AI Semi-Final 30th August

kerry4sam

Kerry -v- Meath

I seriously hope that complacency doesn't set in. Anything can happen in a Croke Park minute as we have learned so often

alrudd

You'll beat Meath quite easiy i think.No need to worry.

Flukey

As a Dub, there is only one county I would like to see Meath beat in the championship. Let's hope we see a repeat of the 2001 result.

baziragi

Hello all just joined boards, as a Meath man delighted with result. Anything could happen in semi though im sure our forwards will test kerry. Poor Dublin would have been so much better off had they lost to Meath in leinster and taken Meaths route to semis they would have met Kerry in much better shape

homerjay2005

Flukey wrote: »

As a Dub, there is only one county I would like to see Meath beat in the championship. Let's hope we see a repeat of the 2001 result.

why, its very baffling that youd not want kerry to win this one? Cork are our biggest rivals. i would rather dublin to beat cork on any given day in any given game. as meath are your biggest rivals, i would expect the same from most dubs.

will be a tough game. i wold have rathered Mayo as they are soft touch. Meath aint though.

Colm R

As a Cork man, I'm hoping Meath will win.

That said, IF we can overcome Tyrone, I'm not sure who I would rather play.

- A Kerry team we have the beating of, but a huge mental block when it comes to Croke Park.

or

- A Meath team well able to wear down the opposition and grind out a gritty win.

*Stop thining about it - Tyrone first!!

Kingdom

I'm delighted its Meath. I think a lot of Kerry fans (thats fans not players) will be looking to throw one over the Royals for 2001. That was the worst day in Croker for me as a Kerry fan. Utter utter humiliation. I think the Kerry backs will prefer the opportunity to go man for man with the Meath forwards rather than tackling a system as such.

Feel sorry for Mayo. For their supporters as much as anything I'd love to see them win SAM.

Have to say I'm salivating at the thought of Meath in the semi's given the potential of the other side of the draw.

parkerpen

Sorry but let's be realistic. Kerry WILL win this, no problem.

Flukey

homerjay2005 wrote: »

why, its very baffling that youd not want kerry to win this one? Cork are our biggest rivals. i would rather dublin to beat cork on any given day in any given game. as meath are your biggest rivals, i would expect the same from most dubs.

will be a tough game. i wold have rathered Mayo as they are soft touch. Meath aint though.

Why? Because I am not just a Dublin fan, but a GAA fan too. Kerry have 35 All-Ireland titles. Only one other county, Dublin on 22, are even in double figures. It has been great to see the likes of Tyrone and Armagh in this decade and Donegal and Derry in the 90s, adding their name to the roll of honour. Many people would have been supporting Waterford yesterday, for the reason that they just would not want to see Kilkenny winning another All-Ireland. Like Football's big 2, in Hurling we have the big 3, Kilkenny(31), Cork(30) and Tipperary(25), being way ahead of the rest, with no other county in double figures. Not since Offaly in 1998 has the Liam McCarthy not been in the possession of one of those counties.

You have to admire the ability of Kilkenny and Kerry, but it is good for the games to see someone else win. So after the final whistle on the 30th of August, it would be nice to see Kerry out. So it is more a case of wanting to see Kerry lose, than Meath win, which will have me hoping that Meath win that match. I was delighted when they hammered Kerry in the 2001 semi-final, and equally delighted when they were then well beaten in the final by Galway. Something similar would be nice.

Cork and especially Tyrone beating Kerry in the final would be nice too. Seeing Kerry lose that final and Tyrone maintaining the upper hand they've had would be very satisfying. Last year Kerry people were saying that the final would definitively decide who was the best team of the decade. When they lost though, suddenly it wasn't definitive. If Tyrone win this year, without beating Kerry, you'll still have Kerry saying they are the better team. If It is a Kerry v Cork final, win or lose, Kerry will be saying they are the better team in terms of Tyrone. If Tyrone beat Kerry, the "Who is the better team" will move on to next year.

So I wouldn't mind Kerry beating Meath, if Tyrone then beat Kerry. Of course if Kerry beat Tyrone, they'll be insufferable and it'll be almost like that they'd have played Tyrone in every year of the 125 years of the GAA and Tyrone had never got the ball past the halfway line in any of those matches, and that's how much better a team they are.

Myself and a very passionate Tyrone friend were at the final together last year, and although I am not very excitable at matches normally, I was far more excited at that win than he was. Dooher storming down the sideline for that point had me up on my feet, and delighted when it went over. Like many people in the ground, and even the TV cameras, I didn't see their final point going over the bar as I was still celebrating their previous one, seconds before it. Their goal has to be one of the worst ever scored in a final, but it was a joy to see. Tyrone beating Kerry in that final, as was the case in 2005, gave me great joy. A repeat of that would be lovely.:D

DeepBlue

homerjay2005 wrote: »

Cork are our biggest rivals. i would rather dublin to beat cork on any given day in any given game.

I'd be the opposite. If Kerry are knocked out and Cork are still in the hunt for Sam I'd support Cork. The same would go for any other Munster team.

