Darragh Ó Sé
Encyclopedia
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 (81 appearances scoring one gaol and 31 points) than any other player in the history of the game. He also appeared for Kerry in 95 National Football League games scoring one goal and 26 points.
and has enjoyed a great deal of success during his career. He made his debut with the club's senior team in 1992 and has been an ever-present fixture at midfield 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.
minor football team in the early 1990s. He first lined out with his native county in that grade in 1993, however, Kerry were knocked out of the provincial championship at a very early stage.
Ó Sé subsequently joined the Kerry under-21 team in 1994. While it was an unsuccessful year for the team in that grade, Ó Sé's nailed down his position at midfield and the following year lined out in his first Munster under-21 final. Opponents Waterford
were inflicted with a 1-21 to 2-5 trouncing, giving Ó Sé a coveted Munster
winners’ medal in the under-21 grade. Kerry later qualified to play Mayo
in the All-Ireland final. After the highs of the Munster final victory, Kerry were held to a draw and a replay was required. That game was also a close affair, however, Kerry’s goal-scoring ability proved the key. A 3-10 to 1-12 score line saw Kerry claim the victory and gave Ó Sé an All-Ireland
winners’ medal with the Kerry under-21 team.
In 1996 Ó Sé was in his final year as a member of the Kerry under-21 team. A second Munster winners’ medal was secured after an absolute trouncing of Clare in the provincial decider. The 3-14 to 0-6 victory put Kerry on the All-Ireland trail once again. Cavan
provided the opposition in the subsequent All-Ireland decider, however, that game was far from a rout. Kerry had the upper hand for much of the game and went on to win by 1-17 to 2-10. It was Ó Sé's second All-Ireland winners’ medal in the under-21 grade.
with whom he won a Trench Cup
in 1995.
game against Donegal
in the 1993-94 season. Ó Sé later made his championship debut against Limerick
, however, Kerry were defeated on that occasion.
In 1995 Ó Sé played in his first senior Munster final against archrivals Cork. Expectations were high that ‘the Kingdom’ could defeat ‘the Rebels’ and break back into the big time after a three-year period in the wilderness. The game was a disappointing one for Ó Sé as his side lost by 0-15 to 1-9.
In 1996 Ó Sé's uncle Páidí
took over as manager, and Kerry's fortunes improved. Cork provided the opposition once again in that year's provincial final, however, on this occasion Kerry were a different team. A 0-14 to 0-11 victory gave Ó Sé his first Munster
winners’ medal in the senior grade and kick-started the Kerry football revival. Kerry’s next assignment was an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with Mayo. In spite of claiming the provincial title, Kerry were still not the finished article. Ó Sé's side were eventually defeated by 2-13 to 1-10.
1997 saw Kerry through down an early marker with regard to their All-Ireland ambitions. The team reached the final of the National League that year with Cork providing the opposition in Páirc Uí Chaoimh
. A 3-7 to 1-8 victory gave Ó Sé a winners’ medal in Gaelic football’s secondary competition. Later that summer Kerry reached the Munster final once again. Clare provided the opposition on this occasion; however, in spite of shocking the Kerry men five years earlier, there was no shock this time. A 1-13 to 0-11 victory saw Ó Sé add a second Munster winners’ medal to his collection. A subsequent defeat of Cavan saw Kerry qualify for their first All-Ireland final in eleven years. Mayo, the defeated finalists of the previous year, provided the opposition. The westerners went on a scoring spree during the match, capturing 1-2 inside two minutes. Maurice Fitzgerald
was the start player for Kerry. He scored nine points throughout the game while Mayo froze and were held scoreless for the last twenty minutes. A 0-13 to 1-7 score line gave Kerry the title and gave Ó Sé a coveted All-Ireland
winners’ medal. Furthermore, Ó Sé had now started to stamp his authority as a quality midfielder and over the next 10 years would become one of the country's best.
