We'll beat Kerry. Loads to work on after the Cork game. Fullback line were poor for both goals. Could see Barret dropped, Tom starting, Vaughan wingback and Gibbons at centrefield. Decision making in front of goal needs to be more decisive, we should have had at least one more goal if not two.

Talks of James O'Donoghue's class will increase amongst media and supporters, and is well warranted, he looks very good. I'm sure Mayo and management won't be focussing all their defensive energies to one man, no matter how good he is. An on-form Kerry team can kick points from all angles from 2 to 15. We did well on turnover balls in the early second half against Cork but I expect the better ball players from Kerry to be well prepared for that and they'll let the ball go early or be better able to take the ball into the tackle create space and pop the ball to a runner(s).

I don't expect that there'll be more than a point or two in it. Before Cork I worried, outside of Cillian, where our scores would come from. I had faith in our backs to hold the Cork attack to give us the advantage. It turned out to be the reverse. Backs were slack at time. Andy and Dilly, who I questioned most of the forwards, both chipped in well, as did the rest of the forwards. I'd still question bringing on Varley and leaving Richie Feeney on the bench, a man who always gets that team fired-up when he's brought on. When our 7 point lead went down to 4 he was the man to spring. Are things still not ok between himself and Horan? Sweeney is also worth a run late in the second half, particularly if goals are needed.

Best of luck to both teams and their supporters, it'll be a cracker.

Maigh Eo Abú!

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7346 - 07/08/2014 15:30:08    1633036

Even an ordinary manager will know that O'Donoghue needs to be put out of the game early, by fair or foul. If Mayo nancy-boy about at Croke park, against Kerry, they will be beaten. Do you think for one minute, that Kerry wouldn't target Mayo's starman, if they had someone of his calibre?

gaelantrim (Antrim) - Posts: 1616 - 07/08/2014 15:56:44    1633061

On that above point I taught watching from the stands on Sunday that Mayo were pretty cynical against Cork. I noticed a good few off the ball hits, including two that could have warranted a red card, which the officials seemed content to ignore. Mayo players also seemed to hit the deck pretty easy as well in that game. If after two years of failure Horan is making them go down this overly-physical route than I think they are a dead duck already. A decent referee and they might find themselves black carded out of the game before they even get going, and that's where I think Kerry will have a huge advantage because Mayo may need to resort to this to try and contain the Kerry forward line.

I've been singularly disappointed with how the black card has been implemented so far this championship and if, as the poster above seems to be condoning, Mayo decide on a deliberate tactic to beat up the likes of JOD and no action is taken by the officials, then the Black card expereiment is doomed.

TheHermit (Kerry) - Posts: 6354 - 07/08/2014 16:27:29    1633073

There were two teams tangoing on Sunday, 1st half especially

an tseabhac (Kerry) - Posts: 441 - 07/08/2014 17:20:42    1633108

GaelAntrim - targetting a player or condoning it, is a disgrace.

Stay Classy man.

westkerry (Kerry) - Posts: 1250 - 07/08/2014 17:59:04    1633128

Having looked at the video of the Galway v Kerry game I am even more confident of victory because Kerry are a very open team through the middle, where I honestly feel Mayo are strongest. The centre back and full back position are weak areas in that Kerry defence especially. It seems too Kerry have learnt nothing from the Kevin Mc and Dublin experience - their defence gets pulled out of position and opened up way too easily for the first goal. This is REPEAT behaviour by Kerry not a one off. You will get goal opportunities running at Kerry, especially through the middle. I reckon Galway must have had at least a further 3 clear goal scoring opportunities with loose men off to the sides of the runner/kicker in possession if only they had the vision to cease them (we were guilty of lacking vision against Cork too I might add).

However, this is something for James Horan and the team to hone in on over the next 3 weeks - just take the extra second to look up lads and you will find the support runner very often in a goal scoring position. It is vital Mayo take advantage of the goal scoring chances - let's be honest if it was Dublin playing Kerry in that quarter final they would have scored another 4 or 5 goals where an average and still inexperienced Galway team still managed 2.

The days of just having high fielding midfielders (Kerry) are long gone, you also need tremendous stamina, speed and mobility (Mayo), so I expect Mayo to really dominate possession around the middle and really put Kerry under tremendous physical pressure. It doesn't matter how good the Kerry forwards are if they are starved of ball and we are forcing Hail Mary kicks into them rather than the slick foot passing under no pressure they are used to. Kerry bullied Mayo in 2004 and 2006 but now it's our turn to impose our strengths and bully them without mercy and impose our greater physical strength and mobility because we have the football and know how to finsh the job.

JamesH (Mayo) - Posts: 465 - 07/08/2014 19:07:47    1633159

Think kerrys bench will nake the difference, cant see mayo staying with them for the last 20 mins! Kerry to win by 5!

as_ky (Kerry) - Posts: 535 - 07/08/2014 19:38:50    1633176

James H - Since the quarter finals were intticket ced Kerry have played below par after conning off a Munster win.
I would not read massively into that, Your correct regarding center half back but I'm certain there will be a change there.
Either Crowley or Grifith could have the muscle required for that.
Midfield has been an issue as Mahers form has been poor but we have options there in Moran & Sheehan.
We gave the Dubs a run last year no reason we do it against Mayo.