Flukey wrote: »

Tyrone beating Kerry in that final, as was the case in 2005, gave me great joy. A repeat of that would be lovely.:D

After 32 years of getting beaten by Kerry I can see why you'd feel that way. Here's to another 32 years .

Colm R

DeepBlue wrote: »

I'd be the opposite. If Kerry are knocked out and Cork are still in the hunt for Sam I'd support Cork. The same would go for any other Munster team.


After 32 years of getting beaten by Kerry I can see why you'd feel that way. Here's to another 32 years .

Fair play. I'm afraid I cannot return the favour however. :rolleyes:

Flukey

DeepBlue wrote: »

After 32 years of getting beaten by Kerry I can see why you'd feel that way. Here's to another 32 years .

It hasn't even got to do with the fact I am from Dublin. As I said, it is nice to see a county other than the most successful county win an All-Ireland title. As I said in my previous post, it was great to see Donegal win their first All-Ireland in 1992. They beat Dublin in that final. Even so, I still think it was a great thing to see. Armagh beat Dublin in the 2002 semi-final, and Tyrone beat us in the 2005 and 2008 quarter final, but I was still supporting them when they got to the final against Kerry and delighted when Kerry lost those 3 finals. It is great to see any county other than Kerry win an All-Ireland football title, in the same way it is good to see teams other than Kilkenny, Cork and Tipperary win the Hurling title.

For five successive years in the 1990s, Kilkenny, Cork or Tipperary did not win the All-Ireland title. In the history of the GAA, that is the longest period in which none of the 3 of them won it. Of the remaining 3 counties, I'd prefer to see Limerick win, and if not them, then Tipperary.

Turning it the other way around, I'd love to see Kerry win another All-Ireland hurling title or another Munster title or see Kilkenny get the first All-Ireland football title, or fourth Leinster Football title. As a GAA fan, it is good to see teams that have less success win things and not see teams with loads of success win again, even if they are great teams. That, above anything else, is why I hope Kerry and Kilkenny do not win an All-Ireland title this year. As a GAA fan I'd say fair play to them in terms of the quality and skill and ability, but it is still nice to see other counties win things.

TomMc

I think Kerry knowing in advance which of Cork or Tyrone are in the final could play a part in their peformance over Meath. Lets hope they get sidetracked and put in a peformance more like they did against Monaghan a few years back rather than the one against the Dubs a week ago. Everyone in Kerry is bound to be taking Meath for granted and to such an extent, it will play into Meath's hands. We did it when we beat Kerry in '01 and never really got going in the final against Galway. The first back door team (I think) to win an All-Ireland. When we beat Tyrone two years ago (they beat themselves as much as we did with poor finishing), people got carried away and thought Cork wouldn't be as difficult as they looked ordinary against Sligo in their QF. Yet that was one of Meath's worst defeats ever. Footballers can say they don't get taken in by the hype or listen too much to public opinion, but it does get into players heads / breed and fester (complacency) at some level. A recipe for disaster. If you haven't the hunger or an edge before a game starts, it can be hard to find it and switch on when it does.

This year AI, is up for grabs to whoever wants in the most. For the first time in a while Kerry look good enough to beat Tyrone in a final and yet you can say the very same about Cork (at last) been good enough to beat Kerry in a final as well. Not just show promise. I think if Tyrone got to the final it might inspire Kerry that bit more against Meath (to get there as well), yet if Cork got there, for the first time Kerry may feel there is a Real danger of losing to the rebels in the final, which would be the worst possible scenario. They would rather lose to Meath in a semi and hope Tyrone take their neighbours in the final. So the outcome of the Cork v Tyrone game could really play with Kerry heads either way. Easy to get sidetracked. Meanwhile Meath can prepare with minimal fuss and give it another shot, playing one game at a time, albeit against tougher opposition each time.

homerjay2005

TomMc wrote: »

. Lets hope they get sidetracked and put in a peformance more like they did against Monaghan a few years back rather than the one against the Dubs a week ago.

eh? we beat a top class monaghan team with a fantastic last 20 minutes in terrible conditions. there was nothing wrong with that performance.

monaghan would have caused a few massive upsets had they not met kerry 2 years in a row.

TomMc

I think it was as much a case of Monaghan not having enough experience or self-belief or cuteness to close out the match on the big stage. They got into a winning position and rather than continue to play positively (attack or holding onto possession been the best form of defense), they tried to hang on / hold out and invited trouble on themselves. Monaghan's fear of losing that day, was due to the fact they had a belief they weren't good enough to beat a powerhouse like Kerry at Croke Park. Paid Kerry too much respect in the latter parts of the game, when they were there for the taking after a six week break. Kerry did what they had to and all credit to them, but a better team wouldn't have afforded them the opportunities to do so.

Kingdom

TomMc thats harsh on both Kerry and Monaghan. Its not paying enough respect I don't think. Kerry played 20 mins of sublime football to win through, having dug hard to stay in contention, in brutal weather.

Oh and this Kerry team or its maanagement won't be caught up in hype or arrogance, the selectors aren't that type, its been too much effort to get into this position, and there's too much up for grabs in terms of team selection agianst Meath.

