This particular debate is already up and running, I know, but it’d be no harm to provide a numerical angle to the discussion.
The game’s two heavyweights clash in the second of this year’s All-Ireland football semi-finals with this sell-out fixture down for decision at Croke Park on Sunday (throw-in 3.30pm). One of them will emerge from this tie to face us in the final on 18th September but which of them do you think this will be?
Who'll win Sunday's semi-final?
- Dublin (55%, 348 Votes)
- Kerry (45%, 290 Votes)
Total Voters: 638
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I think Kerry will do it, they’ve had the focus on it for ages and have the skill and power to catch Dublin if they’re off even a little. Dublin have a great team but the sheen must be wearing thin after winning so much in such a short few years. The wheels will fall off in a big way someday when least expected, I think Sunday they will.
Kerry 2 15
Dublin 1 13
Dublin by two is my take on things. They are a little weaker at the back, but not by nearly as much as is made out.
JOD and Gooch are not going well and still trying to recover to 100%, and alot of the Kerry squad have high mileage, with the likes of Buckley getting very little game time this year.
I expect it to be their best game by some way this year – but still not enough, all things being equal.
A terrible day’s weather, or an early sending off/black card – and all bets are off.
I am so looking forward to this game…and the fact that one of the teams that has come between us and a shot at Sam in the last 2 years will be out of the picture.. (only GAA brings out this vindictive side of me) Think it will take every ounce of Kerry to get past the Dubs but the closer it gets to Sunday the more I think it could be a Kerry mayo final..
For me it has to be Kerry, Dublin’s only test so far was against a weak Donegal though Kerry hasn’t had any real test, they are a side that thrives on championship football and have the extra hunger after losing to the Dubs 3 times over the last 12 months.
I have been thinking Kerry might do it this time but I can’t find any evidence that supports this. I didn’t see anything new or improved in their campaign so far. They are still relying on so many of their 30+ year old players.
The only thing that might help them is that Dublin were all over the shop tactically against a weak enough outfit.
Can’t see a Kerry win though.
Dubs by 4
Not sure who will win it or who I want to win it. Dublin, a great and entertaining team. Losing two of last years defence may weaken them somewhat and winning back to back titles is a big ask if the same appetite is not fully there. Also Mayo tend to play well against them. On the other hand they have a brilliant panel, may use back to back as motivation and we haven t beaten them since 2012. Kerry are Kerry our nemesis so often, 1981 1997,2004, 2005, 2006, 2011 and most heart breaking of all 2014. They have absolutely class forwards and will be desperately hard to beat in AIF On the other hand, they have beaten nothing this year and may have a dodgy defence. So what I hope is that one of them wins by about 20 points, picks up a few red cards and looks so bloody brilliant that the whole world will say they only have to turn up on Sept18 to take possession of Mr Maguire. Then we will ambush them. Up Mayo
I think Dublin will win and I hope they do. I don’t think we would beat Kerry they always find a way to beat us. Not that it would be easy against Dublin but id rather a crack at them
Sentence in last comment should have read “all over the shop tactically against a weak enough Donegal outfit”
Premature something or other! $#@
2015 league Kerry beat the dubs by 2. Dubs go on to win the league.
Dubs get revenge to win Sam by 3 in sept.
2016 dubs beat Kerry by 6 in the league and then 11 in the league final.
Suppose the point I’m trying to make is that the gap between these 2 teams is widening.
It’s the dubs to lose which I believe they won’t.
Kerry like ourselves will need everything to go right for them and Dublin to have a very off day.
Dubs by 8/9 and to go into final red hot favourites. Mayo will be 4/1 at that stage, so hold your bets.
Really finding it hard to decide who will win the final (oh sorry, the semi-final) on Sunday.
Like most, I’ve been anticipating this semi since last year. And I always thought that Kerry would ambush them.
Maybe it’s the possibility of a lack of hunger from Dublin after last year or maybe it’s just Kerry being Kerry. The hoors.
Either way, I’ve backed the draw (which is the last result I actually want) on the predictions yoke, but that’s merely in the hope of pushing up from my current lowly position.
If only we could get an insight into what our players and management would prefer.
