All-Ireland Senior Football final - Kerry v Dublin 18/09/2011

[Hill16 Blues]

Dublin team from 2009 - 8 players from current team. Thought it was less. However none of our current back 6 played in that game. Think we are a lot stronger there than we were plus Gilroy game plan should cope with Kerry much better. Think also the likes of Flynn and Bernard are much better players now than they were 2 years ago.

S Cluxton; D Henry, D Bastick, P Andrews; P Griffin, B Cullen, B Cahill; R McConnell, D Magee; P Flynn, D Connolly, B Brogan; A Brogan, C Keaney, J Sherlock.

[mountainboii]

Dublin team from 2009 - 8 players from current team. Thought it was less. However none of our current back 6 played in that game. Think we are a lot stronger there than we were plus Gilroy game plan should cope with Kerry much better. Think also the likes of Flynn and Bernard are much better players now than they were 2 years ago.

S Cluxton; D Henry, D Bastick, P Andrews; P Griffin, B Cullen, B Cahill; R McConnell, D Magee; P Flynn, D Connolly, B Brogan; A Brogan, C Keaney, J Sherlock.

What ever happened him?

[heffo]

Dublin team from 2009 - 8 players from current team. Thought it was less. However none of our current back 6 played in that game. Think we are a lot stronger there than we were plus Gilroy game plan should cope with Kerry much better. Think also the likes of Flynn and Bernard are much better players now than they were 2 years ago.

S Cluxton; D Henry, D Bastick, P Andrews; P Griffin, B Cullen, B Cahill; R McConnell, D Magee; P Flynn, D Connolly, B Brogan; A Brogan, C Keaney, J Sherlock.

What ever happened him?

Was captain in '10 and did his cruciate v Monaghan in the league.

Was making good progress this year and did the same again.

[mountainboii]

Cheers heffo. Remember something about the first injury, but hadn't heard that he broke down again.

[Mike Sheehy]

When was the last time Kerry won a final where the opposition actually gave them a game?
They've some amount of handy All-Irelands and I, for one, think a Dublin win would be great for the GAA.

Liam , I know you are still sore about the fact that no one gives Meath any credit for winning AI when Kerry were at their weakest but you'll just have to accept the fact that those wins don't really count.

[Lar Naparka]

Jinxy, you might be right, but I don't think we can be complacent. My own personal experiences wouldn't tally with such an optimistic outlook. Here in Newport, Co. Tipp, we have a strong rugby club which competes (albeit in a collaborative way) for the affections of the local young lads, and a soccer club which competes (in a slightly more adversarial way, on both sides) for the same affections.

Then take my home club of Ferbane, in County Offaly. With the introduction of Rugby into the school it has gone great guns, with the school team even winning a Connacht Senior Schools Cup. We've seen the creation of a (friendly) rugby club in the town (The West Offaly Lions) and we've seen a definite pull on players affections and commitments.

Ironically in Ferbane, the IRFU may have cut their own throat by forcing the teams to play in Leinster now, rather than the spiritual home which was Connacht thanks to the link with Buccaneers, but since Rugby took off in Ferbane, we have had more people capped for Irish Rugby teams at various levels than have represented Offaly, certainly at senior level.

I do think Rugby may have reached it's level, and may even settle a little if Munster and Leinster, especially, go into a rut but I still wouldn't be blasé about the fact that they attract young players.

Don't mind that Jinxy fella. After all, he's a Meathie, isn't he?
Ya might as well go looking for milk from a bull as trying to get sense outa one of them buckos!
I was half watching a rugby report on RTE2 this evening where George Hook informed me that 10,000 spectators had turned up to watch Leinster take on the Ospreys in a mickey mouse tournament game.
Well, it was a mickey mouse affair for me as I never heard of the Rabodirect Pro 12 competition before - but a crowd of 10,000 braving the elements today made me sit up and take notice.
As George was half way through his run down of the game before I began to pay attention, I missed a good deal of what he had to report but I was impressed by the turn out.
The figure was all the more impressive given that both teams were fielding second and even third choice players in a majority of positions.

