I think Ballydalane is spot on. Ulster sides and GAA people DON'T hate Kerry or disrespect them. Growing up in Belfast in the 70's and 80's as a kid Kerry were the Gods. On the field you wanted to be Jack O, Bomber Listen or Pat Spillane; they were very much idolised in Ulster at a tough time. However Kerry had most teams beat before the ball was threw in, they had a fear factor that intimidated sides. Tyrone played them in the 86 final and were the better side for most of the game BUT when Kerry scored a late goal Tyrone just crumbled and their legs went. Tyrone, and possibly Armagh, learned from this and went into the lster Kerry games determined not to lose the way they lost before. They certainly respected Kerry but didn't allow that to get in the way of playing them the way Cork and Mayo did; they were beaten in the mental battle before a ball was thrown in and went on to the field intimidated and scared of Kerry's reputation. So people shouldn't mistake not fawning over a side to disrespecting them. Respect should be kept for after the game, awards ceremonies and dinner dances NOT on the pitch.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9703 - 14/09/2014 16:53:55    1651911

Kerry wont fear us on sunday. They have beaten all the ulster teams along the way in the last 10 years. Take tyrone out of the equation and their record is very strong. Beating armagh twice, and drawing once against them. Beating monaghan twice. Derry and Tyrone. I dont think they will fear us, in fact, I think they are quite pleased they are meeting us in the final.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 14/09/2014 17:09:26    1651920

Theres no chance Kerry will fear Donegal.Or any team for that matter.Why should they.They have a huge belief in their own ability.History and tradition dictates that.All the greats and legends that have gone before them,and adorned the green and gold jersey,must instill a certain confidence,regardless of the opposition.Their record of 36 All Irelands does not way heavy on the players.It lifts them and propells them to greater things.We have barely managed to scrape past them,with one of our greatest ever teams,over the last few years.It is certainly not as strong a team as maybe 5 years back,but some of these new lads,are beginning to make their own history,and will be with us for years to come.Pound for pound,i would maybe slightly give the edge to Donegal,but it is the aura,this intangible thing called tradition,that i feel,evens this game up.You never get rich backing against Kilkenny or Kerry.I have a feeling there will be a few happy punters collecting there winnings in Tralee and Killarney on Monday week.

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 14/09/2014 19:12:07    1651951

This is not the railway cup. Ulster aren't playing. Donegal are playing Kerry for only the second time in championship history. Right now it's 1up to Donegal so there's nothing in it. How Kerry have faired against any other team from Ulster in the past had no reflects on this game.

Tir Conaill Abu (Donegal) - Posts: 1671 - 14/09/2014 21:17:30    1651998

Wouldn't pay any to Martin McHugh column in his column in The Star,

kerryluck (Kerry) - Posts: 2517 - 14/09/2014 21:21:44    1652001

Will there be any Ulster supporters here secretly cheering on Kerry , to keep their county ahead in the boasting stakes ;)

AthCliath (Dublin) - Posts: 4347 - 14/09/2014 21:32:38    1652003

Once the implication changed that it'll be a soft All-Ireland for Donegal only having to beat a team with a fear of Ulster, a few are changing their tune!

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7853 - 14/09/2014 21:34:33    1652005

I wouldn't say they're afraid. I'd say they have trouble with the Ulster defensive/counter attack style of football. Nobody in Kerry/Munster plays like that so it's hard to prepare for it. If Donegal win it will keep their terrible final record v defensive teams going and Dublin in 2011 played liked a northern side so you can add them too.

Jack_Goff (Meath) - Posts: 2920 - 15/09/2014 08:54:29    1652026

Kerry Won 36 All Ireland Finals and lost 22

Ulster Teams in Total won 17 All Ireland Finals and Lost 16

Kerry Have won more All Ireland Finals than the total amount of finals all Ulster teams have appeared in.

pdempsey (Mayo) - Posts: 1313 - 15/09/2014 09:11:25    1652035

legendzxix
County: Kerry
Posts: 3741

1652005
Once the implication changed that it'll be a soft All-Ireland for Donegal only having to beat a team with a fear of Ulster, a few are changing their tune!


Yes i was thinking that only this morning. Plus Kerry being in transition would water it down even more.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 15/09/2014 10:20:54    1652064

pdempsey
County: Mayo
Posts: 773

1652035
Kerry Won 36 All Ireland Finals and lost 22

Ulster Teams in Total won 17 All Ireland Finals and Lost 16

Kerry Have won more All Ireland Finals than the total amount of finals all Ulster teams have appeared in.


Amazing statistic, to think this will be the 59th year that Kerry have contested an All Ireland final is simply stunning. Superb achievement by Kerry, and a marvellous football tradition they have. I have alway marvelled at how Kerry continually manage to sustain that success. Something Ulster teams to date have not yet achieved, but something that they somebody must have given some thought to.

While Ulster teams have only won 17 x All Ireland's in total, 9 of those wins and 2 losses have arrived in the past 22 years. With Donegal, Derry, Armagh and Tyrone all winning their 1st All Ireland titles in that relatively short period.

