Cork v Kildare

[Ohtoohtobe]

Johnny has learned the hard way. He has been Kildare's main man throughout most of his career and has always been targeted by the opposition as the one to stop by hook or by crook. He takes a serious amount of punishment off the ball (see Donegal match last year) and its no harm to see him give a bit back - if you can't beat them, join them. I think he has got a lot cuter as he has got older, a bit like Glenn in his latter years.

Harrison was walking a tight line before the sending off and its clear that frustration just got the better of him. It was Johnny's best display this year and he covered every blade of grass. I'd say Noel O'Leary will shadow him on Sunday and that will be one of the key battles in deciding the outcome of this match. If Johnny can frustrate O'Leary it will do Kildare's chances no harm at all.

Doyle got plenty of "punishment" against Donegal last year but I didn't see anything untoward with any of it.

Didn't see it with my own eyes but the rumour is that he shipped a heavy, intentional blow at the throw-in.

You should know better than to believe in rumours. At the throw in Michael Hegarty and Doyle clashed - it was a perfectly accidental coming together and it can be see in the TV footage of the match (I have a copy of it if you would like to watch it again  ). Hegarty ended up going off injured because of it while Doyle seemed to get a dead leg. It is as legitimate to say that Doyle targeted Hegarty as it is to say that Doyle was targeted. Both are complete lies.

Have to take your word for it. Mind you an 'accidental coming together at a throw-in' is hard to envisage. But like I say, I didn't see it, so apologies if I'm wrong and I accept Donegal won fair and square.

In response to the other poster alluding to sour grapes that wasn't what I was saying at all. I'm sure that Kildare aren't always angels off the ball either.

[Donnellys Hollow]

The views of the Eadestown man:

Lilies no big-game bottlers -- Tompkins
'Top-four' jibe unfair on luckless Kildare who must halt Cork full-forward line

By Frank Roche

Thursday August 02 2012

FOR an incredible five years running, Kildare have been qualifier kings but without a throne to call their own. Hence the damning statistic most frequently levelled in their direction -- how can a team claim to be genuine All-Ireland contenders when they have never beaten a 'top-four' rival in summer combat?

To keep the dream alive, they must buck that trend on Sunday. Cork, most assuredly, qualify as the type of elite opposition they have singularly failed to beat in previous All-Ireland series ... including 2008, at the start of the Kieran McGeeney era, when Cork prevailed despite a valiant late Lilywhite charge.

But Larry Tompkins -- the greatest Kildare footballer of the modern era, albeit one whose legend was enshrined in the rebel red of Cork -- believes this 'top-four' jibe is a totally unfair assessment of his native county.

Tompkins knows a thing or two about All-Ireland credentials, having won a brace of medals as a Cork player and later managing his adopted county to the 1999 decider, where they lost to Meath.

He insists All-Ireland destiny can be shaped to a large degree by luck, a quality Kildare have singularly lacked during their last two assaults on Sam.

Benny Coulter's 'square ball' goal for Down in 2010; Rob Kelly's last-gasp thunderbolt deflected onto the crossbar during the same game; Tomas O'Connor's wrongly disallowed goal against Donegal last summer ... all examples of how fortune hasn't followed the Lilies from the back door into the All-Ireland series.

"I wouldn't agree with that statement that they have fallen short against the big teams. If Dublin didn't win the All-Ireland last year, you'd be saying the exact same thing about Dublin," Tompkins told the Evening Herald.

"I firmly believe you need to get the rub of the green. In fairness, last year against Donegal, they had no rub of the green. The year before certainly, they had none against Down -- that would have bounced them into the final.

"I know people say you make these things happen, but those decisions at vital stages for Kildare were crucial scores," he points out.

Instead, he feels McGeeney's men should accentuate the positive lessons of these previous campaigns.

"I'm sure if I was over Kildare, I'd be drilling that into them -- 'we shouldn't be afraid of any team. We are quite capable of beating any team.' Knowing Kildare, when the expectation is a little lower and they are going in as underdogs, that is when they are at their most dangerous," he suggests.

Speaking of dangerous, Tompkins pinpoints the key quarter-final battleground between Cork's inside forwards and the Kildare full-back line.

For what it's worth, the Cork playmaker-turned-publican reckons his good friend Conor Counihan should recall Daniel Goulding alongside Colm O'Neill and Donncha O'Connor on the grounds that Goulding is "too valuable" to leave off.

"If Kildare don't adequately hold those three fellas, then they are going nowhere. Cork get three-quarters of their scores or more from in there. That is where Kildare have to be at their tightest," he warns.

On the flip side, he spies grounds for Lilywhite optimism in the number of recent goal chances coughed up by Cork, a vulnerability masked by two clean sheets in Munster.

"Cork haven't conceded that many goals this year, but watching them against Kerry and Clare, it was the luck of God that they didn't," says Tompkins.

"Their half-back line can be a little bit loose. Hopefully Eoin Cadogan will be okay (in the full-back line); he'd be a massive loss if he's not right."

If Cork's defensive Plan A doesn't work, Tompkins wonders aloud whether back-up options such as Eoghan Cotter, Sean Kiely and Denis O'Sullivan have been tested sufficiently on the big stage.

"On the other side, Kildare haven't been really finding the back of the net," he adds. "And Kildare will have to find the net at least once, if not twice. Cork will probably score enough ... it's up to whether Kildare can find the net."

