Spillane takes swipe at ‘cheerleading’ Ulster GAA experts for unbalanced analysis

Kerry strolled past Donegal in last weekend's All-Ireland SFC final

Ulster GAA experts are too busy “cheerleading” their region to offer balanced analysis on football, according to Pat Spillane.

Despite a fine run to the All-Ireland SFC final, Donegal fell short at Croke Park as David Clifford and co strolled to a convincing victory for Jack O’Connor’s Kerry, their 39th All-Ireland crown.

Spillane, who won eight All-Irelands with Kerry, has taken another swipe at Ulster’s football commentators and fans, pointing out their obvious bias.

He said in his Sunday World column: “Here’s what’s bothering me. The group-think and herd mentality of Ulster’s so-called football experts.

“Their role appears to be as cheerleaders for Ulster football, at times, and rarely do they offer fair and balanced analysis. As for lavishing praise on Kerry, you have a better chance of finding hen’s teeth.

“What these gentlemen have conveniently forgotten when discussing Kerry football is that rules may change and tactics come and go.

“Genius managers with innovative coaching ideas can surface and preach about how Kerry are so far behind the curve. Yet there’s one constant, Kerry remain at the top table.

“In the last 10 years, Kerry have won two All-Ireland titles and five National Football League Division 1 titles. They have also appeared in two losing All-Ireland finals.

“That’s the sign not alone of a great team, but the sign of a football team with intelligence who can read and adapt and play to anything that’s thrown in front of them.

“Kerry are the great adaptors of Gaelic football, and that’s the reason they’re the 2025 All-Ireland football champions.

“Ulster GAA experts, please note. Hopefully in future we’ll get more balance and a little bit more praise from you.”

Spillane also said the way Donegal split from the parade proved to him they were wasting too much nervous energy. 

“I watched them at the start with that nervous energy, I felt they were a bit like a child before coming in to see Santa Claus. They were giddy, silly, and they were wasting a lot of energy.”