GAA live updates: Kerry in command against Cavan after David Clifford’s brace of goals

Today’s Gaelic Games fixtures:

All-Ireland SFC preliminary quarter-finals

HALF-TIME: Kerry 2-12 Cavan 0-8

Dublin v Cork, Croke Park, 6.15pm

All-Ireland SHC quarter-finals

Limerick v Dublin, Croke Park, 4pm

Galway v Tipperary, Gaelic Grounds, 6.15pm

All-Ireland Women’s SFC

FULL-TIME: Tipperary 0-11 Donegal 1-6

FULL-TIME: Armagh 1-10 Kildare 1-12

FULL-TIME: Leitrim 3-4 Waterford 6-16

HALF-TIME: Mayo 0-6 Cork 2-3

All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship

Kilkenny v Galway, Nowlan Park, 4pm

Waterford v Dublin, Walsh Park, 4pm

**You can get an in-depth look at the weekend’s action with our GAA newsletter**

Check it out here:

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/2025/04/15/inside-gaelic-games-the-weekly-gaa-newsletter-from-the-irish-times/

30 minutes gone at Croke Park - Ronan Hayes has just sent over a great score for Dublin. They lead Limerick 0-12 to 0-10 with five minutes to the interval. Dublin have been great since the red card.

Dublin have responded well since losing Crummey. After 23 minutes the Dubs now lead 0-9 to 0-8. Since the sending off, Dublin have out-scored Limerick 0-4 to 0-1.

RED CARD for Dublin. Disaster for the Dubs at Croke Park, Chris Crummey has been sent off on a straight red card after only 15 minutes. Crummey was given his marching orders for raising his arm high towards the face of Gearoid Hegarty. Dublin furious with the decision, insisting no contact was made but they are down to 14 men for the rest of the game. Limerick lead 0-7 to 0-5 and have an extra man.

HALF-TIME: Kerry 2-12 Cavan 0-8

After ten minutes in Croke Park, Limerick lead 0-5 to 0-3. Limerick shooting towards the Hill in the first half at a sun-drenched Croke Park.

The afternoon’s hurling action is just about to begin at Croke Park where Limerick are strongly fancied to overcome Dublin.

Here are Seán Moran’s predictions on who will emerge from today’s two All-Ireland SHC quarter-finals.

[ Galway will need significant improvement to reach the All-Ireland semi-finalsOpens in new window ]

And here is Clifford’s second goal. Just look at how he decelerates after off-loading to Paul Murphy. He knew the one-two was on but after passing to Murphy, Clifford slowed down and with the Cavan players moving towards the ball it allowed time for space to open up ahead of Clifford. When the moment was right he dropped the hammer again, raced forward, took the return pass and finished wonderfully. Such a clever score.

Here is David Clifford’s first goal today in Killarney.

🟢GOAL🟡

Cometh the hour cometh the man 🌟

David Clifford has the ball in the net after just six minutes 🔥

Football clips brought to you by @AIB_GAA #TheToughest #KERvCAV @Kerry_Official pic.twitter.com/LcOwhMxDUI — GAA+ (@GAAPlusOfficial) June 21, 2025

GOAL for Kerry. Guess who? David Clifford again. With 23 minutes gone, Kerry lead 2-6 to 0-2. This game feels done and dusted.

With 17 minutes gone in Killarney, Kerry now lead Cavan 1-6 to 0-2. Conor Geaney has added a point while David Clifford has kicked the game’s first two-pointer. It’s early stages but already it looks like Kerry will pull away here.

Big news from the TG4 Women’s senior football championship where Armagh have been eliminated from the competition. Armagh were seen as one of the favourites to lift the Brendan Martin Cup in August but the Orchard County’s defeat to Kildare this afternoon sees them pack up the tent much earlier than expected. Donegal, who lost to Tipperary today, have also been eliminated.

