Kerry v Cork All Ireland Final 2009

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Not sure I saw much of an immovable Cork defence against Donegal. Tyrone won no ball at midfield- neither side will have that monopoly that Cork had against Tyrone on Sunday-unless one of them  implodes completely which I find hard to imagine.

The Cork defence had switched off against Donegal Indiana, though young Murphy was still majestic when given the chance. Against ourselves, we won a few balls in midfield (generally the scraps), but could do nothing with them, such was the pressure being applied by Cork. And when I say defence, I don't mean just the Cork defence, but the rest that will muck in too.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Jeez lads, it's taking the nordie feckers to fill out a few pages for ye! 

From today's Irish News:

Rebels learn along the way

By Denis Hurley


The conventional wisdom after Cork's All-Ireland senior football semi-final win was that the Rebels had 'out-Tyroned' Tyrone.

The high level of pressure, forcing numerous turnovers, was a big factor in the victory, with the Ulster champions simply unable to cope with Cork's intensity. Of course, it was a compliment to how the Red Hand had risen above everyone else that the only way to beat them was to do it at their own game, and in that regard Cork had a trump card.

Selector Peadar Healy is a Garda by profession, now based in Glengarriff in West Cork, but his previous postings further up the country provided this student of Gaelic football an opportunity to see at close quarters just how far ahead of the rest the northern teams had become.

"I was stationed on the border at Dundalk and later in Castleblaney," he said. "I used to travel up to Crossmaglen and watch them train, I would have watched Armagh train a lot. They were so far ahead of us it was unreal, they were so far advanced, to be fair. They really were getting their act together up there, at underage level too. In the mid-90s, late 90s, the work that was going on there was phenomenal, and it's no surprise that Armagh, Tyrone and Monaghan have all done well. You could see underage teams working with sacks and tyres."

The Naomh Aban clubman makes no bones that Cork set out to take the best aspects of the Ulster game and refine them to their own requirements: "Look, Tyrone are the team that have done it. We ask what we can learn from them and bring it on and use it ourselves."

As well as providing input into team selection along with manager Conor Counihan and Jim Nolan, Terry O'Neill and Ger O'Sullivan, Healy is also responsible for the Cork panel's football coaching.

"There are two of us in it really, there is Aidan O'Connell, who is involved with the strength and conditioning, and he is excellent. My role then is, obviously, as a selector and I do all of the football too. I prepare the drills and I try to get the football as close as I can to game situations, and preparing as best I can for the next game.

"Myself and Aidan would have a lot of contact with each other with regard to the training sessions, preparing for the next session, the next football cycle. There's no great mystery to it. Every team are at it, you're just trying to keep improving, get better with every game."

Having come in as part of Counihan's management team 18 months ago, Healy is also forthright in saying that he believed back then that Cork could be where they are now, paying tribute to Billy Morgan's work prior to then.

"Certainly, we did, yeah," he said. "The players were there and, in fairness to Billy, he laid down the foundations. He got in strength and conditioning coaches and he developed the players. We've just carried it on from there."

BELIEF has been a key word in the Cork camp all year long, from the McGrath Cup win through the NFL Division Two victory and subsequent Championship progress. However, Healy does not feel that this ingredient was lacking in previous years either, rather it has been a case of gradual improvement year-on-year.

"I don't think that [that belief was lacking], I think it's more that they keep wanting to improve and get better. They have great belief in their ability. There's great credit due to the clubs. When the players come into me, they have very high skill levels. They just wanted to get back to this point where they were two years ago."

And it is in the final Cork have arrived, with the focus on what comes next, rather than patting themselves on the back for what has been achieved.

"We've come to a point now where anything we've done up to now, you box it, you park it, put it aside," said Healy. "Kerry are going to be tough, they're a good team, but I have great confidence in this time and I do believe that we are ready for this game. This is what we've worked for. This is what I've given a year and a half for, this team, these players. When they put on the red and white jersey, that's what they're working towards.

"Everything else up to now is irrelevant. Winning an All-Ireland, that's what it's about. We're preparing for this one game."

And the unity that the panel displays is what Healy feels will push Cork over the line.

"That's exactly it, that's their strength," he said. "One thing we're very lucky with is that they're all travelling in the one direction. We all have our minds set on the one goal. I have no doubts in this team. They are ready, they have worked so hard to get to this point."

