Roscommon at MacHale Park. The green and red had no answer to the visitors' pace and power as Mark Dowd's men dominated the middle third, and their free-scoring forward line shot 1-17 after the break to win pulling up.

Reality check after a promising league campaign.

All-Ireland series to come, but Moran's men were not seen as contenders, with the Rossies and Galway amongst the counties above them in the power rankings at that stage. That said, the more initiated fan realised that Mayo were in transition and were willing to let Moran and his management team find a blend that would serve them well going forward.

Kobe McDonald's potential was well flagged in advance of the campaign; a few eye-catching turns during the league left us in no doubt.

Next up was Monaghan. After a five-week break, Mayo looked refreshed as they tore into the Farney, building up a substantial lead in Clones. A late surge from the hosts caused panic, however, with the visitors' defence creaking from the countless raids. Jack Livingstone, now introduced between the posts, displayed a thou-shalt-not-pass defiance. His side held on by a point.

Another assignment, in the shape of a visit to Omagh, was a tight affair. Niall Morgan's late two-pointed free from the near the sideline was accurate enough to see the Red Hand home by the bare minimum. Andy Moran accentuated the positives afterward, seeing further progress. No long faces.

The last-chance saloon would be played out in Castlebar with Meath the visitors. The Royals began with a real zest to their play and were ten points up after 25 minutes. Mayo looked ragged and again their defensive fragility was exposed.

At times Meath threatened to run riot, could have added to their goal tally, but the home side did just enough to stay in touch. Seven in arrears at the break, Mayo found greater energy on the resumption, a half where they kicked 0-15. Meath's caused not helped by the sending off of Ronan Jones midway through. Croke Park now beckoned.

An All-Ireland quarter-final date, a destination where fans hoped they would land at come the end of June.

Cork were in the other corner now, a unit buoyed by their win over Donegal. The Rebels had more than enough opportunities early on to build up a cushion, but their radar was off. Sides level at the break in a contest that had yet to ignite. When it did propel it was Mayo who were ravenous in the tackle and certainly more assured in their defending.

Darragh Beirne and Kobe McDonald kicked 0-11 between them, Ryan O'Donoghue had 0-08 to his name. The young guns were flying and Tommy Conroy's impact was also telling. The Mayo crowd were in full voice, though giddiness was not in the air.

Onwards to a date with Louth in the semi-final, evoking clashes between the counties from the 1950s.

In the end it was a rout.

Mayo's 17-point winning margin was ultimately flattering on Gavin Devlin's side as their fantastic 2026 season came to an end in humbling style, simply torn asunder in the most devasting of second halves.

Only for some brilliant saves from Niall McDonnell and some meek wides, the men from the west could have added on another 10 points.

You could highlight the number of times Louth were turned over particularly in the second half, but Mayo's workrate, ball handling and execution was sublime in that period. They arrive for a final assignment in good nick. And who saw that coming?

Louth v Mayo highlights

Kerry back where they expect to be after a shock to system

Three terms at the helm and Jack O'Connor is preparing Kerry for a ninth appearance on the big day under his watch.

Can the Dromid native deliver a sixth title for the county? Well, they are the favourites. Kerry rarely go in as underdogs and after a season where injuries threatened to throw things off course, familiar names are in place to help the manager tick off another box - that being overseeing back-to-back All-Ireland wins for the first time.

Joe O'Connor, Shane Ryan, Sean O’Shea, Brian Ó Beaglaoich, Seán O’Brien, Paudie Clifford, Gavin White and Paul Geaney were all absent at one point or another.

Skipper Geaney missed the semi-final win over Dublin after tweaking a muscle but his manager is "fairly confident that he'll be fit for the final".

So Kerry with a full hand to pick from.

Under O'Connor, Kerry tend to have a statement win en route to delivering Sam Maguire. Back in 2006, it was against Armagh at the quarter-final stage, revenge for the final loss in 2002. At the same juncture the Dubs were blitzed in 2009. And then this year and last it was the Orchard County who again were at the receiving end of Kingdom fury.

The demolition of Kieran McGeeney's side on 20 June was in marked contrast to Kerry's showing against Donegal a month earlier: a fractious, niggly encounter, where the 14-man hosts, albeit short a few regulars, were cast aside with little fuss in the second half.

The salvage operation began with a routine win away to Kildare before Killarney was in better spirits after Armagh were humbled.

Onwards to Croker where Tyrone showed their resilience and Kerry their know-how in a tight battle. A few debatable calls went the Kingdom's way on an evening when David Clifford and Dylan Geaney stepped up.

An improving Dublin side awaited at the last-four stage. We had a trio of contentious decisions that all went against the Dubs and had a huge bearing on the outcome, though we should also mention the 13 wides that Ger Brennan's men clocked up.

At times the Kerry forward momentum was stalled as the opposition closed off the avenues. The 'square ball' goal after a period where Dublin got much joy off the Kerry kickout would swing things. The green and gold would build up a cushion, a margin that would prove to be enough, though Dublin fans will wonder what if that 'goal' had gone in at the Hill 16 end.

Misery to end or the titans moving to 40?

In this year ending in 6, Mayo fans will hope that for different outcome than was the case in 1996, 2006 and 2016, when defeat was their lot. Go back to 1976 and then there was that defeat to Leitrim in Connacht. 1936 offers some hope, the year of Mayo's first All-Ireland win.

Andy Moran batted off talk over his county's penchant for exuberance ahead of the big day and there is a sense that things are a little low key in the Heather County. A sense, perhaps, that this could be a free shot, that Moran is building something, though Kobe McDonald heading to the AFL is a blow in that regard.

Or is it the case that now is the time to strike? The scoring return from McDonald, Darragh Beirne and Ryan O'Donoghue has shot up in the last two games. The trio will cause damage. Mayo need to get quality ball into the game, though McDonald is no stranger to coming deep and setting up attacks himself.

Mayo are now a sturdier unit at the back. Trying to curb the array of talent that Kerry have at the top end will be a test of their sturdiness, as well as limiting Paudie Clifford's ability to orchestrate. Dublin got joy from Shane Murphy's kickouts and Mayo will have to do likewise.

Dublin v Kerry highlights

"We're hoping now that Sunday will be the day we get to that level we're hoping for," Jack O'Connor told RTÉ Sport ahead of the final.

If they do, Kerry will be hard to stop. No 40 is within reach.

While a few decisions went their way against Tyrone and Dublin, fortune is unlikely to favour them for a third time. They may not need the debatable calls to go their way this time.

Stats

This will be the 31st championship clash between Mayo and Kerry, with the score standing at 20-6 in the Kingdom's favour with four draws from the previous 30 games.

Martin McNally will referee an All-Ireland final for the first time. From the Corduff club in Monaghan, this will be his 32nd senior inter-county championship game. Sean Hurson (Tyrone) is the stand-by referee.

Kerry scored 14 goals in their seven championship games this year; Mayo scored six in their seven games. Kerry conceded four goals, all in the first three games. They conceded none against Kildare, Armagh, Tyrone and Dublin. Mayo conceded seven but none against Tyrone, Cork and Louth.

Since winning the All-Ireland title in 1951, Mayo have lost 11 and drawn two of 13 All-Ireland finals. All of those finals were between 1989 and 2021.

Thirteen counties have won the All-Ireland title since Mayo were last successful 75 years ago. They are: Kerry, Dublin, Cork, Galway, Meath, Offaly, Louth, Armagh, Donegal, Derry, Down, Tyrone, Cavan.

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