Kerry continued their march again in 1998 with a Munster final showdown with Tipperary
. For the third year in succession ‘the Kingdom’ proved the provincial masters, and a 0-17 to 1-10 win gave Ó Sé a third Munster title. Kerry were the favourites to retain their All-Ireland title, however, a narrow 0-13 to 1-9 defeat by a Mick O'Dwyer
-managed Kildare
in the semi-final brought an end to their All-Ireland quest.
In 1999 Kerry were attempting to secure a fourth provincial title in succession. 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. Ó Sé lined out in his sixth Munster final, his second with Clare as 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 fourth Munster medal. 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 Cinnéide’s second All-Ireland winners’ medal, while his performances also earned him a coveted All-Star
.
Kerry swept through the provincial series with ease again in 2001. A 0-19 to 1-13 defeat of Cork gave Ó Sé a fifth 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. 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 team members Darragh, Tomás 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 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. In spite of this defeat Ó Sé picked up a second All-Star.
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 sixth 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. That year 'the Kingdom' 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 seventh Munster winners’ medal. The All-Ireland series proved no difficulty for Kerry, however, Ó Sé picked up an injury in the semi-final which ruled him out of the final against Mayo. A 1-20 to 2-9 championship decider victory gave Kerry the victory.
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. Ó Cinnéide powered his team ahead with a goal after just six minutes. Tyrone responded in kind with a Peter Canavan
goal just before half-time. Tomás 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.
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 paid 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 goals. 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 another All-Ireland winners' medal. Ó Sé finished off the year with a second All-Star award.
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 ninth Munster winners' medal. Kerry then had the narrowest of victories in their All-Ireland quarter-final against Monaghan
, setting up a glamour All-Ireland semi-final tie with Dublin
. Ó Sé spent much of the game on the bench after picking up a hip injury, however, he was introduced as a substitute to help Kerry see off a Dublin comeback and win by two points. 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 fifth All-Ireland medal for Ó Sé, his fourth on the field of play. A third All-Star award quickly followed.
In 2008 there was speculation that Ó Sé, at the age of thirty-three, would retire from inter-county football. In the end he decided to line out with Kerry once again and help his team in their pursuit of a third All-Ireland title in-a-row. All did not go to plan 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. Furthermore, Ó Sé picked up a red card after an altercation with Pearse O'Neill
. Kerry worked their way through to the All-Ireland semi-final where they faced Cork once again. 'The Kingdom' were much better in this encounter, however, Ó Sé received a straight red card for an incident with Pearse O'Neill once again. At this stage of the game Kerry were cruising and it looked as if Ó Sé would miss the All-Ireland final. Two very late goals by Cork secured a draw. The replay was also an exciting affair, however, Kerry overcame Cork in their third championship meeting that year. An All-Ireland final appearance against Tyrone was the reward for this victory, with Ó Sé lining out at midfield again. 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.
While many thought that the All-Ireland defeat would finally signal the end of Ó Sé's long career, he rejoined the panel again in 2009. He came on as a substitute in Kerry's National League victory over Derry
to capture his third winners' medal in that competition. 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 fourth All-Star award.
A period of considerable speculation as to Ó Sé's future intentions ended in February 2010 when he announced his retirement from iner-county football in an interview in Irish
with former teammate Dara Ó Cinnéide
on the An Saol ó Dheas programme on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
. He said that he had been considering the matter since Christmas but only came to a final decision at the beginning of February. Ó Sé added that he would continue to play with his club An Ghaeltacht and his divisional side Ciarraí Thiar
.
in the inter-provincial championship and enjoyed some success. He first played with his province in 1996 as Munster defeated Ulster
to set up a final date with Leinster
. The men from the eastern province ran away with the victory in the end and defeated Ó Sé's side by 1-13 to 0-9.
