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I was driving into work this morning and it was a bright sunny day though a lot of fog in front of me.
As I was stopped in traffic I noticed that every place there was a tree over hanging the footpath or road the surface was all wet. The rest of the road was bone dry so I was wondering do trees soak in moisture from the fog and that what was making the ground under the trees wet?
Anyone ever notice this before?

http://www.tg4.ie/en/programmes/fiorsceal/?gclid=CjwKEAjwutXIBRDV7-SDvdiNsUoSJACIlTql0mMJqn--yXim2zDL-OaYcxL5vSwMZcYKkZvQmRdpJxoCY8Tw_wcB

Did anyone else watch this on TG4 last night. Thought it was a great show and very interesting how a small nation can get their football team to work hard together to achieve something special.

[EVERY]

Now that the leagues are finished and the championship is about to get under way I thought would this be a good time to discuss the Lee Keegan v Diarmuid Connolly saga again as we can't be accused of influencing the referee before a big game?

Of course the Mayo lads won't be pleased that I'm focusing on one of their players and no doubt many will come back at me saying Tyrone have had several players who behaved the same over the years but I think it is still well worth the debate as this seems to rumble on every year now.

If you watch the video below from last year's replay, some people will argue that Keegan didn't do much wrong and that Connolly felt his arms on him and so he dived to the ground to get a black card.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fI_bzJyj0tA
If you pause it on 9 seconds you will see Keegan's hands grabbing the front of Connolly's shirt and then he puts his arm around his shoulders and finally his hand goes onto Connolly's mouth. Connolly goes to ground then quite easily as he knew he was fouled but it's not until you go to ground that the ref will definitely make a decision.

Now that is the last incident between these two players but as we all know there were several more incidents before that one and also Keegan was playing a similar way against Sean Cavanagh in the quarterfinal.

Firstly I think the application of the rules regarding these two players have been a total disgrace.
Of course it's not an easy decision for the refs but I think because this has been an ongoing battle between the two players now for several years that something needs to be done about it. It is just too easy to say "Ah calm down, let them at it and they'll sort it out themselves" as Tomas O'Se said below
http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/toms-s-sums-up-the-diarmuid-connollylee-keegan-saga-perfectly-35095414.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUYDFZxNQdw

Tom said "Jesus, there's nothing malicious going on there other than two fellas trying to get the better of each other."
Maybe it's because Tomás played as a defender and had to mark lots of top quality forwards over the years or maybe it's his anti Dublin bias but to me there is nothing fair about how Keegan tries to stop Connolly from playing.
Basically he pulls and drags his man, off the ball, for most of the game to prevent him from making runs into dangerous places to receive a pass with him often dragging him to the ground and the two players getting into a wrestling match. I think the rules needs to be changed so that there is not this silly punishment of booking the two players involved EVERY time one player gets involved with another player which ends up with this holding their shirt or worse their neck etc.

For many people Connolly has a bad history of getting sent off and over reacting but to me the rules of GAA should be there to promote fair play and be there to protect the player who wants to play the game fairly. As many manager has said before it is usually the forward who wants to get the ball and to attack and it's the job of the defender to stop his man from doing that. Of course we've seen times where the forward will try to cheat the referee by diving or feigning injury but if you look back over the incidents between these two players, 9 times out of 10 you see Connolly trying to make a run away from his man and Keegan getting in his way or dragging him down to the ground.
I am amazed how often the ref, linesmen and umpires see this happening but do very little to stop it. So then naturally the player himself then reacts and often both players end up getting a yellow card or sent off.
Ask yourself is this what we want? Do we think it's OK for the defender to antagonise the forward by various means to get a reaction and to see him being sent off? If Connolly played for Mayo and was their best forward would you feel the same way and just say "ah he's a big lad, he can look after himself".