A lot of people have mentioned our league game against the Dub’s and how it looked like we were preparing for a meeting later in the year. Also the deployment of McLoughlin as sweeper in preparation for Dublin.
If that’s the case, then bring on the Dub’s. If that’s what our game-plan has been geared towards all year, then let’s see it in action.
Dublin by 5
Impossible to say but it’s real die dog or produce a licence for Kerry. On balance I think Kerry will do it because of the pressure they are under and there was not much in last year’s final. Will be interesting to see if Donaghy goes FF and if so how Kerry handle that. Maybe Bastick back there or McCauley to follow him
Someone said earlier that there is no evidence that kerry will beat the dubs, but I think they will. There is also little evidence that at the moment we could beat either, but I think we will tear the doors off the hinges on the way out of croke park with Sam under our arm. I hope kerry and Dublin knock seven shades of shite out of each other as whoever wins on Sunday has won the ‘real’ all Ireland and only has the minor problem of mayo on 18 Sept.
On a side note I didn’t want to get too hyped up but now I want to embrace it, fuck it, we are all in this together UP MAYO
I believe it will be Dublin,just don’t see any improvement in the Kerry panel,so they would need everything to go right for them,but Mayo won’t fear either of them
Heard, ‘Brian Shehan’ the renowned Kerry goalkeeper?? ‘ “on the Radio, he certainly wasn’t giving anything away, but he sounded very bullish, and Read ‘ Eoin Liston’ he reckons Kerry were bullied last time out. Looks like Death or Glory this time for many of the Kindoms warrior’s!, Is it in them to think they have been beaten by a better team than themselves??. Never mind saying it. That’s not in their Lexicon at all. . Looking forward to it now. Hope it’s the usual ‘Puke Football’ “you get when Kerry think that the opposition are better footballer than themselves. Look hope it’s a gterrible match, hope they knock the lard out of each other, that goes to a replay. The GAA need the money anyway. Hope we get to see both teams play all their cards. Hope the replay is even worse Puke football, loads of controversy, straight red’s, suspension’s. Couldn’t care less which one we have to beat, But Revenge on Kerry would be the sweeter!
Don’t rule out the possibility of a draw with the eventual winner batthered and bruised (and with a few injuries picked up along the way) facing into the final against our lads !
The Jackeens for me. All points above valid about Kerry. Hardier bucks at this time of year, there aren’t too many to match them and the defeats of previous years to Dublin will drive them on. But not enough. The Dubs have the edge physically and a more youthful but still very experienced team and panel. Kerry edged us in ’14 but we didn’t close it out either day and Donegal and Durkan gifted them that final. The Dubs are better value for their wins over the last few years in both national title races.
All that said, Mayo are well capable of matching the Dubs on the day if they play for a prolonged, high percentage of there combined ability.
I hope Dublin. I want to beat them in the final. Beating Kerry would be sweet too as revenge for 2014. But I’d prefer to beat Dublin.
Kerry to go down fighting (literally!). Dubs by 5pts+!
This I have no doubt has the makings of the game of the Championship. What the outcome will be is hard to call, but it’s a must watch match for any follower of the GAA but it will naturally be of much more interest to Mayo folk. Both teams will for sure have peaked for this one and when the final whistle sounds, there will be very little left in the tank. This is where we must have a massive advantage come the final and if we can find a bit more consistency and a rub of the green on the day, then the sky is the limit.
Has to be Kerry for me.
Its beginning to look like another Mayo v Kerry final alright.
Hope that Rochford and indeed the entire Mayo panel are watching on from a good vantage point in the upper Cusack. Whoever comes through will have to show their hand to us on Sunday.
Hard one to call but I don’t think we have any distinct advantage over either of them when they both empty the tank. With three weeks to the final they will have recovered completely unless they pick up muscle or ligament injuries. Smart money says the Dubs, a draw and two bruising contests would give us a big advantage though.
There’s been a lot of hot air, with a distinct odour of bullshit emanating from the Kerry camp this week. Dublin on the other hand have been eerily quiet.
I think the Yerra meeja campaign is trying to sell the fantasy of an ambush built on hunger, pride, hurt, tradition and did I mention hunger? I’m not convinced they really believe the have the material this time out and the terror campaign is utterly unconvincing.
