That’s a bit harsh. Why did he deserve it? Was it because he was playing well? Would you say the same if a Dublin player had done the same to Murphy?
Ya i think the Donaghy thing is smokescreen. But i think they are believing their own cute hoorism too much of they think the dubs don’t see that. I would fully expect Maher to be there.
I’m actually seeing Fitzmaurice now a bit differently and think he is too old school. They are sparing players and they are not getting game time. You could do that in his day but now i think they have to be sharp. I’m guessing a bit but i think in actual club and county games Maher, O’ Mahoney, Marc O’Se have only around 6 games played between them since the league in time on the field. If they play that much rustiness with Gooch, James O’ Donghue also way back on practice they could get overwhelmed early on.
Fitzmaurice appears to be a bit of totalitarian ruler, he’s really circled the wagons in Kerry, right from the start, a real school teacher approach to him.
Maher looked very rusty the other day, as did Sheehan. I would imagine he has a plan, but then they said that about the League Final also, claiming “it meant everything to Kerry to win that one”. There’s only one thing that matters to Kerry, and thats winning All Irelands. Fitzmaurice knows it would have meant fuck all to win that, and give Dublin ammo for the Championship.
The assumption is, they have something up their sleeve for the semi final. However, this was the assumption last September also. Kerry expects, Fitzmaurice can’t afford another defeat to Dublin. I’m undecided, and leaning towards him having little or nothing.
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Will Fitzmaurice go if they lose to Dublin?
Who is the likely candidate to replace him if he does go?
I think Kerry will go out to beat Dublin as opposed to other teams who have gone out not to be hammered.
I think you have to push up on Dublin kick outs. Takes a massive amount of energy to do it for 70 minutes and risk of being over run. It is risky and would be ballsy. Other things would be to put somebody on Cian O’Sullivan. He is comfortable marking space and covering ground and is always an outlet.
Everything goes through Kilkenny. Kerry could also look to man mark him.
Easy in theory but requires massive focus and fitness to get it right and if man markers not up to task Dublin may cut through and hammer Kerry.
Noticeable the last day that Dublin now move runners out to each sideline. Are an outlet as they move laterally and stretch the defence too. Donegal held Dublin up well for first 20 minutes but eventually the runners started to punch holes in the Donegal line on the 45 and Connolly missed a great chance.
Pace of McHugh troubled Dublin. A middle 8 with a lot of pace is probably what is ultimately needed to trouble Dublin assuming scoring forwards.
Template to take Dublin on has to be to go after their strengths. Go after Cluxton, O’Sullivan and Killenny and deny them playing game on their terms. Not sure if Kerry have the players and the pace to do it.
The tactical and individual battles are great to speculate over. Games may be less attractive for TV audience but live and in a stadium with a bit of height so you can see set up they are intriguing
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Some good points. I still think the aerial route has yet to be utilised properly against that Dublin full back line. The quality of Donegal ball in that direction was abysmal. Kerry in the past have used it to good effect and both Geaney and Donaghy can compete well there.
If Fenton has a broken jaw and out, then Kerry have a serious chance. He is a thorn on opposition kickouts, a great outlet for Cluxton when teams push up and has been carrying midfield all year. I would say Advantage Kerry if he is out. If fully fit, James McCarthy could possibly fill in.
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He is already gone i am led to believe, come what may.
Who will they go for?
Hardly Jack O’Connor again?
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Couldn’t agree more. You have to go after Diblins strengths, and if they still beat you fair enough. Kerry have messed around with numerous things this years its hard to gauge. They could actually go very defensive based on the Tipp game. As you alluded to that would eventually fail when Dublin punch holes which they will in that case.
The games have been very very interesting this year. I’m enjoying an awful lot of it.
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Is there a candidate in Kerry who has a winning mentality, extensive All-Ireland-winning experience at multiple grades and has shown he can successfully work with the young players Kerry will need to bring through over the next couple of years?
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I don’t think he is a defining loss, as good as he is. I think Kerry need more to go their way.
Only obvious choice.
Sure, when you put it like that…
+1. Fenton’s potential absence hardly swings it all the way from likely comfortable Dublin win to probable Kerry victory.
The workrate of Dublin’s forwards and their players in the middle third usually makes it hard for opponents to deliver very good quality high ball into the full forward line.
Ya and from what i see he has taken over more since Cian O’Neill left. And its noticable in many aspects.
Dublin will have O’Carroll, McCaffrey and Alan Brogan (definitely) and McCarthy and Fenton (possibly) missing from last year’s All-Ireland. Even against all those and with a very poor performance Kerry were one Killian Young kick of the ball away from levelling the game.
The League final was written up as a game that showed Kerry couldn’t possibly beat Dublin. They’ll have six changes from that game including Geaney and O’Donoghue coming back and anybody who reads much into a game in April is a fool.
I honestly don’t get the overconfidence that Dublin will coast this and think it’ll be decided by a couple of points either way.
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I don’t think Dublin will coast this. We don’t have the impact subs we did have 2013 and even last year that come off the bench and change the game. Mannion for me is the only one that has had some impact coming of the bench so far.
I am hoping that the Fenton injury is not too serious and he will be available. McCarthy should be back for this one unless the injury is more serious.
The problem is that the last two meeting between the sides, the result has been extremely flattering on Kerry, they had the chances to have those games wrapped up with 20 mins to go.
What happens if they have a ruthless streak this time around? More that anything it has to be the performances that worry Kerry, they have really failed to show Dublin that they can cause them problems and have relied on wastefulness from Dublin to keep them in those games. It’s hard to read any form line on Kerry given they have only beaten Tipp and Clare so far but my own feeling is they are weaker, as has been noted earlier they have problems in midfield, their defence is looking even weaker and there will be big questions over the two rookies there. The you have a few guys like Maher, Cooper and O’Donoghue who could be rusty for this.
Panel strength isn’t as good as it was for sure.
Costello, Shane Carthy (midfielder) and O’Conghaile haven’t made a breakthrough.
Subs on Saturday were Daly, Bastick, Mannion, O’Gara and Lowndes.
Kerry’s subs in the semi-final will likely be six of: Colm Cooper. Anthony Maher, Johnny Buckley, Aidan O’Mahony, Barry John Keane, Marc O’Se, Michael Geaney and Bryan Sheehan. That’s serious experience and talent to bring on if the game is up for grabs in the second half.
While the players you named out do have serious experience and talent, lets break them down a little bit
Colm Cooper - struggling to regain form post injuries
Anthony Maher - double hip operation, very little football played, looked incredibly rusty last day out
Johnny Buckley - Little football played, returning from injury
Aidan O’Mahony - aging, little or no pace, but over the fist 30 yards, his abuse is top notch, you dont lose that
Barry John Keane - hmmm
Marc O’Se - Aging, pace a major issue, looked average v Clare
Michael Geaney - Has a bit about him, but been around a while now without a breakthrough
Bryan Sheehan - looks even more overweight than normal, wasnt even kicking his frees v Clare, and actually walked away from one at one stage