Gaillimh v Cíarrai - Round 7 Div 1

[Kerry Mike]

First off best wishes to Joe Bergin and hopefully his injury is not too serious. Bergin will be a huge loss for Galway not just in this game but further in the summer if its so serious.

A big game for both counties to test themselves with a final spot up for grabs too.

Kerry should be heading back towards full strength with Declan O'Sullivan back at full tilt and Paul Galvin and Sean O'Sullivan are back in training too, Colm Cooper is back from the US and has played with Dr Crokes and will train this week as well through I doubt if we will see him in this game though you dont know with his club mate Pat O'Shea. The Kerry U21 panel members will be available too for this game after being out for the Munster championship so there will be some a tough calls for Pat O'Shea to make partiicularly up front given that the backs and midfield will remain faily constant.

The Goalies might rotate again so it might be Kieran Cremin's turn, both have done well in their games and with only 1 goal conceded in 6 games to date they will both be happy enough to get some games.

I'd expect a full back line of Marc O'Se , Tom O'Sullivan and Padraig Reidy with only their positions up for grabs. With Michael Meehan and an on form Padraig Joyce to face up to it will be a huge test, would like to see O'Se on Meehan, a Great match up that would be.

Tomas O'Se should fill the No 5 geansai and I would think given Aidan O'Mahony replaced Ronan O'Flaherta last weekend he should start at centre back. The only position up for grabs I'd say is Killian Young or Tommy Griffin on t'other wing , Griffin has been very consistant throughout the league while Young has captained Kerry to the U21 Munster title leading them with a few MOTD perforrmances.

Midfield will probably be Darragh O'Se and Seamus Scanlon but given the possibility of facing big Cullinane in the Galway midfield Kerry have the options of moving Kieran Donaghy or Mike Quirke to try out there, though I cant see either starting.

Up front we continue to have great options and the competion for places will be fierce before the championship cull in a few weeks though with only 2 goals (1 a penalty) in the 6 league games to date we need to find that killer touch in front of goals. Welcome back Mr Cooper.

The half forward line is hard to choose from if all are fit, Kerry have rotated 10 players in the 6 games to date in the half line with starting appearances in brackets.

Eoin Brosnan (4),Donncha Walsh (3),Declan O'Sullivan (2),Sean O'Sullivan (2),Paul Galvin (1),Anthony Maher (2),Bryan Sheehan (1),
Darren O'Sullivan (1),Daniel Bohane (1), David Moran (1)

I'd expect Declan O'Sullivan to get a start with Brosnan and Walsh next weekend

The full forward line has is a bit more of a settled look to it but could have some changes given that the following have made appearance this league, Kieran Donaghy (5), Bryan Sheehan (5), Darren O'Sullivan (3), Kieran O'Leary (2), Sean OSullivan (1), Tommy Walsh (1), Paul O'Connor (1).

This weekend should see Darren O'Sullivan continue at number 13 with Donaghy and Bryan Sheehan in the corner and hopefully his free taking will be on form

Throw in subs Mike Frank Russell, Mike Quirke, Paddy Curran and a soon to return to action Colm Cooper and it just shows the extent of the kerry attacking options for the summer ahead.

Anyway Sunday will be a big game for us and am looking forward to it.

[GalwayBayBoy]

Galway team v Kerry:

1 Paul Doherty
2 Kieran Fitzgerald 
3 Finian Hanley
4 Damien Burke 
5 Gary Sice
6 Niall Coyne 
7 Darren Mullahy 
8 Niall Coleman
9 Barry Cullinane 
10 Damien Dunleavy 
11 Padraic Joyce 
12 Declan Meehan 
13 Matthew Clancy 
14 Michael Meehan 
15 Fiachra Breathneach

16 Adrian Faherty 
17 Michael Comer 
18 David Finnegan 
19 Alan Burke 
20 Eddie Hoare 
21 Mark Lydon 
22 Paul Conroy 
23 Cormac Bane 
24 Nicky Joyce 
25 Diarmuid Blake
26 Cathal Kenny 
27 Mark Gottsche

Joe Bergin obviously out long-term. No Sean Armstrong either? Don't tell me he's injured himself again.

