Tomás Ó Sé
Encyclopedia
Tomás Ó Sé is an Irish
sportsperson. He plays Gaelic football
with his local club An Ghaeltacht
and has been a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team
from 1998.
and has enjoyed a great deal of success during his career. He made his debut with the club's senior team in the mid-1990s and has been an ever-present fixture in the half-back line since then.
In 2000 an Ghaeltacht reached the final of the county senior championship for the very first time. Ó Sé's side were the red-hot favourites going into the match, however, all did not go as planned as Dr. Croke's
took charge. A hard-fought 1-4 to 0-6 score line resulted in defeat for an Ghaeltacht.
In 2001 an Ghaeltacht were out to atone for this defeat. The team regrouped well and reached a second consecutive county final. Tralee-based club Austin Stack's
provided the opposition on this occasion, however, Ó Sé's side were well prepared. A conclusive 1-13 to 0-10 victory gave Ó Sé a coveted county winners' medal.
An Ghaeltacht surrendered their club title in 2002, however, the following year Ó Sé's side were back in the county championship decider. Laune Rangers
were the opponents on this occasion, however, the game ended in a 0-10 apiece draw. The replay a fortnight later was a much more conclusive affair. A 0-12 to 2-4 score line gave an Ghaeltacht the victory and gave Ó Cinnéide a second county winners' medal in three years. This victory allowed the club to represent Kerry in the provincial club championship. A successful campaign saw Ó Sé's side reach the provincial final against St. Senan's of Clare. A close game developed, however, the Kerrymen held on in the end to secure a 1-8 to 1-6 victory, giving Ó Sé a coveted Munster
club winners' medal. An Ghaeltacht continued their march in the All-Ireland series and lined out on St. Patrick's Day 2004 in the All-Ireland club championship final. Caltra
, a club from Galway
, provided the opposition and an exciting game developed. Dara Ó Cinnéide
faced the heartbreak of missing a goal in the dying seconds as an Ghaeltacht lost out by just a single point - 0-13 to 0-12.
The following few years saw Ó Sé enjoy little success with the club after the victories of the earlier parts of the decade.
junior football team in 1995. That year he captured a Munster
title following a thrilling 1-21 to 0-19 victory after extra-time against Cork. Kerry's championship run came to an end in the All-Ireland semi-final, when London
narrowly defeated Ó Sé's side by 2-10 to 1-12.
By the mid-1990s, Ó Sé had joined the Kerry minor football team. In 1996 Kerry reached the provincial decider, with Ó Sé lining out at centre-back. Age-old rivals Cork provided the opposition, however, a 3-9 to 2-6 gave Ó Sé a Munster
title in the minor grade. A place in the All-Ireland final quickly followed with Laois
lining out in opposition. A close game developed, however, Ó Sé's side narrowly lost by 2-11 to 1-11.
By 1997 Ó Sé had joined the Kerry under-21 team and a successful three-year spell got underway. In his first year Kerry defeated Cork after a replay to take the Munster
title. Ó Sé's side were later defeated in the All-Ireland semi-final.
In 1998 Kerry retained their Munster under-21 crown after a 3-10 to 1-11 defeat of Tipperary
. Ó Sé's side went one better on this occasion by recahing the All-Ireland final. Laois provided the opposition, however, Kerry won on a score line of 2-8 to 0-11. It was Ó Sé's first All-Ireland
under-21 title.
Kerry made it three Munster titles in-a-row in 1999 following a six-point defeat of Cork. A second consecutive All-Ireland final appearance followed with Westmeath
providing the opposition. While Kerry were the favourites the Leinster champions went on to make history by capturing their first All-Ireland title on a score line of 0-12 to 0-9. This was Ó Sé's last game with the Kerry under-21 team.
-managed Kildare
in the All-Ireland semi-final.
In 1999 Kerry were attempting to secure a fourth provincial title in succession, while Ó Sé was hopeful of winning his first on the field of play. Cork put an end to this dream with a 2-10 to 2-4 win over their great rivals in the Munster final. With that Kerry were dumped out of the championship.
After a low point the previous year, Kerry were back in the provincial decider again in 2000, with Clare
providing the opposition. In a disappointing match as regards a contest, Kerry walloped ‘the Banner men’ by 3-15 to 0-8. It was Ó Sé's first Munster
medal on the field of play. Kerry had firmly established their All-Ireland contender credentials, however, the All-Ireland series proved difficult. Ó Sé's side drew with Armagh
in the semi-final, while the replay proved just as tense. Both sides finished level after seventy minutes once again and it took a period of extra-time to find a winner. Kerry narrowly emerged from that game as the 2-15 to 1-15 winners and booked a place in the Millennium All-Ireland final. Galway
provided the opposition in what was their second championship decider appearance in three years. In a game to forget both sides missed easy chances and seemed apprehensive about taking a lead. Galway trailed by seven points at one stage, but clawed their way back to secure a 0-14 apiece draw. The replay was a much more conclusive affair. Galway worked the ball the length of the field to Declan Meehan
who scored a goal to give the westerners a boost. A disputed free with seventeen minutes left in the game gave Kerry a lead which they would not relinquish. At the full-time whistle Kerry were the champions by 0-17 to 1-10. It was Ó Sé's first All-Ireland
winners’ medal.