Black card for Niall Carolan, who has been marking David Clifford. Cavan are down to 14 men for the next ten minutes and the visitors are currently on the wrong end of a 1-3 to 0-2 latest score. Big ten minutes ahead - worrying for Cavan.

GOAL for Kerry. David Clifford nets in the seventh minute to give Kerry a 1-2 to 0-2 lead. Clifford had brought the sides back level moments beforehand. Lovely finish by Clifford.

Seán Moran has made his calls on who he feels will emerge from this weekend’s four preliminary football quarter-finals. And despite all the negative vibes around Kerry, he sees the Kingdom progressing beyond Cavan this afternoon.

'Cavan will be trying to rediscover whatever it was that turned over Mayo but even if there is good reaction to last week’s grim reality, Killarney is no place to be taking a leaky defence.'

[ Football previews: Dublin can override inconsistency - and Cork - to reach last eightOpens in new window ]

Paul Geaney hopes the defeat to Meath will act as a wake-up call for Kerry - starting today against Cavan.

“I think we need to nail down some things and need to find the energy that’s required to mount a challenge.

“Obviously, if you don’t win this weekend, you don’t deserve to be going any further. But it’s forced us into a one-game-at-a-time mentality, where it’s all about Saturday.”

[ Kingdom veteran was one of several injured players to sit out heavy loss against MeathOpens in new window ]

After five minutes in Kerry, Cavan lead 0-2 to 0-1.

Paddy Lynch opened the game’s scoring before Graham O’Sullivan replied for the home side. Lynch has just added a free to put Cavan back in front.

However, the more significant news from the opening exchanges was the sight of Diarmuid O’Connor going off injured. Mark O’Shea has come in as his replacement. Another worrying injury for Kerry. O’Connor had been out with a shoulder injury but unfortunately his return has lasted only three minutes.

Changes to both teams in Killarney:

Tadhg Morley replaces Mike Breen in Kerry’s starting 15.

Cavan have made three alterations to the side named during the week - Óisin Kiernan, Jason McLaughlin, Seán McEvoy all come in from the start.

Darragh Ó Sé isn’t dressing up Kerry’s predicament after the loss to Meath:

‘In Kerry, there’s a sense of finality about the place this week. When it comes to football, you can’t fool the people down here. You can’t be going around explaining the Meath defeat away because we were down a few bodies. Call us pessimistic or realistic but whatever way you want to look at it, the mood isn’t great.

Meath are improving, there’s no doubt about that. But if you stand back from it, they’re still a Division Two team and they were missing a few of their best players too. That’s a team you should be dealing with if you have intentions of winning the All-Ireland. The final is in five weeks – if you’re not able to beat an understrength Meath now, how are you going to deal with the bigger tests ahead?’

[ The problem isn’t the injuries, it’s that so many of the next wave of players are untested at the highest level of footballOpens in new window ]

The first of the men’s action will take place at Fitzgerald Stadium where Kerry host Cavan in an All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final. Kerry certainly hadn’t planned on this route towards Croke Park but last week’s defeat to Meath has changed the Kingdom’s pathway. Malachy Clerkin took a look at where Kerry go from here.

[ Dara Ó Cinnéide: ‘I’m getting sick of this #WeAreKerry stuff. What does it actually mean anymore?’Opens in new window ]

The Tipperary women’s senior footballers have chalked up a 0-11 to 1-6 victory over Donegal in one of the day’s earliest throw-ins. Mayo and Cork will begin in about three minutes as the round three matches take place in the TG4 Championship.

Good afternoon and welcome to today’s live blog on what promises to be a hugely significant day in the story of the 2025 season in all codes - men’s Gaelic football, hurling, camogie and women’s Gaelic football.

It’s Gordon Manning here, I’ll be here all afternoon and keeping you updated on all the news from around the country. We have reporters present at venues across the island so strap in for an exciting Saturday.

It’s ice cream weather, it’s championship weather.

Click here to read article