The 4 Greatest Gaelic Football Rivalries Of The 21st Century So Far

Donegal and Kerry have given us another reminder this year of why their growing rivalry has become the most fascinating subplot in Gaelic football.

Jim McGuinness and Jack O'Connor first met in the championship in the 2012 All-Ireland quarter-final when Donegal shocked Kerry to send them packing on the August Bank Holiday weekend. O'Connor stepped down as Donegal went on to claim Sam. Little did we all think they'd be back butting heads over a decade later.

Jack has 2 All-Irelands in his third spell in charge of Kerry, while the second Celtic Cross as a manager has eluded Jim.

So far, we've had schemozzles, tactical battles, free-flowing football and the odd war of words, it has the makings of a right good rivalry.

Whether it eventually produces enough controversy to enter the annals of history remains to be seen.

For now here is a few that have, these are the four greatest Gaelic football rivalries of the 21st century.

Not the only inclusion of either of these counties on this list.

Tyrone in the noughties were a bit like a lad working for Fás, but instead of week on week off they did season on season off. Dublin just happened to run into them during their season on periods.

The 2005 All-Ireland quarter-final drawn game produced Owen Mulligan's magic goal, we all know the commentary by now. In the replay Mulligan came to life again doing his best Eric Cantona impression and staring up at Hill 16, as Tyrone went on to win and eventually claim Sam.

The Battle of Omagh followed in 2006, some absolute Royal Rumble stuff from both sides in an early season league game in Healy Park, which of course led to no suspensions.

Tyrone continued to get the better of Dublin on the big day until the 2010 quarter-final where Pat Gilroy's men got over the line and banished their demons.

A rivalry built on agony.

No fixture of the modern era delivered drama as consistently as Dublin and Mayo.

The 2013 All-Ireland final. The 2015 drawn semi-final. The drawn and replayed final of 2016 and the GPS thrown in 2017. The missed or made frees. Diarmuid Connolly's vest and many more things.

Every chapter seemed more dramatic than the last.

The cruel reality for Mayo was that they kept running into arguably the greatest team Gaelic football has ever seen.

For Dublin, Mayo became the opponent they simply could not avoid but also somehow couldn't lose to.

The rivalry became appointment viewing.

Every neutral picked a side.

Most picked Mayo and at the end they all wondered why.

Mayo in fairness to them kicked off and finished off the rivalry with dramatic wins over the Dubs, it just so happened they came in semi-finals.

No rivalry in Gaelic football has ever felt more personal and tense.

Neighbours, schoolmates, clubmates and even family members found themselves on opposite sides of Ulster football's defining feud.

The rivalry peaked during the years when Armagh and Tyrone were the two best teams in the province and arguably the country.

The 2003 All-Ireland final remains the high watermark, with Conor Gormley's block forever etched into history.

Their Ulster clashes became almost annual events. Clones was deemed not large enough so Croke Park was required, the atmosphere was electric and every game felt like it carried consequences beyond just football.

Armagh picked up five Ulster titles in this time but only one All-Ireland. Tyrone managed two Anglo-Celts and 3 Sam Maguires so it is probably Mickey Harte's men who come out on top but it was definitely not a one-sided affair.

If Pat Spillane's rant before the 2021 All-Ireland semi-final tells us anything it is that Tyrone are the ex that Kerry say they're over, but they just can't stop watching their Instagram stories.

Even then the sight of Tyrone was enough to rile Kerry up and get under their skin.

This was the rivalry that arguably changed Gaelic football.

Traditionalists versus revolutionaries.

Kerry represented everything that was beautiful and romantic about football. Tyrone represented the future of Diary of CEO workmaxxing and making every possession count.

The rivalry produced the shock and awe of the 2003 semi-final, Peter Canavan's glorious goal in the 2005 All-Ireland final victory and the 2008 final where Mickey Harte's side demolished Kieran Donaghy and Tommy Walsh, Kerry's 'Twin Towers'.

Yet the games were only half the story.

This rivalry transcended sport and at times entered Irish popular culture.

Pat Spillane's infamous description of Tyrone's tactics as "puke football" became one of the most famous phrases in GAA history. Radio shows, newspaper columns, pub debates and family rows all centred around whether Tyrone were ruining football or reinventing it.

Kerry won four All-Ireland titles to Tyrone's three but they never got one over them on the biggest day of all and that has to sting.