Kerry swept through the provincial series with ease again in 2001. A 0-19 to 1-13 defeat of Cork gave Ó Sé a second Munster winners’ medal and gave Kerry a boost in their All-Ireland ambitions. In a new innovation called the All-Ireland qualifiers series, Kerry’s provincial victory allowed them to advance to the All-Ireland quarter-final. An exciting draw and a replay with Dublin
at Semple Stadium
gave Ó Sé's side the right to advance to an All-Ireland semi-final showdown with Meath
. There was some controversy leading up to the game with new squad member Eoin Brosnan
getting the captaincy before the game, despite not yet having established himself as a regular. There was also great debate about the refusal to start the legendary Maurice Fitzgerald
, particularly after his performance in the Dublin game. Nonetheless, the public were expecting a classic. In one of the lowest points ever for Kerry football, Ó Sé's side were absolutely demolished by ‘the Royals’ on a score line of 2-14 to 0-5.
In 2002 Kerry faced more controversy. The team were forced to play a replay of their Munster semi-final against Cork only a few of days after the funeral of the brother of team manager Páidí Ó Sé and father of Tomás, Darragh
and Marc Ó Sé
. Cork took full advantage and Kerry embarked on a qualifier campaign which saw them account for Wicklow
, Fermanagh
and Kildare before they trounced reigning champions Galway in the All-Ireland quarter-final before stuffing archrivals Cork in a unique all-Munster All-Ireland semi-final. The subsequent All-Ireland decider pitted Kerry against Armagh in one of the great finals of recent years. The first-half saw everything going Kerry’s way while Armagh floundered. The Ulster men lost John McEntee
to concussion while Oisín McConville
missed a penalty just before the interval. As it stood Armagh trailed by four points at half-time while Darragh Ó Sé gave an inspirational performance. A different Armagh team emerged in the second-half. McConville compensated for his earlier miss by scoring a key goal in the 55th minute. Kerry froze after this and failed to score for the rest of the match as Armagh went on to narrowly win their first All-Ireland by 1-12 to 0-14.
Kerry regrouped after this blow and reached the provincial decider once again in 2003. Limerick
provided the opposition; however, they were no match for ‘the Kingdom’. A 1-11 to 0-9 victory gave Ó Sé a third Munster winners’ medal. After an exciting game with Roscommon
, Kerry advanced to an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with Tyrone
. After being shocked in the latter stages of the two previous championships, Kerry were out to atone and were favourites going into the match. The whole team struggled, however, and Kerry looked like they were going to be left behind with the new "blanket defence" that was introduced by teams like Armagh and perfected by Tyrone. Many criticised this tactic as a means of stopping talented footballers like Ó Sé and Colm Cooper
from playing but few could deny its effectiveness. A 0-13 to 0-6 defeat saw Tyrone advance to the All-Ireland final while Kerry were unceremoniously dumped out of the championship.
2004 saw Jack O'Connor
take over as manager of the Kerry team. The year began well with Ó Sé's side reaching the final of the National League
. An exciting 3-11 to 1-6 victory saw Kerry claim the title and Ó Sé picked up a first National League winners’ medal. Kerry later booked their almost annual spot in the provincial final and, for the second year in succession, Limerick were the opponents. Surprisingly, that game ended in a 1-10 apiece draw. The replay was also a close-run affair; however, Kerry never really looked in danger of losing. A 3-10 to 2-9 victory gave Ó Sé a fourth Munster winners’ medal. The All-Ireland series proved no difficulty for Kerry, and ‘the Kingdom’ booked their place in the All-Ireland final against Mayo. An early goal from Alan Dillon
gave the Connacht men some hope, however, the game was effectively over after twenty-five minutes when Colm Cooper
scored Kerry’s only goal of the day. The points kept coming from Ó Sé's team and an injury-time Michael Conroy goal was nothing but a consolation for Mayo. A 1-20 to 2-9 victory gave Ó Sé a second All-Ireland winners’ medal. He ended the year by collecting his first All-Star award.
In 2005 Kerry were hot favourites to retain their All-Ireland title. All was going to plan as Ó Sé's side reached yet another provincial final. In a return to tradition, Cork were the opponents. A close game developed, however, in the end Kerry were the narrow winners by 1-11 to 0-11. It was Ó Sé's eighth Munster winners’ medal. Following this win Kerry cruised through the All-Ireland series to reach another championship decider with Tyrone providing the opposition. In one of the great finals of the decade, the result remained in doubt until the final whistle. Dara Ó Cinnéide powered the team ahead with a goal after just six minutes. Tyrone responded in kind with a Peter Canavan
goal just before half-time. Ó Sé launched the Kerry comeback in the 57th minute with Kerry’s second goal; however, it was too late. Tyrone hung on to win by 1-16 to 2-10. It was Ó Sé's second defeat in an All-Ireland final. There was some consolation when Ó Sé picked up a second All-Star award at the end of the year.