To be honest with you, I am no big fan of Connolly but I do think we need to be trying to protect our best players to be allowed to play football rather than seeing "a job" being done on them and so they end up being sent off along with the player who started the whole thing. I just think the rules don't seem to protect the forward (or any player) who wants to play the ball rather than the man and too often the desired intention of the fouling player is achieved in that he is stopping the forward from playing well and getting scores in an unfair manner.

In fairness to Keegan, any time he's been black or red carded he just walks off and accepts it as he knows he's bending the rules and so living on the edge whereas lots of other players will claim their innocence.
I also know that Keegan is not the only player who uses this type of tactic to put players off and Connolly has shown he too can play him at his own game but I suppose I just am amazed how the CCCC are happy to let this ongoing battle happen year after year and nothing be done about it. The more he gets away with it the more it will be copied by other players.

Back in the 90s the Tyrone v Derry rivalry was probably at its peak with a lot of high profile games including the famous 1995 semifinal where Tyrone won with 13 men, which many Tyronians would say was their favourite win over the Oakleafers. I particular enjoyed that game as I drove to it with 2 Derry friends from UUJ and another Tyrone lad, having also went to school in Derry.

1992 though was my first real memory of beginning to dislike our friendly neighbours as I travelled to Croke Park for the first time for the National league final. Seeing exciting young players like Canavan, Cush, McGleenan and Paul Donnelly join the older stalwarts from 86 like Plunkett Donaghy and Co was very exciting.
Alas Tohill and Brolly spoiled the day and it was a long trip home as one of our travelling party was a Derry cousin.

Back then I didn't realise that there were lads up along the loughshore who were also near neighbours to the Derry crew and shared our feeling back in the 90s.

I was just wondering what were people's favourite memories from those years and also worst days out against the aul enemy. 2006 was certainly a low point having won Sam the Sept before. I can also remember a bad defeat to them in Clones but not sure what year it was.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRmguVTP8oY&spfreload=5

Is nobody interested in the final on Sunday?
I know there's not as many Kerry and Dublin posters on here as there used to be but does nobody care any more.

Eamonn Fitzmaurice seems like he's stoking the fire a bit where he's calling the Dubs out for their hard edge and cynicism.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/analysing-eamonn-fitzmaurices-three-examples-of-dublins-hard-edge-and-cynicism-35601841.html

Are most people just expecting another Dublin handy win with no fireworks?
It most be one of the lowest key finals ever.

An article in today's Irish Indo shows Paul Curran from Dublin enjoying the turnaround in GAA circles where Kerry have abandoned their SO CALLED traditional style of football to try whatever it takes to beat the Dubs.

Do people on here think the blanket defence style of play which Jim McGuinness seem to bring to the table (or at least took to a new level), is here to stay or will it just be a passing phase.
Personally I think the game as we knew it with 6 forwards against 6 defenders is a thing of the past and it will never return to that set up. The game has become a lot more tactical with too much emphasis on stopping the other teams to play. It will be interesting to see how the next phase of Kerry teams coming through from minor and U21 develop.

Kerry should be ashamed of themselves' - Dubs legend hits out at Kingdom's style of play
By Frank Roche Irish Indo
March 31 2017 4:29 PM


Paul Curran has a bone to pick with Kerry. And it's not because he's a Dub looking to score a few cheap points off the enemy when they're down. He's angry because they're one of a select few capable of beating Dublin but they are, he maintains, going about it entirely the wrong way. "Kerry," he says, "really should be ashamed of themselves."
Steady on - where did that come from? Initially, not even Curve Ball was too sure after phoning Curran, this week, for his reflections on the glut of gilt-edged forward options currently available to Jim Gavin.

But then the Herald columnist switched the point of attack to Kerry - partly because he was still flummoxed by how they had set up against Dublin a fortnight back.
"Whether they had them or not, but they all told us they had values. They've abandoned them completely," he claimed.

"Now, they're playing this football ... I don't know, it's crazy, and they've no chance of winning the way they're playing. If they come out and play football and give their young fellas a chance, and play the way they played traditionally, I think they've a chance.
"They're making the mistake – and a lot of teams are making the mistake – of going defensive against Dublin. Totally defensive. Dublin will find a way past you. I think teams have got to come out and front up, orthodox, and try and get them on the back foot as often as possible.