[tbrick18]

What happened Joe Bergin?

[mattockranger]

long term damage to his ankle,   ligaments a i think

just wonderin wat does michael meehan do for a living?

[the Deel Rover]

long term damage to his ankle,   ligaments a i think

just wonderin wat does michael meehan do for a living?

well according to some he plays football for a living isn't that right orangeman

[MaroonAndWhite]

Joe Bergin ruptured his achilles tendon so in all likelihood, he wont see championship action this year.

Michael Meehan works for an accountancy firm in Galway run by a fellow Caltra man as far as I know. He has also presided at every shop, pub and facility opening in Galway for the last three years  And why wouldnt he i suppose....

[coosanglen]

Ya Mike Meehan is an accountant alright, did finacial maths or something in NUIG first. bad news about bergin, 18 weeks apparently before he can start back

[MaroonAndWhite]

Kerry (SF v Galway): D Murphy; P Reidy, M O Se, T O'Sullivan; T O Se, A O'Mahony, T Griffin; D O Se, S Scanlon; D O'Sullivan, T Walsh, A Maher; MF Russell, K Donaghy, B Sheehan

Not a bad ould line up....we will have the work cut out.

Looking forward to seeing how Finian Hanley goes against Donaghy, huge test for him.....first time they face each other. Ive seen Hanley against big men in club championship fare in Galway and he hasnt convinced when the ball in rained in on top of him so it will be interesting to see how Kerry play the ball in to Donaghy. Still, Id rate Hanley highly so Id be hopeful he will hold his own.
You would think that the Galway wing backs wont have as much opportunity to tear forward on Sunday so we will see how they are defensively.
Cullinane -v- O'Se in midfield...........bring the first aid kit.........
O'Mahony on Joyce will be a tough battle too......two hardened men.
Mike Meehan v Marc O'Se....a re-run of An Gaeltacht -v- Caltra a few years ago when, from recollection, Mike got the best of it........we will need a similar type of performance to get the points here.

Should be class match, conditions permitting...... Will the Kingdom bring a big following or ye waiting for the final?

[GalwayBayBoy]

Bergin ruled out for four months

Joe Bergin
10 April 2008


Galway midfielder Joe Bergin is facing a four-month lay-off after undergoing surgery on an Achilles tendon injury on Tuesday.

The Mountbellew clubman suffered the injury during the first half of last Sunday's NFL victory over Mayo, and Galway officials have confirmed that a target date of August 12 has been set for his possible return.

As a result of the injury, he will miss the remainder of the National League, the entire Connacht championship and the All-Ireland quarter-final on August 9/10 if Galway make it that far. It would therefore appear that Galway would need to reach the All-Ireland semi-final for Bergin to sample action again this year.

Team-mate Michael Meehan admitted: "He is a huge loss. We are devastated for him.

"He's a great player and a lovely fella. Galway need him playing well to give them a great chance. It is just unfortunate that he picked up the injury at this stage of the year.

"He is going to be out for the best part of the summer, if not all the summer."

There is better news concerning wing back Niall Coyne, who is expected to resume playing in the coming weeks after suffering a leg injury against Mayo.

[belleaqua]

Im pretty sure Hanley marked Donaghy in a Railway Cup match in 2006 and handled him very well. In saying that it was the Railway Cup and i think JOM employed a sweeper in front of Donaghy too. Sunday will tell.

[Kerry Mike]

Ah well I got the half forwards line totally wrong but will be interesting to see how the 3 lads get on, its certainly inexperienced looking, Donncha Walsh has done well in his outings to date and Anthony Maher will get another opportunity, Darren O'Sullivan is better ion the wing so hopefully we will see him at his best there, fair play to Pat O'Shea for continuing to give lads a chance.

Nothing too exciting looking about our subs but no's 23 & 24 look like real prospects.....great to see both of them back.