In 2006 Kerry reached the final of the National League and played Galway. Ó Sé's side could only manage three points in the opening half, however, the introduction of Eoin Brosnan transformed the team. At the end of the seventy minutes a 2-12 to 0-10 score line gave Kerry their 18th National League title. The league win was a false dawn as Kerry went out tamely to Cork in a replay of the Munster final. The team, however, bounced back against Longford
to set up a meeting with Armagh in the All-Ireland quarter-final. At half-time it looked as though the Ulser hoodoo would strike again but Kerry blitzed the men from the orchard county in the second half with Ó Sé dominating midfield while Kieran Donaghy
shone at full-forward. They won by a score of 3-15 to 1-13, in the process putting an end to the notion that Kerry had no answer to the northern style of defensive play. Kerry again beat Cork in the subsequent semi-final before lining out against Mayo in the All-Ireland final. An unbelievable opening first-half saw Kerry go 2-4 to no score ahead after just ten minutes, courtesy of goals by Declan O'Sullivan
and Kieran Donaghy
. Colm Cooper slotted a third Kerry goal, however, Mayo settled and reduced the deficit to 3-8 to 3-2 at half-time. The second thirty-five minutes saw Kerry run riot while the westerners could only muster three points. A final score of 4-15 to 3-5 gave Kerry another All-Ireland title and gave Ó Sé his third All-Ireland winners' medal.
In 2007 Ó Sé had a fine National League campaign which carried on into the Munster championship. That year Kerry faced Cork in the provincial decider once again. A close game developed, however, at the full-time whsitle Kerry were the champions by 1-15 to 1-13. It was Ó Sé's sixth Munster winners' medal. Kerry then had the narrowest of victories in their All-Ireland quarter-final against Monaghan
, before defeating Dublin
in a glamour All-Ireland semi-final. The subsequent All-Ireland final was an historic occasion as Kerry faced Cork in the very first all-Munster championship decider. While the first-half was played on an even keel, 'the Kingdom' ran riot in the second-half and a rout ensued. Cork goalkeeper Alan Quirke
came in for much criticism after conceding some easy goals. At the full-time whistle Cork were trounced by 3-13 to 1-9. It was a fourth All-Ireland medal for Ó Sé. A third All-Star award quickly followed.
2008 began in controversial circumstances as Ó Sé's side lost team captain Paul Galvin
to suspension after an incident with referee Paddy Russell in the Munster semi-final against Clare. The subsequent Munster final saw Kerry take an eight-point lead over Cork at half-time. 'The Rebels' fought back and, in a massive downpour, Kerry could only muster three points in the second period of play as Cork secured a remarkable 1-16 to 1-11 victory. Kerry worked their way through the qualifiers to an All-Ireland final appearance against Tyrone. An exciting game developed, one that was more competitive than the routs that had taken place at the same stage of the championship over the previous two years. The sides were level seven times before Colm Cooper nudged Kerry 0-8 to 0-7 ahead before the interval. Tyrone simply wore Kerry into the ground in the second-half as a priceless goal from Tommy McGuigan
and a string of late points inspired Tyrone to their third All-Ireland title of the decade. In spite of the defeat Ó Sé picked up a fourth All-Star.
In 2009 Ó Sé picked up his third National League winners' medal following a defeat of Derry
. Kerry's next game was a Munster semi-final meeting with Cork. That game ended in a draw, however, Kerry were well beaten in the replay. 'The Kingdom' were subsequently banished to the qualifiers where they had some unimpressive wins over Longford
, Sligo
and Antrim
. Ó Sé and his squad later lined out in the All-Ireland quarter-final and thrashed Dublin before overcoming Meath in a disappointing semi-final. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Kerry face Cork for the third time in that year's championship. Ó Sé's side entered the game as slight underdogs, however, they had the trump card of having never lost a game to Cork at Croke Park. Kerry stuttered in the opening period and trailed by 0-1 to 1-3 early in the first-half. The Kerry team stuck to their gameplan while Cork recorded fourteen wides. At the full-time whistle Kerry were the champions again by 0-16 to 1-9. It was Ó Sé's sixth All-Ireland winners' medal, his fifth on the field of play. His contribution to the championship was later recognised when he picked up a fifth All-Star award while also being named Texaco Footballer of the Year
.
In 2010, Tomas bowed out of the championship in disgrace. Having started the championship brightly, beating Cork in the Munster championship semi final, Kerry met Limerick in the final. Limerick led early on but were eventually pipped at the post. In the aftermath of the game, video footage of the game exposed Tomas as having made numerous attempts to elbow Limerick star forward Stephen Kelly in the head. Tomas' actions were carried out under the radar of the referee in charge and therefore went unpunished. However, the CCCC handed Tomas a ban a week later which saw him on the side lines until Kerry were eventually knocked out of the championship by Down.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
sportsperson. He plays Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
with his local club An Ghaeltacht
An Ghaeltacht GAA
An Ghaeltacht is a Gaelic Athletic Association club from County Kerry. The club competes as an individual club in the Kerry Senior Football Championship.-Honours:* Kerry Senior Football Championship Winners: 2001,2003...
and has been a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team
Kerry GAA
The Kerry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kerry...
from 1998.
