JARLATH BURNS paid a fitting tribute to the late Micheal O Muircheartaigh following the Division 1 football final.
Kerry got the better of Mayo at Croke Park on Sunday to be crowned champions of the Allianz Leagues.
It was a poignant victory for the Kingdom, with captain Gavin White presented with the Corn Mhíchíl Uí Mhuircheartaigh, named after the iconic GAA broadcaster.
The former commentator died last June at the age of 93 after a career that spanned six decades.
The Division 1 trophy was renamed in his memory, with GAA President Burns taking the time to pay tribute to the great man.
And after his speech he invited Micheal’s son and daughter Eamonn and Doireann to present the cup to the victorious captain.
Burns said: “I feel his presence very much in this stadium, as I always do whenever we come here.
“We will never have the likes of Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh ever again
“Nobody has even tried to imitate or emulate him cause he only comes once in a lifetime, and it is fitting that the cup is named after him, and that will be his legacy
“Because it is such a special occasion for the O Muircheartaigh family, I have asked Doireann and Eamonn O Muircheartaigh, on behalf of the family, to present the cup to the Kerry captain today and champions of the Allianz Leagues 2025: Ciarrai.”
Paudie and David Clifford led the line with 0-12 between them to seal Kerry’s 24th league crown.
But manager Jack O’Connor was left with more questions than answers before the championship.
The Kingdom can afford to fly out on a training camp in Portugal on Wednesday ahead of their Munster semi-final against Cork or Limerick on April 19.
And O’Connor says they have serious work to do in the sun despite yesterday’s win.
He said: “Any day you come up here and get silverware, it’s good. It’s nice that it’s the Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh trophy as well.
“We didn’t do a lot of talking about it but looking at it now, it’s nice that we won the inaugural one.
“Now, I wouldn’t be giving us too much kudos.
“I thought we were average at times but we managed to raise our game then when we needed to. But for today it was good enough.
“It’s easy when you’re sitting on the fence out here, lads. Mayo, to be fair to them, put pressure on our kickers.
“I say we’d a good share of wides. We wouldn’t be shouting off from the rooftops but it was good enough for today.”
