U21 Football Championship

[Dinny Breen]

Here's hoping for Kildare's 1st All-Ireland in 43 years, don't think even Kerry would begrudge us that.....

the winter it has passed
And the summer's come at last
The small birds are singing in the trees
And their little hearts are glad
Ah, but mine is very sad
Since my true love is far away from me

Chorus:
And straight I will repair
To the Curragh of Kildare
For it's there I'll finds tidings of my dear

The rose upon the briar
And the clouds that float so high
Bring joy to the linnet and the bee
And their little hearts are blessed
But mine can know no rest
Since my true love is far away from me

All you who are in love
Aye and cannot it remove
I pity the pain that you endure
For experience lets me know
That your hearts are filled with woe
It's a woe that no mortal can cure

[the Deel Rover]

Here's hoping for Kildare's 1st All-Ireland in 43 years, don't think even Kerry would begrudge us that.....

them kerry boys have no feelings at all Dinny cold as fecking ice  any way good luck and hopefully ye will be celebrating

[Owenmoresider]

Best of luck to Kildare in the final,  Hopefully that 43-year gap back to the old fella's comtemporaries will be bridged.

[Tatler Jack]

Good man Dinny. Did not know Robbie Burns was a GAA man!! With a bit of reworking it could be made into a good Kildare GAA song.

[Kerry Mike]

Kerry U21 team named.

1. Tomas Mac an tSaoir (An Ghaeltacht)    
2. Colin O'Mahoney (Ballydonoghue) 3 Mike Moloney (Dr. Crokes) 4 Shane Enright (Tarbert)  
5 Aidan O'Sullivan (Dromid Pearse)  6 Killian Young Captain (Renard)  7 Gavin Duffy (Kerins O'Rahillys)  
8 David Moran (Kerins O'Rahillys)  9 Alan O'Sullivan (Tuosist)  
10 Kieran O'Leary (Dr Crokes)  11 Johnny Buckley (Dr Crokes) 12 Mike O'Donoghue (Spa)  
13 Paddy Curran (Waterville)  14 Tommy Walsh (Kerins O'Rahillys) 15 Paul O'Connor (Kenmare)    

Fir Ionad :16. Gary Kissane (Kerins O'Rahillys) 17. Kieran Brennan (Castleisland Desmonds)  18. Brian Looney  (Dr Crokes )19. Eamonn Hickson (Annascaul ) 20. Jamie Doolan   (Dr Crokes ) 21. Eoin O'Neill (Renard) 22. Jimmy Falvey ( Fossa) 23. Gary Sayers ( Keel) 24. Ger McCarthy ( Listowel Emmets)

Trainer: Sean Geaney (Dingle) Selectors John Galvin (Waterville), Jerome Stack (Listowel Emmets)

Here's hoping for Kildare's 1st All-Ireland in 43 years, don't think even Kerry would begrudge us that.....
Them kerry boys have no feelings at all Dinny cold as fecking ice

Jaysus 43 years is a long time but its 10 years for us at U21 level and thats a biteen of a famine. And we owe ye for the seniors in 1998 as well. As for those Mayo wans I'm gone beyond feeling sorry for them  

Strong lineup by the Kingdom hopefully they will put in a performance to match and hopefully we will see another South Kerry man with the silver bucket. Am expecting a big game from the full forward line Walsh and Curran in particular.

Best of luck to both and may the best team win.

[Tatler Jack]

Joe Mcgrath was a top class forward. So were Seamas O Dowd, Joe Corcoran, Tom langan, Peter Solan, Mick Flanagan, Paddy Moclair and Gerald Courell. A few over the last 25 years were not bad either! Not being smart but having a good forward is largely a matter of good fortune as is any good footballer. No county ' produces' them. Down are going to find it difficult to produce a Blaney and Linden again in the same generation

I would agree that Mayo have not produced any truly memorable forward over the past 30 odd years - Joe Corcoran and McDonald were the best I saw. Lots of good sweet forwards who on a good day were entertainingbut no Joyce, Linden, Sheehy, Keaveney, etc Would not rate Joe McGrath or Seamus O'Dowd as "top class" and indeed JP Keane, Pauric Brogan, and McStay would fall in to the category of "goodbut not great". Maybe the style of football Mayo play does not lend to producing top quality individualistic forwards that can win their own ball and convert a high percentage of chances. Thats what Mattie Forde and Declan Browne could do though not playing on great teams.

