Kerry GAA discussion thread #2

Forge83

Our hurlers play Down away after a very poor league from them. Down are not great either but will probably get the win with home advantage.

Theres a growing feeling in the hurling community that Molumphy and his back room team are a massive step down from Fintan O Connor and his team, some have described him as an Alibaba Davy Fitzgerald 😝 Never before has a Kerry manager had the pick and buy in from nearly every top hurler in the county. Individually players are doing ok but as a unit they don’t work with the systems he is trying to use.Some of his team selections have been very strange also.

They most likely won’t make an impact in the Joe McDonagh this year and that should lead to Molumphy moving on.

An Ciarraioch

Clare dump Cork out of Munster, and Tipp defeat Waterford as expected, so:

Clare v Limerick

Kerry v Tipperary

Given how even third place in the All-Ireland groups can still make the QFs, looks like we'll have until the middle of June to try to find some consistency.

Bass Reeves

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120458254#Comment_120458254

That no advantage. Potentially the only decent game we might have got in the run in is gone. We are now facing our first match a home game against a third seed (Mayo, Westmeath, one of Galway/Roscommon and one of Mononghan/Tyrone/ Derry). I am not sure of it is even an advantage drawing Westmeath.

Potentially we could end up with a group of death, with maybe Galway, Tyrone and Armagh and no decent game before that.

Much prefer of Cork was still in the mix. We are much more successful when Cork and ourselves are beating lumps out of each other that when we have easy runs in Munster.

cms88

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120450785#Comment_120450785

He was a poor appointment to begin with. But that's not surprising from the CB when it comes to hurling. What had he actually done to get the top? He'll likely be gone again after this year meaning back to square one again. Some will point to last season being a good one, but was it? Way off it in the league and very luckly to make the McDonah final and even then were nowhere near winning it really.

Forge83

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120462446#Comment_120462446

100%. They were poor also last year, just very lucky with the inconsistency of most of the other teams.

Being an assistant to Davy Fitz seems to be what got him the job. The biggest bluffer in the game.

It’s a pity as a lot of players are playing some great individual hurling. The squad of players available should be winning a Joe McDonagh.

I at least expected them to run other teams into the ground late in games due to Molumphys emphasis on fitness and discipline, but I can’t see that either.

Lastly, Mikey Boyle is well past it at this level. Him being missing against Down was a massive blessing in disguise. He does not have the mobility required.A great close contact ball winner and maybe better off as a sub when the pace is gone out of the game.

cms88

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120462572#Comment_120462572

It's hard to know where Kerry are going in hurling. Where you see how Kildare are now going Kerry are going to fall behind them now.

Managers only see Kerry as a stepping stone, nothing really wrong that, but most never do anything after that. Éamonn Kelly and Ciarán Carey being prime examples. Current selectors from Waterford how many club game do they actually go and see? Until more players from South Kerry get looked at Kerry will be in the same place. But outside managers are still more likely to bring in outside players instead.

highball14

The u20s are out Monday night in Tralee against Clare. I’m very enthusiastic about the campaign; loads of talented players involved and from what I hear about the personnel selection it is spot on whereas in previous years it wasn’t in my opinion. We’re surprisingly short favourites with the bookies to win the All Ireland, it would be great if this was finally the year we were successful at this level.

windy shepard henderson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120482913#Comment_120482913

how good is that kerry team do you think , how many could kick on and make senior

we have about 3 lads on that team that will be walking into colm collins side next year but there is no cohesion to the team . we won the o connor cup which in truth is division 3 level and struggled against tipperary in thurles last week , as always we have a few really good individual players but i dont rate our chances

i feel we were competitive in miltown malbay for alot of that game last year i would be surprised if the same happened in tralee monday night

Boom__Boom

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120482965#Comment_120482965

Should be a pretty decent team.

As to how many will/might make senior tough to know - no superstar a la Clifford that you would call a definite future senior starter but a fair few lads that possibly could make the step up in time.

Vibes around the camp seem fairly positive from the little I've heard.

Pretty much a full deck to pick from in terms of injuries I think - might be one or two missing but overall seem to be in a good state in that front.

highball14

I think there’s 8/9 of the team I would say that have the potential to reach a standard high enough to push the Senior team in the future. Hard to say if there’s anyone who could push league time next year without seeing them in action in the u20 championship but there’s 3/4 I’ll be definitely be keeping an eye on.

