It Was About Guts, Glory And Tralee Heroes

Legends…Ogie Moran and Kieran Donaghy celebrate after Kerry beat Mayo in Limerick on Saturday evening. Photo by Dermot Crean

Well done son…Ogie Moran congratulates his son David after Kerry overcame Mayo in a dramatic All-Ireland semi-final against Mayo on Saturday evening. Photo by Dermot Crean

By Dermot Crean

THE photos show what it means.

Ogie Moran ran on to the field after the final whistle and met his son David and Kieran Donaghy. There were tears in his eyes as he embraced them and told them both how great they played.

‘Epic’ doesn’t quite cover what happened on Saturday night.

It’s not just about reaching an All-Ireland final. It’s not just about Kieran Donaghy enjoying a second coming, or even about David Moran coming of age in 90 minutes of magic from the Kerins O’Rahilly’s man.

Saturday was about guts. Pure and simple.

Kerry eked out a victory against a quality Mayo side in sometimes ugly circumstances and that’s what we haven’t been able to do in the past few years.

Continued below…

Come on!…Paul Geaney salutes the Kerry crowd on the terraces after he put Kerry two points ahead in the second period of extra time. Photo by Dermot Crean

Look at Dublin in 2011, Donegal in 2012 and Dublin again last year and you’ll find a Kerry team who came close but the opposition were left smoking that cigar after ‘squeaky bum time’.

Character and determination brought them through a tight, tight game on Saturday and it could be a watershed moment for this Kerry side.

James O’Donoghue’s 2-6 may have won him the man of the match award, but Tralee can be more than proud of their mighty men in Moran, Donaghy and Barry John Keane.

It’s been a hard few years for David Moran but he gave the performance of his life on Saturday and the photo above of him and Ogie shows what it means to the Moran family.

Now then. Anyone got a ticket?

• We’ll have more analysis, photos and fan pictures over the next few days.