Club
Ó Sé plays his club football with his local club called an GhaeltachtAn Ghaeltacht GAA
An Ghaeltacht is a Gaelic Athletic Association club from County Kerry. The club competes as an individual club in the Kerry Senior Football Championship.-Honours:* Kerry Senior Football Championship Winners: 2001,2003...
and has enjoyed a great deal of success during his career. He made his debut with the club's senior team in the mid-1990s and has been an ever-present fixture in the half-back line since then.
In 2000 an Ghaeltacht reached the final of the county senior championship for the very first time. Ó Sé's side were the red-hot favourites going into the match, however, all did not go as planned as Dr. Croke's
Dr. Crokes
Dr Crokes is a Gaelic football club based in Killarney in County Kerry, Ireland. Famous current players include Colm "Gooch" Cooper and Eoin Brosnan....
took charge. A hard-fought 1-4 to 0-6 score line resulted in defeat for an Ghaeltacht.
In 2001 an Ghaeltacht were out to atone for this defeat. The team regrouped well and reached a second consecutive county final. Tralee-based club Austin Stack's
Austin Stacks
Austin Stacks is a hurling and Gaelic football club based in Tralee in County Kerry, Ireland. It has more All-Ireland Senior Football Championship medals and GAA All-Stars than any other GAA club in Ireland...
provided the opposition on this occasion, however, Ó Sé's side were well prepared. A conclusive 1-13 to 0-10 victory gave Ó Sé a coveted county winners' medal.
An Ghaeltacht surrendered their club title in 2002, however, the following year Ó Sé's side were back in the county championship decider. Laune Rangers
Laune Rangers
Laune Rangers is a Gaelic football and Hurling club based in Killorglin, County Kerry, Ireland. The club is affiliated to Kerry GAA. Rangers won the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship in 1996.-History:...
were the opponents on this occasion, however, the game ended in a 0-10 apiece draw. The replay a fortnight later was a much more conclusive affair. A 0-12 to 2-4 score line gave an Ghaeltacht the victory and gave Ó Cinnéide a second county winners' medal in three years. This victory allowed the club to represent Kerry in the provincial club championship. A successful campaign saw Ó Sé's side reach the provincial final against St. Senan's of Clare. A close game developed, however, the Kerrymen held on in the end to secure a 1-8 to 1-6 victory, giving Ó Sé a coveted Munster
Munster Senior Club Football Championship
The Munster Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football tournament played between the hundreds of senior football clubs in Munster. The winners will represent Munster in the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship. East Kerry were the first winners of the Munster senior...
club winners' medal. An Ghaeltacht continued their march in the All-Ireland series and lined out on St. Patrick's Day 2004 in the All-Ireland club championship final. Caltra
Caltra GAC
Caltra is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Caltra, County Galway, Republic Of Ireland. The club is a member of the Galway GAA...
, a club from Galway
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
, provided the opposition and an exciting game developed. Dara Ó Cinnéide
Dara Ó Cinnéide
Dara Ó Cinnéide is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club An Ghaeltacht and was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team from 1995 until 2005. Ó Cinnéide captained Kerry to the All-Ireland title in 2004.-Biography:Dara Ó Cinnéide was born near Dingle,...
faced the heartbreak of missing a goal in the dying seconds as an Ghaeltacht lost out by just a single point - 0-13 to 0-12.
The following few years saw Ó Sé enjoy little success with the club after the victories of the earlier parts of the decade.
Junior, minor & under-21
Ó Sé first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the KerryKerry GAA
The Kerry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kerry...
junior football team in 1995. That year he captured a Munster
Munster Junior Football Championship
The Munster Junior football championship is an annual Gaelic football competition between the Munster GAA counties. The rules with respect to who is eligible vary between the counties. In Cork and Kerry, the players can not play with a senior club. In the other four counties, any player who is not...
title following a thrilling 1-21 to 0-19 victory after extra-time against Cork. Kerry's championship run came to an end in the All-Ireland semi-final, when London
London GAA
The London County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or London GAA is one of the county boards outside Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in London...
narrowly defeated Ó Sé's side by 2-10 to 1-12.
By the mid-1990s, Ó Sé had joined the Kerry minor football team. In 1996 Kerry reached the provincial decider, with Ó Sé lining out at centre-back. Age-old rivals Cork provided the opposition, however, a 3-9 to 2-6 gave Ó Sé a Munster
Munster Minor Football Championship
The Munster Minor Football Championship is the Minor "knockout" competition in the game of Gaelic football played in the province of Munster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Munster Council. The current Munster Minor football champions are Tipperary. Clare won the inaugural...
title in the minor grade. A place in the All-Ireland final quickly followed with Laois
Laois GAA
The Laois County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Laois GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Laois and the Laois inter-county teams.-History:...
lining out in opposition. A close game developed, however, Ó Sé's side narrowly lost by 2-11 to 1-11.