As regards injury, Kieran Dennehy will miss the championship which is a pity as he really impressed for Beaufort and Mid Kerry last year.

DDC1990

What a fantastic weekend for Kerry Ladies.

Division 1 Champions in the football.

Div 2a Champions in Camogie.

Fair play to the players and management.

Hopefully Kerry Hurlers follow suit in the Joe McDonagh game against Carlow now.

windy shepard henderson

Dylan Geaney was excellent last year in fairness , if ye are talking about 8 or 9 this year i am worried , the ferry hasn't sank yet but by the sound of things it might have to in order for us to get over the line monday night

windy shepard henderson

i expected monday night to be close to be fair , we would regard this side to have two or three lads inter county ready next year , it was a good game but a big worry for kerry going forward is that back line , we lost to cork by a point at minor level with the same team so i imagine it will be all to play for in the final

as for the Munster final , if we make the mistakes we made regular tonight we are in huge trouble , being honest we are probably 10 points better then tipperary , if thats the case i hope we can put a good defensive plan in place for the final

Bass Reeves

Good win by Kerry tonight. Nice to see a young ref in charge of the match

An Ciarraioch

Condolences to the Cliffords on the death of their mother - can't have been an easy decision to line out this afternoon.

The_Honeybadger

I know a defeat at this stage is not the end of the world but I would fear for Kerry later on after that pedestrian performance.

Mayo controlled everything start to finish and destroyed Kerry around the middle in particular, and virtually no pressure put on their runners coming through.

It’ll be interesting to see what Jack and his selectors come up with now. I think Adrian Spillane has to start going forward, maybe Brian O’Beaglaoich could add something as well. They have to shore things up in that middle eight.

Mayo looking very good but it’s early in the year yet of course

Forge83

Hard to make sense of that game. Kerry looked disinterested in first half. Jack starting a newbie in Dylan Casey on an experienced player like Aidan O Shea was a strange call. Possibly a bit of shadow boxing from Jack overall.

On the plus side Shane Ryan and David Clifford were excellent. Paul Geaney had a great second half.

On a big negative, Seanie O Shea looks to have gone backwards massively. He’s been poor all league which he can have a pass on as was coming back from injury. He looked very slow today and doing very little positive with the ball. Would have taken him off before Dara Moynihan.

Tony Brosnan would want to have a word with himself also. Serious skill level but blows very hot and cold.

jimmytwotimes 2013

Think we'll go back to the six defenders we had last year.

Midfield options are limited so Jack and Diarmuid need to lift it.

I'd go with a 4-man HF line of A Spillane, P Clifford, D Moynihan, P Geaney

2-man FF line of Clifford and O'Shea

Bass Reeves

I kinda worried. Last year we were worried because Breen and Donohue were injured and we had no cover in the backs

I think Dylan Casey was the scarafical lamb. Definitely there was alot wrong in front of him. My fear is they think Paul Murphy is the answer and he is not. We got cleaned out at midfield but part of the problem was we won no dirty ball in the first half around the middle third, as well as runners coming through. Adrian solved some of that in the second half.

However Paudie Clifford and Dara Moynihan are not compatible in a HF line they lacks height and physicality. While Dara is a good player Paudie brings more to the table. I think Tony Brosnan is just not championship starter material.

We seem tighter all over the pitch for players. Dan O'Donoghue has disappeared, Breen has regressed and Gavin Crowley has been dropped from the panel ( it may come back to haunt us), up front Stephen O'Brien is still not back and Killian Spillane seems to be out of favour and out of the running even as a substitute.

Midfield which I taught we had cracked is showing fault lines. I taught Jack was the better of the two today. Have we to consider the unthinkable and drop Diarmuid for Barry Dan.

I taught our shot selection was poor in the second half I taught that David Clifford tried to force the game too much. If we had git back to 1-2 points with 15 minutes to go I think we would have won. But the time DC went fir a goal which the goalie saved that might have got us there because we scored again fairly shortly afterwards.

At the moment I cannot see a championship winning team there.

