Hi there. i just registered here to gauge the mood for the big game.
i think the 2 best teams in ireland are going to meet and it promises to be a cracker. I've heard alot of talk of this team not being as good as 2005. Personally I don't see it that way. Mcmenamin, mcmahons,jordan,harte,mcginley,cavanagh,dooher,mcguigans are household names and rightly so. They are fantastic footballers who play a high tempo ga,e that is very difficult to match. I think Kerry have improved as a team since 2005 but our defence is leaking goals. 5 in the last 2games to a much maligned forward line.

In 2005 I predicted a tyrone victory as i could not see us matching them man for man. I'm more hopeful this time and I will let my heart rule me head. Kerry by 2 points.

boghopper (Kerry) - Posts: 2 - 01/09/2008 17:23:45    89996

I think that if Kerry play at their best then they can do it.BUT if Tyrone run at them as Cork have done now in games then they are in trouble.As a Corkman I cannot understand how they let us back into the game on each occasion when they should have been out of sight.This must be worrying for them,on the plus side they have some good young players just waiting to come in and they are not afraid to mix it.I hope P.Galvin starts as I believe he was wronged big time.Anyway good luck in the final.

Frances56 (Dublin) - Posts: 378 - 01/09/2008 19:01:24    90069

kerry will just about shade it i think....too much firepower...but kerry cant afford to leak anymore goals.....tightn up at the back and finish off the 3 in a row..best of luck

colin (Cork) - Posts: 233 - 02/09/2008 10:35:10    90457

John51, How was Galvin wronged, please explain this comment.

Cavan_Slasher (Cavan) - Posts: 10253 - 02/09/2008 13:38:55    90728

Colin. Couldn't agree more. At least now Darragh is back we can put Tommy back inside to shore things up. There was no realy problem until he was dragged out the last day. I think yet again we took the foot off the gas. Start making silly mistakes on the ball and Cork just tagged on. Once they upped it then they were back in it and I must say I thought it was curtains. Much like I did against Dublin last year. Tyrone will punish us severly if we are that slack!

Kingdom Come (None) - Posts: 264 - 02/09/2008 15:15:48    90837

my heart says tyrone my head says kerry may have the edge this time the 2 kerry lads to come back in might hold the key , watch out tho if puke or (paddy the DUBS power) give the red hands any ammo the kerry lads might find a red hand ambush in the tall grass of croker. thanks kerry for looking after SAM but its time for him to come back to tyrone!!!!!

williewentwell (Tyrone) - Posts: 1712 - 02/09/2008 22:40:47    91253

willywentwell, the thing about Tyrone though. You will never ever hammer them. even the games they lost since '05. Derry - Laois - Meath - Down. None of them hammerings. So I don't think you will see Kerry fans either eyeing the best way to outrun the stewards onto the pitch or outrun the crowd into the big tree this year. It will be very tight. Both teams have their weaknesses and awesome strength. Looking forward to the 21st.

Kingdom Come (None) - Posts: 264 - 03/09/2008 11:17:39    91493

Stephen O'Neill is back training with the tyrone squad. tryone will leave no stone unturned to take SAM home for '08.

emylott (Monaghan) - Posts: 63 - 04/09/2008 09:34:43    92363

if kerry dont beat tyrone they will be remembered as a team that could never beat the big guns of ulster when it mattered... its a hard one to pick but i think the tyrone player have a bond there that know other team has and it will be hard to stop.. but as everybody knows kerry are a great team when in full flight,the big queation is how long can they play at the top of there game...

p o neill (Donegal) - Posts: 125 - 04/09/2008 11:43:12    92566

Hang on a second. 2000, Armagh tipped to go all the way. Kerry 6 down at half time in a semi replay. Did it not matter then???
2004, no Darragh or Seamus. Playing Derry in a semi did it not matter then.
2006 playing RAGING hot favourites, down 2 at half time. . .. not given a prayer; a 10 point turnaround. Did it not matter then?
Last year on the brink of going out in a shock. Turned it on for 10 mins. Did it not matter then? Big guns when it mattered??? No they will be simply remembered as a team who appeared in 5 finals in a row. 6 out of 7. 7 out of 9. Do you see where I'm going with this. God what some of ye don't know would fill a warehouse!!

Basically my prediction and belief is that if Kerry go in full flight we will win. But that is a big if. We haven't been in full flight for a whole game or even a whole half all year. Tyrone have already shown this year against Dublin that they are capable of turning it on for a full 70, and when they did they were damn good. So how we are going to turn it on now is a big question. Questions over our half forward line frailtys and if they continue in this vain the Tyrone half back line will murder us. Our scores against record is alarming.

1-16
0-13
1-16
3-07
2-12.

We cant keep relying on the brilliance of few to get us out of trouble particularly as Tyrone have a history of quietening the most potent of forward lines. All will be answered soon i suppose.

Kingdom Come (None) - Posts: 264 - 04/09/2008 12:10:31    92596

p o neill. Only one Ulster team in recent years that Kerry have not beaten ie Tyrone. Lost to Armagh once by a pt but beat them by 8 in 2006. Beat Monaghan twice. So it is only ONE Ulster team you may talk about.

Real Kerry Fan (None) - Posts: 2957 - 04/09/2008 13:44:00    92765

Kingdom Come
County: All
Posts: 216

Real Kerry Fan
County: All
Posts: 329


GOOD POSTS!!

