AISF 2010: An Dún vs Cill Dara

[western exile]

Pundit Watch Update

Down

Joe Brolly - I think he was tipping Down - he was half-cut rambling about history and swagger and how Down expect to win in Croke (obviously ignoring their semi-record)
Tommy Carr - delighted with this as I find him an awful pudit - has tipped against Kildare for every game - taking the stopped watch approach
Seán O' Domhnaill
RTE.ie

Kildare

Dara o'Cinneide - thinks Kildare will just create too much
Tony Davis - cites the loss of Rogers being a big swiing in Kildare's favour
Kieran Donaghy
Star Bets - The Shark makes his case http://starbets.ie/gaa/down-out-without-rodgers-230810
Coman Goggins
Dara O'Shea
Hoganstand.com

Kevin Egan from Star Bets " A 5pt bet on Kildare -1 at 11/10 is the recommendation this week and is the strongest recommendation this column has made for some time. "
Strong words!

[Maiden1]

Pundit Watch Update

Down

Joe Brolly - I think he was tipping Down - he was half-cut rambling about history and swagger and how Down expect to win in Croke (obviously ignoring their semi-record)
Tommy Carr - delighted with this as I find him an awful pudit - has tipped against Kildare for every game - taking the stopped watch approach
Seán O' Domhnaill
RTE.ie

Kildare

Dara o'Cinneide - thinks Kildare will just create too much
Tony Davis - cites the loss of Rogers being a big swiing in Kildare's favour
Kieran Donaghy
Star Bets - The Shark makes his case http://starbets.ie/gaa/down-out-without-rodgers-230810
Coman Goggins
Dara O'Shea
Hoganstand.com

What about Rocky the Psychic chicken?

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/psychic-chicken-predicts-down-gaa-win-14923910.html

[Dinny Breen]

Final Pundit Watch Update

Down

Joe Brolly - I think he was tipping Down - he was half-cut rambling about history and swagger and how Down expect to win in Croke (obviously ignoring their semi-record)
Tommy Carr - delighted with this as I find him an awful pudit - has tipped against Kildare for every game - taking the stopped watch approach
Seán O' Domhnaill
RTE.ie
Ross Carr
Billy Morgan
PaddyPastIt - http://gushtystuppencehapenny.wordpress.com./

Kildare

Dara o'Cinneide - thinks Kildare will just create too much
Tony Davis - cites the loss of Rogers being a big swiing in Kildare's favour
Kieran Donaghy
Star Bets - The Shark makes his case http://starbets.ie/gaa/down-out-without-rodgers-230810
Coman Goggins
Dara O'Shea
Hoganstand.com
Joe.ie
Paul Grimley
David Brady
Peter Canavan
Martin Carney 
Seamus Monyihan
Mick O'Dwyer

[Dubh driocht]

I never liked semi-finals as a player, manager or supporter.
If you lose, all that has gone before is forgotten.You agonise over what might have been. You watch the final with gritted teeth and convince yourself that you could beat the pick of them.
If you win your attention immediately switches to the final. There is no time to reflect on the performance.You start to worry about tickets. The tension begins.
And it is no different today. After  morale-boosting wins over Sligo and Kerry Sunday's game is all about the result and all your worries come back.I was almost trying to block out the game, particularly with the likely absence of Ambrose.But last night a few wise men reminded me of who we are, what we are and what we can do when we put our mind to it.We have 20 players who at one stage or another have excelled in this year's championship- not all on the same day but the ability is there.There's been little talk of the huge defensive improvement with the HB line outstanding in the last 2 games.Little talk of the range of quality options available to fill midfield.Little talk of Mc Comiskey who recorded 1-3 from play against the AI champs ( with 1-1 harshly disallowed).The talk there has been from Born again Benny and the roaming Daniel has been excellent - cool and determined
James has been as canny a manager and man-manager as he was a footballer- outstanding.He has a balanced backroom team coming down with cuteness and big game experience.
And finally we have the Wizard from Oz. Bring it on.

[western exile]

Latest from the press...
Down manager James McCartan has deferred naming his team for Sunday's All-Ireland SFC semi-final against Kildare in order to give midfielder Ambrose Rogers a chance to prove his fitness.The Mourne captain suffered a knee ligament injury during a recent club match, and is struggling to be fit in time.
"Ambrose has made himself available to play. However, James is still planning for Sunday's game without Ambrose, as he has planned the preparations since the extent of Ambrose's injury became known," said team spokesman Ronan McMahon.
"Ambrose is making every possible effort to be able to play against Kildare.
"There is a chance that Ambrose will play."

[AN other]

Final Pundit Watch Update

Down

Joe Brolly - I think he was tipping Down - he was half-cut rambling about history and swagger and how Down expect to win in Croke (obviously ignoring their semi-record)
Tommy Carr - delighted with this as I find him an awful pudit - has tipped against Kildare for every game - taking the stopped watch approach
Seán O' Domhnaill
RTE.ie
Ross Carr
Billy Morgan
PaddyPastIt - http://gushtystuppencehapenny.wordpress.com./

Kildare

Dara o'Cinneide - thinks Kildare will just create too much
Tony Davis - cites the loss of Rogers being a big swiing in Kildare's favour
Kieran Donaghy
Star Bets - The Shark makes his case http://starbets.ie/gaa/down-out-without-rodgers-230810
Coman Goggins
Dara O'Shea
Hoganstand.com
Joe.ie
Paul Grimley
David Brady
Peter Canavan
Martin Carney 
Seamus Monyihan
Mick O'Dwyer

What about Liam Hayes? He's the only pundit that counts in my view. He's guaranteed to call it wrong!