After a few disappointing seasons where Ó Sé failed to be picked or faced defeat, Munster were back in the final again in 1999. Connacht
were the opponents on this occasion, however, the men from the south made no mistake on this occasion. A 0-10 to 0-7 victory gave Ó Sé a Railway Cup winners' medal.
In 2007, at a time when most players would be contemplating retirement, Ó Sé was brought back to the Munster squad for the final time. The campaign was an ultimately disappointing one as Munster were defeated by Ulster in the Railway Cup final.
team in the International Rules Series
against Australia
. He first lined out for his country in the first test in 2001. Ireland won that game and later went on to win the second test by a considerable margin. An aggregate score of 130-105 gave Ireland the series victory and gave Ó Sé an International Rules winners' medal.
Ó Sé was chosen for International Rules duty again the following year. Australia, however, narrowly won the first test by 65 points to 58 points. The second test ended in a 42 points apiece draw. As a result of this Ireland lost by an aggregate score of 7 points.
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 was 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 1994 until 2009. Ó Sé has made more championship
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...
appearances (81 appearances scoring one gaol and 31 points) than any other player in the history of the game. He also appeared for Kerry in 95 National Football League games scoring one goal and 26 points.
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 1992 and has been an ever-present fixture at midfield 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.
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...
minor football team in the early 1990s. He first lined out with his native county in that grade in 1993, however, Kerry were knocked out of the provincial championship at a very early stage.
Ó Sé subsequently joined the Kerry under-21 team in 1994. While it was an unsuccessful year for the team in that grade, Ó Sé's nailed down his position at midfield and the following year lined out in his first Munster under-21 final. Opponents Waterford
Waterford GAA
The Waterford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Waterford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for all levels of Gaelic games in County Waterford. The County Board is also responsible for the Waterford inter-county teams. The county...
were inflicted with a 1-21 to 2-5 trouncing, giving Ó Sé a coveted 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....
winners’ medal in the under-21 grade. Kerry later qualified to play Mayo
Mayo GAA
The Mayo County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Mayo GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Mayo and the Mayo inter-county teams.-History:...
in the All-Ireland final. After the highs of the Munster final victory, Kerry were held to a draw and a replay was required. That game was also a close affair, however, Kerry’s goal-scoring ability proved the key. A 3-10 to 1-12 score line saw Kerry claim the victory and gave Ó Sé an 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...
winners’ medal with the Kerry under-21 team.
In 1996 Ó Sé was in his final year as a member of the Kerry under-21 team. A second Munster winners’ medal was secured after an absolute trouncing of Clare in the provincial decider. The 3-14 to 0-6 victory put Kerry on the All-Ireland trail once again. Cavan
Cavan GAA
The Cavan County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Cavan GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Cavan...
provided the opposition in the subsequent All-Ireland decider, however, that game was far from a rout. Kerry had the upper hand for much of the game and went on to win by 1-17 to 2-10. It was Ó Sé's second All-Ireland winners’ medal in the under-21 grade.
College
He also had a brief college football career, playing with a Dublin side DITDIT GAA
DIT GAA or Dublin Institute of Technology GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association University Club based in County Dublin, Ireland. DIT's men's Gaelic football team compete in the Sigerson Cup and the O'Byrne Cup.DIT's hurlers won the Kehoe Cup in 2007....
with whom he won a Trench Cup
Trench Cup
The Trench Cup is the second tier Gaelic football competition for third level education colleges and universities in Ireland and England.The current champions are St. Patrick's College, Dublin after they narrowly defeated Mary Immaculate College Limerick,0-12 to 0-7.The competition first game into...
in 1995.
Senior
By this stage Ó Sé was also a member of the Kerry senior football team. He made his senior debut in a National Football LeagueNational 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...
game against Donegal
Donegal GAA
The Donegal County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Donegal GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Donegal. The county board is also responsible for the Donegal inter-county teams.Gaelic football is strongest in the...
in the 1993-94 season. Ó Sé later made his championship debut against 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...
, however, Kerry were defeated on that occasion.