"They're playing into their hands, and Kerry are obsessed with Dublin at the moment. Obsessed."
Mind you, he sees Kerry's 'obsession' as part of a trend. "All teams are living and dying by their tactics – and most of them are dying," he explained.

Curran cited the recent meeting in Tralee, where Kerry went four up early in the second half while playing with the wind.
"They had the chance to drive on," he said. "And what did they do? No, they decided 'We'll keep men back, we'll protect' ... but that just invited Dublin on, instead of going for the jugular and killing the game.

"Kerry have the talent, they've young fellas coming through, whether they're ready or not. But I think they're coming into a set-up where it's more negative than positive, in terms of playing the game."
Warming to his theme, he signed off: "For a decade and a half or two decades, I've been listening to Kerry fellas giving out about northern football and 'puke football' ... now, Kerry are as bad if not worse than what we've seen from the Tyrones and the Armaghs in the last decade. They're bringing it to another level."

Kerry readers, those who haven't already abandoned us in a fit of fury, may beg to differ. Ditto, we suspect, éamonn Fitzmaurice.
But it all adds a fresh dollop of spice to whenever these arch-rivals next clash. Watch this space ...

Thought it was nice of Madeira to name their airport after Benny and unveil a bust of the great player.
Apparently he ate a lot of their cake

I think this photo sums up how Kerry people must feel about Dublin at the moment.


With the Dubs drawing with Tyrone in HQ, hammering Mayo and drawing away to Donegal this was probably the last chance for a Dublin defeat, in the league anyway, for 2017. Dublin had put out quite an inexperienced side yet Kerry again failed to get over the line.

I didn't see the game on Saturday night but I heard it was quite dirty. Do people think Kerry are any closer to overcoming the Dubs or will they maintain this run over their old enemy for a few years yet?

No wonder Fitzmaurice is happy to get the super 8s as they will get a few more challenging games before playing the Dubs again.

Just wondering have any of ye ever went to a Series A match in Italy
A group of us are going over on Friday for the Juve v AC Milan match and we're wondering what's our chances of getting tickets if we just went to the stadium.

I realise the Italians are crazy about their football and it can be dangerous but just wondering has anyone on here done this or have any contacts in Turin

Tyrone welcome Roscommon to Healy park for the first time in...
I can't remember when they were last there. When did the two teams last meet in the league?

Roscommon finished third last year in their first year back in Div 1 although they suffered a heavy defeat to Kerry in the semifinals. Roscommon lost their first game at home to Monaghan but went on to surprise both Cork and Kerry away before beating Down and Donegal.

This year there won't be any semifinals as only the top two will play off for the title.
Tyrone will be hopeful of getting to such a final having been beaten by the Dubs in the league final in 2013 by one point.

Tyrone could easily underestimate the Rossies as they might have one eye on the 2nd round match away to Dublin as a more glamorous affair. Kevin McStay's men face Galway in the FBD Final this Sunday and will use the match against the Connacht champions as a good challenge before the tough trip to Omagh.

Tyrone themselves are also in the pre season McKenna cup final against old rivals Derry who they meet later in the first round of the Ulster championship.
Tyrone have quite a settled team the last year or so but there is still a huge question mark over the free taking duties with neither Ronan O'Neill or goalkeeper Niall Morgan showing any consistency.
Mickey Harte continues to bring some of the U21 players into his starting teams with Hampsey, Munroe and Lee Brennan all well placed to make the breakthrough this year.
Sean Cavanagh, Justin and Joe McMahon have all signed up for another year. It's been 13 years since Tyrone last won the Div 1 National league and many would see winning it this year as a big step in the right direction. 