[Donnellys Hollow]

Final Pundit Watch Update

Down

Joe Brolly - I think he was tipping Down - he was half-cut rambling about history and swagger and how Down expect to win in Croke (obviously ignoring their semi-record)
Tommy Carr - delighted with this as I find him an awful pudit - has tipped against Kildare for every game - taking the stopped watch approach
Seán O' Domhnaill
RTE.ie
Ross Carr
Billy Morgan
PaddyPastIt - http://gushtystuppencehapenny.wordpress.com./

Kildare

Dara o'Cinneide - thinks Kildare will just create too much
Tony Davis - cites the loss of Rogers being a big swiing in Kildare's favour
Kieran Donaghy
Star Bets - The Shark makes his case http://starbets.ie/gaa/down-out-without-rodgers-230810
Coman Goggins
Dara O'Shea
Hoganstand.com
Joe.ie
Paul Grimley
David Brady
Peter Canavan
Martin Carney 
Seamus Monyihan
Mick O'Dwyer

The last two are no surprise. The Pony's brother played for Kildare under Pat Fitzgerald and Dwyer knows what side his bread's buttered! Joe Kernan went for Down in one of the Northern papers yesterday. Keith Barr went for ourselves in the Indo today.

The word today is that Dermot definitely won't start and is unlikely to even make the bench. Hughie Lynch will start and Donnelly will take his place on the bench.

How reliable that is? Who knows. It seems to change hourly.

[ardmhachaabu]

Down team named

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/8951326.stm

Midfielder Ambrose Rogers has missed out on a starting place for Down's All-Ireland semi-final against Kildare.

The Longstone star sustained a cruciate ligament injury in a club match but will be on the bench for Sunday's eagerly-awaited clash at Croke Park.

Ballymartin man Peter Fitzpatrick will partner Kalum King in Down's midfield.

Kildare were boosted by the news that Dermot Earley was able to be named in their team despite being a major doubt with a knee injury.

Earley picked up the knock during the quarter-final against Meath.

Fitzpatrick's inclusion is the only change from the Down team which started the quarter-final against 2009 All-Ireland winners Kerry.

Down boss James McCartan had the option of moving Dan Gordon into midfield but the versatile Loughinisland man retains the number three shirt.

Former Minor skipper James Colgan was considered another contender for the centre of the field but he remains on the bench.


Down: B McVeigh, D McCartan, D Gordon, D Rafferty, D Rooney, K McKernan, C Garvey, P Fitzpatrick, K King, D Hughes, M Poland, P McComiskey, B Coulter, J Clarke, M Clarke.

Kildare: S McCormack; P Kelly, H McGrillan, A Mac Lochlainn; M O'Flaherty, E Bolton, B Flanagan; D Flynn, D Earley; J Kavanagh, P O'Neill, J Doyle; E O'Flaherty, A Smith, E Callaghan.

[FermGael]

Down it is then

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/psychic-chicken-predicts-down-gaa-win-14923910.html

'Psychic' chicken predicts Down GAA win

A psychic chicken from Kildare has delivered a blow to GAA fans in the Republic by clucking for Down in Sunday's semi-final showdown.

Rocky the Chicken is being dubbed as Ireland's answer to Paul the Octopus for his spot-on sports forecasts and has so far accurately predicted the All-Ireland championship results.

Owner Elaine McDonald, from Rosetown in Newbridge, said that they noticed star potential in their chicken from early on.

"There was something exceptional about him from the beginning," she said.

"He used to sit up on my husband's shoulder and if I'm on the computer, he'll be up beside me, trying the keys."

The McDonald family answered the call put out by an RTE radio show for an animal that might be able to select team results.

"We put out three saucers with the names of the teams playing either side and one in the middle called 'draw/other'," Elaine said.

Two-month-old Rocky makes his prediction by opting to eat seed from one out of the three saucers. But the fowl, who has only ever got it wrong once, had bad news for Kildare fans.

Although he didn't do a prediction in the run-up to the Dublin and Cork match, he is truly convinced that Down will win next weekend and ran directly to the Mourne men's saucer.

"He is going to get me in trouble because he didn't pick Kildare," she said. "It's the first time I've wanted him to be wrong.

"If he is right, my brother-in-law has a roasting dish for him," she laughed. Elaine and Paul's children, Ella who turns three next month, and Hanna (1), adore their chicken.

"The girls got up one morning and found Rocky downstairs," Elaine said. "Rocky stayed in our house since he was a little baby."

[snoopdog]

will Ambrose be on the bench if required?

[5 Sams]

will Ambrose be on the bench if required?

Yep named in the subs

[Rossfan]

Down it is then

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/psychic-chicken-predicts-down-gaa-win-14923910.html

'Psychic' chicken predicts Down GAA win

A psychic chicken from Kildare has delivered a blow to GAA fans in the Republic by clucking for Down in Sunday's semi-final showdown.

That silly paper must think that Kildare are representing the "ROI" while Down represent "NEI" 
This one is wide open but Kildare have a solid look about them in their last 3 games  and so will give them the kiss of death by tipping them to squeeze through.

[Aghdavoyle]

will Ambrose be on the bench if required?

Yep named in the subs

Seems neither Ambrose nor Fitzpatrick will start. People around Conor Maginn claiming he's starting

[andoireabu]

As long as the 15 on the pitch do the job who cares who starts. An Uladh agus an Dún abú!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Niall Quinn]

Since Kildare beat Meath I've been fearful of this game. I'm trying to get some confidence by watching the Championship run to date, but it only serves to highlight the void Rogers will be leaving.
And that Aidan Carr took far too many steps for the goal that beat Offaly.
Think we would have strolled through the Royals though.