All Ireland Quarter Final Kerry V Down

[western exile]

Theres always one

http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2010/0730/kerry_down.html

An anonymous tipster too 
Any idea who wrote that?

[western exile]

I think the midfield battle will have an influence.Darragh was a God - his loss will be felt. Quirke has the physique but has he the engine ? The Kerrymen will see a good battle between Quirke and King - he's firm but fair !
Ambrose is the quality man of the 4 and Scanlon will need to cover a lot of ground. I think this is where Galvin and T O Se will be missed and while Down at 3 to 1 is about right, it is tempting .
Anything other than a hammering for Down would be a result but I don't think there will be more than 3 in it either way.Bring it on !
Have a dilemma in the second game as have a lot of time for the Dubs but admire the passion of Tyrone. A draw, with Sean Cavanagh and Alan Brogan getting 3 months each would be about right.

You should take the spread then. Down +4  at even money.

[Kerry Mike]

The are a number of Key match ups in this game but I think Dan Gordon against Kieran Donaghy will be one of the main one, Gordon has been a very good servant to Down over the last years but his new role in full back will take time for him to bed in and I think with respect to what Offaly and Sligo could throw at him, Donaghy will present a new and huge challange.

Its not just Donaghy's height of 6'6", he has a huge leap as well and his fielding ability will cause problems, and he is good on the ground too when the ball is played in to him well, he will roam out the wing to collect too and has good pace for a big man. And he links very well with Cooper in particular when they are on form.

I'd expect Down to drop a sweeper back in front on Donaghy and try and break the ball away from him and if Gordon can get a few early balls off him it could make for an interesting tussle.

I am expecting our half forward line to run at Down given the opportunity and hopefully create some openings for Cooper and Co. but you will also see long balls being deployed to Donaghy and to Cooper who is well able to win his own ball in the air.

Am getting excited about the game now.

[mountainboii]

Theres always one

http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2010/0730/kerry_down.html

Those RTE predictions are usually the kiss of death.

[Sionnach]

Rumour in Kerry is that Dara O'Se is training away

That would be Darragh....Of course he is training away as he is still playing with his club but is out at the moment with a broken bone in his arm.

Dont believe any rumours from Kerry, Bomber Liston was seen kicking a ball last week too..

And it would be Ó Sé if we're going to be enforcing a crackdown on errors in spelling names....

[western exile]

The are a number of Key match ups in this game but I think Dan Gordon against Kieran Donaghy will be one of the main one, Gordon has been a very good servant to Down over the last years but his new role in full back will take time for him to bed in and I think with respect to what Offaly and Sligo could throw at him, Donaghy will present a new and huge challange.

Its not just Donaghy's height of 6'6", he has a huge leap as well and his fielding ability will cause problems, and he is good on the ground too when the ball is played in to him well, he will roam out the wing to collect too and has good pace for a big man. And he links very well with Cooper in particular when they are on form.

I'd expect Down to drop a sweeper back in front on Donaghy and try and break the ball away from him and if Gordon can get a few early balls off him it could make for an interesting tussle.

I am expecting our half forward line to run at Down given the opportunity and hopefully create some openings for Cooper and Co. but you will also see long balls being deployed to Donaghy and to Cooper who is well able to win his own ball in the air.

Am getting excited about the game now.

You are correct there about the Gordan v. Donaghy match up.  The long term strategy of selecting Dan at full back would be to counteract full forwards like Kieran Donaghy.  The questions is, is he ready yet or has this game come a little too soon for him?  Saturday will tell, and I too am looking forward to this dual.

[Banana Man]

The are a number of Key match ups in this game but I think Dan Gordon against Kieran Donaghy will be one of the main one, Gordon has been a very good servant to Down over the last years but his new role in full back will take time for him to bed in and I think with respect to what Offaly and Sligo could throw at him, Donaghy will present a new and huge challange.

Its not just Donaghy's height of 6'6", he has a huge leap as well and his fielding ability will cause problems, and he is good on the ground too when the ball is played in to him well, he will roam out the wing to collect too and has good pace for a big man. And he links very well with Cooper in particular when they are on form.

I'd expect Down to drop a sweeper back in front on Donaghy and try and break the ball away from him and if Gordon can get a few early balls off him it could make for an interesting tussle.

I am expecting our half forward line to run at Down given the opportunity and hopefully create some openings for Cooper and Co. but you will also see long balls being deployed to Donaghy and to Cooper who is well able to win his own ball in the air.

Am getting excited about the game now.

Was thinking that myself Kerry Mike, Colgan isn't starting as McKernan is back in, will he play as a sweeper, I think it would be madness not to play the sweper as any high balls between Gordon and Donaghy will most likely be broke and we don't need the vulture Gooch hovering in a one on one

[Will Hunting]

I personally don't see this one being too tight a contest. People always talk about Kerry being vulnerable at the quarter-final stage, but their record suggests that this opinion couldn't be further from the truth. They've played 10, won 9 and drawn 1. And they've tallied up some serious scores in those victories (27 points last year against Dublin). Monaghan came close to them three years ago, but Down are nowhere near Monaghan's level of intensity, workrate and suffocation success.

This is a poor Down defence. They failed to pressurise Tyrone off the ball in Casement Park - with the likes of Dooher and McGuigan afforded oceans of time in possession. Have they improved significantly enough since then to rectify this against the most fluent attacking force in the country? Probably not.

