All Ireland Quarter Final Kerry V Down

[Chris agus Snoop]

What Down should do is pin a red hand badge to their jerseys.
Kerry sphincters will spasm with fear. They will be forced to wear adult nappies, or reveal their runs with streaks of brown.

[blanketattack]

What Down should do is pin a red hand badge to their jerseys.
Kerry sphincters will spasm with fear. They will be forced to wear adult nappies, or reveal their runs with streaks of brown.

You've obviously no idea of Down's poor record against Tyrone in the 00's do you?
Anyway all the adult nappies in Ireland are used up by the Cork hurlers and footballers for games against Waterford, Kerry and Kilkenny.

[Kerry Mike]

I'd say there are a few positions up for grabs in the Kingdom line up this week, though Brendan Kealy will hold onto his jersey he has been a bit jittery in a few occasions and his first outing in Croker will hopefully be the first of many in his Kerry career, he needs time to bed in and hopefully a half hour in front of the hill's whistling and booing will stand to him, (yerra the Hill will be empty for the Kerry game anyway with the jackeens still in the pubs). Keep her lit Kealy.

For the first time in an age you won't hear "G'wan Darragh" ring out from the Kerry faithful in Croker as he pulls another inspirational ball from the clouds, we still miss the great man from Ventry.

First up of the changes is the Number 5 Jersey vacated this weekend by Tomas O'Se who is being told to rest up by the CCCC (he has played a huge amount of football over the last 10 years and the break is welcome and it's an opportunity for someone else to stake a claim on a starting spot), I would have been tempted to move Marc out from the Corner and put Padraig Reidy in but Reidy will be out for at least a month with a serious knee injury, so it looks like the full back line will remain the same, and anyway we will need Marc to pick up Down's danger men around the small square (or small rectangle depending on how you view such geometrical oddities.)

Which reminds me of one occasion in my later playing days as a full back roaring at a ref "Square Ball ref" as the ball flew in, to which he replied "the ball is round, play on", by which stage the full forward was picking my elbow out of his shoulder and I was bursting out with the ball stuck in my chest, but I digress....


Tom Griffin and Tom O'Sullivan have lots of miles (or Kilometres as we now call them down here, those Down lads may not know such things as it's been a while since they have been down in Mexico) on the clock but are still stout defenders and great readers of the game and will not concede much, and Griffin is still very good in the air too, we have struggled in all games in the full back line for periods so hopefully the sight of Croker will revitalise those creaking bodies (remember the quarter final last year they were like calves released to out to grass in the spring for the first time, even Tom O'Sullivan galloped up the field for a very rare point, his only Kerry score). BTW that quarter final was the best atmosphere I've ever witnessed in Croke Park, keeping 70000 Jackeens silent for a whole game, brilliant !!!!

Hopefully the training and development plans all spring and summer will have Kerry close to peaking this weekend.

The other dilemma is that Killian Young is also carrying a heavy knock from a recent club game as is Daniel Bohane so it may look as if Aidan O'Mahoney may get a recall from his self imposed exile, he has lots to prove and if he is tuned in he still has a huge amount to offer and it may be the game to re-establish himself. The inexperienced Adrian O'Connell may also come into the reckoning depending on how Young's and Bohane'e fitness is. Mike McCarthy will man the centre and he has been a  vital cog since his return from retirement last year.

With Micheal Quirke hampered by a calf injury we may also see a change in midfield with a combination of Seamus Scanlon, whose own injury problems have eased, and either Anthony Maher or David Moran coming into the reckoning. I would go with the taller Maher but he needs to start delivering for longer periods. Quirke too will have some say in matters, I think but his aerial prowess is hampered by his overall mobility but he is  great man to put in to win a fews balls and his basketball skills are well known.

Paul Galvin is also on a rest and recuperation weekend from the CCCC , they are great lads in HQ resting our best players in the middle of the season, yerra if we are still around in September we will be glad to have so many fresh players available), Galvin's geansai may go between Darren O'Sullivan and Moran, if Maher makes midfield don't be surprised to see Moran at 10 to try and bulk up the midfield area, though Darren may be better in the Galvinesque type ball winning role and his pace from the wing will trouble any defender. Declan will lead the line and he always plays well in Croker so hoping for more of the same on Sat and expect to see Pat Spillane lookalike Donnacha Walsh again in Spilllane's old No 12 jersey. A fine player Walsh and does untold amount of the hard work in every game.

I'd also say Darren could challenge Brian Sheehan in the No 15 spot, Sheehan has still to establish himself in the first team and has to start proving his doubters wrong, Cooper and Donaghy will complete the line up and hopefully Donaghy can exert his aerial dominance and bring his corner men into it early. Can't see Billy John Keane starting but he will be released at some stage, lots to learn yet but he is coming on well.

Ever year recently Jack O'Connor has sprung a surprise in the panel to shaken thing up a bit but it may yet be too early for this year's rumours to be put into action, we shall see....

