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Fitzgerald field 

The Sligo and Kerry odds are almost totally based on history and reputation.
If the entire squads were swapped, the odds wouldn't differ.

I agree, it looks like a very tight one having watched both sides (on TV) and given the venue Sligo might have a slight advantage now.

You do realise that football is ranked lower in importance in most of Cork than the lowest Junior hurling grade?

At present most middle Counties see Sam as the place to be but that might change alright.
3 tiers to be the long term future??

That is not at all true Ross and I've lived down there for a long time. Mid and West of the county is majority football leaning. Duhallow (north/north west) is football predominantly. Even in the City and East of county, which is hurling leaning there are clubs like Nemo, St Finbarrs, Bishopstown, St Michaels, Aghada, Douglas, Fermoy, Mallow that are huge football clubs.

There's very little support or interest of the county team is one of the issues, whereas the hurlers are well supported usually with a big bandwagon element. When the footballers had a good spell they were well supported too and as recent as 2018 there was 38,000 at a Kerry v Cork game in Pairc ui Chaoimh.

The county board has historically always been run by hurling heads. Some of the appointments of Football managers in the last 10-15 years by the board have been ridiculous. This hasn't helped, but there's still no excuse for a lot of it.

I was discussing this with a Cork man recently and he totted it up. Reckoned there are 30 football only clubs or clubs with very little hurling in the county and another 30 where football was dominant or equal and the club were playing Intermediate football or above. That's a big base. Doesn't take into account Rugby and Soccer which are big draws but still. The problems in Cork football are structural and administrative mainly I think. Nothing to do with lack of numbers or talent.

I don't like Ennis but it's the obvious and fairest venue for this game and a good pitch.

Rossies haven't done too bad in Ennis v Kerry anyway! 

Bloody ridiculous venue for the Kerry v Sligo game.

Discussion around Shane Walsh kicking with both feet (probably going too much on left etc) from frees just brings home how rare it is to see a free taker equally or almost equally adept with both feet. In that regard Maurice Fitz and Colin Corkery are probably the 2 best I've seen.

Strangely enough, maybe being a ciotóg myself, I always thought Enda Gormley had a beautiful technique and a good range off his left back in the day. He could kick them from the left side aswell which is unusual for a leftie. Ross Carr also from same vintage and he had a massive boot aswell.

Have to mention Derek Duggan..that kick from was it 68m? Outrageous!

Don't accept at all the premise that modern kickers have been better off the ground. Yes, there are some excellent strikers of the ball and a lot of them goalies, but as said already you don't see them kicking frees off the ground from all angles. That's my definition of top class free taking. Much and all as I admire the likes of Rory Beggan. And to add, Niall Morgan's kick in the semi final against us was one of the best I've seen in the flesh. It hit the canal end net catcher at a good height aswell. An amazing kick.

If people don't like it then don't watch it. Really sick of this complaining about the state of the game. There are a few tweaks which could make it a bit better but that's about it.

People won't be happy until its just 15 attackers vs 15 attackers scoring 19-100 a game. Defending is a skill and a joy to watch if done right which people forget about.

Spot on! If people want a game largely devoid of tactics or defending, go watch hurling. Some of the football in League is a hard watch to be fair but some of the moaning about it is ridiculous. The game has improved immeasurably from the slow, rooting game it was 30 years ago.

David Clifford, Seánie Shea will come back into Kerry panel for Saturday night according to informed sources. Neither may start but should spice things up anyway. Would anticipate a few changes such as Shane Ryan in goals, Paudie Clifford starting and maybe more aswell. Should be a good game.

Jack O'Connor has claimed Donegal had a point wrongly awarded to them during their 0-13 to 1-9 Allianz Football League first round victory over Kerry.

The Kingdom boss was seen remonstrating with referee Liam Devenney after the final whistle in Ballybofey over Caolan McColgan's contentious 30th minute point which appeared to curl wide in the wind at the last second and ultimately decided a tight contest.

"Donegal had a point there that was blatantly wide. Everyone in the stand - ye saw that did ye?" O'Connor is quoted as saying by BBC NI.

"It was a yard wide. Holy Jaysus but anyway it is what it is. You don't get many breaks when you're coming to away grounds like this. Just disappointing because I felt we deserved a point out of it at minimum."

The All-Ireland winning manager continued: "That shouldn't be happening. The linesman said it was wide yet he goes with the umpire. That's an incredible decision in a Division 1 game.

It did look wide to be fair. Jack was fair cranky anyway! I'd be more concerned with fellas kicking the ball wide from in front of goals myself. Donegal were much better team in second half aswell.

Kilmacud won't play anyway so it's going to turn into a farce and will probably be void..sad way to have it no matter what your viewpoint.

I think as mentioned above this all hinges on what Glen players largely - club committee to a lesser but still important extent - actually want here. If majority of players want to push it, there will be a replay no question. If they feel like their manager feels even 50% of them just leave it be BUT definitely would be within their rights to get a good donation to a team holiday fund or whatever for the pressure of last few days alone.

Kerry in rough enough shape for the trip to Donegal. 5 max of All Ireland team available. Midfield very very thin with Diarmuid O'Connor out injured, Joe O'Connor gone for year with ACL and Moran retired. May be some young buck coming into the panel to cover with Okunbor possibly starting midfield but it's going to be experimental to a degree. I think once Kerry get back into the stride by game 2/3 and stay up without having any hosings that will have to be satisfactory.

2 Cliffords, Ryan, Murphy and others will be back around Rd 2 or 3. Mayo game in Castlebar would be one that's a target I'd imagine. Armagh and Throne then after that all in space of 15 days so that's a crucial 3 game period.

[Armagh]

Monaghan v Armagh
Mayo V Galway
Roscommon v Tyrone
Donegal v Kerry

Derry v Limerick
Dublin v Kildare
Cork v Meath
Clare v Louth

Fermanagh v Longford
Tipperary v Down
Westmeath v Cavan
Antrim v Offaly

Carlow v Wicklow
Wexford v London
Leitrim v Waterford
Sligo v Laois

Jacqui Hurley will be major improvement on Des Cahill.

A cardboard cut out with sound coming from a Nokia 3210 would be an improvement there.

Think Joanne Cantrell DOES know her stuff to a large extent myself, on football anyway. She doesn't take any crap either. I'd agree that Jacqui Hurley doesn't seem very knowledgeable a lot. But it's RTE..one of those places you could easily see someone "failing upwards"..