Kerry GAA discussion thread #2

Fairly strong team selected for Sunday, with the major changes being Joe O'Connor for Jack Barry and Micheál Burns for Paudie Clifford:

Saw a stat during the week that this is our longest unbeaten run in the League since 1960!

If I was a Cork man I would be seriously pissed off with this carry on, they should be all dismissed immediately putting a concert before MFC match, shame on ye and all that's involved with It.

Ridiculous that they have home ground advantage this year and they have their main stadium being used for an Ed Sheehan gig on the day it's needed for a Munster semi-final against Kerry! I mean wtf...

Cork players and management have released a statement saying they will only be playing in PUR It's just getting embarrassing for them now.

how is it embarrassing for the Cork players? It wasn't their decision to put a concert at their home stadium and then their 2nd stadium can't be used because it doesn't bring enough revenue in for the GAA. Not having a go here because its a Kerry thread but I think no county would be happy to give away home advantage. Not even Kerry I imagine. The margins are alot worse for Cork though. They haven't a hope of beating this formidable Kerry team at present, too much of a level in class lets be honest, but if Cork had any chance of winning I believe it could only be done at home in PUR. Cork dont have any hope of beating Kerry in Killarney we all know that. County board in Cork are absolute shambles full stop and have made a right mess of everything.

I agree totally. The county board have made right mess for everyone. First off it shows their own interests went beyond the Munster semi final. I have no problem having concerts in PUC but at a time when it doesn't interfere with the playing of our own national game. All they wanted was to make max profit by switching the game to killarney. I love Killarney myself and love the atmosphere but they are looking after their own interests in profits. A bulls$it excuse that safety measures arent up to scratch in PUR is the biggest joke I have ever heard for an excuse to not hold a game there.

Everybody loses out here because of the indecision of the Cork County board.

Probably the best team he could have named. Ryan v Murphy and Geaney v Brosnan the only two spots up for debate really. Brosnan will be used from the bench regardless. If Ryan has a strong game and Kerry win then the number 1 jersey will be his for championship.

Will be interesting to see if O Shea and Moran will be used from the bench. The injury update piece in the paper said there was no hope of Moran until championship and that Breen is most likely out for the year. It also said that O Donoghue and Murphy were both in contention for the final which doesn’t look to be the case.

Mayo have named a strong team with Cillian O Connor on the bench. They are missing Diarmuid O Connor which is a big loss. They look to be doubling down on defence and counter attack naming Coen at full back, Hession at half back and O Shea at centre forward but playing a deeper role around the half back line. Clifford will be double marked by O Hora and Coen most likely so we will need others to take on more scoring opportunities. Having White and O Beaglaoich at 5 and 7 is a big plus for this game with their pace. I wonder will Graham pick up O Donoghue or will Tom O Sullivan be moved over.

Will be a massive test for Jack O Connors ability to make tactical changes as the game progresses.

Ryan nailed on for the number 1 now. Geaney redeemed himself in the second half to be fair to him.

While Clifford got Man of the match I thought Adrian Spillane and Jack Barry were immense and would have given it to either, they were everywhere doing all the dirty work. Kerry’s blocking, tackling skills were top class and a far better example of defending then the swarming defence some other teams use. Foley and Morley both excellent and Gavin White outstanding on the attack before he ran out of gas. Brosnan looked good when he came on and will have a big part to play this year whether he starts or from the bench.

On the negative side O Brien was very poor and Tom O Sullivan not up to his usual standards this year so far.

Lastly Mayo were terrible. Missing a lot of players to be fair but still a gutless performance from them. Their persistence using Aidan O Shea will cost them again this year. He handles a lot of ball but does very little with it. Mcloughlin is probably their best version of a playmaker and should persist with him as a starter.

I dont care how many players Mayo were missing. I dont care if we were nearly full strength. It does absolutely no harm to completely demolish and fcking bury them. That makes up for 2019 also.

I've never taken more abuse at a game than I did at that 2019 final when the 2nd goal went in for Mayo. Lads roaring in my face and calling me every name under the sun. One fella ran from the opposite side of our block to roar in my face after it so today is very very sweet.

The funny thing about the antics of some of the Mayo fans that day is I was there with a foreign friend who had never been to a game and we spent the whole time chatting with me mostly filling him in on what was going on with no roaring or shouting. I had a Jersey on, he didnt.

Today feels very good indeed.

And as for O Hora with his antics at Clifford. Well, needless to say who won that battle and he looks like a right eejit.

It’s a long time since I seen a lad embarrass himself like O Hora did today.

Foley was superb today and overall it was a good team performance.

we are so dogged in defence and it’s beautiful to see

I wouldn't reD too much into today's game. I am not sure have a couple of teams chickened out if this year's league. Mayo's management have been messing around with team selection all this year. Is Horan planning to wait in the long grass until later in the year.

Having said that's it's my opinion that an idiot would win an all Ireland with this team. For the last while we picked the wrong idiot. Hope it's not the same this year

Fitzmaurice was too slow to integrate younger players into the system. He won a league in 2018 with young players. Then he reintegrated a good few older players that could barely run onto the field.

Fitzmaurice was a lucky coach in 2914 then I. The next four years it just got steadily worse.

A very complete performance from 1 to 15 today...

Ryan has the keeper jersey... Shane Murphy no one to blame for that only himself.... I still think Ryan lacks concentration at times...

the defence has been the real success story of the league... Massive improvement on the last couple years. The bucks being paid out to Mr Tally are reaping some reward...

Midfield very good... I remember 2019 league final Matthew ruane physically overpowered diarmuid O’Connor who was a young 20 year old that day.. diarmuid has developed physically since then and he most certainly wasn’t overpowered today...

Forwards have never been a problem and showed what they could do today.... I still have my reservations about Geaney... and I’m not gone on Moynihan either... I would like to see a half line of O’Brien O’Shea and A Spillane. Full line of Clifford x 2 and either K Spillane or Brosnan..

Kerry players in general have really developed physically since the last time they played Mayo in a league final in 2019... Jason Foley Graham Sullivan Tadhg Morley diarmuid Connor Adrian Spillane and David Clifford are all much more powerful and stronger players compared with 3 years ago....

obviously the concern is that today was just a league final we have been here before in 2020 and last year and we know what happened after... and it was a victory against a half strength Mayo who you would have to say didn’t look too bothered about the game and how it was going for them.... we also won’t have another proper competitive game til June or whenever quarter finals are being played.... which is not ideal... keeping up that level of performance from now to the end of July if we get to an all Ireland final... will be a serious test of managements credentials

I think the path to an all Ireland is clear... avoid Tyrone and get Mayo in a final... if that happens we’ll win..

think the path to an all Ireland is clear... avoid Tyrone and get Mayo in a final... if that happens we’ll win..

I think Kerry have improved this year and if they keep up this form will be difficult to beat.

’If they keep up this form’