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Not the semi final we were expecting, but after Mayo's display on Sunday one we won't be taking lightly. Kerry were sluggish enough at times on sunday, worryingly 2 of the main culprits were Gooch and Donaghy, so they'll have to sharpen up certainly.
This talk of McGarrity going fullback is nonsense in my view, Cafferkey was excellent on Sunday and looks like he is capable enough in the air aswell. Whether to leave him there if Declan Sullivan goes in, is another thing.
We've had the indian sign over Mayo since 1997,but all good things come to an end..all I heard from Cork fans last week was "nobody but Kerry has beaten us since 2004", so I'd be certainly optimistic on our chances, but we need to step it up a bit.

Cluxton, Lacey, Bolton, Cassidy, Marc O'Sé, Kavanagh,Alan Brogan,Peter Harte, Darran/Declan O'Sullivan, Jamie Clarke, Andy Moran all very much in contention, but its the remaining games, starting next Saturday that will be the real judging ground for Allstars.

Ah will u shtop David. 

David's analysis can be delivered a bit too fasht at times..tis too "shpeedy".

BTW, that rubbish Hayes came out with is hardly surprising..the man has come out with some real off the wall stuff..even this year already he said that Dublin have a far superior forward line to Kerry, etc..

[A few weeks ago in the Sligo v Leitrim game for one of the goals, he was nattering on about a "great ball in" for one of the goals, which was clearly a shot that dropped short]

Personally prefer Davis, an exuberant way of punditry which I like. Tohill is a tad drole for my liking.
Each to their own I suppose.

Not a great fan of the post match "interview" with the managers. Find it distasteful to see devastated defeated managers bravely trying to blurt out a few trite usualisms.

Davis is utterly clueless as even Cork people will tell you..A few weeks ago in the Sligo v Leitrim game for one of the goals, he was nattering on about a "great ball in" for one of the goals, which was clearly a shot that dropped short...he is a pain.

If it's the goal I think you're referring to Brolly was raving about it when as you said it was a bad ball in and a defenders/goalie mix up.

Well, of course, "on mature recollection" there was only 1 goal in the game, so that was it. Brolly, generally knows what he's talking about..winds a lot of people up, but he's not the worst imo.

Can i just say on this topic in general that while I admire Mickey Harte a lot and appreciate he has gone through a rough year already, but he's acting very childishly here...this crusade he's leading on the Carthy issue (not to mention the fact that it is unjustified as Carthy is a poor commentator) will only discredit him imo.

Almost sure I read that this Lars surgery is a real last option. I think that alot of Aussie rules players in their late 20s / early 30s are doing it only because of the relatively short timespan it takes to do it. These lads can't take a year out for the traditional surgery.
Afaik, by doing this op., you are basically finished if the acl goes again as any further operation is out of the question.

Stand to be corrected on this though.

Yeah you're on the right track with that thinking..some serious drawbacks have been pointed out, even by professionals who carry out the LARS surgery...http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/serious-warning-on-lars-surgery/story-e6frf9jf-1225903656564

Personally prefer Davis, an exuberant way of punditry which I like. Tohill is a tad drole for my liking.
Each to their own I suppose.

Not a great fan of the post match "interview" with the managers. Find it distasteful to see devastated defeated managers bravely trying to blurt out a few trite usualisms.

Davis is utterly clueless as even Cork people will tell you..A few weeks ago in the Sligo v Leitrim game for one of the goals, he was nattering on about a "great ball in" for one of the goals, which was clearly a shot that dropped short...he is a pain.

you just have to look at the shoddy coverage that is given to the qualifiers. Why not have a new show on a Sat night with highlights of all qualifying games from that day. Maybe its something TV3 BBC TG4 or UTV could look at producing.
They showed about 4 scores from the Down Leitrim game then didnt even mention it in analysis.
I hope Ireland get hammered in the rugger buggery just to shove it up the D4 p***k N*G**T

No need to wish ill on the rugby team, shur didn't RTE f*ck that up aswell, Setanta have the exclusive rights I think apart from the Irish games.
RTE is really going downhill in the GAA department..need a commentator clearout and a revamp of the coverage..sad to say, even the likes of Lyster, ok as he is, needs to go..Some real debate needs to take place,not the drivel we are listening to currently...whoever is in charge of programming (selection of analysts and co-commentators) should be shot..i mean we've had All-Ireland finals with co-commentators and analysts from a county involved take part..Colm O'Rourke was wheeled out for the Leinster final last year,when his own county AND SON were playing! Idiotic stuff.
TV3 could've shamed RTE in their coverage, but instead we got Matt Cooper, David Brady etc...horrible.

I wonder how many counties hv London never played. I'd say it's plenty.

Believe it or not, since 1991 there are only two counties that London have never faced either in Championship, NFL or challenges and they are Tyrone and Kildare. 

I can remember playing against Clare in a McGrath cup match in 94 and one of their players received an award as by playing against London he had actually managed to play against every senior county in Ireland in his career.

I was at the London v Kerry national league game in 2002 (I think)...2 of the strongest players i ever shared a field with were marking each other that day...Darragh O'Sé and Kevin Waldron.

