Jim Mc Guinness has it right. Kerry have an easy path every year and don't be tested until very late in the competition.
It is easier for them to prepare and to peak at the right time.
I have to agree with Jim on this.
http://www.hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=273841

Cavan_Slasher (Cavan) - Posts: 10253 - 01/08/2017 21:51:00    2027630

Of course they do and always have. They don't have any opposition in Munster apart from a half decent Cork side every 20 years or so. Consequently their players don't pick up serious injuries, suspensions and wear and tear. They then stroll into Croke Park as fresh as daisies in quarters and semi finals. Dublin are now in that position too.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9702 - 01/08/2017 22:17:03    2027639

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7344 - 01/08/2017 22:18:13    2027641

Very hard to argue with Jim's article.
While it can look like a benefit having no serious test means Kerry can be under cooked.
Last year Clare/Tips/Clare/ then Dublin far from ideal.

westkerry (Kerry) - Posts: 1250 - 01/08/2017 22:36:12    2027647

I like jims writing he is very good, Daragh O'Se's column is an embarrassment in comparison. Hard to argue with anything he is saying, I think he summarised where Kerry are at very well in that piece. Lots of work to do.

As for Kerry having it easy, they do now without a doubt. Not really their fault. Cork were always a tricky proposition but those days seem to be over for now unfortunately. It does give you a lot of time to work on things but is there any substitute for matches? I'm not sure I agree that training is comparable, but then, Jim would know more than I would. I'd say the sessions when he was Donegal manager were something else.

GeniusGerry (Kerry) - Posts: 2105 - 01/08/2017 22:38:11    2027649

Yawn ...

But hey it's all of two days after a Kerry game and this is only the third new Kerry bashing thread so maybe things are getting a little better around here :)

By the way is this the Donegal Oracle who has spent every minute since he's left using his weekly high profile column to stab his replacement in the back?

I wasn't much of a Rory Gallagher fan, but that was pretty lousy going. Obviously Jim isn't that great a Donegal man after all.

TheHermit (Kerry) - Posts: 6354 - 01/08/2017 23:16:01    2027663

Easy??

How about Dublin having it easy. Who have they played in Leinster in the last 10 years? This year alone Kerry have come up against Clare (quarter finalists last year), Cork (All Ireland Champions 2010), Galway (Connacht champions 20160 and will have to face Mayo (second best team of 2016) or Roscommon (current Connacht champions who hammered Galway who in turn beat Mayo).

In the meantime Dublin play Carlow, Westmeath & Kildare (none of these could be called in any way major football powerhouses recently) and have a handy quarter final against Monaghan (who never can perform in Croker). Only decent game they will get before final will probably be Tyrone (not ruling out Armagh to come through because of Ulster derby nature of this game & if they do will also be handy fodder for Dublin).

Kerry's possible path to final thus way more difficult. Ask the Dubs would they swap provinces for a year & play in Munster (play Cork in the Pairc, Clare in Ennis or Tipp in Clonmel?????). I doubt it.

So would the "Kerry have it easy always brigade" please put a sock in it.

Pure begrudgery cause their own counties neither have the class nor the application of the Kingdom boys.

dingle2 (Kerry) - Posts: 278 - 01/08/2017 23:54:16    2027669

I'd agree with Jim mcguinness we do have it easy at the minute but that's sure to change a bit with the super 8 next year.

KingdomBoy1 (Kerry) - Posts: 14092 - 02/08/2017 01:07:31    2027687

Ok...lets fix the system..

oricelt (USA) - Posts: 207 - 02/08/2017 01:09:48    2027688

they only have it easy because they are better than the other counties in munster, always have been. In fact they are better than most counties in Ireland and always have been too. but I suppose they can peak for Croke Park whereas ulster team have to peak for a preliminary round or quarter final, Connacht teams can have it easy too every few years. for instance this year Roscommon could peak for Connacht final and even if they lost that they knew they were in the last 12. In Leinster Dublin are so far ahead now that they don't need to push themselves until august.

but there is no getting away from it The best teams invariably win the all-Ireland no matter how you do it but the current structure is madness.

s goldrick (Cavan) - Posts: 5518 - 02/08/2017 04:49:04    2027693

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13707 - 02/08/2017 08:30:57    2027705

the_walls (Mayo) - Posts: 495 - 02/08/2017 08:53:24    2027712

Connaught is competitive but are the teams any better than in Munster? Leinster, when's the last time Dublins easy route has been brought up, no they drag out the usual money, population articles every few months there instead like regurgitating this stuff. Tyrones route through Ulster was as easy as Dublin and Kerry had it this year. There are a few teams well ahead of the rest and then there's from 12 to 16 teams who could all beat each other any given day.

tipp11 (Tipperary) - Posts: 353 - 02/08/2017 08:56:02    2027713

I have said this before since 1922 every munster title bar 1992 has been won by Kerry and Cork with Kerry winning 79!!! Pre qualifiers Kerry won approx 66 (sorry didn't check exact figure) that would have put them into a semi after 2 games. It is a Huge benefit to 1) playing in a munster 2) playing in a Hurling province were football is a distant 2nd in every other county. Dublin have dominated leinster for the last 13 years Kerry have dominated munster for the last 100 years. There success in all ireland's after winning munster is quite low at 43% know doubt that is down to the leisurely stroll they have in munster were they have not been tested bar the odd time Cork raise a gallop.

jacktheDub (Dublin) - Posts: 944 - 02/08/2017 09:30:00    2027726

TheHermit (Kerry) - Posts: 6354 - 02/08/2017 11:23:08    2027771

woops (Kerry) - Posts: 2073 - 02/08/2017 11:25:38    2027775

I'm still struggling to see what exactly Dublin have to do with Kerry's easy path to the All-Ireland series?

Yes Dublin currently have an easy path as well but that doesn't take away from Kerry's historically easy route through.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13707 - 02/08/2017 11:55:02    2027798

DannyMcA (Dublin) - Posts: 260 - 02/08/2017 12:04:40    2027803

Also to the Kerry posters do not come back to my previous post saying that you're bringing you Dublin's current easy route because people only mention Kerry's easy route and never Dublin's.

You surely can't have missed the endless debates on here, on tv, on radio etc about how Dublin have it so easy in Leinster.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13707 - 02/08/2017 12:05:14    2027804

Ha ha a thread about Kerry and its all about Dublin, we dont half play on your mind down the south east.

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4445 - 02/08/2017 12:12:07    2027809