Bejaney, there were many senior intercounty games during the summer where less than 10,000 turned up.

The RWC has just begun and for the next few weeks rugby will get a degree of exposure that the GAA can only dream about.
I know damn well that the kids on my street will be out in force, chucking rugby balls about and doing their imitations of the Haka and the Kialao and every other bleddy war dance them boyos in the South Pacific get up to.
It was the same back in 2007; few if any of the kids who went out to ape the antics of those they saw on YTV had a clue about the finer points of the game but they sure had a lot of fun.
One thing that did interest me during the school holidays was the number of groups of youngsters who were messing about with rugby balls. I live within 500 yards of Parnell Park so this is hard core GAA territory and I doubt if many of those youngsters are going to turn their backs on Ciarans, Vincents or Parnells and the others around this region but it would make you wonder all the same.
Kids like what they see on TV and I've no doubt that a good number are going to try out the game when they are older.
They might never become Ross O'Carroll-Kellys but they could turn out to be Joe Sheridans- at the very least.

What a scary thought!

[Jinxy]

Jinxy, you might be right, but I don't think we can be complacent. My own personal experiences wouldn't tally with such an optimistic outlook. Here in Newport, Co. Tipp, we have a strong rugby club which competes (albeit in a collaborative way) for the affections of the local young lads, and a soccer club which competes (in a slightly more adversarial way, on both sides) for the same affections.

Then take my home club of Ferbane, in County Offaly. With the introduction of Rugby into the school it has gone great guns, with the school team even winning a Connacht Senior Schools Cup. We've seen the creation of a (friendly) rugby club in the town (The West Offaly Lions) and we've seen a definite pull on players affections and commitments.

Ironically in Ferbane, the IRFU may have cut their own throat by forcing the teams to play in Leinster now, rather than the spiritual home which was Connacht thanks to the link with Buccaneers, but since Rugby took off in Ferbane, we have had more people capped for Irish Rugby teams at various levels than have represented Offaly, certainly at senior level.

I do think Rugby may have reached it's level, and may even settle a little if Munster and Leinster, especially, go into a rut but I still wouldn't be blasé about the fact that they attract young players.

Don't mind that Jinxy fella. After all, he's a Meathie, isn't he?
Ya might as well go looking for milk from a bull as trying to get sense outa one of them buckos!
I was half watching a rugby report on RTE2 this evening where George Hook informed me that 10,000 spectators had turned up to watch Leinster take on the Ospreys in a mickey mouse tournament game.
Well, it was a mickey mouse affair for me as I never heard of the Rabodirect Pro 12 competition before - but a crowd of 10,000 braving the elements today made me sit up and take notice.
As George was half way through his run down of the game before I began to pay attention, I missed a good deal of what he had to report but I was impressed by the turn out.
The figure was all the more impressive given that both teams were fielding second and even third choice players in a majority of positions.

Bejaney, there were many senior intercounty games during the summer where less than 10,000 turned up.

The RWC has just begun and for the next few weeks rugby will get a degree of exposure that the GAA can only dream about.
I know damn well that the kids on my street will be out in force, chucking rugby balls about and doing their imitations of the Haka and the Kialao and every other bleddy war dance them boyos in the South Pacific get up to.
It was the same back in 2007; few if any of the kids who went out to ape the antics of those they saw on YTV had a clue about the finer points of the game but they sure had a lot of fun.
One thing that did interest me during the school holidays was the number of groups of youngsters who were messing about with rugby balls. I live within 500 yards of Parnell Park so this is hard core GAA territory and I doubt if many of those youngsters are going to turn their backs on Ciarans, Vincents or Parnells and the others around this region but it would make you wonder all the same.
Kids like what they see on TV and I've no doubt that a good number are going to try out the game when they are older.
They might never become Ross O'Carroll-Kellys but they could turn out to be Joe Sheridans- at the very least.