From the Sindo

Having claimed back-to-back All-Ireland SFC titles on the pitch in October, the Dublin GAA powerhouse also shows no sign of abating outside the white lines with Subaru coming on board as a major sponsorship partner for 2017.
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Already the GAA's biggest draw with regards to match attendances, Jim Gavin's Dubs bid for a famous three-in-a-row later this year and their pulling power off the pitch will now be driven by the Japanese car giant.
Subaru were officially announced as the replacement for Toyota as the official car partner to Dublin GAA earlier today and join a long list of 12 official sponsors for GAA in the capital.

Dublin's coffers have been boosted significantly by such sponsorship deals and as found on dublingaa.ie, here are the dozen official partners of Dublin GAA for the 2017 season:
O'Neills – official kit partner

Lifestyle Sports – official clothing partner
Ballygowan – official hydration partner

Energise Sport – part of the official hydration partnership
Aer Lingus – official airline partner

Linwoods – official health food provider
Skins – official performance baselayer product

The Gibson Hotel – official sleeping partner
ROS Nutrition – official supplement supplier

Benetti – menswear provider
Gourmet Food Parlour – restaurant provider

Subaru – official car partner
Dublin Senior footballers Michael Fitzsimons and Kevin McManamon as well as hurling manager Ger Cunningham and senior players Eoghan O'Donnell and Chris Crummey were all present for the announcement.

"Subaru Ireland are delighted to announce it has joined forces with Dublin GAA and signed a deal making Subaru the official car partner to Dublin GAA," a press statement read.

"Subaru will provide vehicles to the players and management of the Dublin senior football and hurling teams. Both teams will also benefit from a Subaru Forester Van to transport their kit around the country as they compete in the All-Ireland Championships and National Leagues."

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Just wondering do they get much else free through their sponsors?

Aidan O'Mahony has announced his retirement from inter-county football.

During a glittering career O'Mahony, who made his Kerry Championship debut in 2004, won five All Ireland medals.

The Rathmore clubman also was involved in three Allianz Football League and eight Munster Championship victories for Kerry.

"I feel the time is now appropriate for me to step away from the Kerry team," O'Mahony said in a statement released on Monday morning.

"It's been an absolute honour for me to wear the green and gold jersey for Kerry for the past 14 years at senior level and I leave having great respect for all the talented players I have shared my footballing career with. I am extremely grateful for all the support my teammates gave me down through the years and I have made friendships for life.

"I have been incredibly fortunate to represent my Club (Rathmore), County, Province and Country over the years. It was an honour to share the dressing room with such brilliant players throughout the last 14 years with Kerry. I have utmost respect for every player whom I have played against as we all put on our county colours with a common goal in mind."

Kerry manager Eamonn Fitzmaurice praised O'Mahony's rich contribution. "On behalf of the management and players I would like to congratulate Aidan O'Mahony on his retirement from the Kerry senior football team.

"Aidan was an incredible servant to Kerry and gave everything he had to the cause over a career that stretches back to the 2003 season when he was first brought into the squad by Paidí (Ó Sé). He was ferociously proud of representing Kerry and this was clear every time he put on the Green and Gold.

"When Jack (O'Connor) took over in 2004 Aidan got his opportunity early in the League and he did not leave go of that jersey afterwards. He ended up winning the first of 5 All Ireland medals the following September. He has won it all in terms of individual and collective honours. Over the years he has played in every defensive position for Kerry and performed every role to distinction from man marker to attacking half back, from a holding centre back to a sweeper in recent years. He was the ultimate pro in terms of the way he prepared himself for training and matches on and off the field."

Fitzmaurice also highlighted the 'leadership' role O'Mahony occupied in recent campaigns for Kerry. "His leadership was of particular importance in the last few years as a lot of younger players have been integrated into the panel. He passed on the baton and helped these players to understand what it means to be a Kerry footballer.

"Honesty underpinned everything he did and his selflessness manifested itself in the way he was happy to advise and encourage everyone, even the players he was in direct competition with for a position; a rarity. He personified leaving the jersey in a better place.

