Kerry 0-20 Galway 0-16: Kingdom defeat Tribesmen to end wait for All-Ireland glory
Match report and highlights from the 2022 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final. Kerry defeated Galway, 0-20 to 0-16, with eight points from David Clifford leading the way for the Kingdom.
By Brian Barry at Croke Park
Last Updated: 25/07/22 11:22am
Kerry are All-Ireland champions for the 38th time after a thrilling 0-20 to 0-16 victory over Galway.
The Kingdom were forced to dig deep, and trailed until the 42nd minute of the contest. But they came good, with eight David Clifford points helping them over the line.
Jack O'Connor was brought in as manager 12 months ago with the express goal of winning the Sam Maguire Cup. And he has done just that, leading his county up the steps of the Hogan Stand for the fourth time across three stints in charge.
It wasn't to be Galway's day. But Pádraic Joyce can be proud of his young team's display.
Shane Walsh was the story of the first half. The Tribe sharp-shooter treated Jones' Road as his playground, with his five points before the break helping Galway into a 0-8 to 0-7 half-time lead.
Although Damien Comer was subdued by the impressive Jason Foley, Walsh took Tom O'Sullivan for a tour of Croke Park, kicking points off both feet.
Pádraic Joyce's charges had their tactics spot on, and dominated the midfield. John Daly pulled the strings throughout.
Such was their ascendancy that the Fields of Athenry began ringing around the stadium.
The one area of worry for the Connacht champions however was their kick-outs. But Kerry were unable to punish Conor Gleeson's wayward restart.
Uncharacteristically, the Munster side lacked a ruthless streak, and seven first-half wides from the Kingdom ensured they were trailing at the break.
However, David Clifford was proving a handful for Seán Kelly. The Fossa forward rose high to claim two marks during the first half, and also kicked one from play.
Galway twice led by three points in the early stages, but that margin was reduced to a single white flag at the interval.
Jack O'Connor introduced the Spillane brothers at half-time, as he looked to alter the match.
The contest rumbled on as the teams went point-for-point. And the personal duel of Shane Walsh and David Clifford at either end was worth the entrance fee alone.
Both forwards continued to register stunning points, but it was the men in green and gold who got their noses in front.
Like he did against Dublin two weeks prior, Paudie Clifford came roaring into the contest after the break, as Kerry built a 0-16 to 0-14 lead.
However, Walsh and Cillian McDaid quickly tagged on scores to level it, 0-16 apiece, with five minutes remaining.
But in the championship moments, it was the Kingdom who had the greater reserves. David Clifford, Killian Spillane, Gavin White and Seán O'Shea scored the last four points to drag them over the line.
The 'famine' is over in Kerry. The eight-year wait - which is a considerable length of time by the standards set in the south-west - has been ended.
Now that the monkey is off this team's back, they will not want to stop here.
Attendance: 82,300 approx
Referee: Seán Hurson (Tyrone)
Scorers
Kerry: David Clifford (0-8, 0-3,f, 0-2m), Seán O'Shea (0-3, 0-3f), Paudie Clifford (0-2), Killian Spillane (0-2), Graham O'Sullivan (0-1), Gavin White (0-1), Diarmuid O'Connor (0-1), Stephen O'Brien (0-1), Paul Geaney (0-1, 0-1m).
Galway: Shane Walsh (0-9, 0-4f, 0-1 '45), Cillian McDaid (0-3), Jack Glynn (0-1), Kieran Molloy (0-1), Paul Conroy (0-1), Johnny Heaney (0-1).
Teams
Kerry
1. Shane Ryan
2. Graham O'Sullivan
3. Jason Foley
4. Tom O'Sullivan
5. Brian Ó Beaglaíoch
6. Tadhg Morley
7. Gavin White
8. David Moran
9. Jack Barry
10. Diarmuid O'Connor
11. Seán O'Shea
12. Stephen O'Brien
13. Paudie Clifford
14. David Clifford
15. Paul Geaney
Subs
Adrian Spillane for David Moran (ht)
Killian Spillane for Paul Geaney (ht)
Jack Savage for Paudie Clifford (temp - 44-47)
Micheál Burns for Stephen O'Brien (57)
Paul Murphy for Brian Ó Beaglaíoch (64)
Joe O'Connor for Paudie Clifford (74)
Galway
1. Connor Gleeson
7. Kieran Molloy
3. Seán Kelly
4. Jack Glynn
6. John Daly
2. Liam Silke
5. Dylan McHugh
8. Paul Conroy
9. Cillian McDaid
10. Patrick Kelly
11. Matthew Tierney
12. Johnny Heaney
13. Robert Finnerty
14. Damien Comer
15. Shane Walsh
Subs
Finnian Ó Laoi for Robert Finnerty (47)
Conor Sweeney for Paul Conroy (58)
Eoin Finnerty for Johnny Heaney (63)
Niall Daly for Matthew Tierney (75)
