Mayo V Kerry- 8/4/12

[Sam2011]

Well done to the lads for holding out for a draw the last day with 14 men for most of the second half but really we should have killed the game out when we went 8 points up.
Great for the lads to get another game before their long break until championship.
Although I said before I'm not a fan of Barry Moran being full forward it seemed to work against the Dubs so I'd like to see him play there again the next day as Kerry don't really have any big full back.
I'd like to see Caff mark Cooper for a change as we've seen what Higgins can do with him.
Also I think Harte deserves one last run in midfield with O'Shea.
The team I'd like to see the next day is:
Clarke McHale Cafferkey Higgins Keegan Vaughan Boyle O'Shea Harte McLoughlin A. Moran Dillon Mort B. Moran Doherty

[moysider]

Here we go again....2 yellows for Keegan so he should be good to start again. Hopefully Boyle has recovered from sickness of last weekend. Keane to replace O'Reilly as well i'd say.

Team are flying out to Portugal for a weeks training on Sunday evening.

Huh?
Is the knockout stage a different competition to the round robin section?
I thought a red card meant Keegan would have to miss the next two competitive games, regardless of their nature.

Not 100%, can anyone confirm?

You don't miss any games for 2 yellows, only for straight red. So Keegan will be available again for Sunday.

I think I'd go for McHale before Keane. I haven't seen a lot of McHale but he really impressed me against Dublin and he has more pace than Keane. On a big wide pitch like Croker, Keane could be in bother.

I d have thought Keane the pacier of the the two. Even Knockmore posters might agree that the thing that would bother them agout McHale is the way he is geared. I thought that against Dubs he was the most back that had ropey moments with Cullen while Keane was brilliant on McManamon. And Keane has had league games in the corner. Anyway, sure doctors differ and patients die.

On league form and successes the team would be shaping up something like this. Clarkey, Keane, Caff, Higgins, Keegan, Vaughan, Boyle, O Sé, O Sé(if fit again) Kevin Mac, Andy, Dillon, Conoreen, Doherty, Conroy.

I would consider those in green to be pretty much nailed on at this stage. Not saying it would be my preferred team or anything - just the way it seems to be going. And a lot could change yet by championship.

I can t see Harte being in contention for midfield on evidence so far and I can t see him being matchfit for some time yet. if he was a runner he would have got a quarter of an hour the last day when the starting midfield were begining to flag.

[Cosmo Kramer]

I d have thought Keane the pacier of the the two. Even Knockmore posters might agree that the thing that would bother them agout McHale is the way he is geared. I thought that against Dubs he was the most back that had ropey moments with Cullen while Keane was brilliant on McManamon. And Keane has had league games in the corner. Anyway, sure doctors differ and patients die.

On league form and successes the team would be shaping up something like this. Clarkey, Keane, Caff, Higgins, Keegan, Vaughan, Boyle, O Sé, O Sé(if fit again) Kevin Mac, Andy, Dillon, Conoreen, Doherty, Conroy.

I would consider those in green to be pretty much nailed on at this stage. Not saying it would be my preferred team or anything - just the way it seems to be going. And a lot could change yet by championship.

I can t see Harte being in contention for midfield on evidence so far and I can t see him being matchfit for some time yet. if he was a runner he would have got a quarter of an hour the last day when the starting midfield were begining to flag.

Any sign or hope of Ronan Mc coming back this year? If he was able to get to anything near his best a partnership of him and Aidan O'Shea in midfield would be up there with the best around. Would love to see that combination at 8 & 9, even if it was only for a year.

Judging by last year there will be a bit of chopping and changing to come between now and June. Trevors Howley and Mortimer came in late last year and were first choice at various points in the championship. Although dropping McLoughlin for Howley was clearly a mistake.

I still find it hard to look past Mort and O'Connor for the corner forward positions this year, any two out of them, Varley, Conroy or Doherty could do a good job and everyone would have their favourites out of that lot but the experience of Mort together with the talent of Cillian would be my pick at this stage - especially with the likely increase in our free converion rate from having them both out there.