"Aidan was a warrior for Kerry right up until the last minute of his last game for Kerry last August. I wish him and Denise all the best for the future."


Hell of a tough player who wasn't scared to mix it with the best of them.

http://www.irishnews.com/news/2016/11/14/news/psni-stop-and-search-film-attracts-one-million-views-781741/

Was he right or do the cops have the right to search you anyway?

Coming into the 2016 most people saw Dublin wiping the floor with every team they would come up against as they dominated the last few years with just one blip against Donegal.
Many saw Kerry and surprisingly Tyrone as their main challengers as they thought both had the ability to play a blanket defensive game which would frustrate them but Kerry having the better forwards to maybe make the difference. Tyrone had the easier path to the final once they won Ulster and could maybe surprise the Dubs in the final but alas things didn't pan out as many expected.

In my eyes Dublin were not as prolific in front of goal this year as they had been in previous years. Even in Leinster, where they usually have teams well beaten by half time, they seemed to be struggling to score goals which they had been doing for fun in other years. Often when the Dubs got their first goal, the lesser team would collapse to them.
I feel Dublin played a lot more cautious this year and realised that it was no longer just Donegal who would be playing with 13 men behind the ball so they too joined this style of play early on in the season in preparation for the tougher games later on.

Donegal lost the Ulster final in a very defensive coy game of cat and mouse to Tyrone, but surprisingly to some, Mayo beat Tyrone at their own game in the quarterfinal and showed the country that this team still have a lot to offer, despite not having many top scoring forwards. Mayo showed us they have what it takes to take Dublin to the line but they still just lack that final push to get over the line. Themselves, Kerry and Dublin all seem at a very similar level.

So all in all I feel it was rather a strange season where the top 3 or 4 teams seem to go into their fearful shell and play a very low risk, defensive possession game where getting lots of men behind the ball mean we rarely get to see the better forward players play well and kick good scores. More often we are seeing wing or corner backs as our man of the match or even player of the year and the game has become much more tactical and dare I say boring for most. I personally felt Tyrone were far too fearful and negative against Mayo and hadn't learned from the final 10 mins v Donegal that they need to take a chance and take the shackles off a little.

Of course some will argue that Galway winning Connacht and Tipperary's great run to the semi final stage was exciting and good for the game, which is true, but realistically both play a rather different game to the top 3 or 4 teams.

How did you see the season pan out and what did you learn from 2016?
I probably learnt that Dublin aren't as far ahead as I thought they were and there is a big difference in the type of football the top teams play as opposed to Tipperary or Cork.

I also think that having a top quality free taker like Dean Rock, O'Connor and even Bryan Sheehan (or the lack of him) can have a huge bearing in tight games now where there is no space for your top forwards to kick 4 or 5 points any more.

Dublin, Kerry and Tyrone have produced some top quality forwards over the last number years who were exciting to watch and could kick several scores from play. Players like Brogan, Gooch and Canavan among many others but when you look at today's teams such names are harder to come by.
Some would say Connolly, McManamon, O'Donoghue, Geaney, McManus and maybe Murphy from Donegal but many of these players are struggling to score any more due to the defensive shield many teams set up these days.

Could you try to name the top 10 scorers this year without looking it up?
For those who want a peek here you go http://gaelicstats.com/2016-football-top-scorer/

World trade centre 7 - What really happened? Did it just fall because of the fires and damage caused from the other towers or is there lies being told?

I recorded a few 9/11 shows there a few weeks back and it's interesting all the different stories you hear.

I'm sure there were loads of discussion about this over the years but having heard a lot of the conspiracy theories lately I just wondered where to people stand with this now, especially those of you living in NYC or the US.
Many people don't question anything but to me there are some things which do seem rather peculiar. For me why were they so slow to send in the air force to these hijacked planes?