Dublin by five or six.
Dublin based on consistency but can expect a few twists and turns and ye never know what Donaghy might do to them if thrown into FF at some stage.
Kerry should play Barry John Keane if either Gooch or JOD still not 100% as he looks lively and knocking on the door for a while. If Kerry had a flying David Moran I would tip them but Sheehan fine footballer no doubt isn’t the most mobile for midfield.
Kerry backs look good albeit with a high risk strategy of pushing up. Don’t think Murphy us a centre forward though he could get space if Cian OS plays deep. Steven O Brien looks pretty handy to me. Moran probably won’t start but has the potential to swing the game when introduced.
Dublin look pretty clinical all year but any team that keeps Kilkenny’s influence down has a decent chance. Dean Rock still mostly there for the frees. Brogan clever but markable and Peadar Andrews didn’t threaten too much vs Do who also showed Dublin vulnerable after turnovers.
I would prefer Kerry to win but think Dublin have the better form going in.
I went for Kerry but if Fenton plays to near his potential it’s curtains for Kerry.
From a Mayo perspective, I’d rather the Dubs. I feel that we’ve got it in us to beat them and have given them better matches than anyone else in recent years. There’s something about Kerry that Mayo can’t seem to get around and I’d be worried going into a final against them.
Something tells me though that Kerry could come through this semi-final. They have surely been preparing for this all year. They have to be harbouring some hurt and embarrassment over how Dublin have had their number the last few years. They will want to prove something this weekend.
ONeills online doing a sale on Mayo gear up until 1st September. Enter FINAL10 at the checkout for your 10% discount. Get the green and red gear out in force!
I don’t think that a draw would suit us at all as we would be training for another week not knowing who we would be playing in the final, i.e. getting our strategies and planning in place. Like do we need to be training with Barry Moran as our primary sweeper or with Kevin McLoughlin in the sweeper position.
We seen the last two years that replays were probably a big reason why Kerry and Dublin won the finals. So for us coming in after a 4 week layoff against a battle hardened team after coming through 2 tough games would probably not suit us.
For me at the moment I just think that Dublin have better players than Kerry, like Kerry had better players when they were beating Dublin in the past. Kerry don’t have anyone in the same form as Ciaran Kilkenny, Brian Fenton or James McCarthy, if fit, for example, maybe except for Paul Geaney. As they say, you can never write off Kerry but I’d expect Dublin to be playing us in the final. I actually thought last year that Diarmuid O’Connor was one of the few players from any county to really take it to the Dubs with no fear. Kerry would need plenty of players to do that if they are going to have a chance. Maybe a full-forward line of Geaney, Donaghy and James O’Donoghue could give Dublin some headaches. We’ll see how it goes anyway, it could be a really tough hard slog for both teams but I think Dublin’s forwards will be too good for the Kerry defence.
Think this Dublin outfit are improving all the time. Cant see anything other than a convincing Dublin win with Dubs red hot favourites for the final. We need to be waiting for them in the long grass. Only worry is not much of that around Croker.
Really struggling to see anything but a Dublin win this weekend.
This Kerry team won the luckiest All-Ireland I’m a long time in 14 after we were shafted in the semi, but their back line was shown up as poor in the final last year where Connolly and co toyed with them…..I can’t see how that has changed since them.
Also, the lads in the papers….don’t mind Tomas too much, but for the rest of them the less said the better!!
No need to use two words where one will do.
Dublin.
McMahon would probably have got poty last year, but probably crossed a line in the mind of some of the adjudicators a couple of times along the way
Gooch seemed particularly surprised by the attention in the final last year
No star forward can be surprised by the level of attention they might get this year and teams will have developed counter strategies, I have no doubt Kerry will have. Remember their final in 2014, the defensive game the played against Donegal to Donegal’s surprise?
I have no doubt that
1. Kerry will see this as effective all ireland
2. they will a have a card up their sleeve
I think Kerry will win.
From Mayo perspective, I’d rather Dublin win.
Shuffy deck
I can imagine and visualise you stoking the pipe while tapping the keys to formulate that post, I think I would like to have a pint with you and exchange opinions on the many many variables you have pulled from the box labeled spare knowledge, patients and experience portfolio.
