For once, we’ll be in the same camp as the Kerrymen on All-Ireland final Sunday: they’ll have their hands full dealing with our conquerors Tyrone in the senior final while we’ll have our own tough battle with the young Red Handers in the minor match. With Tyrone in both finals, we’ll also be looking for all the support we can get from the Kerry crowd for our cause. Yerra go on lads, shout for us and we’ll … no, I think we’ll have to make do with our own shouting.
Tyrone’s minors looked bloody good today. 1-21 would be a decent score in a 70 minute game but to rack up that kind of scoreline, the bulk of it from play, in a 60 minute match, is little short of phenomenal. They blew Meath to bits with their hard-working, high tempo style of play and will rightfully start as favourites in the final. Their attack looks very strong (but then so does our defence), they’re solid in the middle third (so are we) and they defend well (based on yesterday’s evidence, we can attack a bit too). It could be an absolute cracker of a final.
The senior match-up should also be one to remember. Kerry and Tyrone have unquestionably been the two best teams in the country this decade – you have to go back as far as Armagh’s win in 2002 for the last time that one or other of them failed to lift Sam – and the question of which of them merits the title of Team of the Decade is still an open one. Kerry lead 4-2 at the moment but they didn’t beat Tyrone on the way to any of these titles, whereas Tyrone did for Kerry both times they won the All-Ireland.
Kerry wobbled badly again today, this time losing a nine-point lead to the Corkmen, before they finally nailed the game just after Cork had drawn level. What is it with Cork? Once again, they played absolute shite for 50 minutes and played like men possessed for the next 20: what would they achieve, I wonder, if they upped the good bit to 50 and the reduced the shite bit to 20?
In the other semi-final, it looked as if the occasion got to Wexford as they stood off Tyrone for the whole of the first half and allowed them to shoot point after point. They put in a far better second half and for a short while it looked as if they might trouble the Red Handers but Tyrone were able to up the pace again and kick for home. Still, it’s been a season to remember for the Yella Bellies and it was heartening to see Jason Ryan in the middle of a post-match huddle rallying them already for next season where, no doubt, revenge for that 23-point Leinster final drubbing should be at the top of their agenda.
Finally, commiserations to the women who ran out of road yesterday evening in their All-Ireland semi-final against Monaghan at Navan. It would have been a notable double had the minors and ladies qualified for the All-Ireland final on the same day (and well done to the respective County Boards for agreeing to such ridiculous match scheduling) but, by the looks of it, the girls were beaten by a better Monaghan side on the day. Oh well, there’s always next year.
I know we will be heavily outnumbered by tyrone support but the kerry boys will get behind us you can be sure of it. Beating kerry by 10 in a replay in Munster( under the radar!!) is more impressive than tyrones result and as a result Im going to back our boys. they will not get carried away with this stunning performance as good and all as it was.I think Tyrones performance yesterday could work in our favour too if only serving to bring our boys back down to earth. THe passion that the mayo boys have is incredible….from 1 to 15. For me the save the keeper brought off in the final minute, well it just rounded off the complete performance for me(apparently, according to mid west, he is going to england to play soccer). Managment team must take enormous credit too although OGrady will be lucky to be on the side line the next day if any of the officials saw his messing on the sideline during the melee. He lost the head completely. In fairness to dempsey he didnt get involved but knowing the bould Ray he probably got a sly little dig in when no one was watching 🙂
i have no doubt that the Kerry supporters will be 100% behind us against Tyrone. They backed the 1978 minors who beat a powerful Dublin outfit by turning a five point deficit with five minutes left into a six point win. I regretfully have to chide you Willie Joe and this pains me bearing in mind that I believe you have the best GAA site bar none .Your references to the Kerry player Barry John Mickey Joe etc is ungracious and not in keeping with your ways. We as a county have had a Willie Joe and a Billy Joe. In my village we have Micheal Pat Toms and Sean Micky Thomases along with Johnny John Toms and always saw it as an old Irish way of recognizong proud linage. I am , I have to say dissapointed to see you refer to young Walsh thus. I apoligize if I am taking you up wrong and i still think your site is number one and I can understand if you tell me to f off but I say the above only because I respect your site too much. Adios for now.
ah now ontheroad, its only a bit of wit from the host. Nothing more, nothing less. take that away and the site wouldnt be half as good as it is, and it IS terrific. I particularly loved JJ’s continuous reference to the kerry minors as the “princelings”! Hilarious!! Speaking of Walsh, his sportsmanship last Sat was as welcome as surprising.After being hit by OShea it looked like Aiden might have been in trouble but walsh jumped up and intervened when ref was fumbling around in his pocket for a card. It was pure class and he should be applauded for it. Wille Joe you’re articles are second to none. Keep it up.
Fair enough, ontheroad, I’ll take your gentle chiding in the manner that it was given, not least as I respect your prolific comments on the site. I was just taking the piss a little but I suppose I shouldn’t have got personal. I stand by the “princelings” bit, though!
Possibly I am a touch too sensitive at times. Fair play Willie Joe I know you have the highest standards and indeed I have said things myself at times that were picked up wrongly. Your site is head and shoulders above the rest and I head for it each day. We need all the support we can get. Keep up the good work. Also thanks Ted for your contribution…we all want the same thing …success for the fair county.
Oh please ontheroad and Willie Joe… get a room!
Gee guys, we could have one of those group hugs Kevin McStay was on about last week!
Thanks for the kind words BTW, ontheroad – as you say, we’re all on the same side in terms of wanting to see success for the county (hopefully as soon as three weeks from now).
I see according to http://www.rte.ie/gaa that Rory Hickey of Clare is reffing the Minor Final with Gennet Deegan doing the honours in the Senior..
Yeah, just saw that – I remember we had Rory Hickey for one of our league games and I think he was a bit all over the place with his decisions.
WJ his name rang a bell alright so I looked at your 2008 Archive of results….
He was the ref against Laois in the league…that saturday night there was terrible wind and rain.
That was him alright. I’d thought he was another of those gents that we’d got sod all off but, in retrospect, that penalty he gave us was on the soft side. The Laois crowd certainly thought so, as I recall!