Corcaigh v Cill Dara

[orangeman]

I think Cork will be a serious test for Kerry. A lot of games are decided between numbers 5-12 and who wins most possession. Cork have serious ball winning ability in these departments, and I think they've a chance to squeese Kerry out here ... still though you'd have to fancy Kerry given their coolness under pressure and serious firepower up front

Kerry conceded 1-15 yersterday and look vulnerable defensively.

[Tatler Jack]

A lot of games are decided between numbers 5-12 and who wins most possession

Agree with this conclusion but I thought it was here that Cork were poor enough today after the first 20 mins. Failed to keep up the intensity and reverted to a lot of old habits of careless passing., lazy tackling and losing shape. During the second half the Kildare half back line were mopping up as the Cork half back line was non existent. Letting Tomas O'Se, O'Mahoney and Young have possession like that is to send invitations to a turkey shoot. In the half forward line Seanie O'Brien worked hard but Masters and O'oonor faded completely while in the half back line O'Regan in particular wasted a lot of ball and will be unde pressure to hold his place. Still not convinced that Alan O'Connor is the best midfield option and I would go with Canty here in the semi. Cork's only chance v Kerry is to dominate the middle third of the field - over the past 3 years they have failed to do this v Kerry in Croker and based on today's performace I would not be too hopeful this year.

[imtommygunn]

I think Cork switched off and to be honest could have won by a lot more.

Is Noel O'Leary injured or is he just not making the team?

Your man Shields is some build compared to what he used to be. Him and O'Leary could have an iinfluence in the next game. O'Leary against Galvin was always an interesting clash so pity it will be missed.

Kerry will probably still have too much though. They'll have learnt a lot more from the last few weeks than Cork will have. I don't think Cork will have learnt too much from today except to concentrate but sure they will obviously know they have to do that against Kerry.

[Tatler Jack]

think Cork switched off and to be honest could have won by a lot more

Would not agree. I think (a) Kildare increased their work rate and competed more agressively around midfield and (b) Cork lost shape in the forwards with the result that Kildare were able to build from the back. Also twice Cork had to pull Cussen to midfield and this meant that the option of the quick ball in was not there.

Overall I found it hard to see much improvement on last year either in individual performances (maybe Pierce O'Neill is playing better) or overall team tactics and approach. There is still a tendency to resort to the bad old habits of  short cross field passing and for players to dally too long on the ball giving the opposition time to cover off.

Cork were hanging on at the end and I would not have backed them if it had gone  to extra time.

[meathie]

Wasnt impressed with Cork yesterday. I think Kildare are fairly crap to be honest and got a lot further than they should have. I think Kerry willk win handy enough in the semi, as usual. hope Im wrong but.......

[AZOffaly]

The major difference this week to last week was that Kildare couldn't force Cork down the wings as easily as they did Fermanagh. The fact that Cussen offered an outlet, even though O'Neill did well on him initially, meant that Cork always had that 'out' ball down the middle, which opened up scoring opportunities in front of the posts. Also, the Cork corner forwards made much more intelligent runs than their Fermanagh counterparts. They came 'across' the front of the goals diagonally, which made it a lot harder for them to be pushed out. Fermanagh were receiving the ball near the sideling and being pushed further out, or else were running bad lines, which made them poor targets, which made the half backs and midfielders shoot mpre. Of course the Kildare backs may have struggled to reach the intensity levels again, which would have contributed, but I do think Cork were more savvy up front than Fermanagh as well.

Unfortunately I didn't Sky Plus this game, by accident, so I can't compare and contrast, but I'd bet my Cork 'shot chart' would be a lot more balanced than the Fermanagh one was.

[Dinny Breen]

I think Kildare are fairly crap to be honest and got a lot further than they should have.

Fantastic analysis but then again you also predicted Limerick to trounce Kildare, it is impossible to over achieve which is what you are probably trying to say about Kildare. 

[meathie]

heh? no Im trying to say that I think Kildare are fairly crap, thats all.