By 1997 Ó Sé had joined the Kerry under-21 team and a successful three-year spell got underway. In his first year Kerry defeated Cork after a replay to take the Munster
Munster Under-21 Football Championship
The Munster Under-21 Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of Gaelic football played in the province of Munster, in Ireland....
title. Ó Sé's side were later defeated in the All-Ireland semi-final.
In 1998 Kerry retained their Munster under-21 crown after a 3-10 to 1-11 defeat of Tipperary
Tipperary GAA
The Tipperary County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or C is one of over 30 regional executive boards throughout the world. These executive boards are known as County Boards even though some no longer correspond to the area under the jurisdiction of the counties from which their names...
. Ó Sé's side went one better on this occasion by recahing the All-Ireland final. Laois provided the opposition, however, Kerry won on a score line of 2-8 to 0-11. It was Ó Sé's first All-Ireland
All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship
The All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of Gaelic football played in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and are played during the summer months...
under-21 title.
Kerry made it three Munster titles in-a-row in 1999 following a six-point defeat of Cork. A second consecutive All-Ireland final appearance followed with Westmeath
Westmeath GAA
The Westmeath County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Westmeath GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Westmeath...
providing the opposition. While Kerry were the favourites the Leinster champions went on to make history by capturing their first All-Ireland title on a score line of 0-12 to 0-9. This was Ó Sé's last game with the Kerry under-21 team.
Senior
By this stage Ó Sé was also a member of the Kerry senior football team. He made his senior debut in a Munster Championship game against Cork in 1998, however, he played no part in Kerry's subsequent defeat of Tipperary in the Munster final. Ó Sé's side were later dumped out of the championship by a Mick O'DwyerMick O'Dwyer
Mick O'Dwyer , is an Irish Gaelic football manager and former player. He played Gaelic football with his local club Waterville and was a member of the Kerry senior team from 1956 until 1974...
-managed Kildare
Kildare GAA
For more information see Kildare Senior Club Football Championship or Kildare Senior Club Hurling Championship.The Kildare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Kildare GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kildare...
in the All-Ireland semi-final.
In 1999 Kerry were attempting to secure a fourth provincial title in succession, while Ó Sé was hopeful of winning his first on the field of play. Cork put an end to this dream with a 2-10 to 2-4 win over their great rivals in the Munster final. With that Kerry were dumped out of the championship.
After a low point the previous year, Kerry were back in the provincial decider again in 2000, with Clare
Clare GAA
The Clare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Clare GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Clare. The county board is also responsible for the Clare inter-county teams....
providing the opposition. In a disappointing match as regards a contest, Kerry walloped ‘the Banner men’ by 3-15 to 0-8. It was Ó Sé's first Munster
Munster Senior Football Championship
The Munster Senior Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition in the game of football played in the province of Munster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Munster Council and are played during the summer months...
medal on the field of play. Kerry had firmly established their All-Ireland contender credentials, however, the All-Ireland series proved difficult. Ó Sé's side drew with Armagh
Armagh GAA
The Armagh County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Armagh GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Armagh...
in the semi-final, while the replay proved just as tense. Both sides finished level after seventy minutes once again and it took a period of extra-time to find a winner. Kerry narrowly emerged from that game as the 2-15 to 1-15 winners and booked a place in the Millennium All-Ireland final. Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
provided the opposition in what was their second championship decider appearance in three years. In a game to forget both sides missed easy chances and seemed apprehensive about taking a lead. Galway trailed by seven points at one stage, but clawed their way back to secure a 0-14 apiece draw. The replay was a much more conclusive affair. Galway worked the ball the length of the field to Declan Meehan
Declan Meehan
Declan Meehan is an Irish radio presenter. Currently fronting The Morning Show with local radio station East Coast FM, his career has incorporated involvement with multiple pirate radio stations and, later, Radio 2...
who scored a goal to give the westerners a boost. A disputed free with seventeen minutes left in the game gave Kerry a lead which they would not relinquish. At the full-time whistle Kerry were the champions by 0-17 to 1-10. It was Ó Sé's first All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football, is a series of games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and played during the summer and early autumn...
winners’ medal.
Kerry swept through the provincial series with ease again in 2001. A 0-19 to 1-13 defeat of Cork gave Ó Sé a second Munster winners’ medal and gave Kerry a boost in their All-Ireland ambitions. In a new innovation called the All-Ireland qualifiers series, Kerry’s provincial victory allowed them to advance to the All-Ireland quarter-final. An exciting draw and a replay with Dublin
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
at Semple Stadium
Semple Stadium
Semple Stadium, located in Thurles, North Tipperary, Ireland, is the home of hurling for Tipperary GAA and for the province of Munster. It is the second largest stadium in Ireland with a capacity of 53,500....
gave Ó Sé's side the right to advance to an All-Ireland semi-final showdown with Meath
Meath GAA
The Meath County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Meath GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Meath, as well as for Meath inter-county teams.- Pre-1960s :...
