All Ireland Final newspaper articles.

[scoobydo]

Donaghy refusing to fall foul of 'second year syndrome'

www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/donaghy-refusing-to-fall-foul-of-second-year-syndrome-1075992.html

Tuesday September 11 2007

SO, ‘second season syndrome’ never set in like we sensed it might. The goals may have dried up and the soaring catches are not nearly as regular or as prominent, but Kieran Donaghy’s head is still very much above water. He’s still paddling hard.

If anything 2007 has revealed more about Donaghy than 2006. In the middle of last year he hopped up on to a carousel that just couldn’t stop spinning and he barnstormed through everything. This year he’s had to pick his step a lot more carefully, he’s had to navigate through the winds of adversity. When the music died he has still been able to move to the beat.

The pressure, the injuries, the red mist and the incessant video analysis of his style that every opponent engages in has made life on the football field more difficult for him.

In the Munster final Graham Canty was ready to claim the belt in their first bout until Donaghy loped out towards the sideline on the terrace side in Killarney and swung over a magnificent point to keep the local bragging rights at home.

Plotting

Monaghan spent hours on the training field and in the video room plotting and planning for him, but in the end Declan O’Sullivan’s goal to win the game broke off him.

And the last day against Dublin when his impact at fullforward was being dulled he drifted out around the middle to help control sweeping bushfires there. Just when you think the magic of 2006 has abated he pops up as a reminder of how it can be.

More than anything Kieran Donaghy has proved that he’s a footballer and a team player for all seasons.

His philosophy is simple. “I never worry too much about scoring and I’d say you can see that from the way I play. I don’t try and kick points for the sake of it. I’ll always try and get it to the fella who can score more. If that gets Kerry over the line then I’m happy.

“If I’m kicking at the post then it’s because I feel that I’m the best person to score.”

He’s enjoying it now a lot more than he was at the beginning of the season. He trained hard before Kerry’s opening league matches, sometimes four nights a week.

He was anxious to lay down a marker, conscious of how it would be portrayed if he didn’t.

His anxiety sometimes spilled over into exuberance. Twice he was red-carded for double yellows and after the second time (against Fermanagh in Kingspan Breffni Park) his manager Pat O’Shea publicly berated him.

Donaghy accepted it and moved on, promising to mend his ways. But against Donegal he damaged the A/C joint in his shoulder and was sidelined for the six weeks. Act one of season two had ended with some badly fluffed lines.

Act two has been somewhat better and now he’s feeling good again.

“I’m just delighted to be back in an All-Ireland again, 70 minutes away from another Celtic Cross maybe. This is what players play for, this brings the best out in players and hopefully it will bring the best out of us.”

The Dublin game gave him a real kick, possibly better than anything he experienced last year. He was nourished on Kerry lore and days when teams from the Kingdom marched behind the Artane Boys Band in front of a packed blue Hill 16 seemed so familiar for him.

He plugged into that feeling instantly.

Destiny

“It (the All-Ireland semi-final) was where this Kerry team really came to the fore for the first time this year.

“When you’re young you dreamed of something like that. You’ve watched the ‘Golden Years’ video enough times to see the teams marching around in front of the Hill. That was a personal highlight of the season, the parade around, soaking up the atmosphere, Kerry fellaslove playing in that kind of occasion.”

Life has changed noticeably for Donaghy. He switched from the cash register of a local Tralee sports shop to the business development section of Ulster Bank.

His diary is organised by the same man who looks after Seán Óg Ó hAilpín and other Cork hurlers, he feels himself being pulled from one direction to another and there has been little escape.

“Funny enough when you’re in the Kerry set-up you feel most relaxed about the football. Of course life was always going to change for me somewhat but there are still outlets, a night out in the Brogue, a walk on Banna Strand, the basketball was great in the winter.

“But look at the players you are surrounded by and it helps you keep your feet on the ground, make you know your place. Darragh, ‘Gooch’, are there two better players than Marc (Ó Sé) and Declan (O’Sullivan) this season?

He can’t contemplate losing an All-Ireland final to Cork. “I couldn’t picture losing. It just wouldn’t enter my head until the whistle goes and we’re down by a point.

“We have to match Cork for hunger, I think that’s a huge part of it.

“Cork were just so hungry against Meath in the middle third of the field that every ball that broke there, they swept up. That’s what we have to prepare for.”