Many of the opinions are very well thought out and may well be the subject of debate at 5pm on Sunday. Kerry are not the team that we were but Dublin are not the team that opposing teams think they are right now, can Kerry or Mayo beat them yes but that comes with a don’t handle warning,, To beat Dublin you must win the Hill, if the Dubs are on fire the hill provide the oxygen with their voice but if you get on top the silence results in a 2014 V Donegal event and the players feel the pressure to deliver and the uniqueness of the silence seems to paralyse the attacking spirit and the confidence as they are alway
so used to thriving in a sense of positivity and in an almost carnival atmosphere. When the monkeys fail to turn the organgrinder the show only appeals only to those that like the finality of endeavour. The Dubs are great but dont be fooled by reflections, know where to attack and win the hill,, we might just do it,,,
I went for a Dublin win.
Think Kerry can win if they play Donaghy wide in the left corner
Paul Geaney in the right corner
Leave the square empty. Run James ODonoghue, Paul Murphy and Cooper into that space. Use Donaghy as a ball winner in the corner not in the square.
Might be stating the obvious but I don’t think Kerry have the legs to stay with Dublin. I’m amazed how the dubs seem to be able to stay at such a high physical fitness all year round but that’s a different conversation. I would expect the game to be tight enough at 60 mins but then the dubs to turn in on. Kerry have too many players the wrong side of 30 and the gooch hasn’t played much football this year.
I think the Dublin defence can be got at, they don’t have a huge full back line and Kilkenny at half back is a weakness, he’s not a defender and will
Let his man go. Kerry will need a least 2 goals and to concede none. While the first is def possible the latter is hard to see.
A fair point there Gamechanger. The difficulty for Kerry will be stopping “come on ye boys” in the first place. I just thinking Kerry must have found some nuggets in the last 12 months. Absolutely no issue with those on here saying that Dublin have the better footballers on paper at least.
i think the kerry media have really shown their hand this week , all this tipping their own lads and talking about the hurt etc etc is just code for “go out and beat the dubs lads, be as dirty as ye like , we dont care we just want the win”
wanting it badly doesn’t make it happen , if it did we’d be on 4 in a row now .
but this doesnt mean kerry cannot take dublin, they definitely can if dublin are any way off par, Dublin will have to pull two top drawer performances to beat kerry and then Mayo, even then if mayo play out of their skins I would back us to beat either of them , our only problem in the last two semis was that we peaked for the year before them.
There’s a definite change in attitude from the Kerry folk in the run up to this game.
The Kerry media are all talking up their chances, no cute hoorism at all.
Even Bryan Sheehan has looked to stoke the fire, with his comments about how Dublin “stole” the 2011 All-Ireland.
Now I can actually see his point with that one, but it’s still rather strange for the captain to be coming out with that the week leading up to a big game.
I see this morning that a couple of ex-Dubs have come out and called his comments disrespectful. Fireworks on Sunday I reckon!
Isn’t it great though to be sitting back and watch it all unfold, safe in the knowledge that we’re already there.
Let the 2 of them knock all shades of shite out of each other on Sunday.
Yeah Dan, this is what Bryan Sheehan said:
“In 2011, I felt we were the better team. I’ll go on record – they stole that one off us. We let it slip through our hands; 2013 I thought was probably one of the best games of football ever played. It came down to (Kevin McManamon) going for a point more so than a goal. Just slipped in. They won it. Then I think 2015 we just didn’t perform to our capabilities. So I think we’re more than capable of beating Dublin. Fear is not an issue.”
The Dubs feel that he is giving them no credit at all for their 3 All-Ireland title wins. So as you said Dan, there should be skin and hair flying on Sunday!
Have been wrestling with this for a few weeks now but I am now firmly on the side of Kerry . I think they will not walk off that field having left anything behind them and I don’t think Dublin will match that hunger
I have been telling anybody that will listen to me after seeing Tipp run straight through the heart of the Kerry defence at will in the Munster final that they are going to get an awful beating at some stage this year. For this reason I hope Kerry win and we are the ones to give them that beating.
Hard one to call.
Bookies are showing Kerry at 5/2 to win on Sunday now, or 2/1 to qualify for next round. That’s long odds for a 2 horse race.
