Kerry v Tyrone Sunday 27th January 2019 2pm Fitzgerald Stadium

[Fuzzman]

Referee is David Gough I see. Maybe I'll offer him a lift down from Dublin. It's a long time since we won in Kerry.

Just read the report from last year there. I'd say major changes to the team this weekend with maybe the whole back 6 being replaced with McNamee out suspended though maybe Frank Burns will get back his No 6 jersey.
I wonder will Kennedy be the new partner for Collie at midfield or maybe Grugan.
All over the field Mickey has a lot of hard calls to make and it will be interesting to see does he name Petey Harte at FF again? I thought he was quiet on Sat night.

Tyrone 1.16 to Kerry 0.14 in Omagh 25th March.

Tyrone defeated Kerry by five points in a Healy Park tie largely irrelevant to the Allianz League standings, with both sides already safe going into the game.

The home side didn't take the lead until first half stoppage time, but a solid second half display saw them score a morale-boosting pre-championship success over their fierce rivals.

Declan McClure's late goal sealed a closely fought encounter, but defeat will not cause too many sleepless nights in the Kingdom, who kept a number of their key players in reserve.

But it was an encouraging result for the Red Hands, who have managed to put a couple of positive results together at Healy Park, the venue for their Ulster SFC opener against Monaghan on 20 May.

In front of a crowd of 6,115, Kerry wing back Cormac Coffey landed a long range effort early on, and they went back in front through Killian Spillane, after Division One's top scorer Lee Brennan had got the Red Hands off the mark.

Mattie Donnelly, scorer of four fine points from play against Mayo a week earlier, spent most of the opening half inside his own half as the hone side set up defensively, often channelling 14 players back to within their own 45 metre line.

Kerrey moved the ball with fluency, using their traditional foot-passing game to effect, and their finishing was clinical as they moved into a  0-5 to 0-2 lead b the 15th minute, with Daithi Casey and Spillane, from a free, thumping over long range efforts.

As Tyrone built from deep, Jason Foley and Mark Griffin defended solidly, holding the Red Hands scoreless for 12 minutes, before Brennan slotted over a free.

Kerry's movement caused significant problems to a back-tracking Tyrone rearguard, and they crafted a delightful score, with Kevin McCarthy's purposeful run sending Stephen O'Brien in for a tidy finish.

Johnny Buckley followed up with another long range effort, and a Michael Burns score on the half-hour had them 0-9 to 0-6 ahead.

But in the closing stages of the half, Tyrone committed more men to the attack, with Donnelly, Peter Harte, Rory Brennan and Ronan McNabb making support runs.

They kicked five of the last six points, with Donnelly curling over a gem, and Cathal McShane stepping round Griffin to blaze over the bar when he could well have netted.

Goalkeeper Morgan converted a 45 metre free, and Lee Brennan's stoppage time free gave them the lead for the first time and a 0-10 to 0-9 interval lead.

Kerry came out for the second half with intent, with Spillane and Buckley adding to their tallies, but with McShane and Brennan also continuing to find the target, the Munster men were unable to get their noses back in front.

They went level three times in the opening ten minutes of the second half, but Brennan's accuracy from placed balls favoured Tyrone's cause, with Frank Burns further enhancing his growing reputation with an eye-catching display at the back.

Peter Harte emerged as a major figure following a quiet opening half, setting up the scores that kept his side in front, and in the 56th minute, Tadhg Morley dragged down substitute Conor Meyler for a penalty, which Ronan O'Neill kicked wide.

But the Ulster champions did hit the net in the 58th minute when Harte and McShane combined for midfielder McClure to palm home.

Tyrone: N Morgan (0-01, f); C McCarron, R McNamee, A McCrory; R McNabb, F Burns, R Brennan; D McClure (1-01), C McShane (0-03); M Donnelly (0-01, P Harte, C McCann (0-01), K McGeary (0-01), L Brennan (0-05, 4f), R O'Neill (0-03, 3f).

Subs: D Mulgrew for McGeary (52), C Meyler for McCann (55), P Hampsey for McCrory (59), C McAliskey for Meyler (61), M McKernan for Hampsey (63), B Burns for F Burns (70)

Kerry: B Kelly; B O Beaglaoich, J Foley, T O'Sullivan; C Coffey (0-01), M Griffin, M Geaney (0-01); J Barry, D Moran; M Burns (0-01), D Casey (0-01), K McCarthy; K Spillane (0-05, 5f), J Buckley (0-02), S O'Brien (0-02).

