Kerry v Dublin

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1. Brendan Kealy                    Kilcummin

2. Pa Kilkenny                        Glenbeigh/Glencar

3. Mark Griffin                       St Michaels/Foilmore

4. Fionn Fitzgerald                  Dr Crokes

5. Jonathan Lyne                     Killarney Legion

6. Jack Sherwood                    Firies

7. Paul Murphy                       Rathmore

8. Anthony Maher                   Duagh

9. David Moran                       Kerins O'Rahillys

10. Michael Geaney                Dingle

11. Bryan Sheehan                  St Marys

12. Johnny Buckley                Dr Crokes

13. Stephen O'Brien               Kenmare

14. Kieran Donaghy    (C)       Austin Stacks

15. Paul Geaney                      Dingle

Fir Ionaid:

16. Brian Kelly                        Killarney Legion

17. Tommy Walsh                   Kerins O'Rahillys

18. Barry John Keane             Kerins O'Rahillys

19. Killian Young                   Renard

20. Kieran O'Leary                 Dr Crokes

21. Padraig O'Connor             Killarney Legion

22. Alan Fitzgerald                 Castlegregory

23. Philip O'Connor                Cordal

24. Shane Enright                   Tarbert

25. Peter Crowley                   Laune Rangers

26. Paul O'Donoghue             St Marys

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1 Seán Currie (Ballymun Kickhams)
2 Eoin Culligan (Kilmacud Crokes)
3 Rory O'Carroll (Kilmacud Crokes)
4 Darren Daly (Fingal Ravens)
5 Jonny Cooper (Na Fianna)
6 Johnny Small (Ballymun Kickhams)
7 Jack McCaffrey (Clontarf)
8 Denis Bastick (Templeogue Synge St)
9 Emmett O Conghaile (Lucan Sarsfields)
10 Tomás Brady (Na Fianna)
11 Dean Rock (Ballymun Kickhams)
12 Ciaran Kilkenny (Castleknock)
13 Kevin McManamon (St Jude's)
14 Eoghan O'Gara (Templeogue Synge St)
15 Cormac Costello (Whitehall Colmcille)

[macdanger2]

When will Gooch be back?

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Strongish looking Kerry lineup even if they have a few notable absentees still.

Will be interesting to see how fit Paul Geaney is as I thought he looked well off the pace in the Sigerson final. Also interesting to see how the Tommy Walsh experiment develops as you'd imagine he's odds on to be first sub at an earlyish stage.

The defence as a unit seems fairly lacking in terms of experience for this level with O'Se, Mahony, Crowley, Young and Enright all still absent.

Will be interesting to see how the attack works with Donaghy back - will it be high balls all day long? . Bit surprised Sheahen is starting, as I thought he looked woeful in the Mayo game.

A poor performance at home to Mayo and a sluggish enough win over what sounded like a fairly poor Derry team are an acceptable enough All-Ireland hangover. However if things go badly at home again the natives could start getting a wee bit cranky.

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When will Gooch be back?

I did see a thing a while back that mentioned March but not sure if that was the beginning or end.

There was an interview with James O'Donoghue during the week and he sounded a fair bit away as well; has a meeting with his surgeon next week iirc.

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As regards the Dublin subs bench the following 26 players are players who have either featured for Dublin in the league already this year or were part of the Dublin championship panel last year.

Alan Brogan
Bernard Brogan
Brian Fenton
Cian O'Sullivan
Ciaran Reddin
Conor McHugh
Darragh Nelson
David Bryne
Davy Bryne
Declan O'Mahony
Diarmuid Connolly
Eric Lowdnes
Ger Brennan
James McCarthy
Kevin Nolan
Michael Darragh MacAuley
Michael Deegan
Michael Fitzsimmons
Niall McGovern
Nicky Devereux
Paddy Andrews
Paul Flynn
Philip McMahon
Phillip Ryan
Shane Carthy
Stephen Cluxton

Overall looking at those 26 names trying to even guess the subs lineup is a fool's errand and looking at the 41 names in total, it's clear that the Dublin's strength in depth is no myth.

Bernard Brogan
Brian Fenton
Ciaran Reddin
Conor McHugh
David Bryne
Davy Bryne
Eric Lowdnes
Michael Deegan
Michael Fitzsimmons
Philip McMahon
Shane Carthy
Alan Brogan
Cian O'Sullivan
Darragh Nelson
Declan O'Mahony
Diarmuid Connolly
Ger Brennan
James McCarthy
Kevin Nolan
Michael Darragh MacAuley
Niall McGovern
Nicky Devereux
Paddy Andrews
Paul Flynn
Phillip Ryan
Stephen Cluxton

Overall looking at those 26 names who are the contenders for the subs bench and trying to even guess the subs lineup is a fool's errand, while looking at the 41 names in total, it's clear that the Dublin's have an array of riches in terms of squad depth.