In 1995 Ó Sé played in his first senior Munster final against archrivals Cork. Expectations were high that ‘the Kingdom’ could defeat ‘the Rebels’ and break back into the big time after a three-year period in the wilderness. The game was a disappointing one for Ó Sé as his side lost by 0-15 to 1-9.
In 1996 Ó Sé's uncle Páidí
Páidí Ó Sé
Páidí Ó Sé is a retired Irish Gaelic football manager and former player. He played football with his local club An Ghaeltacht and was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team from 1975 until 1987...
took over as manager, and Kerry's fortunes improved. Cork provided the opposition once again in that year's provincial final, however, on this occasion Kerry were a different team. A 0-14 to 0-11 victory gave Ó Sé his 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...
winners’ medal in the senior grade and kick-started the Kerry football revival. Kerry’s next assignment was an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with Mayo. In spite of claiming the provincial title, Kerry were still not the finished article. Ó Sé's side were eventually defeated by 2-13 to 1-10.
1997 saw Kerry through down an early marker with regard to their All-Ireland ambitions. The team reached the final of the National League that year with Cork providing the opposition in Páirc Uí Chaoimh
Páirc Uí Chaoimh
Páirc Uí Chaoimh is a Gaelic Athletic Association stadium in the Ballintemple area of Cork in Ireland, where major hurling and Gaelic football matches are played. It is the home of Cork GAA...
. A 3-7 to 1-8 victory gave Ó Sé a winners’ medal in Gaelic football’s secondary competition. Later that summer Kerry reached the Munster final once again. Clare provided the opposition on this occasion; however, in spite of shocking the Kerry men five years earlier, there was no shock this time. A 1-13 to 0-11 victory saw Ó Sé add a second Munster winners’ medal to his collection. A subsequent defeat of Cavan saw Kerry qualify for their first All-Ireland final in eleven years. Mayo, the defeated finalists of the previous year, provided the opposition. The westerners went on a scoring spree during the match, capturing 1-2 inside two minutes. Maurice Fitzgerald
Maurice Fitzgerald (footballer)
Maurice Fitzgerald is an Irish sportsperson. He plays Gaelic football with his local club St. Mary's and divisional side South Kerry and was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county football team from 1988 until 2001...
was the start player for Kerry. He scored nine points throughout the game while Mayo froze and were held scoreless for the last twenty minutes. A 0-13 to 1-7 score line gave Kerry the title and gave Ó Sé a coveted 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. Furthermore, Ó Sé had now started to stamp his authority as a quality midfielder and over the next 10 years would become one of the country's best.
Kerry continued their march again in 1998 with a Munster final showdown with 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...
. For the third year in succession ‘the Kingdom’ proved the provincial masters, and a 0-17 to 1-10 win gave Ó Sé a third Munster title. Kerry were the favourites to retain their All-Ireland title, however, a narrow 0-13 to 1-9 defeat by a Mick O'Dwyer
Mick 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 semi-final brought an end to their All-Ireland quest.
In 1999 Kerry were attempting to secure a fourth provincial title in succession. 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. Ó Sé lined out in his sixth Munster final, his second with Clare as 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 fourth Munster medal. 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 Cinnéide’s second All-Ireland winners’ medal, while his performances also earned him a coveted All-Star
GAA All Stars Awards
The All Stars Awards, currently sponsored by Vodafone, are given annually since 1971 by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the best player in each of the fifteen positions in Gaelic football and Hurling in Ireland. Additionally, one player in each code is selected as the player of the year...
.
Kerry swept through the provincial series with ease again in 2001. A 0-19 to 1-13 defeat of Cork gave Ó Sé a fifth 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. 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 team members Darragh, Tomás 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 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. In spite of this defeat Ó Sé picked up a second All-Star.
