The clash of the top 2 should make for an interesting game at the weekend.
No Kerry team yet but probably tonight, the Dr Crokes players will be out so that will be a loss and Tomas O'Se is struggling with a leg injury.
However Kieran Donaghy should be back from his recent suspension but will have to cool the head if he doesnt want a 3rd red card of this campaign. Darragh O'Se got 2 yellows in the last game so should be available. Bryan Sheehan is back training too from his recent injury so Kerry will have a fairly strong panel to pick from.
New faces Donnacha Walsh, Ronan Hussey, Ronan O'Flaherty and Seamus Scanlon all played well against Limerick and will be hopeful of a start if taken on the trip north.
Donegal are motoring well with 4 from 4 and one more win should see them almost in the semi. I have not seen them live this year so cant comment on their strengths.
Letterkenny is all ticket for the game on Sunday, not sure of its capacity but shoud lbe a good atmosphere.
Kerry are flyin up on Saturday so should be well rested for the game on Sunday afternoon but will probably take only a trimmed down panel to keep the costs down, hopefully Radio Kerry will be carrying the game, anyone know if TG4 have it.
Hopefully we can keep our winning run going and avoid the potential of dropping a division. Its a crucial weekend for all teams involved.
Donegal team will probably be named tomorrow night or Friday lunchtime.
I suspect minimal changes on our side. Think Christy Toye or Michael Hegarty will replace Johnny McLoone and team will probably be as it was apart from that. I'd say Paddy McConnigly has done enough to keep Eamon McGee out again while Barry Monaghan will probably partner Gallagher again with Cass playing at half back.
Should be a good occasion at O'Donnell Park, but I cannot help but feel that this game has come a year too early for them. With us flying high at the moment and the novelty of the game being in Letterkenny means an increased attendance locally - MacCumhaill Park or Fr Tierney would have been a better bet me thinks.
Nothing against St Eunan's, I'm delighted that they've been given a match and it should be a great day for them, but i think they couldn have been given a game that wouldn't have generated this amount of interest...
Was checking the TG4 schedule earlier and it says that the game's on live...
Game live on TG4 according to their web site.
Seamus Scalnon played very well for us last sunday his distribution has improved no end. Deserves his chance.
Paul Galvin back and kicked 0-5 for Fignue last weekend but Pat reckons this weekend will come too soon.
Declan O'Sullivan should be back for Tyrone game as well.
Darren O'Sullivan & Sean O'Sullivan are back in training and I doubt if the Crokes players would have made the trip if they won/lost last saturday.
It's a pity Killian Young is out until June, some senior experience before June would have been great.
Tough, tough game even if Donegal (minus the last visit) has been a happy hunting groung for us recently.
On current form hard to back against Donegal - but I will... :)
Agree MrC, the match should be played at a bigger venue within the county, by my reckoning it can only hold 5000 at a streach!!!
The capacity has been limited to 5,000 and with Kerry to get 500 of those, OAPS and children also included in the figure and the fact that the hurlers will take a percentage of those as well (Donegal V Leitrim, Division 3A at 12.15), there are not going to be too many tickets available - demand will certainly exceed supply!
Kerry team for Sunday
Diarmuid Murphy
Marc O'Se Tom O'Sullivan Mossy Lyons
Tomas O'Se Aidan O'Mahony Padraig Reidy
Darragh O'Se Tommy Griffin
Bryan Sheehan Seamus Scanlon Donnacha Walsh
Declan Quill Kieran Donaghy Mike Frank Russell
Strong line up , subs to follow.
KM that looks pretty much like your Championship line-up?
Not quite the championship line up yet, The backs will be nearly be the same but Killian Young, Ronan O'Flaherty and Brendan Guiney wont be far away come championship time.
Midfield should be the same as listed but there will be strong competition up front, with Colm Cooper and Eoin Brosnan sitting out this weekend because of the club final replay and then you have Paul Galvin and Declan O'Sullivan just back from a few months in OZ and rejoining the panel. So we look in healthy shape at the moment and Pat O'Shea may blood a few of the panel players over the next few games too. Good competion for places will kjeep them on their toes, but a win on Sunday will be tough but vital to maintean the momentum.