. There was some controversy leading up to the game with new squad member Eoin Brosnan
Eoin Brosnan
Eoin Brosnan is an Irish Gaelic football player who plays at centre forward. He is a former member of the for Kerry senior county team and plays his club football for Dr. Crokes. He is particularly renowned for his goal-scoring ability...
getting the captaincy before the game, despite not yet having established himself as a regular. There was also great debate about the refusal to start the legendary Maurice Fitzgerald
Maurice Fitzgerald
Maurice Fitzgerald may refer to:*Maurice FitzGerald, Lord of Lanstephan was a major figure in the Norman conquest of Ireland...
, particularly after his performance in the Dublin game. Nonetheless, the public were expecting a classic. In one of the lowest points ever for Kerry football, Ó Sé's side were absolutely demolished by ‘the Royals’ on a score line of 2-14 to 0-5.
In 2002 Kerry faced more controversy. The team were forced to play a replay of their Munster semi-final against Cork only a few of days after the funeral of the brother of team manager Páidí Ó Sé and father of Tomás, Darragh
Darragh Ó Sé
Darragh Ó Sé is a former Irish sportsperson. He plays Gaelic football with his local club An Ghaeltacht and was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team from 1994 until 2009. Ó Sé has made more championship appearances than any other player in the history of the game...
and Marc Ó Sé
Marc Ó Sé
Marc Ó Sé is an Irish sportsman. A teacher by profession, he plays Gaelic football for the Kerry county team and the local An Ghaeltacht club. His older brothers Darragh and Tomás also represent Kerry.- 2002 :...
. Cork took full advantage and Kerry embarked on a qualifier campaign which saw them account for Wicklow
Wicklow GAA
The Wicklow County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Wicklow GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Wicklow...
, Fermanagh
Fermanagh GAA
The Fermanagh County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Fermanagh GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland. The county board is also responsible for the Fermanagh inter-county teams-History:...
and Kildare before they trounced reigning champions Galway in the All-Ireland quarter-final before stuffing archrivals Cork in a unique all-Munster All-Ireland semi-final. The subsequent All-Ireland decider pitted Kerry against Armagh in one of the great finals of recent years. The first-half saw everything going Kerry’s way while Armagh floundered. The Ulster men lost John McEntee
John McEntee (Gaelic footballer)
John McEntee is a retired Irish Gaelic footballer. McEntee played for Armagh between 19xx and 2007. He was part of the Armagh first ever All-Ireland Senior Football Championship winning side in 2002...
to concussion while Oisín McConville
Oisín McConville
Oisín McConville is an Irish Gaelic footballer who played for Armagh in the 1990s and 2000s. He has won an All-Ireland Senior Football Championship medal, seven Ulster Championships and a National League title with the county...
missed a penalty just before the interval. As it stood Armagh trailed by four points at half-time while Darragh Ó Sé gave an inspirational performance. A different Armagh team emerged in the second-half. McConville compensated for his earlier miss by scoring a key goal in the 55th minute. Kerry froze after this and failed to score for the rest of the match as Armagh went on to narrowly win their first All-Ireland by 1-12 to 0-14.
Kerry regrouped after this blow and reached the provincial decider once again in 2003. Limerick
Limerick GAA
The Limerick County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Limerick GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Limerick...
provided the opposition; however, they were no match for ‘the Kingdom’. A 1-11 to 0-9 victory gave Ó Sé a third Munster winners’ medal. After an exciting game with Roscommon
Roscommon GAA
For more details of Roscommon GAA see Roscommon Senior Club Football Championship or Roscommon Senior Club Hurling Championship.The Roscommon County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Roscommon GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games...
, Kerry advanced to an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with Tyrone
Tyrone GAA
The Tyrone County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Tyrone GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Tyrone. The county board is also responsible for the Tyrone inter-county teams....
. After being shocked in the latter stages of the two previous championships, Kerry were out to atone and were favourites going into the match. The whole team struggled, however, and Kerry looked like they were going to be left behind with the new "blanket defence" that was introduced by teams like Armagh and perfected by Tyrone. Many criticised this tactic as a means of stopping talented footballers like Ó Sé and Colm Cooper
Colm Cooper
Colm ‘Gooch’ Cooper is an Irish sportsperson. He plays Gaelic football with his local club Dr. Croke’s and has been a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team since 2002. Cooper is regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation.-Club:Cooper helped Dr. Crokes win the 2000 Kerry...
from playing but few could deny its effectiveness. A 0-13 to 0-6 defeat saw Tyrone advance to the All-Ireland final while Kerry were unceremoniously dumped out of the championship.
2004 saw Jack O'Connor
Jack O'Connor (GAA)
Jack O'Connor is an Irish Gaelic football manager and former player. He played football with his local club Dromid Pearses from the 1970s until the early 2000s and is currently in his second term as manager of the Kerry senior inter-county team...
take over as manager of the Kerry team. The year began well with Ó Sé's side reaching the final of the National League
National Football League (Ireland)
The National Football League is a Gaelic football tournament held annually between the county teams of Ireland, under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The prize for the winning team is the New Ireland Cup, presented by the New Ireland Assurance Company...