[yyyyy]

We've been training behind closed doors this last 2 weeks (one to keep the Langers away, two to keep the Swine flu out and 3 to get some good auld fashioned skelping out of the systems), some of the talk around Langerland this week is not that they are going to win but that they will give us a good hiding in the process such is their confidence, I hear Kerry's training is just about coming up with new ways to keep the ball kicked out to the Langeroos so they can win in style.
Your would nearly be happy for them to win adding to their depressingly low 6 All Irelands. 

Lowest build up I have seen in all my years for a final, but the pressure is really on the Langers no doubt about that, they cannot be seen to be the team to lose 6 times to Kerry in Croke Park, they would become an even bigger laughing stock than their hurlers at the start of the year if that is possible. The Ball Grabber will have them primed though and it will be an interesting battle ahead.

>:(heard tadhg kennelly on newstalk came across as cocky bordering on arrogant -you are in the same league cocky arrogant and insulting

[longrunsthefox]

We've been training behind closed doors this last 2 weeks (one to keep the Langers away, two to keep the Swine flu out and 3 to get some good auld fashioned skelping out of the systems), some of the talk around Langerland this week is not that they are going to win but that they will give us a good hiding in the process such is their confidence, I hear Kerry's training is just about coming up with new ways to keep the ball kicked out to the Langeroos so they can win in style.
Your would nearly be happy for them to win adding to their depressingly low 6 All Irelands. 

Lowest build up I have seen in all my years for a final, but the pressure is really on the Langers no doubt about that, they cannot be seen to be the team to lose 6 times to Kerry in Croke Park, they would become an even bigger laughing stock than their hurlers at the start of the year if that is possible. The Ball Grabber will have them primed though and it will be an interesting battle ahead.

>:(heard tadhg kennelly on newstalk came across as cocky bordering on arrogant -you are in the same league cocky arrogant and insulting

Tyrone people have been saying that since we whooped them in 2003. Good luck on Sunday 5ys -I think youse will do it

[Kerry Mike]

you are in the same league cocky arrogant and insulting

Yerra go away and shite you big Langer ya.

[dowling]

In all honesty I can't see anything other than Cork scalping Kerry on Sunday. Cork seem to have a great balance while Kerry have had injury and discipline problems. What happened against Limerick? Who knows. Could that performance be repeated? Doubt it. For me, Cork by six or seven points. Or more.

[Kerry Mike]

Kerry have had injury and discipline problems

Was in Tralee this evening and saw one player on crutches and another falling out of a pub, but yerra it grand to have a few pints 3 days before the final.

[tyrone86]

On paper you'd have to give Cork the nod, but I honestly don't know - the only time Kerry have had to play a bit this year they blew the Dubs out of the water - I think Sunday is the last kick for 3 or 4 boys on that Kerry team and knowing them they'll go out in style.

[Zapatista]

On paper you'd have to give Cork the nod, but I honestly don't know - the only time Kerry have had to play a bit this year they blew the Dubs out of the water - I think Sunday is the last kick for 3 or 4 boys on that Kerry team and knowing them they'll go out in style.

I'd argue that that was the only time the would have not had to play.

[Rois]

As someone said earlier, not that much football chat around Cork city - I've had to drag it out of people, until I got out to Carrigtwohill and engaged a taxi man in it.  The Cork guys seem to be afraid of getting too excited or confident - don't want to build the hopes up too high.
The Independent today has an article with Tadhg Kennelly, and the journalist has done his job rightly because I started to think that maybe I'd like to see him win an All Ireland.  But then I remembered that he played for Kerry.

[Zapatista]

I started to think that maybe I'd like to see him win an All Ireland.  But then I remembered that he played for Kerry.

Cork and Kerry in an All Ireland final and a Tyrone lass is faced with a moral conumdrum Must be how Donaghey felt last year

I certainly wouldn't begrudge him it. I always like to see new records being made even if it is by a Kerry man. Tis why I wanted Kilkenny to win.

Cork to win.

[Canalman]

In West Cork weekend before last and spotted 7 flags (sadly I know I was counting) displayed. Very muted display of support for Cork in their football heartland.