MFR gets his first start of the year in the corner and will need a great performance to keep the Great Ginger One at bay for the summer if he is to have any input into winning a possible 6th medal.

None of the U21 players in the squad at all so they are being held back for the all Ireland Semi final which in itself shows the seriousness they are taking it this year which is good to see.

A huge game for us , a result would be great but hard to see us with a real goal scoring threat just yet, but will see how Marc gets on with Meehan, thats the key battle if we are going to win.

Ciarraí
(1) Diarmuid Murphy Dingle
(2) Padraig ReidyScartaglin (3) Marc Ó Sé An Ghaeltacht (4) Tom O'Sullivan Rathmore
5) Tomás Ó Sé (Capt) An Ghaeltacht (6) Aidan O'Mahony Rathmore (7) Tommy Griffin Dingle
(8)Darragh Ó Sé An Ghaeltacht (9)Seamus Scanlon Currow
(10) Darren O'Sullivan Glenbeigh/Glencar (11) Donncha Walsh Cromane (12) Anthony Maher Duagh
(13) Mike Frank Russell Laune Rangers (14) Kieran Donaghy Austin Stacks (15) Bryan Sheehan St Marys 

Fir Ionad
16) Kieran Cremin Dr. Crokes
(17)  Eoin Brosnan Dr. Crokes
(18)  Daniel Bohane Austin Stacks
19) Rónán Ó Flatharta An Ghaeltacht
20) Mícheál Quirke Kerins O'Rahillys
(21) Kieran Quirke Duagh
22) Pat Corridan Finuge



Wait for it








23) Declan O'Sullivan Piarsaigh Na Dromada

and........................

24) Colm Cooper Dr Crokes

[An Fhairche Abu]

I never been optimistic before a game against Kerry (bar the 2002 q-final game where I thought we would win - I was very much mistaken, Tomas Mannion's only loss in a competitive match in Croke Park I think) and I see no reason to be any different now, although I do think that Kerry certainly don't have their full strength team out. With Cooper and Declan O'Sullivan on the bench to come on it's a strong lineup even saying that.

Had a gawk over on the Kerry Gaa Forum, the Kerry fans (and a Tyrone man) are confident out for the weekend:

"Surely kerry will be able to have a good cut at beating that Galway team."

"I think Kerry will be too strong and will win 2/3 points."

"kerry will take it seriously and will win,have ye all forgotten last years connaught final??!!!"

I can't say I blame their confidence, Kerry have done very well in the league (robbed in Donegal) without many of their best players, they are so far ahead of the pack it's frightening really. It'll be a bit of a kick in the teeth for Galway to have done well in the league (bar the loss to Donegal which we should have got a draw from a least) and miss out on the league final based on the final round results but that's the nature of a very competitive Division 1.

To be honest although Tom O'Sullivan has cleaned Meehan any time they've played each other before I'm disappointed that he is not FB for Kerry, he isn't a full back and was lucky not to come up against a full forward in top form last year, Meehan in FF is a different proposition to Meehan in the corner, would have liked to see how that would have panned out but Meehan will have it all to do against the player of the year 2007 as it is; O'Sullivan is a brilliantly lethal corner back however who will make bits of Breathneach if matched up against him. Clancy would give him a better game but he'll be way out the field anyway.
The loss of Joe Bergin is big for this match but will only be felt really in a championship game, the man has had his detractors but is a proven championship player for Galway. Hard to see the forwards and midfield making much inroads against that Kerry linup from 2-9 in fairness.

Hopefully we can pull off a result but going by our recent luck/poor performances when it's mattered the last few years what price a Kerry victory by 3 points taking them through to the final???

[johnpower]

Any body got directions to the pitch ?.I know my way to Salthill but after that I am lost .Looking forward to the game .Galway are always a pleasure to watch .Some good battles .I hope the ref and the winds do not destroy the match .Leauge referees are driving me mad this year

[dodo]

All information here including a map

http://www.pearsestadium.ie/venueinfo.html

[johnpower]

Thanks alot much appreciated