[Rossfan]

Best of luck to the Kildare lads in this one. Remember if ye're good enough ye'll win it Kerry or no Kerry.
Let ye're inspiration be the Ros Minors who in 2006 did the unthinkable - bet Kerry in a replay no less. 

[johnpower]

Looking forward to tomorrows match , Kildare looked a good side beating Down . I am not so confident of this Kerry team .Some good individuals but as a team have not been very consistent so far , Hopefully a decent crowd and a good match

[Frank Casey]

A good win for the Kingdom. The talent conveyor belt looks good for another while.

[Mike Sheehy]

Up the mighty Kingdom !

[Tatler Jack]

Yes the best team won - congrats to the Kingdom.  I think the occassion may have  got to Kildare. Lost their shape in the second half, made a lot of basic errors and had a goalie whose kick out and clearances put them under pressure throughout. Good perfomances from Moran and O'Leary, O'Donoghue took the two goal chances well and Killian Young after a shaky start was steady. Tommy Walshe made some great catches but as in the minor AI 2 years ago drfits out of the game for period. Paddy Curran had quiiet game and Paul O'Connor had some bad wides. DId not think  game  threw  up any new talent on the "conveyor belt " that was not already known - good workmanlike performance against a team that lacked the experience of some of the Kerry players. Thought some of Kildare players lacked basic skills in soloing and passing and overall forwards were individualistic.

[Frank Casey]

Tatler - you're doing the glass half empty speech. Fact is that Kerry's cup will be well full for a while with the likes of these lads coming through.

[Jinxy]

Yes the best team won - congrats to the Kingdom.  I think the occassion may have  got to Kildare. Lost their shape in the second half, made a lot of basic errors and had a goalie whose kick out and clearances put them under pressure throughout. Good perfomances from Moran and O'Leary, O'Donoghue took the two goal chances well and Killian Young after a shaky start was steady. Tommy Walshe made some great catches but as in the minor AI 2 years ago drfits out of the game for period. Paddy Curran had quiiet game and Paul O'Connor had some bad wides. DId not think  game  threw  up any new talent on the "conveyor belt " that was not already known - good workmanlike performance against a team that lacked the experience of some of the Kerry players. Thought some of Kildare players lacked basic skills in soloing and passing and overall forwards were individualistic.

Both were straight at the keeper who should have saved them. Kildare lacked guile up front. Big, fit lads are all well and good but the ball still has to go over the bar.

[Tatler Jack]

Tatler - you're doing the glass half empty speech.

Not at all Frank just giving my appraisal of both teams - ye might need none of these lads at all 

Kerry seemed to be able to step up a gear when needed but would have been interesting to see what would have happened had Kildare taken either of their two goal chances.

[Kerry Mike]

Excellent well done to the Kingdom lads its great to win again at U21 level, have always felt success at this level is vital for progression to future senior wins. We made a lot of errors at times and it allowed Kildare back into the game a bit but our second goal was the killer score and it never looked like slipping away though the block on Smullen was vital too, he should have hit it with his left before getting bottled up on his right.

Our long range point kicking was good but we had alot of wides as did Kildare. We won our share of primary ball around the middle, thought Moran did well but his distribution is poor, Walsh made a few great catches and kicked a fine point, thought Paul O'Connor did really well up front and was involved well as was Kieran O'Leary. Well impressed with O'Donoghues two goals , the first was a powerful move through the middle.

Our last win 10 years ago produced many future senior stars and winners, in 1998 all of the highlighted players went on to AI senior success

1998: D. Moloney, M. McCarthy, T. O'Sullivan, K. Leen, J. Sheehan, T. O Se, M. Beckett, T. Griffin, E. Fitzmaurice, A. Mac Gearailt, P. O'Sullivan, L. Brosnan, M.F. Russell N. Kennelly, B. Scanlon. Subs: I. Twiss, M. Burke

Lets hope this bunch of 2008 now have the sniff of success and go on to greater things with the Kingdom. Many of this group have lost in minor finals and that little bit of pain at 18 has stood to them today.

Hard luck to Kildare they gave of their best, but just missed some vital points and should have goaled too.

Fair play Killian Young its a great honour for Renard in having a Kerry captain