Subs: E O Conchuir for Burns (h-t), T Morley for Geaney (h-t), B O'Sullivan for Casey (60), M Flaherty (0-01) for Buckley (68), G Horan for Moran (68)

Referee: M Deegan (Laois)

[Redhand Santa]

Looking forward to this one and hoping we can build on last year. For some reason in recent years we have really struggled down in Kerry and suffered some very heavy defeats. Hopefully this is on the players minds and they go down and produce a decent performance. I don't think Colm Cavanagh is fit for the game. Anyone know what the story is with Hampsey? If everyone available I'd go with something like this:

Morgan
Brennan
McNamee/Hampsey (not sure if McKenna Cup suspensions carry through?)
McKernan
McCann
Donnelly
Rafferty
Kennedy
McClure
McGeary
Coney
Meyler
McCurry
Harte
N Sludden

The likes of Rafferty, McClure and Kennedy have earned a go for strong McKenna cup performances.

[Fuzzman]

Was talking to my Kerry neighbour last night and he said they could have a very depleted side with so many of the club teams still in the senior, intermediate and junior AI club championship.

Will be interesting to see does Mickey return to some form of woolie blanket for the cold weather or lay it all bare like in the McKenna cup. I was shocked to see the space afforded to poor Ciaran McLaughlin having to mark Jamie Clarke on Sat night.
Just heard McNamee is available as he only misses 1st round of next years McKenna cup and Collie is fit to start as is Richie D

[Taylor]

That young cub from Armagh was lucky McNamee didnt go to town on him when he was acting the hard fella Saturday night.

[Fuzzman]

And cue a Kerry v Tyrone chat get bombarded with angry Armagh wans thanks to another Taylor jab?

Resist lads. Concentrate on Kildare

[Taylor]

And cue a Kerry v Tyrone chat get bombarded with angry Armagh wans thanks to another Taylor jab?

Resist lads. Concentrate on Kildare

[seafoid]

Kerry have a big job in 2019. Stopping the drive for 5


Carney returned in 1982 and '83. In those days, the All-Ireland winning team often came into studio with the cup on the night of the final.

JC: "The winning team always came in before they went back to their hotel. They loved it. Because GAA players were never on the TV in those days, not like now. So they were all delighted to come in so that their mammies would see them with their medal on the telly. But when Offaly came in the night of the '82 final, we had a problem. Maurice Reidy had put together a package of clips from Kerry's four-in-a-row in preparation for them making it five-in-a-row. But they didn't obviously.
"Maurice was heartbroken, first of all because he was a good Castleisland man and secondly because the bloody thing wouldn't be shown. They were great about it though. Eugene McGee and Richie Connor were fantastic. Richie said, 'Sure go on and show the Kerry five-in-a-row thing, we'd love to see it.' When it went out then, everybody loved it. It kind of didn't matter that Kerry hadn't won."


But it would matter A LOT in Kerry if the dubs succeeded where the greatest team in the history of the game (to date) failed

[Fuzzman]

Right. 

[craicwas90]

Laois beat Kerry last weekend in a challenge.

Tyrone are that bit ahead of Kerry in work done and in general.

Be surprised if Tyrone didn't win by 5/8 points.

[Blowitupref]

Laois beat Kerry last weekend in a challenge.

Tyrone are that bit ahead of Kerry in work done and in general.

Be surprised if Tyrone didn't win by 5/8 points.

Yes it's a good time to play Kerry and i would expect Tyrone to win by 4 or 5 points at least.

[seafoid]

It's not in Omagh though
Last year Kerry lost to the 4 all Ireland semifinalists
Maybe Tyrone can do it away from home

[tonto1888]

And cue a Kerry v Tyrone chat get bombarded with angry Armagh wans thanks to another Taylor jab?

Resist lads. Concentrate on Kildare

Glad I read your post fuzz. Was about to respond to the gobshite but won't bother

[Blowitupref]

It's not in Omagh though
Last year Kerry lost to the 4 all Ireland semifinalists
Maybe Tyrone can do it away from home

Last year in the league Tyrone beat Mayo the then AI finalists in MacHale park by 12 points.

[Fuzzman]

Good man Tonto. See yis in the Ulster final.

If I could pick my best 15 for Sunday it would be
Morgan
Hampsey
McNamee
Kernan
Tiernan
Mattie
Meyler
Kennedy
Colm
Sludden
Coney
McShane
McCurry
Petey
Brennan

Maybe put Frank Burns in at 6 and Mattie at CHF for Coney.
I feel sorry for Rory Brennan as his adaptability means he has never really nailed down any place.
Also hard leaving out both McGearys and Richie D but we have serious competition for places at the moment.
McShane will probably be named in FF line but play as a 3rd MF

[omagh_gael]

Any idea on the Kerry team? Is Clifford available?