So much of the stuff on youtube seems to point at a demolition job on WT7 and a big insurance payout for Larry Silverstein where he allegedly said...
"I remember getting a call from the fire department commander, telling me that they were not sure they were gonna be able to contain the fire, and I said, 'We've had such terrible loss of life, maybe the smartest thing to do is pull it.' And they made that decision to pull and then we watched the building collapse."
However he could have simply meant pull the firefighters out of there.
http://www1.ae911truth.org/faqs/696-faq-10-did-wtc-7-owner-larry-silverstein-admit-to-ordering-the-controlled-demolition-of-the-building-.html

I must say I usually don't believe all the conspiracy theories but there still seems to be a lot of mystery about why and how WT7 fell as no other high rise building ever fell just because of fire.
Also the way that the BBC and CNN had reported it had fallen before it actually had was very strange. Why would they do that?
The way all the rubble and steel was taken away afterwards and not investigated like it was with the other two towers.

Of course you don't know who's telling the truth and who just got their stories mixed up. So many who were interviewed near the scene said they could clearly hear explosions before the towers fell.

I'm just curious where people stand now 15 years later and what the mood is in NY these days.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/peter-canavan-rates-the-ten-counties-remaining-in-the-race-for-sam-maguire-34921653.html
This year's race for Sam Maguire has been a slow burner and struggled to whet supporters' appetite, but the provincial final victories of Galway and Tyrone - coupled with last weekend's wins for Munster minnows Clare and Tipperary - have added some spice to the summer menu.
As the championships heads for headquarters, this is how I rate the prospects of the ten remaining combatants:

1. Dublin
Strengths: There's many reasons why they're champions, but it's mainly because they possess the most talented footballers. Their whole set-up is second to none and when it comes to preparation, the management ensure that the players' only concern is beating whoever stands in their way. They have leaders that they can turn to when the pressure comes on and if things are going against them, Jim Gavin also has the luxury of being able to spring proven game-changers from the bench.

Weaknesses: They have hadn't any serious test since the league final on April 24 - a day when Kerry stayed with them for three-quarters of the game. You can have all the training matches you want, but it doesn't compensate for competitive games. As a result, their defensive unit is unproven and in their next game, they're unlikely to have the injured James McCarthy, which is a blow considering they're already without Jack McCaffrey and Rory O'Carroll. Also, there's the annual question for champions: do they have sufficient hunger to retain the title? That will only be answered in the heat of battle.
Summary: They are deserving of their short-priced favourites' tag, but as many a punter at Galway will tell you, odds-on shots don't always win.

2. Tyrone
Strengths: They weren't No 2 in the country at the start of the summer but they have leapfrogged into this position by virtue of their performances. Their confidence is bubbling after landing the Ulster title and that can only strengthen their belief in the system they are playing. After Jim Gavin, Mickey Harte has the strongest panel at his disposal and it must now be a difficult job to pick the 26 for every game. He also has a nice blend of youth and experience, with a bonus that a man of Joe McMahon's calibre is coming back into contention and fresh after missing a good chunk through injury.

Weaknesses: Their forward line needs to perform more consistently and as a more cohesive unit. They have been sporadic to date and some of the frontmen can sometimes start playing as individuals; they cannot afford to go down that road when they get to Croke Park. They also need to be more clinical with their goal opportunities, something which cost them dear in last year's All-Ireland semi-final against Kerry.
Summary: Of the so-called big guns, they are the most improved team, and if that progress is maintained, they should get to the final.

3. Kerry
Strengths: They know how to win All-Irelands, and when pressure comes on in the big games, the likes of Kieran Donaghy, Bryan Sheehan and Donnchadh Walsh will keep calm in the heat of battle and show leadership to those around them. Also, they have to be motivated by a sense of not having done themselves justice in last year's final against Dublin - that can hurt quite a bit. Having an abundance of quality forwards also helps. They have got this far without James O'Donoghue, and 'Gooch' Cooper is now sidelined, but that isn't a concern as Stephen O'Brien and Mikey Geaney have already stepped up to the mark in front of goal.