Mind you – the safer bet looks to be Dublin -3, which PP shows at 6/5 currently.
The draw is 9/1.
If games were played on paper then Dublin would already have won Sam this year. They’re not though and to be fair, Dublin did look vulnerable against a Donegal team that should really have done better than they did.
I’m not in any way related to the gent that does the dontfoul blog, but his analysis along with that of Rob Carroll from the 42 both make for interesting reading.
From memory, Dontfoul recorded that Donegal had 6 wides in the first half against Dublin, only one of these was coming from any pressure from defenders. Kerry will make hay with that sort of opportunity. On the same note – dontfoul has indicated that for both the Tyrone and Tipp games, 66% of the 41 shots by Tyrone and Tipp were under pressure from Mayo defenders. This compares to 51% of all shots from all games he has recorded over 4 years. Obviously that is contributing to the wide count both team had against us. We have been conceding a lot of frees so therein lies the trade off to my mind.
Also – from Rob Carrolls analysis on the 42 –the Dubs are not averse to the dark arts themselves – the analysis again from the Dublin Donegal game showed a number of off the ball blocks that would have drawn black cards had the officials noted them. While Donegal might be a team that will expect and get on with such behaviour, you can be damn sure the Kerry boys will be better at highlighting all of that to the ref before and during the game. There are no better men than Kerry to play to the officials. Call it cuteness, whatever you want, they will eek out any marginal gain they can and are within their rights to do that where it comes within the rules.
They will also be pulling the tail of the hot heads on the Dublin panel – I’m thinking O’Gara again, Connolly again, and they will certainly target McMahon as much as they can. Gough will have quite a busy day and will need to have his reports bang on otherwise a specific team of solicitors will be licking their lips with the prospect of taking the GAA for another ride.
Kerry do have some fine players but from looking at their panel, many are on the wrong side of 30 as has been mentioned before. They will have to rely a lot more on experience but this is something no other county can boast to have as much of as they do.
The Kerry Media have been in full force but it does seem to be a little desperate. The talk of hurt, hunger, and the undertone of “we’re going to spring a surprise” is a huge departure from the usual down-talking of their chances. This smacks of hope rather than expectation to my mind.
Overall, Dublin have the better and fitter squad and they have a better Keeper, which is crucial for the kickout strategies, where Dublin are a few steps ahead of all others. It’s hard to look past them to be the team we face in the Final.
I don’t have a particular preference for who I’d like to see win this. We owe both of them a doing. I hope they knock lumps out of each other on Sunday and get more cards than a month of Christmases between them, the redder the better.
Few “myths” that seem to keep popping up this week:
– Dublin struggled v Donegal. Really? In my view they never looked at all like being in bother and didn’t even have to exit second gear. We’d have been fawning all over that if it was Mayo in the same position
– Kerry “coming in under the radar”. Since 2009, when is the last time Kerry actually did anything out of the ordinary in Croke Park? Donegal 2014 is the only time they won a match they were underdogs in, and they were hardly outsiders by much, was pretty much a toss up match
– Dublin are worse than last season. How on earth can anyone come to that conclusion? The Leinster championship is a joke these days, you’re wasting your time even attempting to analyse that. Way too premature to be making such assertions. They’ve had a better league in 2016 and won a tougher 1/4 final pulling up this year
Seems to be a bit of wishful thinking in a lot of the Kerry predictions. There’s the outsiders who want to create a narrative where Dublin are much more beatable than they seem to try and want to make Football out to be super competitive (see the over-rating of Tyrone all season). There are the purists who can’t accept the “City boys” and all their resources dominating this great sport. And there are those who subconsciously still see Kerry as this major force like the 80s and 00s! Don’t worry, predictions on a message board won’t affect Dublin’s chances, they are roaring favourites for good reason!!
I was tempted to seek out the pre-AI Final thread last year and copy and paste my exact thoughts because it is the same again 12 months later. Dublin are a much superior outfit to this Kerry team. Form, cold-hard analysis, the recent head-to-head all suggest a comfortable enough Dublin win.
Kerry would need absolutely everything to go right, a vast amount of intangibles to all fall into place, and then some!
