Maigh Eo v Ciarrai, 1700, 30ú Lúnasa, Gaelic Grounds

[highorlow]

Mayo by 5/6 for me

Good man heffo. I'm confident but not over confident. Putting everything to one side and if I was neutral it would be Mayo by 9. As I'm not neutral I would say a 7 or 8 point win.

Kerry will get the timber on Sunday that Cork forgot to give them. They won't know where to turn.

[squire_in_navy_slacks]

Mayo by a nose hair Id imagine or even a draw...........................Kerry aren't going to put in a we have been on the beer for the year performance like Donegal last year buckos, Id calm down with your annihilation stuff

[Jinxy]

Is there any chance Donaghy will start? That would be a complete headache for the Mayo defence.

I would hope that Mayo have figured out to deal with a big man on the edge of the square at this stage.

[J OGorman]

As the game draws closer I'm finding it harder to make a logical case for a Kerry win. If asked to make a case I'm reduced to Kerry being Kerry and lingering doubts about Mayo forwards to put up a score against a top team. I said in an earlier post that Kerry will perform but I'm equally confident Mayo will too.

Take out the Munster final and what have Kerry done this year that marks them out as a team that can rattle Mayo? A mediocre league followed by 2 laboured wins against Clare and Galway. The Cork performance was as much about Cork as it was about Kerry so where's the form line that gives Kerry a chance?

In contrast, Mayo have been building towards this as they knew they could get here without peaking but would need to peak to win an All Ireland. They are good enough to win an all Ireland but not good enough to do so if they don't perform to their best. I think Mayo will be far better than they've looked so far and if they raise it I can't see Kerry live with them.

I'd argue that , even without the Gooch, Kerry are stronger this year than last and last year they couldve beat Dublin. O'Sullivan playing the Gooch quarter back role better than anyone in the business, Walsh finally playing decent football, Geany and O'Brien slotting in seemlessly, O'Donahue the form inside forward and in Sheehan, the best free taker in the land. A big strong mobile midfield unit, a cute-hooerish tight defence and unrivalled experience of winning all-ireland semi finals. The option of throwing Donaghey onto the edge of the square and a couple of Mayo defenders with him = logical. Their league form means diddly, and there is, at best,  a slim  chance of Mayo or any of the other semi finalists beating Dublin this year. How you come to the conclusion that if they raise their form, the Kingdom wont be able to live with them is pretty baffling. I'd be very surprised if Kerry dont make it to the final. Kerry by 3/4

I don't agree on any of that and am in complete agreement with Zulu.

Higgins v JOD will be interesting. Either way he will be double marked. Let's not forget last year Gooch unlocked the Dublin defence for JOD last year and he isn't there this year. When he was held JOD didn't make a huge impact in the second half. He won't have Gooch on Sunday. It beggars belief how people buy into this rubbish Kerry are stronger without Gooch.- (only the best player to have played the game!)


Sheehan might be a free taker but the O Se's are born fielders . The Kerry midfield has their work cut on Sunday. Both good footballers but I'm sure midfield is a place for footballers anymore.

The coup de gras in my view. the Mayo half back line. Two brilliant wing backs in Keegan and Boyle and a reasonable centre back if Vaughan plays there. Kerry half forward line has some job on their hands there.

For Kerry to win in my view- JOD needs a master class, Sheehan and Maher have to prove themselves in the physical stakes at midfield and the likes of Donncha Walsh and Dec O Sullivan will have to nullify Keegan and Co.

Thats a hard sell for me.

Of course if the Mayo forwards get the yips then all of the above is rendered redundant. Have a sneaking suspicion this could be Mayo's year. I've said that for about 3 months now. They remind me of the Dublin team of the 90's who eventually got over the line. And I really think for 70% of them its now or never.

If kerry do pull this off they will be significant opposition in the AL Final for either Donegal or Dublin

ah behave

So, every Dub on the board is either going for or I'd say, hoping for a Mayo win

[Ciarrai_thuaidh]

Mayo by a nose hair Id imagine or even a draw...........................Kerry aren't going to put in a we have been on the beer for the year performance like Donegal last year buckos, Id calm down with your annihilation stuff

Yerra shur we're happy with the Munster title Squire..we're just hoping the minors give us something to shout about on Sunday..

[joemamas]

Mayo by a nose hair Id imagine or even a draw...........................Kerry aren't going to put in a we have been on the beer for the year performance like Donegal last year buckos, Id calm down with your annihilation stuff

Very few realistic/knowledgable Mayo fans calling for an annihilation. Two or three points would be fine for me. I am basing that prediction being at both Q/finals and my feeling that the potential lack of mobility of Kerry around the middle, one or two dodgy backs (we are also a little suspect), and of course Colm Cooper missing.
Concerns ,our inability to kick points from 35+ yards on a consistent basis, however as stated, there were times V Galway where the Kerry midfield and half backs looked very sluggish, and I believe that that will be biggest factor on Sunday.

[Blowitupref]

Mayo have been building towards this as they knew they could get here without peaking but would need to peak to win an All Ireland. They are good enough to win an all Ireland but not good enough to do so if they don't perform to their best. I think Mayo will be far better than they've looked so far and if they raise it I can't see Kerry live with them.

Would have to wonder after all the years of reaching All Ireland finals that Mayo didn't come up with this masterplan of peaking when it matters before?

[muppet]

Is there any chance Donaghy will start? That would be a complete headache for the Mayo defence.

I would hope that Mayo have figured out to deal with a big man on the edge of the square at this stage.

Caff destroyed Donaghy in 2011. The former has improved since then.

[Mike Sheehy]

I've never seen a quieter thread involving Mayo in an AI semi-final.
It looks like they have finally cracked the keeping-a-lid-on-things aspect. This is a very ominous development from our point of view.

[Msgr. Horan]

I've never seen a quieter thread involving Mayo in an AI semi-final.
It looks like they have finally cracked the keeping-a-lid-on-things aspect. This is a very ominous development from our point of view.

Semi final??? What?? When? This Sunday??? We're in it??? Is it that time of year already??
Feck it, I'd better arrange the relief milker. I thought we lost to Cork

[Zulu]

Mayo have been building towards this as they knew they could get here without peaking but would need to peak to win an All Ireland. They are good enough to win an all Ireland but not good enough to do so if they don't perform to their best. I think Mayo will be far better than they've looked so far and if they raise it I can't see Kerry live with them.

Would have to wonder after all the years of reaching All Ireland finals that Mayo didn't come up with this masterplan of peaking when it matters before?

Aye, because it's just that easy.

[Farrandeelin]

I've never seen a quieter thread involving Mayo in an AI semi-final.
It looks like they have finally cracked the keeping-a-lid-on-things aspect. This is a very ominous development from our point of view.

You're nothing but a sanctimonious p***k.

[Tubberman]

I've never seen a quieter thread involving Mayo in an AI semi-final.
It looks like they have finally cracked the keeping-a-lid-on-things aspect. This is a very ominous development from our point of view.

You're nothing but a sanctimonious p***k.

Jaysus, would ya go aesy Farr! Don't show them any weakness

[Mike Sheehy]

I've never seen a quieter thread involving Mayo in an AI semi-final.
It looks like they have finally cracked the keeping-a-lid-on-things aspect. This is a very ominous development from our point of view.

You're nothing but a sanctimonious p***k.

Your mother described it as big.

[Farrandeelin]

Any word of starting teams? Apart from usual rumours.