Weaknesses: How much have they got in the legs, particularly in the middle third? This is the area in which they struggled in the league final against Dublin, when they started to get tired midway through the second half. For all their experience, the likes of Donaghy and Sheehan just can't go at full tilt for 70 minutes and it doesn't look like Eamonn Fitzmaurice is happy with the alternatives. Defensively, there are also question marks. Tipp found holes pretty easily in the Munster final, scoring two goals - and it could have been four. I fancy those gaps won't get smaller in Croke Park.
Summary: They will beat Clare on Sunday and then have their last crack off the Dubs in the semi-final.

Read More: Fitzmaurice confident Kerry will benefit from long lay-off
4. Galway

Strengths: Like Tyrone, they have shown sustained improvement this summer and with their strong tradition, returning to Croke Park could get more out of the players. And like Kerry, they don't lack for men who know how to finish: Damien Comer, Danny Cummins, Shane Walsh and Gary Sice can do damage to any defence given a decent supply. But perhaps the biggest boost to them has been the performances of goalkeeper Bernard Power and full-back Declan Kyne, who have been rock-steady.

Weaknesses: Their targets for the summer have already been met, so Kevin Walsh - who must take plaudits for the way the team has stepped up as they have progressed - will have to convince his players they have more to give. His biggest problem is that when he looks over his shoulder with 15 minutes to go, he just doesn't have the options that the other provincial champions have. His players are also short on experience against the big guns.
Summary: They should get the better of Tipperary, but at this stage of their development, it's hard to see them going any further.

5. Donegal

Strengths: No team has their defensive style honed better than Rory Gallagher's men. Even when things go wrong, they never lose faith in the system, and you have to admire they way they stick to their task. It also should not be forgotten that by the 70th minute in the Ulster final, Tyrone had only scored ten points and Donegal had put themselves in a position to win the match. Big-game players like Michael Murphy, Paddy McBrearty and Odhran MacNiallais should be chomping at the bit getting back to play in Croke Park.
Weaknesses: Much the same as Kerry, many of their players have been on the road a long time and that worry became a reality down the home run of the Ulster final, when Karl Lacey, Anthony Thompson and Rory Kavanagh struggled with the pace. The latter pair were both substituted, while the fact that Thompson was brought back on with five minutes to go underlines a major problem for Gallagher: he doesn't have players on his bench that he believes in.

Summary: I have no doubt that they will get the better of Cork tomorrow and they will give Dublin a run for their money in the quarter-final. . . until the petrol runs dry.

6. Mayo
Strengths: Of all the teams remaining, these boys should not want for motivation. They got a lot of flak for losing to Galway and it hasn't let up since then, so if they channel this the right way, they should be a much tighter unit. They still have the talent and the athleticism to take on the big guns, while in Diarmuid O'Connor and Colm Boyle, they possess two players who lead by example and who can provide inspiration. The return of Tom Parsons from injury will also help.

Weaknesses: In many respects, they have lost their mojo. I thought a run in the qualifiers might help them rediscover it, but a lot of their bigger players - like Cillian O'Connor and Donal Vaughan - have looked laboured. The defensive system they have deployed with Kevin McLoughlin operating as a sweeper hasn't worked and it was alarming how their midfield struggled against Kildare. Then, there's the Aidan O'Shea enigma: he has been played all over the park, instead of being given a specific role.

Summary: They will prove too strong for Westmeath tomorrow and they remain the team with the most potential outside of the top three.
Read More: Tomás Ó Sé: Madness of Championship schedule could cost Kerry dearly come September

7. Cork

Strengths: In his first season, Peadar Healy is learning more about his players with each game and slowly finding his best team. There appears to be a return to form from some of their seasoned campaigners - Colm O'Neill, Paul Kerrigan and Paddy Kelly - and the addition of promising youngsters Peter Kelleher and Sean Powter has added impetus to the attack.
Weaknesses: Defensively, they don't seem to be learning. They conceded big scores in the league (which ultimately led to their relegation) and the concession of 3-15 to Tipp in Munster was proof they haven't shored things up. Also, if I was a Cork supporter I'd be worried about what their captain, Kerrigan, said after the last game - that they'd shoved the criticism down their detractors' throats. Really? After beating Limerick and Longford? It's only when you beat a team of Donegal's calibre that you can come out with something like that.