But on the basis nothing extremely out of the ordinary will happen, I’d say Dublin by about 7-10 points
The “hunger” aspect is the other myth! You can bet your backside this Dublin team will be chomping at the bit and doing all they can to win two in a row and cement themselves amongst the greats.
If hunger won All Irelands we wouldn’t be seeking our first in 65 years in three weeks time
It’s vastly over-rated.
Reading both Ciaran’s and FDB’s excellent analysis of Dublin, we’ll have to be at least 3/1 in the final.
I understand where you re coming from Ciaran . I had a bet on ( in the pub) that Kerry would be beat by ten points in the League final but I have have a feeling about Kerry on Sunday . It’s last chance saloon for a lot of them and I expect a huge game from them . Plus I think this time they will get their tactics right and finish the last twenty mins with their strongest team . Going to be a fascinating game . .
Yeah my gut says Kerry might win this one. I was chatting to a Kerryman this morning who knows his football and has a lot of contacts with the footballing circles. The word in Kerry is the they are super fit and have been targeting this game for months. But that after the roasting in the league their fitness regime has been seriously increased. The reckoning being that to beat this Dublin team they need to be fitter than them.
I expect a very tenacious Kerry display on Sunday and if the dubs are even a little off they’ll be beaten.
Don’t be surprised if you see Donaghy and David Moran on the edge of the square.
Liam as it stands we are 9/4 now, from 21/10 earlier in the week, to win the Final, and it’s not even been determined who we are playing yet.
Expect those odds to lengthen further if Dublin win on Sunday. If Dublin put up a big score against Kerry, I would see us having very long odds for the final.
Bear in mind Tipp were something like 5/1 to beat us, it will probably be similar from Monday on, if Dublin win. Might be around 3/1 if Kerry do them.
I think we’d be 3/1 alright if it’s Dublin. Maybe 7/2 if they massacre kerry
If it’s kerry I would expect us to be 2/1 max though. Depends on the margin and circumstances of their victory
Put it this way, we’d be worth a bet in both circumstances for sure
Ciaran , just one last point . While I respect everyone is entitled to their opinion and know that you make a lot of sense in your analysis I think hunger is going to be the major factor on Sun .
Now you may be well right about Dublin being out of sight with 20 mins to go BUT if they are not .. It’s then it comes into play . Look how Galway smelled blood in the last twenty mins against us .. I have seen it as a player , a manager and a spectator many many times . . But sure it’s all about opinions that’s what keeps us checking in on Willie Joe .
Yeah I agree . If it’s Dublin you ll get 3 ,s and if Kerry beat them it will Kerry 4/6 Mayo 6/4
You’d surely have to go back a long way to find a finalist 3/1 or longer though. I doubt even Cork were that long in 2010- there was a lot of talk about Down beating Kerry and having never lost in Croke Park, as well as Cork’s recent failures.
I don’t remember such a potential “foregone conclusion” in the modern era. Remember, while we were humbled by Kerry in 04 and 06 it’s easy to forget we were talked up hugely in the build up by various quarters. In 04 it was that we had hammered Galway and had a super win v Tyrone and got our “bad” game out of the way v Fermanagh, while Kerry had limped unspectacularly into the final and were carrying hurt from the previous 3 years. In 2006 our win v Dublin was hyped up to the max as well as the fact we were likely to learn from our mistakes in 04
Waterford and Kilkenny in 08 is probably the only GAA showpiece match as comparable in recent times
I’d relish it though to be honest!
To be honest I don’t totally discount the hunger aspect Tom in general (to an extent), but my issue is with those claiming Dublin won’t be as hungry this year. This is their biggest match of the season and the 2 in a row is within touching distance. These players stand on the brink of immortality. There are plenty of Kerry players even carrying as much or more medals than the Dublin lads. It’s very hard not to get fired up by Kerry in any case!