Dunno bout that Jinxy..he's getting high praise in a few quarters out there and has been played all over the field for their VFL team. He'll debut in the next couple of weeks for St Kilda I'd say...I reckon he;ll give it till the end of next season at least before making any decisions.

By their nature full backs concede the goals, just like the goalkeeper. Whether they are to blame or not is another matter entirely, and as you pointed out, and as I allude to in my analysis, I think the half back line is the bigger worry.

My point is that if Kerry struggle there, and at midfield, then the pressure on the full back line might be too much to handle, particularly as they conceded (Kerry) 3 goals in a game that was, as you said, won easily.

Will they tighten up in a closer game, or be even more vulnerable against better opponents? We'll see I suppose.

I think you're right that the backline will come under more pressure here than against any other opposition. Cork are the best in the business right now and really attack in waves from deep. My point is that the Limerick game is utterly irrelevant. Kerry leaked 2 goals in the latter part of the game when it was over as a contest. So what...I would put good money on neither side getting 3 goals on Sunday.

My thoughts here

http://shane-sportsramblings.blogspot.com/2011/07/hurling-weekend-except-in-killarney.html

Good enough analysis on all games to be fair. Just 1 point, this little nugget that the Kerry "fullback line" cocneded 3 goals against Limerick. 1 of the goals was clearly setup and scored by Eoin Brosnans man Seanie Buckley in the 1st half, Seamus O'Carroll came on in the half forward line and got the 3rd goal, the only goal leaked by the full back line was Ger Collins goal. Now the latter 2 were scored after the 52nd minute by which time Kerry were up 1-18 to 1-6 and the game was effectively over, so although I share the concerns about the Kerry defence in some ways, the focus is entirely off from a large section of the media, with this lazy analysis. Not picking on you, but just wanted to make that point.

Your tips for most of the games I would concur with, I think KK might even cut loose a bit more as Brady is a massive loss for Dublin at the back.

[Marc O Se has always had trouble with cork forwards namely Kerrgian]

My thoughts here

http://shane-sportsramblings.blogspot.com/2011/07/hurling-weekend-except-in-killarney.html

AZ, I completley agree, Bryan Sheehan was being carried for his incredible free taking, and rightly so. But, it will be a stretch to suddely convert him to a midfielder capable of competing with the best in Ireland.

Barring Kerry scoring three goals, I think the odds are way off, without Tomas O Se and Galvin and a recognized midfiield, Marc O Se has always had trouble with cork forwards namely Kerrgian. Cork could win this by six, and make no mistake about it, if they can win by six they will not slow down.

The bit in bold is gas...care to site these games where Marc has been in trouble. Kerrigan got 3 pts last year in Killarney, but it was a fairly even battle over the 70 mins. In Marc's whole career, I can't remember him being in serious trouble against Cork on any occasion, so as far as I'm concerned that statement is rubbish.
In 10 years of meetings between these 2 sides in munster, neither side has ever scored more than 1 goal by the way, but I expect the trend of tight games to continue and don't think either side is going to win by more than 4.

The parish rule has divided many families in Kerry over the years, I had it myself where the club I played for was 9 miles over a mountain pass though I lived closer to another more successfull club just 3 miles away, I was asked to transfer once but never did though cousins and neighbours went and played and there were a few court cases over the years. its never a happy outcome and it still irks some people when certain players names come up in conversation. Its always the transfer to a bigger club you never hear of cases of players wanting to go the other way ??

In this case though Mike they want to play for Listry (havent been been seen above Div 4 in a long time) as opposed to Firies who float between Div 2 and 3 so they can hardly be accused of glory-hunting. I just feel really sorry for the kids.

By the way, what part of South Kerry are you from?!

There is more to this case than meets the eye..they have been at loggerheads before over players...not really either sides fault, but the shape/structure of Firies parish is such that Faha National school (main supplier of Listry underage players) is just inside the border,and many who reside in Firies parish (but are much further from Firies/Farranfore villages, and regard themselves as from Faha/Listry more than anywhere else) attend school in Faha...If you look at the map of the area you will see what I mean...(its just northwest of Killarney)...I agree that there has to be rules to protect clubs, especially against poaching, but there has to be some leniency shown in a case like this as these people are suffering because of some lines drawn on a map 200 years ago by a Bishop or whoever. If the parish rule was stringently applied across the board there would be hundreds of cases across the country where people would be prevented from playing with what in their heart is THEIR CLUB..I would be one of these people,which is why I feel for the young lads involved in this case. I understand the GAA viewpoint that if they allow 1 case to slip through, then there will be a deluge, but a sensible analysis on a case by case basis would easily determine the genuine cases and the not so genuine.

Just wanted to point out lads, that this is most def not a case of the players wanting to go to a better/more prestigious club or that club poaching them...the club they want to play for(Listry) is far lower in standing than the club disputing the case, Firies...I'm not totally familiar with ?GAA rules here, but I was under the impression that if they went to school in a certain parish then that may have some bearing on things...aside from that, they are 11kms from Farranfore (where Firies pitch is) and 1.5km from Faha where Listry play...I mean, I know rules are rules,but this seems to be a tad harsh on the young lads involved.