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 sixth 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. That year 'the Kingdom' 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 seventh Munster winners’ medal. The All-Ireland series proved no difficulty for Kerry, however, Ó Sé picked up an injury in the semi-final which ruled him out of the final against Mayo. A 1-20 to 2-9 championship decider victory gave Kerry the victory.
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. Ó Cinnéide powered his 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. Tomás 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.
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 paid 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 goals. 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 another All-Ireland winners' medal. Ó Sé finished off the year with a second All-Star award.
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 ninth 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...
, setting up a glamour All-Ireland semi-final tie 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...
. Ó Sé spent much of the game on the bench after picking up a hip injury, however, he was introduced as a substitute to help Kerry see off a Dublin comeback and win by two points. 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 fifth All-Ireland medal for Ó Sé, his fourth on the field of play. A third All-Star award quickly followed.
In 2008 there was speculation that Ó Sé, at the age of thirty-three, would retire from inter-county football. In the end he decided to line out with Kerry once again and help his team in their pursuit of a third All-Ireland title in-a-row. All did not go to plan 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. Furthermore, Ó Sé picked up a red card after an altercation with Pearse O'Neill
Pearse O'Neill
Pearse O'Neill is an Irish sportsperson. He plays Gaelic football with his local club Aghada and has been a member of the Cork senior inter-county team since 2006.-References:...
. Kerry worked their way through to the All-Ireland semi-final where they faced Cork once again. 'The Kingdom' were much better in this encounter, however, Ó Sé received a straight red card for an incident with Pearse O'Neill once again. At this stage of the game Kerry were cruising and it looked as if Ó Sé would miss the All-Ireland final. Two very late goals by Cork secured a draw. The replay was also an exciting affair, however, Kerry overcame Cork in their third championship meeting that year. An All-Ireland final appearance against Tyrone was the reward for this victory, with Ó Sé lining out at midfield again. 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.
While many thought that the All-Ireland defeat would finally signal the end of Ó Sé's long career, he rejoined the panel again in 2009. He came on as a substitute in Kerry's National League victory over 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...
to capture his third winners' medal in that competition. 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 fourth All-Star award.
A period of considerable speculation as to Ó Sé's future intentions ended in February 2010 when he announced his retirement from iner-county football in an interview in Irish
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
with former teammate 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,...
on the An Saol ó Dheas programme on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta , abbreviated RnaG, is the Irish-language radio service of the public-service broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann. The station is available on FM in Ireland and via satellite and on the Internet.- History :...
. He said that he had been considering the matter since Christmas but only came to a final decision at the beginning of February. Ó Sé added that he would continue to play with his club An Ghaeltacht and his divisional side Ciarraí Thiar
West Kerry GAA
West Kerry is a Divisional Gaelic football team in Kerry. The teams involved are Lispole,Castlegregary. Annascaul,Dingle and An Ghaeltacht are also part of the area but play alone in the Kerry Senior Football ChampionshipHistory...
.
Inter-provincial
Ó Sé also lined out with MunsterMunster GAA
The Munster Council is a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Munster.-Constituent counties:*Cork*Clare*Kerry*Limerick*Tipperary*Waterford-Honours:...
in the inter-provincial championship and enjoyed some success. He first played with his province in 1996 as Munster defeated Ulster
Ulster GAA
The Ulster Council is a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, and handball in the province of Ulster. The headquarters of the Ulster GAA is based in Armagh City....
to set up a final date with Leinster
Leinster GAA
The Leinster Council is a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Leinster. The Leinster Council has been partnered with the European County Board to help develop Gaelic Games in Europe...
. The men from the eastern province ran away with the victory in the end and defeated Ó Sé's side by 1-13 to 0-9.
After a few disappointing seasons where Ó Sé failed to be picked or faced defeat, Munster were back in the final again in 1999. Connacht
Connacht GAA
The Connacht Council are a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Connacht.-Constituent counties:*Galway*Leitrim*Mayo*Roscommon*Sligo-Special counties:...
were the opponents on this occasion, however, the men from the south made no mistake on this occasion. A 0-10 to 0-7 victory gave Ó Sé a Railway Cup winners' medal.