Summary: They're capable of throwing down a challenge to Donegal, but not of beating them.

8. Clare
Strengths: The team of the summer in many ways, they have been a breath of fresh air and they must be brimming with confidence. In Gary Brennan, they have the midfielder of the championship. He has been outstanding, and the fact that his midfielder partner, Cathal O'Connor, is able to play after having his red card rescinded is a welcome bonus. David Tubridy isn't far behind Brennan in the leadership stakes and has been playing well, while Jamie Malone, Eoin Cleary, Keelan Sexton and Sean Collins are all learning with each game and improving.

Weaknesses: For all their energy and enthusiasm, they lack a cutting edge. They were by far the better team against Roscommon last Saturday, but having wasted a glut of opportunities, they were only three points in front with about 15 minutes to go. Having played Kerry already, it must be a sickener to be facing them again. I'm sure manager Colm Collins would have preferred his players to be taking on a new challenge.

Summary: Still on a learning curve, I can see them ruffling a few Kerry feathers, but a victory is beyond them.

9. Tipperary
Strengths: Similar to Clare, Tipp have brought a real feelgood factor to this year's championship and after their heroics against Derry, there must have been a great buzz at training this week which I'm sure will be brought to Croke Park. What has impressed me most about them is their attitude. At no stage have I heard Liam Kearns or the players moaning about the absence of so many players - they have just gone on with it. This has fostered a never-say-die spirit which served them well late on against Derry and Cork - aided by the fact they possess quality marksmen in Conor Sweeney, Michael Quinlivan and Kevin O'Halloran.

Weaknesses: While they're good going forward, their backline is a long way from being the finished article. I'd go as far as to say they are defensively naïve, and will need to develop a more ruthless approach. And, having had to do without so many players for a variety of reasons, lack of strength in depth is a problem and as problem arise, Kearns just doesn't have viable alternatives.

Summary: Another battling display looks assured on Sunday, but Galway are likely to have their measure.

Read More: Alan Brogan: Davy Fitz's antics are not doing Clare any good
10. Westmeath

Strengths: They'll have no fear of Mayo and the fact that everyone is writing them off this week is sure to give them plenty of motivation. They'll take heart from their first-half performance against Dublin and how their set-up worked - for as long as they had the legs to carry it out. Having forwards of the proven ability of John Heslin and Kieran Martin will always give you hope, once you get sufficient ball to them.

Weaknesses: Their lack of mobility in the middle proved a big handicap in the second half against Dublin and with their limited pool of resources that is always going to be a problem. This can put huge pressure on the backs as a game progresses. Also, the unfortunate injury to Ray Connellan robs Tom Cribbin of a promising young forward.

Summary: As they were against Dublin, they'll be competitive early on against Mayo but the difficulty is sustaining their challenge.

Is Derry playing Cavan this weekend or does nobody care?
Poor ScreenExile is crying on the Tyrone thread. 

An interesting read of young Jack McCaffrey year out from GAA from my new adopted club here in Dublin.
Reminds me a bit of Jamie Clarke where he was his own man and didn't like the idea of bulking up more using weights but using his gift of speed more.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/jack-mccaffrey-leaving-the-hill-behind-for-the-plains-of-africa-34870451.html

What the hell is going on in the world when we seem to be seeing more and more of this stuff.

Why was it being recorded on someone's phone. Was it pre-mediated to be you-tubed?
Anyone know anything about this incident?

http://www.independent.ie/videos/irish-news/video-shocking-footage-shows-woman-being-punched-and-kicked-in-fastfood-restaurant-in-co-down-34765186.html