Ye don't have anything to prove to anyone about Ulster. The only thing maybe is that the players will want to prove to themselves that they can beat Tyrone finally. Even if Kerry lose, I think they will still be remembered as the best and most consistent team over the last 10 years. Tyrone will be remembered as the second best team in terms of consistency and titles won, but the best of the two in terms of Tyrone/Kerry head to head battles. We shall see if Kerry can change that in a few weeks...

Flanders (Galway) - Posts: 604 - 04/09/2008 15:58:05    93013

Would like to wish Kerry all the best and i sincerly hope yis put on a masterclass and put tyrone in their box.

Down follower (Down) - Posts: 193 - 04/09/2008 20:04:23    93256

F.T.Q
County: Down
Posts: 25

93256 Would like to wish Kerry all the best and i sincerly hope yis put on a masterclass and put tyrone in their box.


Nice way to get behind your Province FTQ, Good man.

TyroneSpartan (Tyrone) - Posts: 19 - 05/09/2008 18:58:19    94078

F.T.Q. You should be ashamed of yourself. I would never want to see a county from my province beaten in an A.I. Final. I will be there roaring on Tyrone.

Cavan_Slasher (Cavan) - Posts: 10253 - 05/09/2008 20:59:10    94114

I'd say it should be a good match, but it will be very exciting!

HokeyPokey (Tyrone) - Posts: 1744 - 05/09/2008 21:48:09    94151

I really genuinely hope I am wrong but I believe Tyrone will win the Ireland final.

For the first time in three years I cannot see Kerry winning this all Ireland final for many reasons. I tipped Tyrone in the 2005 final and I feel this time again Tyrone going into this final are the better balanced outfit and in my opinion a better managed outfit. Mickey Harte is the best manager in the business and there will be no one better at exploiting Kerry's weaknesses.

Importantly, heading into an all Ireland final, I feel the momentum is most definitely with Tyrone. Tyrone are a brilliant 'team' in the real sense of the word. Kerry has some brilliant forwards and a very strong midfield but defensively they are far from convincing.

A full backline that can't jump, a goalkeeper gone past his best and prone to terrible errors this season. All the Kerry backs are vulnerable especially when ran at and their best back this season Aidan O'Mahony is playing through the pain barrier with an ankle injury which will require surgery after the all Ireland final. I can also see the Kerry half forward line depending on whose playing having major problems as Tyrone have some serious pace breaking forward form defence. For example, Brain Sheehan is an outstanding free taker when on song but his nerve can leave him down at the most inopportune times. Plus, no way will Brain have the pace to track back on the likes of Davey Harte or Philip Jordan. Do Kerry go with Darren Sullivan from the start who did well in 2005 when brought on against Tyrone, or do they start with a more combative Paul Galvin?

The Kerry man marking and tackling has been very poor this season and for some reason they stand off the man in possession far too much. Kerry too have a tendency to repeat the same mistakes in every game this season which tells me they don't appear to have strong men on the line either.

Dara O Cinneide warned his county on the Sunday Game that you WILL NOT get away with a lack of pace in any position against this Tyrone side. Will they heed the message? I doubt it and I can see Kerry doing too many stupid basic errors when in possession again, i.e. running into tackles and cul de sacs, not supporting the man in possession etc. Kerry for all their brilliant attacking at times have been sloppy very sloppy with some of the basics especially this season. Kerry seem to have a devil may care attitude to making mistakes all season but Tyrone are the one team who thrive on mistakes made in possession by the opposition.

This Kerry team have tremendous heart and courage but remain a flawed project overall. Kerry will battle hard and frustrate but Tyrone ultimately will win.

PS. I hope I am able to come back on here after the 21st groveling to Pat O Shea, Kerry management and team on how I got it all wrong. Prove me wrong guys - please!!

Kingdomson (Kerry) - Posts: 244 - 06/09/2008 13:24:40    94270

Hey Kingdomson calm down!! You remind me of myself!! Anyway guys it's good to see both teams at full strength, all suspensions cleared and both teams injury free (Please God) for the Final. With both Galvin and O'Neill waiting in the wings to claim the back page headlines it adds even more spice to what should be a cracker. Hope it is a cracker and a better final than the Hurling today. Hope to God we can pull it off, if only to silence the "anti-Mickey Harte " brigade. Still time will tell...

mossgreen (Tyrone) - Posts: 181 - 07/09/2008 21:51:42    94647

Kingdomson,

I'd go along with your line of thinking.

I think we can do it..... definitely. But, we have to bring our A game and that is the big worry. Tyrone are flying at the moment and although we have made the All Ireland we have only been consistent at best. Consistency will not win an all ireland.

Although man for man we should be considered stronger, because of Tyrone's team play and doggedness, I think we need to up the Ante big time if we are going to win this one.

thykingdomcome (Kerry) - Posts: 1206 - 08/09/2008 11:47:02    94950

F.T.Q

i personally welcome your statement, its refreshing to see what some people actually think of Tyrone.. i'll add something to your fire - instead of grow a beard for tyrone - i think we'll grow a team for down..

ok back to tyrone v kerry predictions

tyrone to nick it in final 5 minutes flurry - better that A.I 2005 final.
2 players to be sent of - Donaghy and McMenamin
T Walsh top scorer
C McCullagh top scorer for Tyrone,
M.O.M - Tommy McGuigan

Tyrone 1:14 Kerry 2:9

looking forward to it - gona be a classic - everyone make sure they have dvd recorders on - (in some parts of tyrone - VHS ;-)

Tir Eoghain Abu!!!!

eyewitness (Tyrone) - Posts: 112 - 08/09/2008 16:10:27    95357