Kerry in record equalling 6th All Ireland apperance in a row

[6th sam]

Found this in the pocket of my anorak

In the first decade of the senior football championship the 1880's Kerry did not play in any finals
In the 1890's decade we managed 1 appearance but lost
1900's played 5 won 3
1910's played 4 won 2
1920's played 5 won 3
1930's played 6 won 5
1940's played 5 won 3
1950's played 4 won 3
1960's played 6 won 2
1970's played 6 won 4
1980's played 6 won 5
1990's played 1 won 1
2000's played 7 won 4, (with 1 final still to come. )

A win in 3 weeks time will equal the 1930's and 1980's decades with 5 wins each, but already this decade has seen the most final appearances in a decade by Kerry and still the likes of Liam Hayes and co have a pop at us. Some people are never happy.

Absolutely no doubt that this is another great Kerry team,and evidence of the old adage"success breeds success"
Multiple final appearances and wins at Munster and AI level,have engendered and maintained glamour status for Gaelic football which is unmatched in any other county.The fact that Kerry's population is predominately rural,again puts them in a strong position.This history of GF success has stopped other sports:hurling,rugby,soccer getting a foothold-ensuring Kerry's best athlete's tend to choose GF.The other sport that has tended to do well in Kerry is basketball-which actually has served Kerry well,helping to develop their taller players e.g. Ciaran Donaghey.
So from minor level up,the best athlete's not only choose GF,but are almost guaranteed silverware or at least appearing in finals.With all these factors Kerry are destined to dominate for years and good luck to them.

The one difficulty I have with all this is that the championship structure is heavily weighted in favour of Kerry.The other munster counties prioritise Hurling,and in Cork's case also have soccer and rugby to worry about.This and the fact that GF has glamour status in Kerry on the basis of their previous successes,will ensure that Kerry continue to dominate for years to come under the current structure.

Kerry is the one county in Ireland that can almost guarantee that they will be playing football in August every year,and Jack O'Connor has stated that this year's campaign was designed to allow peaking in August/September-what other county has that luxury?

The rest of us can do very little about this ,and I would certainly not favour dissolution or watering down of the provincial championships.I do however think that the 2 provinces with a smaller number of counties should have to play an extra round before entering the same stage as the provincial champs in Ulster and Leinster.I would suggest the following:
Normal provincial series and qualifiers to give 4 semi-finalists:1.leinster champs,2.ulster champs.3.winners of munster v connacht.4.Qualifier champs.
The qualifier series would give every team,bar the AI semi losers a second bite of the cherry.
This system rewards provincial champs,attempts to address the advantage munster and connacht enjoy due to their smaller number of counties,and gives slightly less inter county fixtures keeping the clubs happy.It also would also lessen some of the  low attendance qualifiers and AI q.finals of recent years.

I have absolute admiration,respect and envy of Kerry's success-and am not suggesting that the system alone is the reason for their success.Howvever not only is the new system I propose fairer,it allow's Kerry to put to bed suggestions that they are only dominant on the basis of a warped system.

[brokencrossbar1]

The ironic thing about this team is that for years people complained that Kerry had an easy passage to the AI final and therefore didn't have to do ask much as other squads yet nowadays where to have to play more games, and actually don't mind going into the backdoor they have created the most consistent Kerry squad ever!  I am sure they will care little about the fact that they haven't played Tyrone this year and it is arrogant to the extreme of Tyronies to think that they mean that much to Kerry.

[magpie seanie]

Another factor not mentioned is that their club structures are absolutely excellent.

[6th sam]

Another factor not mentioned is that their club structures are absolutely excellent.

They appear to be.The idea of players from junior clubs getting a chance to play senior championship seems a good one.I wonder what our kerry posters think re club structures.Does the fact that the county is still in the championship until late september,affect the club season?

I don't intend to be begrudging to Kerry-though the system favours them,they have definitely capitalised on it superbly,and continue to be the gold standard for other counties to look up to.Some of their players have shown a cynical side like most other counties,but in the main their players are outstanding role models,and they must be applauded.I don't agree with debates re team of the decade etc.,the only thing that interests most people is the here and now,and the fact is that Kerry are in another AI final,on merit.If they beat Cork,they become CURRENT AI Champs,and that's the only statistic that matters!