In my mind there’s a huge difference in this match and our one against Galway. We had the safety net of a back door, while Dublin are out if they lose. I think hunger might only be an issue if it’s finely in the balance with a minute or two to go, but going on what I’ve seen I just can’t see Kerry being as close
And those odds would be spot on I’d say. Maybe Mayo might go out as far as 2/1 Sunday evening if Kerry win in impressive fashion, but Mayo will regardless be 6/4 by throw-in in the final I’d say
Kerry 3/1 trading on BF . . I rem in 04 an American guy put 1000 on Kerry at 1,57 .( not with me ) Told him he knew nothing about football . Met him the next week and he gave me a line I ll always rem ” never listen to your heart “
Good post there today lads . Personally can’t see Dublin beat . Tom I agree about your hunger aspect but Liam is right The dubs will be expecting that . Galvin is a brilliant manager . . FBD great posts as usual . Roll on the 18th
I am wavering towards Dublin on this one. They are faster and have a better bench. As well as that they have a number of strands to their game plan.
I keep thinking that the sands of time must catch up on this Kerry group at some stage. I’m not 100% sure of their ages but I think that the following list is reasonably right:
Anthony Maher (31)
Darren O’Sullivan (31)
Donnchadh Walsh (32)
Marc O’Sé (35)
Colm Cooper (32)
Kieran Donaghy (33)
Aidan O’Mahony (36)
Bryan Sheehan (30)
Bastick and Brogan are the only outfield Dublin squad players over 30.
I know that people will point to Andy Moran and Alan Dillon as the same vintage, but they are no longer 70 min men. Kerry have so many players with so many miles on the clock that I cannot see them staying with Dublin if Paul Mannion, McManamon or one or two more of the Dublin speedsters are unleashed in the final 10 mins.
If Kerry get within 6 of Dublin I will be amazed. You can talk about hunger all you want, but Dublin are a much higher standard than Kerry and I feel the result will show this. I am surprised so many are falling into the Kerry are cute hoors etc etc….. thats up there with “Galway come alive in Croke Park” or “Roscommon have a great minor team coming through”… Dublin comfortably….
1 -17 Dublin
0 – 13 Kerry
Can’t believe the two teams are so close in the voting. Any sort of analysis has to make Dublin huge favourites..
Peaking at the right time is huge . We lost the last one because our legs went . And that happened before half time . I was front row upper hogan in midfield and I saw it happen . It was a hot day . We were so determined to stop the early goals as we did and then Bang we were dead . . Rem 97 . . The semi v Offaly . . We were absolutely brilliant and then 3 weeks later we bombed , absolutely pathetic , stuck to the ground . Maurice fitz didn’t win it . . We handed to them . . This year we have the perfect scenario . In a final without peaking and playing against a team that has to peak to win this Sun .
Fourgoal , I would be surprised if more than 3 of those guys start unless Sheenan is in goal . Don’t be shocked to see a new face either .
Dublin are rightly favourites based on recent form but I’ll say this, it’s impossible to tell where either team is really at because there’s other 3 or 4 teams capable of winning the all Ireland and Dublin nor Kerry have played any of the contenders yet. The current hype that exists around Dublin is the same hype that exists around great teams of the last, like Kerry and Tyrone in the 00’s, because it’s Dublin there’s more people saying it.
There’s a reason that so few teams have done two in a row, it’s very difficult, Tomas oshea spoke earlier in the year about the championship the year after the all Ireland, can’t remember the year, how they thought they were going well but when it really came down to it in the heat of battle they just didn’t have it in them. I think Dublin will win but I do not fear them in the final.
Jesus, I’ll never last till the 18th
Fdb and ciaran,have to say i really enjoyed yer posts.kerry’s hunger is souding more and more like desperation as each day passes.dublin have a chance to put kerry away for a few year’s,they will go to town on them and i will not be suprised if dublin were to give kerry an awful roasting.dublin will be out to inflict as much physcological damage as they can on kerry.there is alot at stake here sunday and i just feel dublin are the dominant force at the minute between these two sides.we remember what happened when kerry went up to lay down a marker in the league final and don’t let anyone tell me kerry had no mass on that game.the same media men in kerry talked up the importance of them rattling dublin that day.hence that is why i feel it is desperation stuff now.
Everybody is wondering what ”trick” or tactical plan Kerry will have up their sleeves for Dublin. Dublin will also have a plan for Kerry and i’d expect Gavin to try something on Sunday and catch Kerry on the hop. As the week goes on I just cant see Dublin losing. I wouldn’t be surprised if they won by 10+
I’m the same Mayo Mick! It’s going to be a long three weeks alright. And a lot of discussing, wondering, worrying, hoping but being afraid to hope too much in case we lose again. I’m not sure I could handle another loss.
