League Sunday panel agree Kerry buzzer-beater was right to stand

January 26, 2026

The Allianz League Sunday panel have agreed that Tomás Kennedy’s winning score for Kerry was right to stand despite it causing its fair share of controversy.

Late last year, the GAA Central Council, acting on a recommendation from the Football Review Committee and overturning a previous ruling, confirmed that the hooter now signals an immediate end to all league and championship games. Gone are the days when play could continue after the final whistle.

During the 2025 season, this rule change highlighted some quirks. In certain matches, the ball had to be played dead after the hooter, creating extended added time.

The All-Ireland final illustrated the effect perfectly: Kerry kept possession for several minutes after the hooter, giving David Clifford just enough time to deliver one of his trademark scores.

New FRC hooter rules in place for 2026

To address situations like this, the FRC introduced revised conclusion criteria, which the GAA’s Central Council approved with built-in safeguards to protect scoring opportunities.

Players are still allowed to take a penalty, free, ’45, or sideline kick awarded before the hooter, but only if it’s a direct, uncontested shot at goal. Teammates cannot touch the ball, and any ball already in flight when the hooter sounds counts, as long as no other attacker interferes.

The hope behind the immediate-end rule is simple: create urgency. Teams should be encouraged to chase scores rather than cling to possession, making every second of play count and keeping the action fast, exciting, and fair.

The controversy arose because Kennedy scored immediately after fielding Seán O’Shea’s free, with the hooter sounding almost simultaneously. Some argued the score shouldn’t have counted, claiming play had ended, while others noted Kennedy released the ball just before the hooter. The timing sparked debate over the new “immediate end” rule.

You can watch the winning score here:

Here's the Kerry buzzer beater.

For the free, the TV clock was at 69:58. The stadium clock was at 69:55.

Kennedy catches and gets his shot off before the hooter – but after the TV clock and the stadium clock had hit 70:00. Messy.

Brilliant play by Kennedy though.@SportTG4 pic.twitter.com/sgtrDWARmS

— Adam Moynihan (@AdamMoynihan) January 25, 2026

League Sunday panellists believe winning Kerry score was the ‘right call’

On Allianz League Sunday, FRC member Éamonn Fitzmaurice said the score was fair but admitted Roscommon had reason to feel hard done by, as O’Shea’s free could easily have gone their way, and said: “There were borderline fouls, a foul by Dylan Casey. Was Senan Lambe fouled when he was on the ball? Then we looked at the way Lambe kicks up, the way his left leg comes up at Casey.

“The free was given, and then we had Tomás Kennedy’s buzzer-beater score.

“The ball barely left his hand when the hooter sounded. Kerry got the benefit of the doubt today.

“Technically, it was the correct call, but I wouldn’t have been surprised if the free had gone the other way in the first place.”

During Sunday night’s show, former Mayo star Lee Keegan called it a “messy situation” while still agreeing it was the “right call.”

You can watch the League Sunday panel discuss Tomás Kennedy’s winning score here:

“It was the correct call but if this is the case, we’re going to have this week in week out”

Lee Keegan and Éamonn Fitzmaurice react to the controversial ending to Kerry v Roscommon and discuss the hooter issue

📺 Watch #AllianzLeagueSunday – https://t.co/AKAre5FHdN pic.twitter.com/GCP2l5il6q

— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) January 25, 2026