In 2007, at a time when most players would be contemplating retirement, Ó Sé was brought back to the Munster squad for the final time. The campaign was an ultimately disappointing one as Munster were defeated by Ulster in the Railway Cup final.
International Rules
Ó Sé has also been chosen for duty with the IrelandIreland international rules football team
The Ireland International rules football team is the representative team for Ireland in international rules football, a compromise between Gaelic football and Australian rules football...
team in the International Rules Series
International Rules Series
The International Rules Series is a senior men's International rules football competition between the Australia international rules football team and the Ireland international rules football team...
against Australia
Australia international rules football team
This article concerns the men's team; for information on the Australian women's team, see Australia women's international rules football team....
. He first lined out for his country in the first test in 2001. Ireland won that game and later went on to win the second test by a considerable margin. An aggregate score of 130-105 gave Ireland the series victory and gave Ó Sé an International Rules winners' medal.
Ó Sé was chosen for International Rules duty again the following year. Australia, however, narrowly won the first test by 65 points to 58 points. The second test ended in a 42 points apiece draw. As a result of this Ireland lost by an aggregate score of 7 points.
An Ghaeltacht
- All-Ireland Senior Club Football ChampionshipAll-Ireland Senior Club Football ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football tournament run since 1971, played between the thousands of senior football clubs in Ireland. The current champions are Crossmaglen Rangers of Armagh, who defeated St. Brigid's of Roscommon on March 17, 2011 to win their...
:- Winner (0):
- Runner-up (1): 2004
- Munster Senior Club Football ChampionshipMunster Senior Club Football ChampionshipThe 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...
:- Winner (1): 2003
- Kerry Senior Football Championship:
- Winner (2): 2001, 2003
- Runner-up (1): 2000
- Kerry County Club Football ChampionshipKerry County Club ChampionshipThe kerry club championship was a football championship played between senior clubs in kerry. The last final was played in 2005 were An Ghaeltachtbeat Kerins O'Rahilly's. The competition was restarted in 2009.-2009 Championship:-Roll of honour:...
:- Winner (3): 2001, 2002, 2005
- Runner-up (3): 1999, 2000, 2003
- Kerry Intermediate Football ChampionshipKerry Intermediate Football ChampionshipThis is a competition organized by Kerry GAA for clubs that are not good enough to play in the Kerry Senior Football Championship. The winners usually play Senior in the years after they win this competition. The winners also represent Kerry in the Munster Intermediate Club Football Championship....
: - Winner (1): 1998
- Kerry Junior Football ChampionshipKerry Junior Football ChampionshipThe Kerry junior championship is an annual Gaelic football competition played in County Kerry, Ireland by Gaelic Athletic Association clubs affiliated to Kerry GAA. It is a grade below Kerry Intermediate Football Championship and the winners move up to that grade the year after winning it...
: - Winner (1): 1993
Kerry
- All-Ireland Senior Football ChampionshipAll-Ireland Senior Football ChampionshipThe 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...
:- Winner (6): 1997, 2000, 2004 (sub), 2006, 2007, 2009
- Runner-up (3): 2002 (c), 2005, 2008
- Munster Senior Football ChampionshipMunster Senior Football ChampionshipThe 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...
:- Winner (9): 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007
- Runner-up (4): 1995, 1999, 2006, 2008
- National Football League (Division 1)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...
:- Winner (3): 1996-97, 2006, 2009
- National Football League (Division 2)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...
:- Winner (1): 2002 (c)
- All-Ireland Under-21 Football ChampionshipAll-Ireland Under-21 Football ChampionshipThe 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...
:- Winner (1): 1995, 1996
- Munster Under-21 Football ChampionshipMunster Under-21 Football ChampionshipThe 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....
:- Winner (1): 1995, 1996