Should they just hand Sam to Kerry this year?

[moysider]

I am slowly coming round to the opinion that  this group of Kerry players and Ill go back to Gooches early years are better than the great Kerry team of the 70/ 80s.  That Kerry team rarely had to beat much - at best a Dublin team who only thought they understood rivalry.  Harlem Globetrotters of Gaelic Football they were.  But this Kerry team have had slaps in the teeth (pokes in the eye ) lost some tough all irelands but always bounced back for more and won plenty in a better era for Gaelic football.

Hard to say if team of modern era is better. Goes back to the is winning an AI through the back door harder or easier argument.

This Kerry team is a couple of steps down from the team in 2006-2009 yet have comfortably made it back to the AI final. As in 1984-1986 even when a lot of the team were nearing the end Kerry were able to bring Sam home.When the rest of the country is unable to step to the plate an average Kerry team is still better than the rest.

If Donegal get through I can't see them beating Kerry, if Dublin do and they can handle the hype they will certainly get their toughest game of the year.I couldn't see Dubin or Donegal coughing up a soft goal the way Mayo did yesterday.

Hmmmm. Really. Yeah it was a soft goal but Kerry can score really good ones anyway. Goalies - even Cluxton - make howlers. I think it is safe to say that if David Clarke was in goal that goal would not have gone in. Man and ball. Sorry, that should be men and ball, both Gooch and Cunniffe would have been cleaned out. Shame.  David is currently recovering from a knee problem that he suffered while dealing with a similar situation in a club match.

The reality is that a forward can miss chances all through a game and yet needs to strike it lucky just once to score a goal. A back or a goalie can be absolutely flawless all day and make a single slip up in extra time to bring disaster down on him and his team.
I know the Mayo defence were caught out for Gooch's goal but the fact remains that it took cool thinking and split second thinking for him to score it. Class forwards are always capable of seizing on a half chance to bury the ball in the net. You can cut down on their chances alright but you can't eliminate them entirely.
Look at Darran O'Sullivan's goal against Limerick; no defence could guard against that.  I imagine Dublin or Donegal won't present the Kerry attack with many soft chances but all it takes is just one to let in a goal and it needn't be Gooch who gets the chance either.

PS.  Sorry to hear about Clarke's injury.  No disrespect to Robbie but I was a bit surprised to see him in goal instead of David.

Robert Hennelly was going to be the keeper anyway. Most people around here seem to think his kick-outs are better (although he got criticism for same on Sunday - keepers always do when their midfield is beaten up a stick). Hennelly can also kick 45s. Clarkie can not.

[Kerry Mike]

Please send the silver bucket to :

Mr Sam Maguire
c\o Colm Gooch Cooper
Dr Crokes GAA Club
Killarney
Co. Kerry

[Rossfan]

Ye have to play the final first... ye could be in for a surprise 

[Milltown Row2]

They are 8/11 with Dublin next at 5/1!! The bookies may have been wrong today and yesterday but I don't think they will be wrong here.

Seems the bookies were right in their predictions

[stew]

Nah, just hand it to the dubs instead.