[Tatler Jack]

I think Kildare are fairly crap to be honest and got a lot further than they should have

Not sure what qualifies as "fairly crap" but it was good enough to get them to the last 8 and could have got them to a semi final. Assume 20+ other teams are "pure crap".

I thought Kildare showed potential yesterday but could take a couple of years yet to get them as real challengers. Once they settled they won a lot of possesion, tackled well and conceded few enough scorable frees. They created 3 or 4 goal chances and varied some of their forward play quite well - some direct running and some good cross field ball. Still a work in progress but were better than I had thoguht they would be - would expect them to move out of the "fairly crap" category next year to whatever the next level up is.

[Dinny Breen]

I thought Kildare showed potential yesterday but could take a couple of years yet to get them as real challengers. Once they settled they won a lot of possesion, tackled well and conceded few enough scorable frees. They created 3 or 4 goal chances and varied some of their forward play quite well - some direct running and some good cross field ball. Still a work in progress but were better than I had thoguht they would be - would expect them to move out of the "fairly crap" category next year to whatever the next level up is.

Exactly, been saying that all year that most people in Kildare see the potential in this team and are aware that they are very much a work in progress. Anyway who fails to awknowledge Kildare's progress really shouldn't be passing comment as they seem to be deflecting from their own county's failings.

To be honest all this lazy anaysis comes form lazy journalism based on the Wicklow game from almost 3 months ago, where Wicklow just didn't get the credit they deserved and are dismissed as a division four team yet Wexford a division three side are in the semi-final and league position never gets mentioned.

[Main Street]

A bit more focus from Kildare would have been good fun. Although Cork had a bit of panic they had some cool heads at the end.

4 subs before 25 minutes had been played tells me that the Kildare coaching staff hadn't much of a clue as to what the best starting 15 was and that was at an AI QF. On the other hand maybe there is the capacity to improve in a lot of those areas.

[lynchbhoy]

Kildare have a lot of potential, but its some way off yet.
McGeeney and grimley will help out the defense, but they need more of an idea going forward. Smith has taken his club form onto the county sides and is going to be another decent striking forward taking pressure of Doyle.

Cork though made far too many substitutions way too early and dismanteled their own momentum.
I still think that this cork side , that now seems to have more firepower than ever can go all the way.
However they really need to play for more than 10 mins a half or 20 mins a game.
Potentially great scorers in Goulding, goold, masters, cussen and a guy who I didnt expect to be as good - hayes , are all scorers. Donncha oconnor too but he was dreadful on sat.

With Murphy back I think th enegative press on cork for not winning by a cricket score and for looking sluggish etc will help their prep against the old enemy and could help motivate them - as well as last years AI final fiasco in croker.

Will be very interesting.
A cork v dublin final could go either way. imo cork have a better chance of beating kerry than anyone else.

[Dinny Breen]

4 subs before 25 minutes had been played tells me that the Kildare coaching staff hadn't much of a clue as to what the best starting 15 was and that was at an AI QF.

They made 1 change from the Fermangh game, they knew their starting 15, just didn't know how they would react to 4 games in a row, the changes just freshend up things. When was the last time a team had to play 4 championship games in a row, very hard to guage how players will react menatlly and physically to that scenario.

[AZOffaly]

4 subs before 25 minutes had been played tells me that the Kildare coaching staff hadn't much of a clue as to what the best starting 15 was and that was at an AI QF.

They made 1 change from the Fermangh game, they knew their starting 15, just didn't know how they would react to 4 games in a row, the changes just freshend up things. When was the last time a team had to play 4 championship games in a row, very hard to guage how players will react menatlly and physically to that scenario.

I think Killian Brennan is a case in point there Dinny. He just looked completely out on his feet from the first minute. He's not a greyhound anyway, but he's not as slow as he looked on Sunday. I felt sorry for him coming off.

[Dinny Breen]

I think Killian Brennan is a case in point there Dinny. He just looked completely out on his feet from the first minute. He's not a greyhound anyway, but he's not as slow as he looked on Sunday. I felt sorry for him coming off.

Yea Gooch looked shattered, probably the last time for him and his Suncroft team mate Rainbow to wear the white of Kildare. At least they can leave with their heads held high.