All Ireland Football semi-final;Mayo v Kerry,Sunday Aug 20

[Cllr Willie Power]

I don't know how good Mayo can be but I have no fear of Kerry so I hope we go out and give it a lash, back Kerry up and attack at every opportunity. The positivity or negativity of those who post here won't bother the Mayo team but optimists have more fun and, so, I expect to see the Green & Red in the All Ireland final . And I'm not bothered who the opposition will be either.

+1.

[Lar Naparka]

@ Criostlinn

Criost, I don't see any need to spend the rest of my youth disputing events that happened years ago. For one thing, the result can't be changed. But I do take you to be a genuine individual and I don't think you would say anything that you don't believe to be true.
I am very definitely standing by what I have said so one at least has a faulty memory.

I decided to visit Willie Joe's Results Archive to suss what some of the newspaper reports had to say on the matter.
Here you have experienced reporters who were presumably at the game and were writing their reports that evening or the next day at the very latest. You and I are discussing what happened all of four years ago so I went to Willie Joe's site and I decided before I read anything that I'd accept whatever I'd find in the Indo and the Irish Times. 
I also selected the Mayo News and the Connaught Telegraph.

I've already mentioned the Times but here again is what I read, just for the craic.
[/i]"But Kerry deserved the win. Their strategies had Mayo in constant difficulty and their outstanding strike force of Kieran Donaghy and James O'Donoghue were more capable of effortless-looking scores.
Mayo were cleaned out in the heart of it at centrefield. Barry Moran started this time but is one of five partners Séamus O'Shea has teamed up with in the middle during this championship. Kerry's David Moran was exceptional, as both he and Antony Maher ended up with a decisive advantage."[/i]
Here's what I found in the Indo:

First goal
One of the blocks ended up in Kerry's first goal as Donaghy got to the rebound to fire to the net. Donaghy had Ger Cafferkey in trouble from the start.[/b]


Mike Finnerty reported for the Mayo News and he was unequivocal in what he had to report:
"Kerry's monopoly on possession and the presence of Messrs Donaghy and O'Donoghue meant they always threatened scores, and an unanswered five points was more than enough to eventually get the job done.


Kerry's dominance around the middle of the field was worrying: in that first half they won 16 kick-outs to Mayo's three, and 8 turn-overs to none for the Connacht champions. Something was not quite right.
With so much ball raining in top of the Mayo full-back line, Kieran Donaghy and James O'Donoghue always looked capable of creating havoc, although Keith Higgins was at his inspirational best as he tried to shackle the latter.
Donaghy was a different matter though; and the hulkish full-forward caused havoc for Ger Cafferkey all evening.

The third quarter saw Kerry up the ante and Donaghy and O'Donoghue really went to town around Mayo's understaffed and over-worked full-back line."

This is what I found in the Telegraph:
"Mayo's 2-5 to 1-5 half time advantage soon became a four-point lead but was cut quickly by Kerry, who won a penalty of their own when O'Donoghue went down under a challenge after Donaghy had won another high delivery and fed his corner-forward. O'Donoghue was accuracy personified as he slid the ball past Mayo 'keeper Hennelly."

Going by all of the above, I'm quite happy to stand over what I said and I won't be changing my opinions anytime soon

[Mayo4Sam14]

Only a week to go !

[macdanger2]

Any thoughts on where keegan will play? If he slots back in at 5, Kerry will play a spoiler (Walsh/Murphy/Lyne) on him (maybe doubling up at times) and try to play him at his own game, niggle at him and try to frustrate him - hammer the hammer as they say.

As I see it, we have two options here, hope that keegan won't react to any niggle and will just get the better of his man. Or what I'd like to see us doing is using keegan to hammer the hammer - stick him on one of Kerry's biggest threats, Geaney or Moran. I don't think keegan is suited to Geaney on the inside line so it leaves putting him on David Moran where I think he'd match up well, he'd put moran on the back foot and stop him from driving forward. The only place I'd see a disadvantage for us would be on Kerry's kickouts where AOS would need to provide assistance.

[Mayo4Sam14]

Any thoughts on where keegan will play? If he slots back in at 5, Kerry will play a spoiler (Walsh/Murphy/Lyne) on him (maybe doubling up at times) and try to play him at his own game, niggle at him and try to frustrate him - hammer the hammer as they say.