I think that there will be a changing of the guard on Sunday with Cork easily winning and multiple sendings off. Freetaking will win this game.

[Tyrone Dreamer]

As someone said earlier, not that much football chat around Cork city - I've had to drag it out of people, until I got out to Carrigtwohill and engaged a taxi man in it.  The Cork guys seem to be afraid of getting too excited or confident - don't want to build the hopes up too high.
The Independent today has an article with Tadhg Kennelly, and the journalist has done his job rightly because I started to think that maybe I'd like to see him win an All Ireland.  But then I remembered that he played for Kerry.

Did I read right in the star yesterday that when he was Austraillia he was asked in an interview who he would like to have round as a dinner guest. One of his choices was Queen Elizabeth. He said that he would kidnap her and get her to give back the rest of Ireland. Sounds made up.

Looking forward to hopefully a good game on Sunday. Should be some interesting match ups across the pitch. O'Leary v Galvin could be fun if it comes off. Murphy v Dara will be good to. Canty on Declan O'Sullivan will be very important. Both players are very influential for their team. Lynch v Cooper will be good. Shields could get it tough but he looked the part in the Munster games, will be ineresting to see how he copes under the high ball. O'Conner v O'Se will be another important one.

[Zulu]

They haven't gone away...

Friday, September 18, 2009



It may not be Friday the 13th, or Halloween, but what are the chances of Cork's nemesis coming back to haunt them in Sunday's All-Ireland final? asks Dara O Cinnéide



SINCE 2002 Cork's fate in the football championship has sometimes resembled that of the tragically presumptuous teenager in a slasher B-movie. Having left their nemesis gasping for air on several occasions, Cork's expectation that the ordeal was over has often seemed reasonable. The conventions of the genre, however, dictate that several gory sequels are required before the tormentor is finally put to rest. Will Sunday's encounter with the dreaded Kerry be the final instalment, or will the Kingdom, disposed of so emphatically in the opening scenes, make another improbable return from the dead to administer the terminal blow?

The success of the slasher movie rests on the fact that although we know well what is going to happen next, we are always surprised just the same. Cork know what to expect on Sunday while Kerry's chances will depend on their ability to surprise them anyway.

Conor Counihan has done a remarkable job in restoring confidence to Cork and they have been playing like a team for whom the concept of self-doubt is an alien one. Such is their recent history with Kerry, however, that despite the vast reservoirs of self-belief built up by Counihan over two seasons, a certain level of anxiety is probably inevitable. If episodes one, two, three and four of this slasher saga have taught Cork anything it is that forewarned does not necessarily mean forearmed.

Cork's last six championship defeats have been to Kerry and we must venture as far back as 2004 to find another team apart from Kerry (Fermanagh) to have beaten them in championship football. There was always a suspicion in recent years Cork might have fared better than Kerry in their Croke Park trials with Tyrone, but we never got to test that theory until last month when Cork did at the first time of asking what Kerry failed to accomplish in three attempts.

In some respects, Conor Counihan's Cork remind me of the Offaly team coached by Eugene McGee 30 years ago. As the sleeve notes on Michael Foley's 2007 masterpiece, 'Kings of September' tell us "it had taken Offaly six heart-breaking years under manager Eugene McGee to drag themselves up from their lowest ebb, but they now stood on the cusp of a glorious reward".

Cork, too have had their lowest ebb, in that defeat to Fermanagh in 2004, and ever since they have been dragging themselves up to the point where the only hurdle left to jump in their evolution as a team, and indeed the only obstacle between them and the ultimate reward, is the leap they need to take to beat a Kerry team in Croke Park.

That leap could well be taken on Sunday but even if they fall short their relationship with Kerry in recent years is hardly likely to obscure their credentials as the best team in Ireland up until September 20th at least.

It is only natural that players such as Daniel Goulding, Colm O'Neill and Paddy Kelly should wonder what all the fuss is about. They have performed consistently well against Kerry in recent years to have no hang-ups about the green and gold jersey and they also must be entitled to feel that a shift in the balance of power has been overdue for some time now. The success at Under-21 level and the Cork influence in CIT's Sigerson Cup win earlier will have copper-fastened the belief that emerging talent is about to realise its latent potential. The younger Cork players have enough experienced heads around them to correct that train of thought however, and a brief chat with those on the slow lane to self-actualisation will inform them that the hierarchy of needs simply doesn't work like that. Being so close for so long must imbue certain Cork players with a sense of entitlement but how much has 'deserve' got to do with it really? Haven't Cork suffered enough at the hands of Kerry and doesn't that suffering entitle them to some semblance of natural justice and just reward? You would think so.