I've seen you on the Kerry page for a few years sticking the boot in so I know
Your 100% confident.

You've left one crucial element out, I believe our management are better
Fitz will get his tactics spot on and his match ups correct.
It could be argued that in both A/L finals Mayo made crucial errors on the line.

My ticket arrived today and I for one will be in croker roaring on the Kingdom
in the belief they will win.

either way we are coming along nicely.

westkerry (Kerry) - Posts: 1250 - 07/08/2014 19:47:37    1633179

Sorry lads smart phone killing me, I meant since the quarter finals were introduced Kerry have played below par in them.

westkerry (Kerry) - Posts: 1250 - 07/08/2014 19:53:52    1633183

Mayo for me. I think Kerry will struggle with their physicality and their mastery of the dark arts (no offence meant Mayo lads, but lets call a spade a spade).

I would say Mayo by 3.

festinog (Galway) - Posts: 3097 - 07/08/2014 20:09:37    1633187

Mayo have the football know how to finish the job....


Is this a wind up...

LordLizzie (USA) - Posts: 23 - 07/08/2014 20:37:05    1633193

Targetting a player seems to imply fouling him. We should keep a close eye on O'Donoghue, Kerry's apparent danger man, like Lee targeted Kerrigan. But not concentrate too much on one man when he has top class men around him who can wreak havoc. Some are talking about double-marking him. No need for that. Keith can close down his space and restrict his time on the ball, try and make him make bad decisions, something that Cork or Galway didn't do so well. O'Donoghue though isn't just clever in the ball though. He'll make decoy runs to free up space for his team-mates to exploit the space created. I'd love to see the tricks both managers hope they have up their sleeves to get them to the final.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7346 - 07/08/2014 20:43:53    1633195

Mayo to make their third final in a row which is a huge achievement. Kerry overrated. JOD carrying kerry big time!

Jackeen (Dublin) - Posts: 4097 - 07/08/2014 21:29:52    1633225

Jackeen I remember your posts years ago when Dublin were in the doldrums, a bit more humility wouldn't go astray.

We ran Dublin very close last year and have been consistently in the last 4.

Not bad for a team in transition.

westkerry (Kerry) - Posts: 1250 - 07/08/2014 21:43:59    1633235

Its foolish to be looking in the 1/4 final games.
Kerry had the grit between their teeth for Cork...less so against Galway and got through the game. Thankfully Brian Sheehan's injury doesnt seem too bad.
Mayo as well did what they needed to do. They beat a decent Cork team but made much more hard work than it should have been.

As I think I have said already it is a 50/50 game but the more I think of it Mayo just dont have the marquee type forwards liek Kerry do in Declan O Sullivan and James O Donoghue.
Mayo have a better backline but I just think their lack of finesse in the forward line will be their undoing

woops (Kerry) - Posts: 2073 - 08/08/2014 09:24:51    1633269

festinog, genuinely, what dark arts are you talking about? I don't see mayo doing anything that 90% of other teams aren't doing. Keegan took a cork lad down outside the box in the dying seconds. The list of intercounty footballers that wouldn't do that in his position is 100 times shorter than the list that would.

As for this stuff about Fitzmaurice being so tactically aware, he made a mess of it against galway, who totally dominated the middle third. They just didn't have the quality to make it count. If he makes the same mistake against mayo - who in turn dominated galway around the middle, then JOD might as well be left totally free, because he cant score without the ball.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 08/08/2014 09:31:17    1633272

Westkerry you remember my posts do you? So because you dont like what I say you turn it to make it look like I'm not being humble? ?? BS. Its my opinion that Kerry at the moment are relying on JOD. That has nothing to do with how good or bad Dublin are right now. It has everything to do with Kerrys performances THIS YEAR. Cop on.

Jackeen (Dublin) - Posts: 4097 - 08/08/2014 09:39:17    1633278

07/08/2014 19:53:52
westkerry
County: Kerry
...since the quarter finals were introduced Kerry have played below par in them.

Yea, we'll never shake off the trauma of those horrific displays in 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2008, but especially those lows of 2006 and 2009.

an tseabhac (Kerry) - Posts: 441 - 08/08/2014 14:12:37    1633430

An tseabhac - maybe my post wasn't cleat enough I meant after Kerry win in
Munster they are generally rusty and below par in the quarter finals.

westkerry (Kerry) - Posts: 1250 - 08/08/2014 17:37:43    1633558

The general consensus is that if Mayo can tighten up at the back and mark James O Donoghue out if it they should hold Kerry enough to win. All year long Mayo have left their full backline exposed as they push men forward to bolster their attack. So they would have to abandon their current gameplan to win. I doubt that will happen.

If Mayo double up on O Donoghue they will have to withdraw a forward and give Kerry easy possession from their own kickout. But Mayo need to push up and force Kerry to kick long to midfield to maximise their superiority in this area. It only when Mayo pushed up against Cork that they forced the turn overs from COrk as Cork kicked short to avoid Mayos midfield but were swamped by Mayos forwards.

Kerry will play with a sweeper and try to kick long (not carry it out like Cork did) to expose the Mayo fullbacks. If the game pans out this way it will be a high scoring and exciting match but ultimately Mayo can play at a higher tempo for longer than Kerry can and this will be the difference.

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1109 - 13/08/2014 09:05:03    1636072