As I see it, we have two options here, hope that keegan won't react to any niggle and will just get the better of his man. Or what I'd like to see us doing is using keegan to hammer the hammer - stick him on one of Kerry's biggest threats, Geaney or Moran. I don't think keegan is suited to Geaney on the inside line so it leaves putting him on David Moran where I think he'd match up well, he'd put moran on the back foot and stop him from driving forward. The only place I'd see a disadvantage for us would be on Kerry's kickouts where AOS would need to provide assistance.

O'Donoghue?

[macdanger2]

Any thoughts on where keegan will play? If he slots back in at 5, Kerry will play a spoiler (Walsh/Murphy/Lyne) on him (maybe doubling up at times) and try to play him at his own game, niggle at him and try to frustrate him - hammer the hammer as they say.

As I see it, we have two options here, hope that keegan won't react to any niggle and will just get the better of his man. Or what I'd like to see us doing is using keegan to hammer the hammer - stick him on one of Kerry's biggest threats, Geaney or Moran. I don't think keegan is suited to Geaney on the inside line so it leaves putting him on David Moran where I think he'd match up well, he'd put moran on the back foot and stop him from driving forward. The only place I'd see a disadvantage for us would be on Kerry's kickouts where AOS would need to provide assistance.

O'Donoghue?

What about him?

[Mayo4Sam14]

Any thoughts on where keegan will play? If he slots back in at 5, Kerry will play a spoiler (Walsh/Murphy/Lyne) on him (maybe doubling up at times) and try to play him at his own game, niggle at him and try to frustrate him - hammer the hammer as they say.

As I see it, we have two options here, hope that keegan won't react to any niggle and will just get the better of his man. Or what I'd like to see us doing is using keegan to hammer the hammer - stick him on one of Kerry's biggest threats, Geaney or Moran. I don't think keegan is suited to Geaney on the inside line so it leaves putting him on David Moran where I think he'd match up well, he'd put moran on the back foot and stop him from driving forward. The only place I'd see a disadvantage for us would be on Kerry's kickouts where AOS would need to provide assistance.

O'Donoghue?

What about him?

Could keegan mark him?

[Lar Naparka]

Any thoughts on where keegan will play? If he slots back in at 5, Kerry will play a spoiler (Walsh/Murphy/Lyne) on him (maybe doubling up at times) and try to play him at his own game, niggle at him and try to frustrate him - hammer the hammer as they say.

As I see it, we have two options here, hope that keegan won't react to any niggle and will just get the better of his man. Or what I'd like to see us doing is using keegan to hammer the hammer - stick him on one of Kerry's biggest threats, Geaney or Moran. I don't think keegan is suited to Geaney on the inside line so it leaves putting him on David Moran where I think he'd match up well, he'd put moran on the back foot and stop him from driving forward. The only place I'd see a disadvantage for us would be on Kerry's kickouts where AOS would need to provide assistance.

O'Donoghue?

What about him?

Could keegan mark him?

He could but so could Keith. Leroy's talents might be put to better use further outfield. Right now, I'd be more worried about Donaghy  if Kerry adopt the same approach they did in Limerick in '14. Whoever marks him will need to have a bit of aggro in him to put Star off hio oats.
I think, if my memory isn't playing tricks that any time he was marked tightly and got no room to get moving, he wasn't nearly as effective as he was in Limerick.
I am not terribly worried about the pair of them either. Jamesy has had a load of injuries since that game and is not back to full form yet or so some Kerry mates tell me. Meantime, Donaghy is three years older and he was supposed to be gone past his sell by date even then.
Keep the faith and never say die!

[macdanger2]

Any thoughts on where keegan will play? If he slots back in at 5, Kerry will play a spoiler (Walsh/Murphy/Lyne) on him (maybe doubling up at times) and try to play him at his own game, niggle at him and try to frustrate him - hammer the hammer as they say.

As I see it, we have two options here, hope that keegan won't react to any niggle and will just get the better of his man. Or what I'd like to see us doing is using keegan to hammer the hammer - stick him on one of Kerry's biggest threats, Geaney or Moran. I don't think keegan is suited to Geaney on the inside line so it leaves putting him on David Moran where I think he'd match up well, he'd put moran on the back foot and stop him from driving forward. The only place I'd see a disadvantage for us would be on Kerry's kickouts where AOS would need to provide assistance.

O'Donoghue?

What about him?

Could keegan mark him?

I don't think keegan would be suited to him. Geaney is more dangerous anyway imo

[Mayo4Sam]

Harrison will surely be on Geaney. I'd say Barrett on JOD. Could see Vaughan on Star

[moysider]

Any thoughts on where keegan will play? If he slots back in at 5, Kerry will play a spoiler (Walsh/Murphy/Lyne) on him (maybe doubling up at times) and try to play him at his own game, niggle at him and try to frustrate him - hammer the hammer as they say.