Full Forward is wide open as well. What is the story with Kirby - is he out long term? Wouldn't be shocked to see us revert to Andy at 14 at some point during the year, he did some amount of damage there last year in the big games. Obviously that means losing him at 11, its a similar problem to what we used to have with McDonald, clearly the best man for both positions but you could only have him in one.

[rosnarun]

o connor is far from a shoo in at the moment his form this year has been Cat . even in the u21's against Ros. h e has done little so far to suggest he should start . If his free were going well he might be worth carrying until he finds form but some of his misses in the last games have been unacceptable for a frontline free taker.
with Varley and CMort and backed up by regan  fighting for one corner i reckon its a toss up between Freeman , doherty and O'connor (none of whom are exactly inform ) to chase Conroy for the other , indeed depending on formation Andy moran or dillon may be looking for the jersey either.

at the moment the forward 6 in the driving seat are
Mclauglin andy dillon
Cmort B moran and conroy

But Horan makes so many odd decisons nothing would suprise me .

[Sam2011]

The Kerry Senior Football Team V Mayo in The Allianz League Semi Final on Sunday 15th April 2012 at 2pm.
1. Brendan Kealy (Kilcummin)
2. Shane Enright (Tarbert) 3.Marc Ó Sé (An Ghaeltacht) 4. Killian Young (Renard)
5. Peter Crowley (Laune Rangers) 6. Aidan O'Mahony (Rathmore) 7. Brian Maguire (Listowel Emmett's)
8. Anthony Maher (Duagh) 9. Bryan Sheehan (St. Mary's)
10. Paul Galvin (Finuge) 11. Darran O'Sullivan (Glenbeigh/Glencar) 12. Kieran Donaghy (Austin Stacks)
13. Colm Cooper (Dr Crokes) 14. Declan O'Sullivan (Piarsaigh Na Dromada) 15. Patrick Curtin (Moyvane)

Substitutes:

16. Brian Kelly (Legion) 17. Eoin Brosnan (Dr Crokes) 18. Barry John Keane (Kerins O'Rahillys) 19. Johnny Buckley (Dr Crokes)
20. Jonathan Lyne (Legion) 21. Kieran O'Leary (Dr Crokes) 22. James O'Donoghue (Legion)
23. Donnacha Walsh (Cromane) 24. David O'Callaghan St Pat's Blennerville 25.Daniel Bohan (Austin Stacks)
26. Michael Geaney (Daingean Ui Chuis) 27. Daithi Casey (Dr Crokes) 28. Fionn Fitzgerald (Dr Crokes)

[Sam2011]

Just seen on twitter there that apparently one of Mayo's form players could be out for 3 months with injury. Anyone know who? Hope to God its not Aidan O'Shea.

[macdanger2]

That's a very strong Kerry team - more or less full strength I'd say?

This is a good test for Mayo, on paper Kerry should win it handy but Mayo's midfield should have the edge (assuming AOS is not injured) which should keep it interesting anyway......

[sans pessimism]

I heard it is AOS but not sure

[ballinaman]

Could only have happened in training tonight IF its true....would hold back on the 3 months diagnosis yet.

[blast05]

Hmmm .... and the tweet is from ~8.30pm so while I expect someone picked up a knock, the diagnosis can't be fact based

[Sam2011]

The lads were training last night and again on Friday night so I wouldn't rule out the diagnosis........

[Blowitupref]

Just seen on twitter there that apparently one of Mayo's form players could be out for 3 months with injury. Anyone know who? Hope to God its not Aidan O'Shea.

Back for the Connacht final no big deal is it?

[Farrandeelin]

If AOS is injured for Sunday, I can only see one outcome... Worse than Donegal methinks

[mannix]

Lord god, is there any luck in mayo at all.   

[Farrandeelin]

Lord god, is there any luck in mayo at all.   

Nope. Just an ongoing tale of misery and woe since 1951!