TomMc

Well we will agree to disagree but I think Monaghan let that one slip. Even after Declan O'Sullivans goal to level, they pulled 2 pts clear again with only 5 mins or so to go. But another Kerry sub Bryan Sheehan saved the day pegging them back before Tomas O'Se's winning point. But overall, Monaghan ran out of steam and got a little ragged when it really counted most, and it cost them big time.

The Kerry management can do everything to try and keep players feet on the ground and with the right focus but as players interact with the public in their daily lives, the Kerry publics views and perceptions can get into players heads even on a subconscious level. A dangerous mix.

Anyway, lets hope it is a good game and may the best team win on the day. Got my ticket earlier on, so hopefully it will be a fine day. It is a pitty they do not hold both semi's on the same day and fill Croke Park proper. Closing the upper tier of both stands doesn't really work for me.

Kingdom

TomMc wrote: »

Well we will agree to disagree but I think Monaghan let that one slip.

The Kerry management can do everything to try and keep players feet on the ground and with the right focus but as players interact with the public in their daily lives, the Kerry publics views and perceptions can get into players heads even on a subconscious level. A dangerous mix.

I hope to God they do hear what a lot of the Kerry public have been saying:
Joe Kerry: Yerra that Declan O'Sullivan has Jacko by the yazzo.
Mary Kerry: The Gooch has a sauce problem
Joe Kerry: MMik Quirke's too hefty
Mary Kerry: I love Pat Spillane
Joe Kerry: Dwyer wouldn't stand for that....
etc etc.

There is a defiance about this team that will stand to them in the long run.

homerjay2005

this was written before last mondays game by Billy Keane, who is a genious. a fantastic writer

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By Billy Keane


Monday August 03 2009

The rumours of trouble in the Kerry camp remind me of the man who was accused of infidelity by a wife who had heard rumours 'from a concerned friend'. "Was she there?", was his response.

Now I wasn't there either, but unlike many of the experts who propagate hearsay, I do know what is going on in the Kerry camp.

Back in 1997, I was involved with the Kerry team in a small way. I can tell you for a fact there were 15 players who were hurt, and they were the 15 who didn't make the team. This is the way it has always been. You can talk all you like about squads and thank the 30 who made all this possible at tea time on All-Ireland day, but every player thinks he is good enough to be on the team.

Yes, there have been disagreements between Jack and the O Se brothers, yet Darragh O Se had no problem with Jack's return. He told me so. And it is true that the book has landed Jack in more bother than Salman Rushdie, but the players have never been so united.

"When you are being knocked from all sides, it brings you closer together," said former great Stephen Stack. "The supporters are coming onside. They ran onto the pitch to celebrate the win over Antrim and let the players know how they felt about them. There is a growing belief that we have been too hard on our players."

human

Paidi may have been gauche in his phraseology, but the use of the word "animals" as a collective noun basically meant we expect the best all of the time. Now we suddenly discover our heroes are human, and we love them all the more for it.

The loudest cheers in Tullamore were when the Gooch and Tomas came on. I think the roar was not so much a hooray as a mea culpa.

It's not just the fans who expect too much. The analysis of amateur players by professional commentators has gone too far. What did we ever do to deserve such criticism that at times takes from the dignity of the individual? Win too many All-Irelands is it?

The Dublin players will empathise with Kerry. One good day and they are already champs. Get beat and the experts tear them to pieces. Players shouldn't take any notice, but they do. A parent might relay a throwaway remark from a commentator or the young brother might forward a savage review from one of the anonymous character assassins who cower under the boards.

The main reason the Dubs have gone so long without winning Sam is a mix of the unrelenting pressure that goes with playing for Dublin, and bad shooting.

Now that the Brogan brothers are at their best that problem has been almost eradicated. I'm not sure if Dublin mark tight. Dublin conceded 18 points to Kildare. Kerry will get scores and Dublin will need goals to win.

Jack gambled in his decision not to train Kerry too hard for the league. Kerry looked tired not because they have been on the road longer than Wanderly Wagon but because they were not fully fit. So far Kerry have only played well for 10 minutes at a time but against Antrim they played well for the last 10.

Kerry are almost fully fit now and they are fresh. Darragh, though, is still susceptible to a runner and if Kerry do not figure out a way of protecting him, as Armagh did with McGeeney in his twilight years, then Dublin will wreak havoc.

The Kerry players were delighted when they heard the draw and not because they felt Dublin were a soft touch. This will be a very tight game. Kerry teams know that when you play Dublin, you make history. If you are lucky that chance might come three times in your career. No one ever forgets Kerry v Dublin games. There is a genuine bond between the counties and I think it is fair to say that if Kerry are to lose we would prefer Dublin to apply the coup de grace. And it's not just the bonding thing. When you haven't been beaten for over three decades, one defeat might not be as hard to take as say four defeats by the same team in the same decade!

But that Dublin jersey brings out the best in us. Croke Park full, the hill swaying, the inevitable controversial incident that will swing the game and the sense that in some way we, by the very act of being there, are extras in the longest-running series in the game.

They say history is written by the winners. Kerry, do not let the begrudgers write your epitaph.

- Billy Keane

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