. An exciting 3-11 to 1-6 victory saw Kerry claim the title and Ó Sé picked up a first National League winners’ medal. Kerry later booked their almost annual spot in the provincial final and, for the second year in succession, Limerick were the opponents. Surprisingly, that game ended in a 1-10 apiece draw. The replay was also a close-run affair; however, Kerry never really looked in danger of losing. A 3-10 to 2-9 victory gave Ó Sé a fourth Munster winners’ medal. The All-Ireland series proved no difficulty for Kerry, and ‘the Kingdom’ booked their place in the All-Ireland final against Mayo. An early goal from Alan Dillon
Alan Dillon
Alan Dillon is a current Irish Gaelic Footballer. He plies his trade locally with Ballintubber GAA Club and is a member of the Mayo Senior Football Team since 2003. Club...
gave the Connacht men some hope, however, the game was effectively over after twenty-five minutes when Colm Cooper
Colm Cooper
Colm ‘Gooch’ Cooper is an Irish sportsperson. He plays Gaelic football with his local club Dr. Croke’s and has been a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team since 2002. Cooper is regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation.-Club:Cooper helped Dr. Crokes win the 2000 Kerry...
scored Kerry’s only goal of the day. The points kept coming from Ó Sé's team and an injury-time Michael Conroy goal was nothing but a consolation for Mayo. A 1-20 to 2-9 victory gave Ó Sé a second All-Ireland winners’ medal. He ended the year by collecting his first All-Star award.
In 2005 Kerry were hot favourites to retain their All-Ireland title. All was going to plan as Ó Sé's side reached yet another provincial final. In a return to tradition, Cork were the opponents. A close game developed, however, in the end Kerry were the narrow winners by 1-11 to 0-11. It was Ó Sé's eighth Munster winners’ medal. Following this win Kerry cruised through the All-Ireland series to reach another championship decider with Tyrone providing the opposition. In one of the great finals of the decade, the result remained in doubt until the final whistle. Dara Ó Cinnéide powered the team ahead with a goal after just six minutes. Tyrone responded in kind with a Peter Canavan
Peter Canavan
Peter Canavan is manager of Fermanagh and an Irish former Gaelic football player for Tyrone, and is one of the most decorated players in the game's history, winning two All-Ireland Senior Football Championship medals, six GAA All Stars Awards , four provincial titles, and two National Leagues and...
goal just before half-time. Ó Sé launched the Kerry comeback in the 57th minute with Kerry’s second goal; however, it was too late. Tyrone hung on to win by 1-16 to 2-10. It was Ó Sé's second defeat in an All-Ireland final. There was some consolation when Ó Sé picked up a second All-Star award at the end of the year.
In 2006 Kerry reached the final of the National League and played Galway. Ó Sé's side could only manage three points in the opening half, however, the introduction of Eoin Brosnan transformed the team. At the end of the seventy minutes a 2-12 to 0-10 score line gave Kerry their 18th National League title. The league win was a false dawn as Kerry went out tamely to Cork in a replay of the Munster final. The team, however, bounced back against Longford
Longford GAA
The Longford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Longford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Longford...
to set up a meeting with Armagh in the All-Ireland quarter-final. At half-time it looked as though the Ulser hoodoo would strike again but Kerry blitzed the men from the orchard county in the second half with Ó Sé dominating midfield while Kieran Donaghy
Kieran Donaghy
Kieran Donaghy is an Irish Gaelic footballer who plays for Kerry. Donaghy has won three All-Ireland Senior Football Championship medals, two Munster Championships and a National League title with the county. He has also been awarded two All Stars.He plays his club football for Austin Stacks in...
shone at full-forward. They won by a score of 3-15 to 1-13, in the process putting an end to the notion that Kerry had no answer to the northern style of defensive play. Kerry again beat Cork in the subsequent semi-final before lining out against Mayo in the All-Ireland final. An unbelievable opening first-half saw Kerry go 2-4 to no score ahead after just ten minutes, courtesy of goals by Declan O'Sullivan
Declan O'Sullivan
Declan O'Sullivan Declan O'Sullivan Declan O'Sullivan (born 1983 in Cahersiveen, County Kerry is an Irish sportsperson. He plays Gaelic football with his local club Dromid Pearses, his divisional side South Kerry and has been a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team since 2003...
and Kieran Donaghy
Kieran Donaghy
Kieran Donaghy is an Irish Gaelic footballer who plays for Kerry. Donaghy has won three All-Ireland Senior Football Championship medals, two Munster Championships and a National League title with the county. He has also been awarded two All Stars.He plays his club football for Austin Stacks in...
. Colm Cooper slotted a third Kerry goal, however, Mayo settled and reduced the deficit to 3-8 to 3-2 at half-time. The second thirty-five minutes saw Kerry run riot while the westerners could only muster three points. A final score of 4-15 to 3-5 gave Kerry another All-Ireland title and gave Ó Sé his third All-Ireland winners' medal.