I'm just pointing out, that Ulster football has grown quite a bit in that time. The next challenge now that they have established they can win All Ireland's, will be to actually figure out how to continually challenge and win. As currently Ulster teams tend to come in waves, and then disperse.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 15/09/2014 12:33:27    1652131

legendzxix
County: Kerry
Posts: 3741

1652005
Once the implication changed that it'll be a soft All-Ireland for Donegal only having to beat a team with a fear of Ulster, a few are changing their tune!

While you might like enjoy the Idea of Donegal fans being overconfident entering this game, It simply isn't the case. Nor is the Donegal media getting carried away or anybody else for that matter.

I live right on the border with Donegal and work with quite a few Donegal people in Derry City, and I haven't heard a single Donegal person say once that this will be a soft final or easy final. Nor I have I heard "Kerry have a Fear of Ulster" chat from anybody.

The general consensus is that the final will be a tight battle, and a very different challenge will be posed in this game compared to previous games. Kerry won't wilt under pressure, and Kerry will certainly remain calm, focused and keeping coming at Donegal.

The Donegal players especially know this, as the last 10 minutes of that 2012 game will last in their memory. Donegal know they face a massive challenge in this game, and anybody who is posting otherwise is likely a troll ( Somebody from a different county, with a fake Donegal profile on here stirring it ).

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 15/09/2014 13:13:02    1652164

Small correction. Kerry have won 36 and lost 21 finals. Of the 21 finals they lost, 11 were to Leinster opposition, 6 to Ulster opposition and 4 to Connaught opposition, so clearly Kerry fear Leinster opposition!!
Of the 36 won, 18 were against Leinster opposition, 12 against Connaught, 4 against Ulster and 2 Munster (Cork) opposition.

DanBreen (Kerry) - Posts: 73 - 15/09/2014 14:06:43    1652194

Does anyone else think this argument undermines the great Tyrone and Armagh teams?? That Kerry lost because they feared Ulster opposition rather than Tyrone and Armagh were great teams and the best team won on the day!!

JMK (Kerry) - Posts: 273 - 15/09/2014 14:21:34    1652200

of course it undermines those teams jmk...some people have a hard time believing that a county like tyrone could beat kerry though so another angle has to be looked at

fabio8 (USA) - Posts: 2182 - 15/09/2014 14:29:08    1652206

To other thing in all this is how closely contested where finals between Kerry and Ulster sides. Many people look to big victories Kerry gave Mayo/Cork sides to say that must mean those counties feared Kerry. Yet, in any of these famous matches against Ulster teams down years never more than kick of ball in most of them.

Armagh 2002: Kerry completely dominated first half, I was convinced they would win handy and only needed to pop over first point or two in second half. For some reason Kerry just got into mindset that they had game won and began to collapse as Armagh fought back. Still only one point game in end though.

Tyrone 2005/2008, both very closely contested again and only a score in it in case of 2005. In 2008, Tyrone tacked on few insurance points in extra time but that's not story of the game. Declan put a goal chance an inch to left with about seven minutes to go and if that was in I'm convinced we would have won out by 3-4 points, momentum was with us big time at that stage.

Donegal 2012, again a one point game and Kerry fecked up big time for the only goal which gave Donegal a vital foothold to control the game.

All these teams deserved their victories because over the course of 70 minutes on the day they proved they were better side than Kerry. But, still all these games were massive battles, keenly fought and hard won and it was never a case of Kerry teams not showing up or rolling over meekly in deference to these counties.

Hopefully on Sunday we are in for another massive battle, and Kerry, like they did against Armagh in 2006 or Monaghan in 2007 can come out on top.

TheHermit (Kerry) - Posts: 6354 - 15/09/2014 14:45:00    1652210

Correct hermit,there was very little between the sides,in 02,05 and 08 finals.A wee bit of fortune could have turned all 3 of those games on its head.As i posted earlier,this is one of Dublins greatest ever teams,and yet we just managed to scrape past Kerry twice in last few years.The only time i ever remember Kerry getting a real hiding,was when Meath went to town on ye,in a semi final,a good few years ago.

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 15/09/2014 15:33:57    1652245

Don't mention 2001, still recovering from it. Karma's a bit*h though, the Royals havn't had a good championship since by their standards!

TheHermit (Kerry) - Posts: 6354 - 15/09/2014 15:48:04    1652258

Tyrone 2005/2008, both very closely contested again and only a score in it in case of 2005. In 2008, Tyrone tacked on few insurance points in extra time but that's not story of the game. Declan put a goal chance an inch to left with about seven minutes to go and if that was in I'm convinced we would have won out by 3-4 points, momentum was with us big time at that stage.

The momentum might've gone to Kerry if Declan scored but I wouldn't say you had the momentum at the time as Kerry didn't score n the last 15 minutes. Kerry had their period of dominance before that when they scored four points in a row I think. Tyrone absolutely flooded the midfield near the end and won something like six kickouts in a row which is a big a reason as any why Tyrone went on to win. If Declan had've scored we would've been in serious bother though.

MichaelO (Tyrone) - Posts: 820 - 15/09/2014 17:37:21    1652321

Maybe your right Michael, its hard to think back but I do distinctly remember when the shot went wide that the jig was up for us!!!

TheHermit (Kerry) - Posts: 6354 - 15/09/2014 20:12:13    1652396