Kerry win All-Ireland football final after replay

Croke Park, Dublin, 30 November 1914 - Kerry defeated Wexford 2-3 to 0-6 points in the replayed final of the All-Ireland football championship after a dramatic comeback. Wexford led by 0-6 to 0-0 at half-time but, just as in the drawn game, they failed to score in the second half.

Some 26 special trains brought spectators to the ground. In all, more than 20,000 spectators turned up for the game and amongst them was the Solicitor-General and many khaki-clad spectators. The were treated to a right good game of football, although it was probably not as fine a display as the first meeting. 

Kerry have never been beaten in a replay and that this victory gives them their fifth All-Ireland title.

Irish Times observations

A special feature article on the match in The Irish Times recounted the great fun people had travelling to the match: ‘Jokes were cracked; humorous, patriotic and sentimental songs were sung; and there was every sort of music, from bands and violins down to the tin whistle and mouth organ.'

Although restaurants and pubs did a good trade, there was no drunkenness, disorderly conduct or horseplay on the streets.

The context of the current war, however, compelled the Times journalist to question the presence of so many fit, strong men of military age at the event: ‘As I watched the game, noted the keen zest of the players, their fine stamina and their capable, manly bearing, and listened to such casual remarks as reached my ears in the din of enthusiastic and whole-hearted excitement, I could not help wondering what it was which kept these young men from joining their brothers in maintaining and enhancing the honour of Ireland in the trenches in France and Belgium.’

[Editor's note: This is an article from Century Ireland, a fortnightly online newspaper, written from the perspective of a journalist 100 years ago, based on news reports of the time.]