In light of Tipperary's recent defeat in the hurling final, the great GAA notion of having to 'lose one to win one' has become almost axiomatic. There is a growing sense among the hurling fraternity that Tipperary will eventually relieve Kilkenny of their crown and likewise, Cork are seen as best placed to break the Tyrone-Kerry duopoly (if they haven't already done so). But GAA history is littered with examples of long-suffering teams showing up at heaven's gate and leaving disappointed again and again and there are no guarantees for Cork either.

This final for Kerry is going to be about tradition and experience and redemption. For Cork it's going to be about the same things. To get their glorious reward, they are going to have to overcome all of that and then play the game at the same level or higher than they did in the semi-final defeat of Tyrone. That's a lot to ask for.

Despite the obvious appeal of all of this for fans of the game in both counties, the prospect of two teams playing each other for the 19th time this decade and for the seventh time in Croke Park is unlikely to enthuse the neutral observer. However, when it is framed by what will most likely be the concluding chapter in the Kerry story and the beginning of a period of Cork dominance on the national stage, it becomes compelling viewing.

This could be a game for the ages.

Based on some random performances since the start of the six finals in-a-row sequence we know what Kerry are capable of. Despite losing two of their five finals since 2004, Kerry have yet to under-perform in a final and it has taken a good Tyrone team each time to beat them. How good are Cork?

We suspect they are very good. Not entirely based on what we saw last month against Tyrone, in which they showed awesome athleticism and purpose, but because we suspect that unlike two years ago, Kerry have become Cork's greatest motivational device and we also sense that particular motivation has a more mature focus to it now than it had within the camp that played the occasion in September 2007.

The low-key demeanour of the Cork players and management all year tells its own story and it seems everything they've done together since Conor Counihan took over in the aftermath of the Teddy Holland debacle – the constitution of the team, the selection of certain players and the omission of certain others – has been geared towards this goal and towards this particular opposition.

Kerry too know a thing or two about preparing obsessively for one particular opposition and while the slaying of the Tyrone giant remains as elusive as ever for them, the lessons imparted by Mickey Harte and his men will surely not go undigested.

Kerry will recall how they had Tyrone in the cross-hairs, all figured out and ripe for the plucking this time last year and also four years ago, only to see the Tyrone game-plan evolve beyond their comprehension. They will note how Tyrone played the final game of 2008 without fear and how they didn't flinch or falter, even though retribution was on the cards and in the air all week in the build up. Kerry must do likewise. The closing of all gates and doors in Fitzgerald Stadium since the semi-final against Meath suggests Kerry have something up their sleeve and I've never seen less fanfare in the county ahead of a final.

The coiled spring performance of the Dublin quarter-final is unlikely to ever again be witnessed but the potential for surprise remains and the anticipation of possible retribution from Cork for other Croke Park days is certainly heightened.

Surprise and retribution are key components of all those awful slasher B-movies too. In quieter moments some of the longer serving members of the Cork panel may still be visited by familiar visions of Gooch, Galvin, O'Sullivan et al removing the knife from the back to embark on one last rampage.

If any trace of such uncertainty still exists, Kerry will exploit it whenever the chance presents itself. For all those with an appetite for such a thing, Sunday will be compulsive viewing.

For all others, avert your eyes, it may take different forms.!



This story appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Friday, September 18, 2009
















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Read more: http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/they-havent-gone-away-101214.html#ixzz0RSxmejEb

[Zulu]

Whatever about Shields, going by his brief cameo against Tyrone Cadogan would be no match for Walsh.

Cadogan is a seriously strong young man and an exceptional footballer to boot if, as he should, opt for football over hurling in the next few years he could become the best full back in the country. And although it would be a big risk to start or bring him on this Sunday he is probably the only realistic option if Shields is in trouble. Well you could drop Canty back there and switch Shields out but I'm not sure Counihan would be too keen on that.