What a scary thought!

That's the new name for the Magners League Lar.

[rrhf]

Theres no hype and then theres no hope, which is it?  Are the dubs playing the game of their lives, or is it actually they just can't  trust their team any more, to the point of there'll be no exposure of the players, no dare to dream, no exuberance, no emotions,...no hurting.  What about the rare oul times lads?  Its an amazing sight, and part of the all Ireland experience to see the large towns adorned in flags, but to see a city with the tradition of Dublin lock down for All Ireland duty or lock up in fear is unfathomable.  If this all Ireland is won its hats, scarves and headbands off to Pat and the guys for keeping an iron manhole cover on the hype.  If they lose though, its some risk to take.   They've refused to enjoy the moment, the dreaming, the flirting, the chase - it looks like the Dubs are just after the sex and the cigarette after..   If they lose though in what has been a remarkable and uncelebrated year for them they probably should give it up, go for lower profile less pressured sport, yeah  take up the hurl and do what Keaney and Ryan did, ironically now at their swansong they are back getting beaten in semis as they did a few years previously in football.  Draw.. 

[Kerry Mike]

Kerry wind down their preparations for Sunday's eagerly awaited All Ireland Final against Dublin with a final training session in Fitzgerald Stadium from 6:30 this Tuesday evening. The session is open to the public and supporters are invited to come along and give their heroes a rousing sendoff. Official Kerry GAA merchandise will be on sale and a free souvenir player's booklet will be available.

Please note that entrance is by Dalton's Avenue only. Gates open at 6 P.M , LAst chance for the Jackeens to do a bity of spying

After months of skelping behind the scenes the hard work is done , its time to have a bit of fun before the serious craic of the weekend approaches.

[Kerry Mike]

There will be a great geographical selection of 22 Kerry clubs represented in our Senior panel on Sunday. Great to see a such a mix, a very proud day for all those clubs big and small seeing one or more of their men striding out in the Green and Gold. C'mon the Parish, C'mon the Kingdom

Kilcummin
Rathmore
An Ghaeltacht
Renard
Dr Crokes
Duagh
St Mary's
Glenbeigh/Glencar
Piarsaigh na Dromada
Cromane
Austin Stacks
Finuge
Dingle
Laune Rangers
Legion
Kerins O'Rahily
Currow
Scartaglin
Tarbert
St Michaels/Foilmore
Spa
Listowel Emmett's

[mayogodhelpus@gmail.com]

When was the last time Kerry won a final where the opposition actually gave them a game?
They've some amount of handy All-Irelands and I, for one, think a Dublin win would be great for the GAA.

Liam , I know you are still sore about the fact that no one gives Meath any credit for winning AI when Kerry were at their weakest but you'll just have to accept the fact that those wins don't really count.

Mike does that mean Mayo are on the same amount of real All-Irelands as Meath?   

[rrhf]

That kerry training session looks fierce intense. 

[Hound]

Pundit watch:

Kevin McStay picks the Dubs
Tony Davis picks Kerry

[heffo]

Pundit watch:

Kevin McStay picks the Dubs
Tony Davis picks Kerry

I had the misfortune to watch their pre-match analysis the other night. What a joke.

McStay getting it arsed-ways about who'll drop out for Galvin if he starts, Davis as usual getting a free hotel suite for the evening to do his preparation and a substantial fee still cannot string two words together without consulting his notes.

You would swear it was a Junior B game where they didn't know they players they were being asked to analyse.

[muppet]

Pundit watch:

Kevin McStay picks the Dubs
Tony Davis picks Kerry

I had the misfortune to watch their pre-match analysis the other night. What a joke.

McStay getting it arsed-ways about who'll drop out for Galvin if he starts, Davis as usual getting a free hotel suite for the evening to do his preparation and a substantial fee still cannot string two words together without consulting his notes.

You would swear it was a Junior B game where they didn't know they players they were being asked to analyse.

Admit it, you miss Tommy!