All Ireland Quarter Final Kerry V Down

[5 Sams]

Its that kind of attitude which could well see Down bate on Saturday - with limited appreciation and understanding for the way the modern game has evolved from their catch and kick days I really feel for them being cut in two by a cynical Kerry outfit.  History, tradition will not help on Saturday.  The 1994 AI final was one of the most negative displays of football Ive ever seen.

Not sure how you figured that one out...Mickey Linden gave one of THE great attacking displays seen in Croke Park in modern times that day...but sure if you think thats negative....

[Kerry Mike]

5Sams looks like we both have to explain true football to the little people 

[amallon]

Down need everyone playing in top gear on Saturday and even at that its a big ask.  Its hard to believe Benny Coulter has never faced Kerry in his whole career at any level.  I suppose its indicitave of where Down have been in that period.

PP Odds.
Kerry  3/10 
Draw  10/1 
Down  3/1

[5 Sams]

5Sams looks like we both have to expain true football to the little people 

Sin fíor Mike. Anyway back to Saturday...and the occasion...it's like the Irish Real Madrid V the Irish Man United. Us being Man United....just a few titles behind you


Forget about the Wimbledons and Wigans of this world sniping in the background

[amallon]

Wouldn't it be great to be back to these days again!

[Kerry Mike]

Breaking news from the Kingdom this evening and a day early too

The Kerry Senior Football Team to play Down in All Ireland Quarter Final Saturday 31st July has just been released and is as follows:

1. Brendan Kealy Kilcummin

2. Marc Ó Sé An Ghaeltacht 3. Tommy Griffin Dingle  4. Tom O' Sullivan Rathmore

5. Aidan O'Mahony Rathmore  6. Mike McCarthy Kilcummin 7. Killian Young Renard   

8. Seamus Scanlon Currow   9. Micheál Quirke Kerins O'Rahillys

10. Darran O' Sullivan Glenbeigh /Glencar  11. Declan O' Sullivan Piarsaigh Na Dromada 12. Donnacha Walsh Cromane

13. Colm Cooper Dr Crokes   14. Kieran Donaghy Austin Stacks   15. Bryan Sheehan (Captain) St. Mary's 

Subs: 16 David Hennessey Kerins O'Rahillys  17. Anthony Maher Duagh 18 Barry John Keane Kerins O'Rahillys
19. David Moran Kerins O'Rahillys 20. Daniel Bohan Austin Stacks   21. Kieran O'Leary Dr. Crokes
22. Adrian O'Connell St Michael's Foilmore  23. Niall O'Mahony Spa  24. Jonathan Lyne. Legion
25. Johnny Buckley Dr. Crokes  26. Brendan Guiney Listowel Emmett's  27. David O'Callaghan St. Pat's Blennerville

Bit of a surprise seeing Quirke start but otherwise we line out as expected

[comethekingdom]

Hope O ' Mahony does the job at 5 instead of Tomas.

[imtommygunn]

In all honesty that's a weak enough Kerry team. 3 forwards there not as useful as the usual Kerry ones. Tomas O'Ses drive will be badly missed and the midfield could be better.

All that is for Kerry standards mind... Still should have enough to beat Down.

[Frank Casey]

Playing only 3 forwards should even things up then

[5 Sams]

I would fancy our midfield against Quirke and Scanlon...I worry about the Gooch as everyone else in Ireland does...BUT if we win midfield he doesnt get the ball...and no Galvin to win the dirty ball. We live in hope...I think John Clarke will give Tommy G a headache ....Marc will be assigned to pick up Marty Clarke...the key in the full forward line then is will Tom Sullivan be fit to curtail Benny...(assuming Benny's fit)....Declan could be the key at CHF...can't f**king wait...bring it on

[Frank Casey]

Kerry don't need to win midfield. 40% will do them and it has in many matches. Its what they do with that possession afterwards that counts.

[5 Sams]

Kerry don't need to win midfield. 40% will do them and it has in many matches. Its what they do with that possession afterwards that counts.

If the Kerry midfield won 5%, they'd still get enough ball into their forwards to do damage.

They won a lot more than 5% in 2002 against the great one in a row team.....one game that proves that anything can happen in football.

[Zapatista]

I think Down will win this. Kerry are very shaky when they meet teams they are unfamiliar with. Over the last decade Kerry lost to or struggled against teams they don't see regularly. Down are another of these teams. While Down are not as good as Armagh and Tyrone were at the start of the decade they are better than the Monaghan, Antrim, Sligo and longford teams Kerry had trouble beating. If it comes close at the end Kerry will struggle with the two big match winners missing. They guy who dragged them through against a poor Cork effort and the Guy who pullled them through the qualifiers last year. It's Down's to take.

[bcarrier]

Head to Head


B McVeigh       B Kealy                                          Adv Down                   
D McCartan      B Sheehan (capt)                           Adv Kerry
D Gordon        K Donaghy                                     Adv Kerry   
D Rafferty       C Cooper                                       Adv Kerry   
D Rooney        D Walsh                                        Adv Kerry 
C Garvey         Declan O'Sullivan                            Adv Kerry   
K McKernan     Darran O'Sullivan/Barry John Keane?  Adv  Kerry
A Rodgers       S Scanlon                                      Adv Down
K King             M Quirke                                       No Adv
D Hughes        K Young                                       Adv Down
M Poland         M McCarthy                                   Adv Kerry
P McComiskey  A O'Mahony/ P Reidy                       No Adv
B Coulter        T O'Sullivan                                    Adv Down 
J Clarke          T Griffin                                         Adv Kerry
M Clarke          M Ó Sé                                         No Adv

IMO Kerry on paper have edge in 8 Positions, 3 No adv, 4 Adv to Down.

Feck it Ive changed my mind ...Down ( and Dubs) to win on end of an era Saturday. That is a significantly weaker Kerry team than last year. Kealy , OMahony, Quirke, Walsh, Darran and Sheehan are well behind Murphy,Tomas, Darragh, Kennelly, Galvin and Tommy Walsh in my estimation.

B McVeigh       B Kealy                                          Adv Down                   
D McCartan      B Sheehan (capt)                           No Adv
D Gordon        K Donaghy                                     No Adv ( on Stars 2010 form)   
D Rafferty       C Cooper                                       Adv Kerry   
D Rooney        D Walsh                                        No Adv 
C Garvey         Declan O'Sullivan                            Adv Kerry   
K McKernan     Darran O'Sullivan                             Adv  Kerry
A Rodgers       S Scanlon                                      Adv Down
K King             M Quirke                                       No Adv
D Hughes        K Young                                       No Adv
M Poland         M McCarthy                                   Adv Kerry
P McComiskey  A O'Mahony                                   Adv Down ( boy wonder finds form)
B Coulter        T O'Sullivan                                    Adv Down 
J Clarke          T Griffin                                         Adv Kerry
M Clarke          M Ó Sé                                         Adv Down

[Tyrones own]

Kerry don't need to win midfield. 40% will do them and it has in many matches. Its what they do with that possession afterwards that counts.

I might beg to differ with Galvin missing