For Kerry, the loss of Galvin is not a problem - they are well used to having him suspended. The loss of Tomas O Se is not a problem - O'Mahony is a capable replacement, well fit for either Hughes or McComiskey. I expect the Kerry to rack up close to 20 points. At midfield, Scanlon and Quirke will more than hold their own. Not household names, but they are workers and have come out on top against better midfield's than Down's. Down need Gordon in here. It will be more important for them to win primary possession than use their best fielder at full-back. Kerry have many more options in the forwards than just Donaghy.

Down's obvious strength is in their forward line, but I can't see them having enough of the ball, or enough composure on the ball to hit the necessary scores. They'll have to try and compensate at the back also by bringing extra men back. Martin Clarke and Coulter provide a big threat but they might be fighting a losing battle. Has Clarke played as a sweeper between HB/MF in recent games? This is probably his best role against Kerry, as Down will need to make decent use of their possession, but it would take away from their scoring ability.

Kerry by 7 or 8 points.

[blanketattack]

If Dan Gordon goes fullback Declan O'Sullivan will be put Fullforward.

[thewobbler]

My take on this one is that Kerry don't have the options this year to put on a show.

You can't lose three of the best forwards in Ireland - Galvin, Kennelly and Walsh - without coming back to earth a little. Obviously the 3 that stayed behind are fine players, but there's a dozen squads in Ireland that have 3 excellent forwards but are still beaten as much as winners.

And let's be realistic here, who on the Kerry bench would you be scared to see coming on? These are last year's squad players we're talking about.

If Down don't freeze tomorrow this will go right to the wire. Without Galvin to wreak havoc, Down should be more than competitive at midfield. With a sweeper in place, down should be able to keep goals conceded down to a minimum. Kerry's defence is old and will be susceptible to quick delivieries. But we will still need to score 15 points plus, so our forwards have to be on their game.

Don't worry about O'Sullivan going to full-forward. I've a funny feeling Garvey will be following him to the end of the moon tomorrow.


Experience should see Kerry through, but this is definitely a game Down can win.

[Apple Crumble]

Theres always one

http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2010/0730/kerry_down.html

This guy at rte.ie hasn't prerdicted one win all year.

The Paul Merson of the GAA.

[INDIANA]

My take on this one is that Kerry don't have the options this year to put on a show.

You can't lose three of the best forwards in Ireland - Galvin, Kennelly and Walsh - without coming back to earth a little. Obviously the 3 that stayed behind are fine players, but there's a dozen squads in Ireland that have 3 excellent forwards but are still beaten as much as winners.

And let's be realistic here, who on the Kerry bench would you be scared to see coming on? These are last year's squad players we're talking about.

If Down don't freeze tomorrow this will go right to the wire. Without Galvin to wreak havoc, Down should be more than competitive at midfield. With a sweeper in place, down should be able to keep goals conceded down to a minimum. Kerry's defence is old and will be susceptible to quick delivieries. But we will still need to score 15 points plus, so our forwards have to be on their game.

Don't worry about O'Sullivan going to full-forward. I've a funny feeling Garvey will be following him to the end of the moon tomorrow.


Experience should see Kerry through, but this is definitely a game Down can win.

self delusion is truly a wonderful thing. Down have 2 players Kerry would want and Down think this is a game they can win? Lets be very clear about this. This is not a game Down can win. It is only a game Kerry can lose.

[thewobbler]

You're mad in the head Indiana.

Kerry have three exceptional fowards and in Marc O Se, one outstanding defender.

The rest of them are no better or worse than 90% of county players.

Kerry had 9 top class players last summer and were an exceptional team for it. But this is a different vintage. Some people just see green and gold then go google eyed.

[INDIANA]

You're mad in the head Indiana.

Kerry have three exceptional fowards and in Marc O Se, one outstanding defender.

The rest of them are no better or worse than 90% of county players.

Kerry had 9 top class players last summer and were an exceptional team for it. But this is a different vintage. Some people just see green and gold then go google eyed.

Down have no good defenders , an average midfield and 3 good forwards. And you think that will beat kerry? Ther eis only one person mad in the head mate and it ain't me. This isn't 1991 or 1968. You'd want to fast forward a bit.

[downredblack]

You're mad in the head Indiana.

Kerry have three exceptional fowards and in Marc O Se, one outstanding defender.

The rest of them are no better or worse than 90% of county players.

Kerry had 9 top class players last summer and were an exceptional team for it. But this is a different vintage. Some people just see green and gold then go google eyed.

Down have no good defenders , an average midfield and 3 good forwards. And you think that will beat kerry? Ther eis only one person mad in the head mate and it ain't me. This isn't 1991 or 1968. You'd want to fast forward a bit.

Who was telling ye this ? Pat Spillane or Martin McHugh ? our defence has come on alot this year , have a look at our scores against tally in the league . An average midfield ? Ambrose would get onto any team in the country and Kalum King has had a brilliant first year and will only get better . I have no worries about our forwards if they click there are as good as most . How many times have you seen Down play Indiana ? or is your opinion based on what you read in the papers . Anyway hope the lads do themselves justice tomorrow ,  go out and give it everything . James's first year can only go down as a success .