As was the case in the previous two head to heads in 2003 and 2005 Tyrone had the measure of their much vaunted opponents as the O'Neill county returned to the top of pile for the third time in five years.
Having won the past two All-Irelands with ease against Mayo and Cork sides who never turned up on the day this was a completely different kettle of fish for the holders, with Mickey Harte adding O'Se's name to that of predecessors Paidi O'Se and Jack O'Connor as the Errigal Ciaran clubman celebrated a unique treble of his own.
Prior to the game all the talk was about the much vaunted Kerry full forward line that included the so called Twin Towers of Kieran Donaghy and Tommy Walsh but they were subdued to such an effect that the latter was hauled ashore while the former was held scoreless. Justin McMahon was a tower of strength in the full back line while the movement of his brother Joe back there as well proved to be a master stroke by Harte as they completed blotted out the two Kerry man mountains.
Conor Gormley had a terrific tussle with Colm Cooper with Ryan McMenamin and Philip Jordan once again in the thick of things while Davy Harte has surely nailed down a first AllStar award.

Adversity

Once again this special group of players were hit with tragedy when keeper John Devine's father died twenty four hours before the match but once again Tyrone came through adversity with Pascal McConnell lining out between the sticks and making two outstanding saves, the second of which came from Declan O'Sullivan when the game was in the melting pot.
Enda McGinley was again outstanding in midfield and his point in the final minute to put his side two ahead came at a time when he was still full of running while his opponents appeared out on their feet.
Colin Holmes played his part to against the strong midfield pairing of Darragh O'Se and Seamus Scanlon while Kevin Hughes came into this sector in the second half to telling effect, playing a major part in the only goal of the game as well as getting himself into numerous good positions.
Kerry went into this game knowing that they had to blot out the influence of Brian Dooher but knowing they had to do that and actually doing it are two totally different things. The skipper was once again a leading light for the Red Hands and his first half point, when he held off two robust challenges under the Cussack Stand before splitting the posts, was one of the best points that you are ever likely to see at Croke Park.
Late call-ups Ryan Mellon and Martin Penrose both fully justified their selections, while Tommy McGuigan got the all important goal in the opening seconds of the second half.
Sean Cavanagh gave a masterclass at full forward with five superb points in a man of the match performance, while Colm McCullagh was looking sharp before having to come off injured in the first half, the returning Stephen O'Neill taking his place.
Experienced duo Brian McGuigan and Owen Mulligan were both sprung from the bench to telling effect at crucial times in the second half while Colm Cavanagh brought Moy's contingent on the field to four and managed to get on the score sheet as well.
It was a cracking game of football which lived up to its billing and the result but to bed any debate over who are the team of the decade.

Trademark

Tyrone once again displayed their trademark intensity but there was much more to it as well with every player prepared to give it everything that they had in pursuit of Sam and in the end that was something that Kerry simply couldn't match and no doubt this victory will be celebrated in style in the coming weeks and months ahead.
Tyrone had the lead inside the opening minute thanks to a Colm McCullagh free but with Colm Cooper about there is always danger and a brace from the "Gooch" had the sides level with the eighth minute.
Cooper then put O'Sullivan through for a goal chance but he blazed wide off the target and Tyrone came straight down the field for Harte to strike a brilliant point from the right.
O'Sullivan fisted a point but Cavanagh replied in kind at the other end for what was his second score of the game.
A free from the ineffective Bryan Sheehan put the holders in front but in the space of sixty seconds there were two defining moments in the game as first of all McConnell thwarted Walsh when the Kerry attacker was in the clear before Dooher hit that sublime point.
O'Neill then entered the fray to thunderous applause but it was Kerry who ended the half in front after frees from Sheehan and Cooper.
The opening period came to an unsavoury end when first of all Darragh O'Se was fortunate to escape with a yellow card for elbowing Cavanagh before an official in a suit shouldered Mellon as he was coming off the field at the break, the Kerry man being promptly put on the seat of his pants!
Hughes came on at halftime and his impact was immediate as he took a pass from O'Neill and when his shot was saved by keeper Diarmuid Murphy it spilled out and when Padraig Reidy failed to kick it clear Tommy McGuigan was on hand to accept the present to poke to the net from close range.

Dummy

Kerry substitute Darren O'Sullivan pointed but Dooher replied instantly after selling a great dummy.
Cavanagh landed another glorious score but by the twenty second minute Kerry had turned things around to lead thanks to efforts from Cooper and the O'Se brothers Tomas and Darragh.
Amazingly, they failed to score again as the Tyrone machine kicked into overdrive. Cavanagh first of all levelled matters before putting his side in front but Tyrone had keeper McConnell to thank for a brilliant save to deny O'Sullivan three minutes from time.
That was the spur that Mickey Harte's needed and after McGinley put two between them substitute duo Hughes and Cavanagh doubled that advantage as the celebrations began in earnest.