Strong enough line up for Kerry But i would expect a lot of changes come championship time..Scanlon got a fair few runs when Paidi was in charge and also figured in some of O'Connors line ups and never really put his stamp on any game that i saw anyway..He did well against Limerick so deserves to keep his place..there are a couple of postions on the kerry team up for grabs this year so it will be interesting to see how it pans out when Pat O Shea can choose from the full deck.
Big challege to go to donegal and win, Donegal won by a point the last time we faced each other in the league but the scoreline did'nt tell the real story of the game, donegal were the much better team on the day. Kerry will have it all to do to get somthing from this one.
Have to agree with Kerry Mike - the line up is still a bit away from the probable championship team.
The half forward line could contain Paul Galvin, Declan O'Sullivan and Eoin Brosnan when the sod gets a bit harder.
Darren O'Sullivan and Sean O'Sullivan will be pressing hard too.
Mr Cooper might get back into the team too ;)
Killian Young will play in the summer but not too sure about Brendan Guiney or O'Flaherta.
1-9 should start the championship play with the exception of Mossy Lyons and Padraig Reidy who may be under pressure to start in the Munster championship.
Still it is a strong Kerry team.
Hope Galvin is in the subs.
Maybe Kerry would be best suited by playing Brosnan Center Mid and dropping T Griffin back to the half back line. Brosnans engine to me looks to be getting bigger and bigger. Would allow O'Sullivan to play centre forward. Interesting to see who fills top of the left for Kerry this year. Mike Frank looking over his shoulder for the last while. Who are the leading contenders to take his spot? Bryan Sheehan for me. They have to find a spot for him with his free taking ability. Is worth at least a pt a game.
Brosnan has been tried midfield manys the time and has not really produced, he plays his best football when he has space around the half forward line, it a great sight to see him in full flow bearing down on goal.
Griffin is a good workhorse and will win plenty of ball around the middle and I would say after last year he will hold onto the spot assuming he retains his form.
Aidan O'Mahony will be centre back and I think he will fill Seamus Moynihan's position well, Eamonn Fitzmaurice is still around but will find it difficult to break back into the team. The wing backs will be up for grabs, Tomas O'Se had a poor season by his standards last year, hopefully we will see him back to his best this summer. The number 7 shirt is the dilema, there are about 6 players going for that spot, If I had to choose it would be between Killain Young and Brendan Guiney. I am still not sold on Tom Sullivan at fullback but he will take time to fill that role. Marc O'Se should be a shoo-in in the corner but the other corner back spot is open to some debate, again, Reidy, Lyons, Guiney and Young will be vying for this spot.
Upfront if Paul Galvin and Declan O'Sullivan can regain their fitness after a winter abroad they should be in the half forward line with possibly Brosnan or Sheehan, but Donnach Walsh has impressed in a few league outings as has Seamus Scanlon who is another option for midfield. When you throw in Sean and Darren OSullivan and Ronan Hussey there is alot of sompetition in that half forward line.
In the Corner there will be Gooch with Donaghy on the edge of the square, hard to know who will fill the other corner, could be MFR though the years are against him now but that 5th medal drives him on, Quill has always played well in the league but cannot make any impression come championship time, maybe this will be his year, other than that, Declan O'Sullivan or Bryan Sheenan could fill the corner spot. Tommy Walsh or Seamus Scanlon could be an option at 14 if Donaghy is moved back to midfield.
Its time too for Sheehan to make a name for himself come the championship, Kerry's leading scorer last year but still could not make the first 15. His free taking is excellent espeicially from long range, but he needs to contribute more from open play, he is a big man and needs to be winning more of his own ball.
Fingers crossed we will maintean an injury free summer and if we do and get a bit of luck we wont be far away from giving the fabled 2-in-a-row a good rattle, but before that there is a league semi to play for and thats the first goal of the year, Donegal with their 4 wins will be be a tough nut to crack in Letterkenny on Sunday.
Donegal team: Christy Toye in for Johnny McCloone...