I know little about Down so won't waste time bullshitting about them (plenty of Down folk here to do that) but do know they will bring an abundance of skill and spirit to Croke Park and I'm sure the Kerry Jersey will evoke a long burning tradition in them and they won't want to be the first Down team to lose to the Kingdom especially on this the 50th anniversary of their first great win.

Am looking forward to the game should be a good one.

[SuperDooperCooper]

SDC - from memory - did that 'hiding' not go to ET ?

No Kerry didn't need extra time for that hiding - was looking on-line for a report of the game and came up blank.
The following extract was taken from the League final program of May 4th 1997.

Quarter Final - 6th April at Croke Park - Beat Down 1-18 to 0-10.
Scorers Maurice Fitzgerald 0-9, Pa Laide 1-2, William Kirby 0-3, Dara O Cinneide 0-2, Killian Burns 0-1, Genie Farrell 0-1.
Kerry took some time to hit top form in this game only leading 0-7 to 0-4 at half time. They clicked into gear in the second half to run out decisive winners.
William Kirby and Dara O'Se at midfield and a sparkling Fitzgerald who scored 0-9 were important architects in the success story.

That game may have been Genie Farrells last for Kerry as he got a bad injury just before half time and missed the rest of the year. I don't remember him playing again after this game.

Interestingly a Kerry vocational schools team containing Paul Galvin (corner forward) & Tom O'Sullivan (centre back) beat a Tyrone team containing Stephen O'Neill (wing forward) & Kevin Hughes (corner forward) before the league final.

The teams according to the programme were:
                M. McVeigh
F. Caulfield  C. Deegan  L. Howlett
D. Flynn     S. Ward      R. Carr
      G. McCartan    J. Austin
A. Farrell     J. Treanor   G. Mason
M. Linden    C. McCabe  G. Deegan

                   D. O'Keffe
M. Hassett     B O'Shea     M. O'Shae
S. Moynihan   L. Flaherty    K. Burns
         D. O'Se          W. Kirby
P. Laide         L. Hassett     D. O'Dwyer
G. Farrell        D. O'Cinneide M. Fitzgerald

[Dubh driocht]

SDC , that's pretty clear but I'm still not 100% this report is entirely accurate.I was at the game and remember that Kerry were way better.However, I also (vaguely) remember our CHF Shorty Trainor getting sent off but being able to come back on in extra time ?I will explore old clippings etc although it would have been some collapse to lose by 11 in extra-time.

[Mid Down Gael]

Really looking forward to this great occasion on Saturday and i really hope our boys give a good account of themselves. We have some bad memories off Croke Park in recent years and a good performance against the best team in the country would erase them memories and give great confidence in the current squad to continue to make progress. And i really think we have a great opportunity to oust the kingdom. I cant see many changes but i would play Murtagh ahead off McComiskey or Poland from the start and have Colgan ahead off Dan McCartan who was very ordinary against Sligo with Rooney going to corner back and picking up Sheehan Roving out and Colgan sweeping in front off two greats in Gooch and Star. Id try Garvey on Declan OSullivan. Murtagh was superb last week and is too good a player to be left out especially when he is sky high in confidence.

[norabeag]

'91 was the worst team ever.

Its no coincidence that Down finally come out to play again when we are missing 5 of our best players. Down are surely the vultures of the GAA !

I reckon you should start to wear  boxing gloves in bed Mike

[In the Onion Bag]

Kerry V Down on Saturday!  Down need to beware those Ky lads owe Down big time.  Just look at the records;

1. Never beat Down in Croker when it mattered.
2. Never got to lay hands on them during the 70s and 80s Hay Days (quote from O'Dwyer I think)
3. Only managed one point against Down in the whole of the 2nd half in 91 semi.  Only Pat the puke was capable of scoring a single pt
4. Same game signalled the end of Pat the puke and TV viewers have suffered ever since.
5. Same game included a humiliation of Pat's Bro Tom, a soccer novice turned him over scoring 2goals.

Watch Ky put all that crap to bed on Sat.  Guess all the pressure will be on Down

[Mike Sheehy]

If Down lose then they stand to lose a very important part of their footballing heritage i.e that they have never lost to Kerry.  We have played 30 games in Croker over the last 10 years....for us it is just another quarter final. The Kerry v Down thing means much more to Down than it does to us.

.....So, do you really think Kerry will be feeling more pressure than Down ?

[extra time]

extra time was v meath early 90s. i was at that nat lg match v kerry with a good friend Dan Murphy from Doagh near Abbeyfeile. sadly Dan has since passed away r.i.p but he enjoyed the win that day and many more days as he followed kerry to the last. he loved coming up north and getting the craic about football.he would have loved the banter on sat and will be sadly missed.

[In the Onion Bag]

If Down lose then they stand to lose a very important part of their footballing heritage i.e that they have never lost to Kerry.  We have played 30 games in Croker over the last 10 years....for us it is just another quarter final. The Kerry v Down thing means much more to Down than it does to us.