Personally, I would prefer to meet Kerry. We are still hurting very badly after Limerick and I reckon our fellas would eat iron to have another go at them bucks. For sure it would be another nasty affair except this time I reckon we would come out on top on that front. I reckon we might be better footballers as well – if we decide to get stuck in for the full 70 mins.
But wait we must……..
Hey guys it’s all about opinions so don’t knock people for thinking Kerry are going to win rather then go with the conventional view that it will be Dublin in a canter . I am another one who think Kerry have a great chance and I guarantee they will spring a big surprise in team selection . I like to have a flutter so my bet is €20 on Kerry this Sun at 3/1 . Then all my winnings ( €80) on Mayo @ 6/4 in final . That will be a return of €200 to help me celebrate after The Big Dance
Are Kerry 3/1 to win? I’ll have some of that, would you get better overall odds if you placed 20euros double for Kerry to win semi and Mayo to win Sam?
Hope they injure the hell out of one another, pull a few hamstrings, a few concussions(?) and a few disallowed from playing in the final. Then absolutely puke football match on top of all that drama so we play the epic – as usual!
Nearly one week down!
Brave men to dismiss Kerrys chances . I cant call it tbh but the value bet is kerry for sure. Watching the kerry players in hotel after qf , they just give you that buzz they are on a mission. I was at the league final and thought it looked the end of the road for kerry but desperation or not i cant write them off for this one for some reason. At the end of the day if JoD finds his form he is capable of playing fook with Dubs defence for one example that kerry might get joy.
I think a lot of people are tipping Kerry based on pedigree and not form. I find myself thinking the same way and it’s obvious the trimmings they’ve inflicted on us have left lots of scar tissue. Logic clearly points towards a Dublin win and a convincing one at that. Logic pointed towards a Mayo win against Galway and we see how that turned out (I got that one wrong). However, most people did say for Mayo to lose they would have to play their worst game in 5 years and Galway needed to play well, that’s exactly what happened, Mayo went in 95% tuned in and Galway played their All Ireland.
I cannot see Dublin being anything other than 100% focused. People talk about motivation and hunger, well Jim Gavin just need point his players in the direction of this blog if he needs motivation. They’ve won 3 All Irelands in the last 5 years and yet nearly to a poster we all want to play Dublin in the final. If that’s not enough to fire you up, the fact that you’re not feared or respected, then I don’t know what is.
COH . Just to reply to your comment . I got 3/1 on Kerry on Betfair and no bookies will take a double bet on Kerry ( Sun ) Mayo ( Sam) because the two bets are interlinked
Kerry have named their team for Sunday:
Kerry: Brian Kelly; Shane Enright, Mark Griffin, Killian Young (c); Brian Ó Beaglaoich, Peter Crowley, Tadhg Morley; Kieran Donaghy, David Moran; Paul Murphy, Colm Cooper, Donnchadh Walsh; Stephen O’Brien, Paul Geaney, James O’Donoghue .
Subs: Brendan Kealy, Darran O’Sullivan, Bryan Sheehan, Barry John Keane, Marc Ó Sé, Jonathan Lyne, Fionn Fitzgerald, Anthony Maher, Aidan O’Mahony, Michael Geaney, Johnny Buckley.
Well no real “surprises” in that team like some initially suspected there would be. From what I can remember, Fitzmaurice very rarely (if ever??) picks a “dummy” team.
Massive game for the two wing backs, they’re massively raw at the top level. Does Donaghy really have the legs for midfield? How good is the Gooch really anymore? Is JOD 100%? Why on earth isn’t Darran starting?
If that really is the team you’d fear badly for them. It would appear they’ll be playing ultra conservative but if Dublin get any sort of run on them early doors, it could be a hiding
From a Mayo POV you certainly wouldn’t fear that side, if they somehow come through Sunday. They don’t have a whole lot on the bench either (Darran aside) bar a few geriatrics in footballing terms!
I wonder what are the odds of James O’Donoghue going down twice in the penalty area like he has been shot. The tool gets away with it every time.
Dublin to win but Kerry to give them a scare.