Paul Durcan Na Ceithre Maistri
Neil McGee Gaoth Dobhair
Paddy Campbell Naomh Conaill
Karl Lacy Na Ceithre Maistri
Paddy McConigley Gaeil Fhanada
Barry Monaghan Na Ceithre Maistri
Barry Dunnion Na Ceithre Maistri
Neil Gallagher Gleann Sulai
Kevin Cassidy Gaoth Dobhair
Christy Toye Naomh Michael
Rory Kavanagh Naomh Adhamhain
Brian Roper Aodh Ruadh
Colm McFadden Naomh Michael
Brendan Devenney Naomh Adhamhain
Ciaran Bonner Gleann Sulai
Another very complete performance from a Donegal team that are clearly a different proposition to previous years.
From 0-8 to 0-3 down in the 1st half they completely dominated midfield and the game after that and were worthy winners in the end, showing tremendous fitness in the end. Things looked bleak during the 1st half when Kerry were kicking points from all angles at will but the goal before half time was the turning point - esp having missed the 2 or 3 previous goal chances.
Devenney really put on a show on his home patch in the 2nd half, though he missed probably the easiest one of all
As I said a few weeks ago, the target must be to win our 1st ever league title now, and let the summer look after itself. The bench has so much good cover that an extended run in the league should be of no major concern. A draw or win in either of the last 2 games against the poorest teams in the division will secure the semi final spot.
Donegal looked very good and very fit. They look Championship fit in March which is no bad thing but you wonder will they be tired come later on in the season. Donegal should press on now and at the minute they are the form side and should be getting a League title come the end of April. After a bring start Kerry faded but with a few of their players back and a bit more training they'll still be there or there about.
Mike Frank still the man. Would be quiet happy if I was a kerry man. Things ticking over nicely even though they lost. Regarding Tom Sullivan for full back. Last year v armaghs 2 man fullforward line the position himself and mccarthy played didnt differ at all. Was only the number on the shirt.
next few weeks should be interesting, if kerry beat tyrone and the dubs beat mayo we'll have a logjam on top of 1a. kerry could yet play the dubs in croke pk in a double header with the dublin hurlers in the league q/f if they beat either antrim or tipp...
more like a logjam for second place.
Fair play to Donegal thay were well deserving of their win.
They dominated midfield and as a result we were llimited in our attacking options. Losing Donaghy so early was a big blow as he was involved in alot of the early plays, with MFR and Quill playing off him well. Once he went off Donegal seemed to up the tempo and only for Diarmuid Murphy making a few great saves we would have been out the gate at half time. The goal was well taken when it came.
Donegal have a few big men around midfield and they hoovered up alot of clean and breaking ball.
McFadden in the first half caused us all sorts of problems with his dummys and Devanney took his scores well in the second half. They seemed to be at a higher level of fitness too than our boys and you could see that at the end where the Donegal lads had the legs for most of the 50-50 balls.
As for us, one plus was that we ended the game with 15 players for the first time in the league though Darragh and Tomas O'Se were walking a tight line there at the end. Sean O'Sullivan also was lucky after picking up 3 fouls and thankfully Pat O'Shea pulled him ashore before he saw red.
I thought the referee was poor enough for both teams.
From our point of view we need to up the ante in terms of our fitness, and how we compete in midfield, the forwards started well but once Donaghy went off there was little to look at, Mike Frank and Quill kicked a few good points but the supply was cut to them from around the middle.
Our full back line got a roasting, with Devanney in particular causing Marc O'Se and Tom o'Sullivan all sorts of trouble. Lots of gaps in our half backline allowed the goal chances in the first half and we need to be tighter there. Mossy Lyons had a poor game and even though he kicked a point he was well off the pace. Reidy too seemed out of position. Tomas O'Se played well and his points were well taken.
Midfireld started well and even though Darragh O'Se kicked 2 fine points we faded out of it mid way through the first half and it was surprising that there were no changes there. I thought Seamus Scanlon did okay and it was good to get Paul Galvin back in action. Bryan Sheehan won alot of ball but was bottled up very easily and he needs to assert himself on a game more.