Kildare football's most famous export is coy when it comes to definitive predictions -- and maybe with good reason given his powerful allegiances to both camps. At 90, his father Martin is still bright as a button and a keen follower of the game, plus he has many siblings still living in Kildare -- countering that you have the "great times" he has enjoyed on Leeside.

"I'm looking forward to the game!" he laughs when asked for a one-word verdict.

"Cork are the team to beat. Kildare have all the motivation -- Cork have won an All-Ireland, Kildare are trying to get to that pitch."

Incentive aside, the underdogs have other advantages.

"They are like Dublin in that Croke Park is nearly a home venue for them. It's only down the road in comparison to Cork ... Kildare will have a vast crowd there compared to Cork," Tompkins points out.

"This is a big game for them. Are they capable of going on and being contenders, big time, for the All-Ireland?

"Up to now, the year has been a bit disappointing. The build-up to the Leinster championship would have been strong, but the way they went out (against Meath) was very disappointing to the Kildare people.

"They have got redemption again through the back door, but with in-and-out performances. This is the game they want," he adds.

"I am sure, if you were playing with Kildare, you'd be saying, 'Great -- we are back in Croke Park, playing against one of the best teams, and what better way to see where we're at.'"

By half-three on Sunday, we'll all know the answer.

- Frank Roche

http://www.herald.ie/opinion/columnists/frank-roche/lilies-no-biggame-bottlers-tompkins-3188282.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

[armaghniac]

Kildare will have a vast crowd there compared to Cork," Tompkins points out.

This might still be true if they played it in Cork!

[CorkMan]

Anyone else going up?

[CorkMan]

The Cork Senior Football team to play Kildare in the All-Ireland SFC Quarter-Final on Sunday at 2pm in Croke Park will line out as follows:-

            1. Alan Quirke
            Valley Rovers

2. Ray Carey       3. Michael Shields       4. Eoin Cadogan
Clyda Rovers       St. Finbarrs          Douglas

5. Paudie Kissane    6. Graham Canty       7. Noel O'Leary
Clyda Rovers       Bantry Blues          Cill na Martra

                 8. Alan O'Connor       9. Aidan Walsh
      St. Colum's             Kanturk

10. Fintan Goold    11. Ciaran Sheehan       12. Paul Kerrigan
Macroom          Eire Og       Nemo Rangers

13. Colm O'Neill    14. Donncha O'Connor    15. Nicholas Murphy
Ballyclough       Ballydesmond          Carrigaline

[Donnellys Hollow]

Cill Dara (v Corcaigh)

1. Shane Connolly         (St Laurences)
2. Ollie Lyons                (Celbridge)
3. Peter Kelly                (Two Mile House)
4. Hugh McGrillen          (Celbridge)
5. Emmet Bolton           (Eadestown)
6. Morgan O'Flaherty    (Carbury)
7. Eoin Doyle                (Naas)
8. Mick Foley                 (Athy)
9. Rob Kelly                   (Straffan)
10. Eoghan O'Flaherty  (Carbury)
11. Mikey Conway         (Nurney)
12. Alan Smith               (Sarsfields)
13. Johnny Doyle           (Allenwood)
14. Tomás O'Connor     (Clane)
15. James Kavanagh     (Ballymore)


Same 15 named again. Whether they line out as selected is anyone's guess.

[Dinny Breen]

No Paddy Kelly, is he injured?

[seafoid]

I haven't seen anyone talking about Cork doing de double. Or is it just a bit too early for that ?

[eviemonkey]

No Paddy Kelly, is he injured?

Took a full part in training during the week and looked fine apparently. So he is either being kept in reserve or that is a dummy team? I hope it is the latter.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Dummy teams?

We have the hoors rattled.

You'd never catch Kildare at that sort of craic!

[CornerBackNo2]

Any chance of Johnston starting for Kildare to possibly enhance their forward line from the beginning?

[Ohtoohtobe]

No Paddy Kelly, is he injured?

Took a full part in training during the week and looked fine apparently. So he is either being kept in reserve or that is a dummy team? I hope it is the latter.

It would be madness of Counihan to drop him. After the Kerry game I thought he'd have a shout at footballer of the year if Cork won Sam.

[Ohtoohtobe]

Any chance of Johnston starting for Kildare to possibly enhance their forward line from the beginning?

I doubt it. Kildare's forward line is not as bad as people make out.

Acid test Sunday, of course, but I'd be more worried about our midfield.

[LilySavage]

'Acid test Sunday, of course, but I'd be more worried about our midfield.'

Big time. Foley/Kelly have plugged a hole for us against moderate teams. We are going to be under the cosh on every sinle kickout on Sunday. I can see Flynn getting the nod before half tiem, hoping Leper starts as well.

[Dinny Breen]

Midfield isn't just about two players its' about the middle 8 and hard they work to win breaking ball, shutdown channels and make runs to create space. I'm happy in that Kelly has upped his work-rate is now tracking back just as well as he is coming forward and Foley is just a superb player and if plays well Sunday I can see him been nominated for a midfield All-Star, not bad for All-Star full-back.

My concern is how Kildare will cope with the direct running threat that Cork pose, O'Neill, Kerrigan, Kelly and Walsh are all very good at it and MOF hasn't looking as convincing this year at centre-half back and Kelly at fullback tends to get dragged around a fair bit. I think we will give up goal opportunities.