It was a wonderful final. Kerry had the start that everyone dreams of, going eight points to one up in the first 23 minutes. At that stage I thought Galway were going to be annihilated. I think John O'Mahony's pedigree as a manager rose even higher as a result of this match.

His recognition of the problems that afflicted his team initially and the manner in which he set about rectifying them were very perceptive.

The introduction of Kevin Walsh to bolster midfield, the decision to bring Padraig Joyce out to centre forward and by galvanising his team to drag themselves back from the brink of the abyss, all contributed to Galway's revival. It was a credit to Galway the manner in which they refused to bow to what appeared to be an inevitable defeat.

O'Mahony has obviously instilled great self-belief into this young team. They began to assert themselves, began to impose their pressure style of football on Kerry. Galway started to tackle in clusters, swarming around the man in possession.

Eventually, Kerry started to play the ball laterally and were forced into lots of errors and Galway clawed their way back. Kerry monopolised the possession stakes at midfield in the first 25 minutes and the half forward line in that period gave its best display for a long time.

At half-time you would have had contrasting dressing-rooms. Kerry would have been angry in many respects that they weren't further ahead given their territorial advantage. Galway would probably have been annoyed at their poor start to the match, but energised by the fact that they had made decent inroads into Kerry's dominance on the scoreboard.

It was no single individual on the Galway team that brought them back into it. It was a wholehearted, all-round team performance, augmented by the timing of the substitutes and the quality of their respective displays.

Richie Fahey coming in for Ray Silke had a major bearing on the outcome. It's not that Fahey overcame Michael Francis Russell who was the outstanding Kerry player; he was able to stay with him in the contest for possession and he was able to cut down the space that Russell had been getting earlier.

Russell and John Crowley's movement early in the game were superb. Their ability to read where the ball was going to go was of the highest quality, albeit that there was so much room being given to players outside and those in the forward line. It needed a substitution and Richie Fahy seemed to have that speed to cover the movement that Russell was making.

Kerry's movement and fluidity at the beginning of the match was delightful, nearly exhibition football. In the second half, Kerry struggled to sustain that tempo. Their inside forwards stopped making runs, the players started to pass the ball laterally and this facilitated Galway's swarming defence.

The leadership of Joyce and the improved contribution of Derek Savage and Niall Finnegan allowed Galway to maintain their momentum. The substitutions helped considerably, including that of John Donnellan who scored a wonderful point. Coming towards the end they had a couple of great opportunities that with greater composure might have led to a match-winning point.

On one occasion Joyce would have been clean through had he received the ball. John Donnellan perhaps shot a little hastily when a little extra poise was required. Galway, on the basis of this performance, enjoy the higher ground for the replay.

Kerry will reflect on yet another performance in which they did not sustain the momentum of some wonderful football. Against Cork they produced spell-binding football, the same against Armagh, carving both teams open with the use of the long foot-pass into space. For the first 25 minutes of the final, they managed it again.

That inconsistency, lack of concentration or basically an inability to sustain the tempo they create came against them again yesterday. With regard to the replay, it was interesting to note that Galway were by far the fresher team at the end of the game. Kerry have been handicapped by some intense clashes and replays and that might come against them.

Galway's freshness could stand to them the next game. Liam Hassett dropped off John Divilly well and won ball at midfield before fading, Seamus Moynihan was outstanding, Donal Daly and Darragh O Se dominated until the introduction of Walsh while up front Russell was superb for the whole game.

I was a little surprised that Crowley and Noel Kennelly were taken off given that they contributed four points from play.

Sean Og de Paor kept attacking, Gary Fahey was solid, Sean O Domhnaill profited from Walsh's presence while Joyce demonstrated great leadership qualities. Savage had a good second half, as did Finnegan. I thought the Galway forward line worked very hard and might have won it with a little more poise.

In an interview with John O'Sullivan