Dún Na nGall V Ciarraí

[Kerry Mike]

Its the game of the day in Round 1 of the National football league: The All Ireland Champions against the National League Champions.

Kerry have a strong looking team out, on paper anyway, but with only a handful of training sessions under their belts after a winter of beer, celebrations and recent holidays, I'd expect them to be a bit ring rusty.

But it is a great test for them to try out their hunger for the year, missing the Gooch who is in the US for a few months and Darragh O'Se who is resting up for bigger games in the Summer, while Tomas O'Se warms the bench. Am a bit surprised that a few lads from last years panel are not getting a run but maybe thats a clear indication of the hunger of the players in that no regular will ease up and want to let anyone take their spot.

Mike Quirke gets a run in Midfield with Seamus Scanlon who will be keen to prove his excellent season last year was not a flash while young defenders Reidy and Young will also want to cement their positions on the left wing.

Tommy Griffin will push hard for a starting berth during the coming months and if his injuries from last year are behind him it will keep the pressure on the half backs and midfield for their spots.

Sean O'Sullivan starts in Coopers berth in the Corner but I'd expect to see him further out the field. David Moran son of Ogie is the only new panel member and he joins former minor Tommy Walsh (Son of Sean) on the bench.

Surprised that there are no new faces in the panel besides Moran. But its a a tough group to break into, and I have faith in Pat O'Shea to do the right thing for the Kingdom in 2008.

Will be interesting how to see Pauil Galvin handles the mantle of captain, will he curb some of his aggression for the team or will we see more of what we have come to expect from one of our unsung heroes over the last few years.

With no mini games played like the other 3 provinces I am looking forward to see how we come out of the blocks on Saturday.
Laying down a marker in the league is important, I expect a good performance from us but wont be surprised if Donegal win it by a few points, they have a few months training and several games played in the Mc Kenna Cup under their belts so would expect them to be more match fit then the Kerry biys but we will see.

Kerry Team for Saturday 2nd February 

Thursday, 31 January 2008 
Dún Na nGall V Ciarraí
1. Diarmuid Murphy (Dingle), 2.Marc Ó Sé (An Ghaeltacht) 3. Tom O'Sullivan, (Rathmore)  4. Padraig Reidy (Scartaglin), 5. Tommy Griffin (Dingle) 6. Aidan O'Mahony (Rathmore)  7. Killian Young (Renard) 8. Mícheál Quirke, Kerins O'Rahillys,  9. Seamus Scanlon, Currow 10. Eoin Brosnan, Dr. Crokes 11.Declan O'Sullivan,Dromid Pearses  12.Paul Galvin (Captain) Finuge 13. Sean O'Sullivan, Cromane, 14. Kieran Donaghy, Austin Stacks 15. Bryan Sheehan St. Mary's
Fir Ionaid:
16. Ciarán Ó Creimín, Kieran Cremin, Dr. Crokes, 17. Tómas Ó Sé, An Ghaeltacht18. Dónal Ó Buacháin, Daniel Bohan, Austin Stacks, 19. Rónán Ó Flatharta An Ghaeltacht. 20.Tomás Breathnach, Tommy Walsh, Kerins O'Rahillys 21.Dáithí Ó Móráin, David Moran (Kerins O'Rahilly's) 22. Donncha Breathnach, Donncha Walsh, Cromane 23. Pól Ó Conchúir, Paul O'Connor, Kenmare 24.Ciarán Ó Laoire, Kieran O'Leary, Dr. Crokes, 25.Deaglán Ó Coill, Declan Quill, Kerins O'Rahillys. 

[Gabriel_Hurl]

looking forward to watching this on telly on Saturday - Damn Setanta for not showing it live 

[HowdyDoody]

Setanta Broadband N.America showing this game live at 1.30

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

Read an interview with MvIver earlier this week, think we'll be lucky to field 15 with the number of injuries!
Captain Cassidy quoted as saying the Donegal are not bothered about winning the league!!
Think Kerry may take this one.

[J70]

Donegal haven't been back training too long either - Down ran them off the park last week! And, as Gaoth Dobhair Abu reports, we're missing quite a few players, particularly in the forward lines. Looking at that Kerry lineup, if we finish within three or four  of them points I'll consider it a nice moral victory to set us up for the rest of the campaign!

[J70]

Donegal team...

P Durcan; K Lacey, N McGee, P McDaid; K Cassidy (cpt), E McGee, F McGlynn; N Gallagher, C Bonner; C Toye, D Walsh B Roper; C McFadden, R Bradley, K McMenamin.

A bit inexperienced down the left and through the middle of the forwards. The Glenswilly pairing at midfield should be interesting (I thought Bonner was taking the year out?). Roper back for another year - he's some trooper! Good to see Cas back in the half-backs as well.

[J70]

Just watched the game on Setanta there now - we were just a tad lucky! I suppose Kerry's goal was lucky enough too though.

A bit worrying overall, in my opinion, especially as we're a couple of weeks ahead of Kerry in terms of training and match practise. We looked very toothless up front, even if the conditions didn't help. Some of the misses were appalling, particularly McMenamin's goal chance, but Kerry will look to a couple of very scorable frees that Sheehan missed. We struggled for scores last year in the championship, and I didn't see a whole lot there last night to suggest that we will be able to put up 15 or 16 points to win a big game. We can point to missing players such as Devenney and Sweeney, but I think their heyday in the championship has passed. Rory Kavanagh will be a welcome return after his suspension, but apart from himself and young Murphy (who's still a schoolboy!), there isn't a whole lot more there.

Good performances from the backs, especially Cassidy, while we competed well in a scrappy midfield, with Roper winning a tonne of breaks.

Could be a vital two points in the end - I don't think we're going to waltz through unbeaten this year.

[J70]

Class picture...

[johnpower]

Kerry will be disappointed especially away from home . Have Donegal much training done ?. J70 the picture tells it all not easy to judge any team playing in these conditions .At least the games are back

[J70]

I'm not sure when exactly Donegal started, but apparently it was at least a month later than last year, when their greater fitness really showed in the early stages of the league against tough opposition. Kerry (according to the Setanta commentary) are only back from a holiday in the states, so apparently they've little training done at all. From our point of view, it was a good time to get them, even if they had a strong team out.

[Draff]

Here's what that picture looks like from the far side...

[Mike Sheehy]

They restaged it. Check out the photographers assistant holding the light over scanlons head (no 9)

[Star Spangler]

Class picture...

It's no wonder Spillane reckons Kerry play puke football!! 

[Mike Sheehy]

Its good to see an example where everybody stays on their feet and makes an honest attempt to contest the ball. Maybe, you Tyrone lads could learn a thing or two from that..

[Maguire01]

What's Ulster's David Humphries doing on the far right of that shot?