Piskin

Dara Moynihan & Tony Brosnan are not even good subs. Seeing Paul Murphy come on again today is the same old story. He simply cannot defend. Tom o Sullivan needs to remember he is a defender, was taken to the cleaners by Shane Walsh in last years Final. Jack Barry & D O Connor not good enough or tough enough. Sean o Shea is overrated and only for his free taking I wouldn't have him on the pitch tbh, his game has not improved one bit. Take out David Clifford and that is a poor Kerry team. Jack o Connor was bad on the line today and needs a change in players & tactics.

Forge83

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120622357#Comment_120622357

I often slate Paul Murphy but to be fair to him he played ok when he came on. He is fine on a match up on the likes of Ryan O Donoghue but it’s rare he will get that kind of match up. I think the fact he was on before Begley is that Begley is nowhere near match fit. On midfield, Jack Barry had his worst game for Kerry ever and I can’t see that happening again. I believe that’s one of the reasons we were so open at the back as he is normally the guy closing up big gaps in half back line.That led to Diarmuid underperforming also as if one midfielder is bad then normally the other is also.

Mayo got everything right yesterday and we got everything wrong. There’s plenty of time to correct those things. One brilliant thing Mayo did was commit Paudie Clifford to defending deep as it meant anytime Kerry got a counter attack he was too far back to do anything meaningful with the ball. Paudie should rarely be behind the half back line. Start players like Adrian Spillane and let him do that dirty work. This is the team I’d be going with for Cork. Not a Geaney fan but he did play well yesterday. O Shea given one more chance in full forward line to show some kind of form.

1.Ryan2.G O Sullivan 3.Foley 4.T O Sullivan 5.Begley 6.Morley 7.White

8.Barry 9.Barry Dan O S 10.P Clifford 11.D O Connor 12.A Spilliane 13. S O Shea 14.D Clifford 15.P Geaney

The_Honeybadger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120623027#Comment_120623027

I’d agree with all of that. No need to panic, but some changes are definitely needed.

Seanie has not kicked on and become the player we thought he was going to be after 2019 for whatever reason, and a move in to the FF line probably makes sense at this stage to see if he can get in to the game there.

I was surprised that Adrian Spillane didn’t start yesterday and I think he needs to be in the team for the foreseeable future

john9876

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120622357#Comment_120622357

That's a long list of the problems as you see them.

Any chance of suggesting a few solutions?

Piskin

Geaney did have a good few moments yesterday but can he keep it consistant, has been mostly bad since 2019. I think Jack gave him a roasting at half-time yesterday. Paudie Clifford gets pulled out of position very easily, We need more grit in the middle of the pitch to control the games more. That game was played on Mayo's terms yesterday

Piskin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120623782#Comment_120623782

Midfield pair of Barry & O'Connor broken up. Adrian Spillane & Barry Dan to replace them. Sean 0' Shea in the full forward line with David Clifford in the half-forward line as he can create & kick from distance, if S O Shea fails to cut in in the FF line then he must be dropped. Dara Moynihan & Tony Brosnan dropped as they are not up to it at this level. D o Connor in the halh-forward line to add some height. Paudie Clifford to show more composure & street smarts into his game as he gets put out of the game very easily. Tom O Sullivan to remember he is a defender first & foremost. Jack o Connor to be more astute on the line & ruthless if need be.

john9876

I think anyone suggesting moving David Clifford out of the full forward line needs to up their medication.

awaywithyou

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120623777#Comment_120623777

Seanie hasn’t kicked on since 2019? Were u living on a different planet last year... he does look awful slow or something this year.. Mayo had a great break before yest game... mcstay said some of the players went off on holiday.. so they were super fresh.. and it showed.. they were hopping. Kerry haven’t the same buzz about them as last year

The_Honeybadger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120624331#Comment_120624331

He has had moments like the high pressure free against the dubs but he has been in and out of games and hasn’t become the dominant player I thought he would become personally.

Maybe I’m being unfair but I can’t think of a big game where he has stood out from general play in recent years. Obviously his free taking is exceptional and we know he has the high end talent. There is just a bit of consistency missing I think.

Piskin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120624287#Comment_120624287

Even worse was said when Cooper was put in the half forward line in 2013

cms88

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120624331#Comment_120624331

It's a bit of a myth he'd a great game against Dublin last year. Scored 1-01 early in the game but did little until the late free. He did very little in the final as wll imo.

If you take away the free he's offering very little. He's also not taking them from the ground anymore and is struggling with them from his hands. Missed a very easy one early on on Saturday.