In 2007 Ó Sé had a fine National League campaign which carried on into the Munster championship. That year Kerry faced Cork in the provincial decider once again. A close game developed, however, at the full-time whsitle Kerry were the champions by 1-15 to 1-13. It was Ó Sé's sixth Munster winners' medal. Kerry then had the narrowest of victories in their All-Ireland quarter-final against Monaghan
Monaghan GAA
The Monaghan County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Monaghan GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Monaghan and the Monaghan inter-county football and hurling teams. Separate county boards are responsible for the...
, before defeating Dublin
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
in a glamour All-Ireland semi-final. The subsequent All-Ireland final was an historic occasion as Kerry faced Cork in the very first all-Munster championship decider. While the first-half was played on an even keel, 'the Kingdom' ran riot in the second-half and a rout ensued. Cork goalkeeper Alan Quirke
Alan Quirke
Alan Quirke is an Irish sportsperson. He plays Gaelic football with his local club Valley Rovers and has been a member of the Cork senior inter-county team since 1999.-Club:...
came in for much criticism after conceding some easy goals. At the full-time whistle Cork were trounced by 3-13 to 1-9. It was a fourth All-Ireland medal for Ó Sé. A third All-Star award quickly followed.
2008 began in controversial circumstances as Ó Sé's side lost team captain Paul Galvin
Paul Galvin (footballer)
Paul Galvin is an Irish sportsperson. He plays Gaelic football with his local club Finuge, his divisional side Feale Rangers and has been a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team since 2003. Galvin had the honour of being named as the 1000th All-Star.Galvin writes a weekly fashion column...
to suspension after an incident with referee Paddy Russell in the Munster semi-final against Clare. The subsequent Munster final saw Kerry take an eight-point lead over Cork at half-time. 'The Rebels' fought back and, in a massive downpour, Kerry could only muster three points in the second period of play as Cork secured a remarkable 1-16 to 1-11 victory. Kerry worked their way through the qualifiers to an All-Ireland final appearance against Tyrone. An exciting game developed, one that was more competitive than the routs that had taken place at the same stage of the championship over the previous two years. The sides were level seven times before Colm Cooper nudged Kerry 0-8 to 0-7 ahead before the interval. Tyrone simply wore Kerry into the ground in the second-half as a priceless goal from Tommy McGuigan
Tommy McGuigan
Tommy McGuigan is a Tyrone Gaelic footballer, who made his Ulster Championship debut on May 20, 2007, against Fermanagh.-Personal life:His older brother is three-time All-Ireland-winning Tyrone star, Brian McGuigan, and his father Frank is considered one of the legends of Tyrone football...
and a string of late points inspired Tyrone to their third All-Ireland title of the decade. In spite of the defeat Ó Sé picked up a fourth All-Star.
In 2009 Ó Sé picked up his third National League winners' medal following a defeat of Derry
Derry GAA
The Derry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Derry GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland. It is responsible for Gaelic games in the GAA county of Derry, which covers virtually the same territory as the former administrative county of Londonderry...
. Kerry's next game was a Munster semi-final meeting with Cork. That game ended in a draw, however, Kerry were well beaten in the replay. 'The Kingdom' were subsequently banished to the qualifiers where they had some unimpressive wins over Longford
Longford GAA
The Longford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Longford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Longford...
, Sligo
Sligo GAA
The Sligo County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Sligo GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Sligo...
and Antrim
Antrim GAA
The Antrim County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Antrim GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Antrim. The county board is also responsible for the Antrim inter-county teams...
. Ó Sé and his squad later lined out in the All-Ireland quarter-final and thrashed Dublin before overcoming Meath in a disappointing semi-final. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Kerry face Cork for the third time in that year's championship. Ó Sé's side entered the game as slight underdogs, however, they had the trump card of having never lost a game to Cork at Croke Park. Kerry stuttered in the opening period and trailed by 0-1 to 1-3 early in the first-half. The Kerry team stuck to their gameplan while Cork recorded fourteen wides. At the full-time whistle Kerry were the champions again by 0-16 to 1-9. It was Ó Sé's sixth All-Ireland winners' medal, his fifth on the field of play. His contribution to the championship was later recognised when he picked up a fifth All-Star award while also being named Texaco Footballer of the Year
Texaco Footballer of the Year
The Texaco Footballer of the Year is a Gaelic football award, created in 1958, that honours the achievements of a footballer of outstanding excellence...
.
In 2010, Tomas bowed out of the championship in disgrace. Having started the championship brightly, beating Cork in the Munster championship semi final, Kerry met Limerick in the final. Limerick led early on but were eventually pipped at the post. In the aftermath of the game, video footage of the game exposed Tomas as having made numerous attempts to elbow Limerick star forward Stephen Kelly in the head. Tomas' actions were carried out under the radar of the referee in charge and therefore went unpunished. However, the CCCC handed Tomas a ban a week later which saw him on the side lines until Kerry were eventually knocked out of the championship by Down.