.....So, do you really think Kerry will be feeling more pressure than Down ?

Shite, even more pressure so.

[magickingdom]

Kerry V Down on Saturday!  Down need to beware those Ky lads owe Down big time.  Just look at the records;

1. Never beat Down in Croker when it mattered.
2. Never got to lay hands on them during the 70s and 80s Hay Days (quote from O'Dwyer I think)
3. Only managed one point against Down in the whole of the 2nd half in 91 semi.  Only Pat the puke was capable of scoring a single pt
4. Same game signalled the end of Pat the puke and TV viewers have suffered ever since.
5. Same game included a humiliation of Pat's Bro Tom, a soccer novice turned him over scoring 2goals.

Watch Ky put all that crap to bed on Sat.  Guess all the pressure will be on Down

fancy kerry to fix that on sunday despite no thomas or galvin. we'll need to be wide awake to survive tho and down wont want to lose their record against kerry. on that note a heading from the New York Times in sept 1960 or 61 at the end of the Cuban missile crisis was in our house for years along with a picture of the kerry team. it was 'Khrushchev backs Down' when Nikita Khrushchev soviet premier agreed not to put the missiles in Cuba at the 11th hour thus ending the crisis. My da a longtime new york gael thought it was very funny and loved showing it.

[Lecale2]

Kerry V Down on Saturday!  Down need to beware those Ky lads owe Down big time.  Just look at the records;

1. Never beat Down in Croker when it mattered.
2. Never got to lay hands on them during the 70s and 80s Hay Days (quote from O'Dwyer I think)
3. Only managed one point against Down in the whole of the 2nd half in 91 semi.  Only Pat the puke was capable of scoring a single pt
4. Same game signalled the end of Pat the puke and TV viewers have suffered ever since.
5. Same game included a humiliation of Pat's Bro Tom, a soccer novice turned him over scoring 2goals.

Watch Ky put all that crap to bed on Sat.  Guess all the pressure will be on Down

fancy kerry to fix that on sunday despite no thomas or galvin. we'll need to be wide awake to survive tho and down wont want to lose their record against kerry. on that note a heading from the New York Times in sept 1960 or 61 at the end of the Cuban missile crisis was in our house for years along with a picture of the kerry team. it was 'Khrushchev backs Down' when Nikita Khrushchev soviet premier agreed not to put the missiles in Cuba at the 11th hour thus ending the crisis. My da a longtime new york gael thought it was very funny and loved showing it.

Excellent!

Anyone who thinks that results from 50 years ago will put the current Kerry team under pressure needs to get a reality check.

[redandblack4ever]

Kerry V Down on Saturday!  Down need to beware those Ky lads owe Down big time.  Just look at the records;

1. Never beat Down in Croker when it mattered.
2. Never got to lay hands on them during the 70s and 80s Hay Days (quote from O'Dwyer I think)
3. Only managed one point against Down in the whole of the 2nd half in 91 semi.  Only Pat the puke was capable of scoring a single pt
4. Same game signalled the end of Pat the puke and TV viewers have suffered ever since.
5. Same game included a humiliation of Pat's Bro Tom, a soccer novice turned him over scoring 2goals.

Watch Ky put all that crap to bed on Sat.  Guess all the pressure will be on Down

fancy kerry to fix that on sunday despite no thomas or galvin. we'll need to be wide awake to survive tho and down wont want to lose their record against kerry. on that note a heading from the New York Times in sept 1960 or 61 at the end of the Cuban missile crisis was in our house for years along with a picture of the kerry team. it was 'Khrushchev backs Down' when Nikita Khrushchev soviet premier agreed not to put the missiles in Cuba at the 11th hour thus ending the crisis. My da a longtime new york gael thought it was very funny and loved showing it.

Excellent!

Anyone who thinks that results from 50 years ago will put the current Kerry team under pressure needs to get a reality check.

Just a historical correction here. The Cuban Missile Crisis took place in October of 1962, not September of 1960 or 1961. So if you had a copy of the NY Times, it was a fake. I remember practicing "duck and cover" under our desks in my 3rd grade classroom. Scary time that was for us..Mrs redandblack4ever.

[Kerry Mike]

1. Never beat Down in Croker when it mattered. - We will give you that one but its history get over it
2. Never got to lay hands on them during the 70s and 80s Hay Days (quote from O'Dwyer I think) - or the 20's 30's 40's etc... or the 00's cause ye were just shite
3. Only managed one point against Down in the whole of the 2nd half in 91 semi.  Only Pat the puke was capable of scoring a single pt - and Pat was nearly 40 with 8 All Ireland medals and 2 wonky knees at the time, some man.
4. Same game signalled the end of Pat the puke and TV viewers have suffered ever since. - he was playing top level football for 17 years, at least something good came out of his retirement 
5. Same game included a humiliation of Pat's Bro Tom, a soccer novice turned him over scoring 2goals. - Withnill & I (I once scored 3 goals in a club match against Tom Spillane but you dont see me boasting about it)