[peig]

owenabue said:

Sunday Tribune. 9th September
Liam Hayes
www.tribune.ie/article.tvt?_scope=TribuneFTF&id=102898&SUBCAT=&SUBCATNAME=&DT=09/09/2007%2000:00:00&keywords=&FC=

Owen, is there anyway you can paste the text of that article in here? I (and a few more people I know) am having problems accessing the tribune site.
Cheers

[scoobydo]

***************Thanks to Owenabue for the link***************

Tribune Archive

Billy can be a hero all on his own
Football Analyst Liam Hayes

BILLY MORGAN'S fan club lost a few more members during the week. Of course, there were not that many fully paid-up people in the club to begin with, and although I met the man for the first time 21 years ago, and interviewed him in the Silver Springs Hotel a few weeks after his appointment as Cork senior football team manager for the first time, I have to admit I too have never much liked him.

Lots of small reasons really.

Nothing big. You either have time for Billy Morgan or not . . . and in my experience the latter has always been greatly in the majority.

First time we met, he was starting out as Cork team boss, and I was starting out as a young sportswriter. He sandwiched the interview between an evening run, and ever since then he has made it his business to keep on the move when there are journalists and dirty, rotten scoundrels of any other variety around the place.

There was never any question of growing fond of the man, however, but this week Billy Morgan rose up ever so quickly in my estimation, and by a perilous distance to be honest. The Cork manager did not turn up at his team's pre-All Ireland final 'press night'.

What's more, only five of Morgan's players were asked by their team boss to be present.

And good for you, Billy.

There are too many smart-alec young pups . . . and a great many tired old dogs . . . writing about Gaelic football and hurling these days, and Billy Morgan knows better than most footballers and managers that any one of these men and women might cut your throat in print. Why should he trust them, and why on earth should he indulge them? And why should he give of his own time to these people who are fast out of the blocks to prejudge and misjudge footballers and their managers week after week?

Obviously, disrespecting any one of these journalists brings the wrath of someone very angry and thin-skinned down upon a player's or manager's head. Therefore, over the last few days in a variety of newspapers, after he failed to turn up and say his hellos, Billy Morgan was formally reminded in the national media of his obligation to his team sponsor, and to his own people, and to the hand of history of All Ireland final week . . . and, most of all, to the tender, sensitive journalists who were waiting to see him in Pairc Ui Rinn last Tuesday evening.

What they do not realise is that Billy Morgan, more than most, is fairly sure in his head that he does not owe anybody anything. Everything he has done in his Gaelic football life he has pretty much done himself, through his own hard work and gut instinct, and fantastic guile. He's not making a single euro as Cork team manager, and the only people he promised to work with and serve are the members of the Cork senior football squad.

He does not owe 02 anything, he does not owe the Cork County Board a damn thing, and he is not at all in the debt of the Irish Examiner newspaper or its owners. And, here, he did hand back the tape recorder which he snatched from one Examiner journalist in Croke Park last month during his short postgame press briefing.

It's the Examiner's job to give him special attention as the Examiner is his 'local' and 'national' newspaper all in one, but if Morgan does not like this attention, then he is perfectly within his rights to give them back nothing in return.

And so, Billy Morgan stayed at home in the middle of the week.

Morgan has indeed seen it all and done it all. He is on his second or third lifetime in the GAA. He does not suffer fools or some footballers, and he does not suffer journalists, including yours truly.

On the night that John Kerins was brought to the church, when the Cork and Meath footballers of the late 80s and early 90s came together to say goodbye to a magnificent goalkeeper, and a great friend and adversary, there was one man missing, Larry Tompkins.

Interestingly, Tompkins, who I have to admit (hands in the air) at this time is a friend of mine, is probably the one man Billy Morgan owes, and owes big time. Whether Billy knows it or not, or cares to ever admit to it. Without having Larry in his dressingroom, Billy might still be looking around all of this time for his first All Ireland title as Cork senior football team manager.

But the night we paid our respects to John Kerins, I certainly got the impression that Morgan and his team felt that they had got by just fine, and would continue to get along fine and dandy, with or without Larry Tompkins.

It was strange to hear and observe, especially so when members of the Meath team and most neutral observers feel sure in their hearts that Cork would have struggled madly to win even one All Ireland title in that period if Tompkins had stayed put in Kildare and New York city. Larry Tompkins is one of Cork's few, true heroes of the last 21 years - and possibly more so than Billy Morgan even, it must be suggested. Without Tompkins, there is a danger that Cork would not still be standing in front of us as the last great team to win two All Ireland senior football titles back-toback. Without him, there would have been great danger that Billy Morgan would have existed as a great trier and a tragic loser.

Perhaps Billy does know this, perhaps this knowledge is buried deeply in his head, and maybe, just maybe, that is the single greatest reason why Billy Morgan came back one more time to give it his all, and win one more All Ireland at his ripe old age? Or maybe that suggestion is daft as a brush to Billy and his closest friends.

Billy Morgan is now 21 years, off and on, as Cork football supremo and there is hardly anyone in the country who knows more about the ins and outs of the game of Gaelic football, and there is hardly anyone in the country, from All Ireland senior football titles down, who has won as much so often at every single level of the game, as this demented genius.