Looking at that 15 the first thing that crossed my mind is whether it might be a bit of a dummy team, given Cormac Costello is named to start even though the Dublin U21s have their first championship game against Laois on Wednesday. As a bit of a bitter cynic it almost looks like a bit of a phoney war effort from Gavin and his back-room team in the league this year, especially after the odd substitution policy against Cork, where all the subs they made consisted of taking off the players who were performing best that day when the game was very much in the melting pot and there to be won.

The 15 named is a decent looking lineup and very close to the side that beat Donegal handy enough but yet there are very few lads in that 15 who who would describe as certain of their place in the team/squad, while for a lot of them who could very easily end up with limited or no playing time come the championship if their form dips.

Promises to be an intriguing battle and I'd hesitantly tip Kerry as I think they are under more pressure to produce a result but things could change drastically if Dublin go with a strong bench with a number of their established big-hitters rather than opting for one similar in strength/experience to the Donegal game.

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Where Kerry are on the injury front

Can you update us on the injury situation with some of the more prominent players?

"A lot of the lads are progressing well, you've got the likes of Peter Crowley, Shane Enright, Paul O'Donoghue and Brian Kelly back on the bench so we've had a few returns since the last game. Killian Young was a sub in the last game, he's back again full steam ahead. Donnchadh Walsh has had a bit of a setback with his groin, nothing major but he's not ready yet. The likes of Darran O'Sullivan is back training, Marc Ó Sé is back full training and Aidan O'Mahony is  not too far away. The injuries are progressing nicely, thanks be to god."

When do you expect the injuries to clear up and be able to field stronger teams?

"Definitely by the end of March you'd expect most of the lads to be back, maybe the Donegal game, but it will depend on how they're doing in training, from week to week we'll see how the squad is going, are we picking up knocks, picking up suspensions and so on. In an ideal world, you wouldn't be pressing fellows back into action before time but we might need to. The lads are progressing nicely and it's just a matter of getting the balance between winning games and getting football into fellows at the same time."

What about the two long term injured Colm Cooper and James O'Donoghue – will they see any League action? Could Colm come back before the end of the month?

"Yes, it is a possibility. I mean with Colm first of all, he's doing well but he's not ready yet, it's as simple as that. He's not ready to play a game so we're going to wait until he is ready, he's very much symptom led, his knee is good but once he has a bit of football played and his body conditioning is right he'll be ready to go and he'll see a bit of action. I'm reluctant to put a date on it but hopefully Colm will see action by the end of the league.

As for James (O Donoghue), he's in a situation that we're going to have to wait and see. We're not going to be rushing him back until he's ready and he's unlikely to see any action in the regulation League but if we progress to a semi-final or a final maybe he might be in a position at that stage to play. We're going to be patient with the lads, we're not going to push them into action until they're ready, both of them have had long term injuries so there isn't much point in rushing them at the end of it, maybe for the sake of a game. We'll get them right first and then they'll be back."

There's some more stuff as well at the link

http://www.kerrygaa.ie/news/353133/Eamonn_Fitzmaurice_Interview_on_Kerry_GAA_Website

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ha - was right about the dummy team from Gavin and the Dubs

Three Dublin changes, Michael Fitzsimmons, Philly McMahon and Shane Carthy in for Eoin Culligan, John Small and Emmet Ó Conghaile.

Dublin Subs
Lorcan Molloy
Paddy Andrews
Bernard Brogan
David Byrne
Eoin Culligan
Nicky Devereux
John Small
Eric Lowndes
Emmet O Conghaile
Cian O'Sullivan
Philip Ryan.

Changing my prediction to Dublin based on the subs bench.

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Schmozzle alert !!!

Unsurprising after a throw-ball

Black card to Bastic - had to be as he clearly pulled Donaghy to the ground wrestling style.

Tomas Brady picked up yellow for something

Early appearance for Cian O'Sullivan

[joemamas]

RTE should change the name of GAAGO to GAASTOP AND GO

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Bryan Sheehan having a bit of a mare in general play.

Dublin 5 Kerry 3

Dublin forwards look to be having the Kerry defence in more trouble than the other way around

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Kerry's half forward line in serious trouble - Sheehan struggling bigtime, M Geaney not playing well and Buckley very quiet.

Dublin 0-6 Kerry 0-3

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Interesting moment there with Currie's kickout kicking it straight to a Kerry player when the short kickout was put under pressure.

And then he does it again, but Kerry butcher a goal scoring opportunity.

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O'Gara blasts wide when he was 1 one 1 with the keeper.

Costello gets away with a yellow there when he had a rather questionable foot out.

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Dublin 7 Kerry 5

Cant help think Dublin should be a few more points ahead given how off the pace Kerry have been.