As I see it, we have two options here, hope that keegan won't react to any niggle and will just get the better of his man. Or what I'd like to see us doing is using keegan to hammer the hammer - stick him on one of Kerry's biggest threats, Geaney or Moran. I don't think keegan is suited to Geaney on the inside line so it leaves putting him on David Moran where I think he'd match up well, he'd put moran on the back foot and stop him from driving forward. The only place I'd see a disadvantage for us would be on Kerry's kickouts where AOS would need to provide assistance.

O'Donoghue?

What about him?

Could keegan mark him?

He could but so could Keith. Leroy's talents might be put to better use further outfield. Right now, I'd be more worried about Donaghy  if Kerry adopt the same approach they did in Limerick in '14. Whoever marks him will need to have a bit of aggro in him to put Star off hio oats.
I think, if my memory isn't playing tricks that any time he was marked tightly and got no room to get moving, he wasn't nearly as effective as he was in Limerick.
I am not terribly worried about the pair of them either. Jamesy has had a load of injuries since that game and is not back to full form yet or so some Kerry mates tell me. Meantime, Donaghy is three years older and he was supposed to be gone past his sell by date even then.
Keep the faith and never say die!

Keith marking O' Donoghue not a good idea imo. Both could have great games in their own way if ye know what I mean. We need O Donoghue not have a good game. We need Keith to have a great game. I would go Barrett on O Donoghue and Harrisson on Geaney.
Then its a question of who takes up Donaghy. Vaughan? I dunno? Say you start Vaughan,  then realistically one from Harrison, Boyle, Higgins, Durcan, Barrett, Keegan cant start. Vaughan may have more size than those six but ...........
Keegan is an option. But a sweeper would be essential. Give Keegan a license to attack at will when we are going forward and a sweeper to sit. Force Donaghy to chase a bit maybe. The reality is though, that we don't have a defender to match Donaghy for size. We know that. Our goal should be to control as much possession as we can around the field and discipline will be crucial also. Donaghy did us in drawn game in 14 but the killer ball came in from distance from David Moran. He was able to line up the perfect diagonal ball because we were down to 14 for so long and no pressure was able to get to him. It still could have been prevented with better presence at the back I know, but pressure on Moran disrupting that kick and there would have been no Limerick and a fresh Mayo team in the final.

[MayoBuck]

Harrison marking Geaney, Vaughan on Donaghy and Durcan on JO'D - don't think Barrett would have the pace for him. Half back line of Keegan, Barrett, Higgins. Boyle on the bench for this one is harsh on him but 7 backs into 6 positions doesn't go. Playing backs as forwards hasn't worked for us before so I would avoid that.

We'll need savage work rate from the middle 8 players to put pressure on the ball going in. No full back in the country will out field Donaghy if Moran et al can pick their passes freely.

[Mayo4Sam14]

Harrison marking Geaney, Vaughan on Donaghy and Durcan on JO'D - don't think Barrett would have the pace for him. Half back line of Keegan, Barrett, Higgins. Boyle on the bench for this one is harsh on him but 7 backs into 6 positions doesn't go. Playing backs as forwards hasn't worked for us before so I would avoid that.

We'll need savage work rate from the middle 8 players to put pressure on the ball going in. No full back in the country will out field Donaghy if Moran et al can pick their passes freely.

Play boyle wing back, higgins sweeper?

[moysider]

Boyle cant be dropped. We wouldn't be here without him. It would be a disgrace to drop him. Paddy Durcan's game is not about marking a player like James O Donoghue. Something he's never done and I wouldn't ask him to do with now. We have 3 players that can mark now. Harrison, Barrett and Keegan. That's not so bad.

[MayoBuck]

Harrison marking Geaney, Vaughan on Donaghy and Durcan on JO'D - don't think Barrett would have the pace for him. Half back line of Keegan, Barrett, Higgins. Boyle on the bench for this one is harsh on him but 7 backs into 6 positions doesn't go. Playing backs as forwards hasn't worked for us before so I would avoid that.

We'll need savage work rate from the middle 8 players to put pressure on the ball going in. No full back in the country will out field Donaghy if Moran et al can pick their passes freely.

Play boyle wing back, higgins sweeper?

We would then presumably leave out Doherty or DO'C which would reduce our shooting options as they are both good for a score or 2 per game. It would be letting the Kerry defence off lightly as Higgins' shooting is much more wayward.

In any case, we'll need good backs, like Boyle, coming on in the second half to counter Kerry's bench.