So its back to the drawing board, we have Tyrone next Saturday and that will be a tough game, Donaghy is out for 8 weeks with a dislocated shoulder and will be a huge loss. With the Dr Crokes lads still missing we will be up against it for a fired up Tyrone team, neither team can really afford to lose at this stage with semi finals and relagation still to be decided.
Donegal are as good as in the Semis at this stage and on yesterday's performance will be hard stopped for the title.
Quote from: Kerry Mike on March 26, 2007, 09:39:14 AM
So its back to the drawing board, we have Tyrone next Saturday and that will be a tough game, Donaghy is out for 8 weeks with a dislocated shoulder and will be a huge loss. With the Dr Crokes lads still missing we will be up against it for a fired up Tyrone team, neither team can really afford to lose at this stage with semi finals and relagation still to be decided.
.
Sincerely hope you're right Kerry Mike, for that's a fire that we haven't seen in a while, and no harm for us at all that Donaghy's missing.
how confident can donegal be with devenny running the show ? and in such brilliant form in march methinks it might become a bit much for him . what chances hell still be playing and on for come summer?
Quote from: rosnarun on March 26, 2007, 10:44:57 AM
how confident can donegal be with devenny running the show ? and in such brilliant form in march methinks it might become a bit much for him . what chances hell still be playing and on for come summer?
We'll see. He hasn't played this well in a run of consecutive matches in five or six years. Donegal seem to be putting the ball in earlier, so maybe that's part of the reason for his resurgence, as he's a quick lad. Maybe he's hungrier after the year out, while he's definitely come back into a far more motivated team than the one he left. Better for him to be in good form than struggling at this stage though. The same goes for Colm McFadden. If either loses form, there are capable lads like Kevin McMenamin, Michael Doherty, Leon Thompson and even Adrian Sweeney waiting on the bench.
.....muffle,,,,,,whimper.....whimper.......boohoo.....waaaaah....waaaah...grind.....grind....boohoo
What's that?
It's the sound of wailing and knashing of teeth in Donegal in the summer after another false dawn. WISE UP donegal! Brendan Devilly can't take it up him. WISE UP KERRY! Without Donaghy you're no better than Tipperary.
We'll see so very soon Kerry Mike you culchie dungspreader.
Quote from: forkinknife on March 26, 2007, 03:04:28 PM
.....muffle,,,,,,whimper.....whimper.......boohoo.....waaaaah....waaaah...grind.....grind....boohoo
What's that?
It's the sound of wailing and knashing of teeth in Donegal in the summer after another false dawn. WISE UP donegal! Brendan Devilly can't take it up him. WISE UP KERRY! Without Donaghy you're no better than Tipperary.
We'll see so very soon Kerry Mike you culchie dungspreader.
Kerry Mike, is this they guy I was mistaken for in my abscence?
I feel an apology is due!
Will you stop f**king sniffing after my ass. Bet your from Stillorgan, Foxrock, Booterstown or Mount Merrion with big bastard gates on your house. Your D4 faux posh aren't welcome down my way. Away and do lunch with your boss.
North County Dublin forkinknife.
You dont need to be "posh" to know youre a crazy bastard.
Now leave the donegal and kerry lads alone to discuss their game.
p.s. wheres "down your way", some kip I bet : }
QuoteWe'll see so very soon Kerry Mike you culchie dungspreader.
When it comes to spreading manure, you do it by by the forkload yourself. Unlike Kerry Mike who is a distinguished author!
Quote from: forkinknife on March 26, 2007, 03:13:44 PM
Will you stop f**king sniffing after my ass. Bet your from Stillorgan, Foxrock, Booterstown or Mount Merrion with big bastard gates on your house. Your D4 faux posh aren't welcome down my way. Away and do lunch with your boss.
I hope u don't kiss Paula with that mouth ;D
QuoteWe'll see so very soon Kerry Mike you culchie dungspreader
Howya Paula...
QuoteWithout Donaghy you're no better than Tipperary
Tipp will be delighted to be ranked alongside the greats, they are making great progress.
Keeping taking the tablets and breath deeply. Now thats better.