He's the Rebels' own version of Alex Ferguson. He, and his performances, and his fine football teams over the last three decades, are not to be challenged lightly.

But that is what we have to do here this morning. In the truest sense of the word, he is looking to lead Cork to an All Ireland senior title for the first time next Sunday. That's if you believe, as I certainly do, that Tompkins did more leading than his manager, in their brilliant 1987-1990 years.

Whether this is true or not, Billy Morgan is now heading in the direction of a game of football which might be his biggest and best personal triumph of all. Next Sunday, with all of the nuances of a provincial final stuffed into an All Ireland final, is so big and so special.

And, like the old days of a generation ago, Cork are bringing an excellent defence and a damn fine midfield pairing into this ultimate decider against Kerry. What the county lacks, as it did in pre-Tompkins times, is a real live hero or two on the other half of the field.

James Masters, contrary to popular opinion, does not fit this description just yet. He is a very handy, high-quality, slip of a forward who possess almost, but not quite, an unerring accuracy from frees. He is not somebody who looks capable of taking any game of football by the scruff of the neck. He's no Larry Tompkins, in other words.

If this Cork team had someone like Tompkins on the 40 in Croker next Sunday it would be the complete package or thereabouts. Not that Billy Morgan will admit to this.

Morgan has made it abundantly clear in recent weeks that he believes in the character, and the quality of men on his team. He speaks of Nicholas Murphy as somebody he would happily send out against any other midfielder, in any game of football, in the long history of time. He's proud as punch of his defence, and rightly so too.

Morgan has built himself and the people of Cork a magnificent defence, and Graham Canty and Ger O'Sullivan are easily the best number three and number six combination in the country. The Cork defence, in fact, looks the top defence in Ireland but the loss of Anthony Lynch is a major blow to their chances of winning. Undoubtedly, in a lowscoring game, Morgan will be within touching distance of the proudest moment in his Gaelic football life.

Would I be happy for him, if he won? Yeah, maybe. I wouldn't do hand-stands and neither would many other people. But nobody could argue against the hard and gruelling work Morgan has put into his football team over the last three years, and nobody that I know would dare suggest he does not deserve just one more . . . and this time, his very own . . . All Ireland title.

[Johnnyb]

The Road To Croker with Des Cahill
11 September 2007


This week on The Road to Croker, Des will finally reach his destination as arrives at Croke Park ahead of the All Ireland Senior Football Final between Cork and Kerry. Des will be joined by two footballers who have kept us entertained all summer with their skill and antics on the pitch, Dubliner Mark Vaughan and controversial Meath man Graham Geraghty. They will be taking a look back at the year that was for Meath and Dublin and be giving their opinions on who will be victorious next Sunday.

Another two men who have had a rollercoaster year are Monaghan manager Seamus McEnaney and Mayo manager John O’ Mahony TD. After Monaghan came so close this year, Seamus will be talking about his hopes for the team going forward. John O’Mahony experienced the highs of being elected to the Dail in May but on the pitch things didn’t go quite as well for Mayo. He’ll be talking about how the team can recover from the disappointments of the last few years and how Cork might go about toppling the champions this year.

20 years ago, an emerging Cork team defeated Kerry in the Munster Final after two epic matches and heralded the end of an era for the great Kerry football team of the 80s. Mikey Sheehy and Colman Corrigan will be talking about those two matches as Cork and Kerry get ready to renew their rivalry this Sunday.

Journalist Frank McNally will be taking a humorous look at the plight that faces many a genuine supporter as they go in search of that elusive ticket this weekend while former Kerry footballer Johnny Crowley and former Cork footballer Steven O’Brien will be giving their opinions on who they think will emerge victorious on Sunday.

And The Road to Croker takes a visit to Poland to find how a small village south of >Krakow is manufacturing 2,000 hurlies a month for export to Ireland.

Fans will also get another chance to catch the programme on Friday night at 11.55pm on RTÉ Two.

[Admin]

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An updated list of articles and snippets can be found here:

kerry.gaa.ie/intercounty/2007/senfoot/final2007/news.htm

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[supermicks]

Irish Indo...

Kerry left sweating as Donaghy is injured


Wednesday September 12 2007

KIERAN DONAGHY was at the centre of an all-Ireland final injury scare last night after limping out of Kerry's training session.

Donaghy was taken to Tralee General Hospital for an X-Ray after injuring a foot and, while Kerry County Board chairman Sean Walsh expressed confidence that the ace forward would be fit for Sunday's showdown, there is bound to be anxiety in the Kingdom camp.

The star forward was, however, named in the team as Kerry manager Pat O'Shea opted for the same side that defeated Dublin in the All-Ireland semi-final.

Rookie defenders Padraig Reidy and Killian Young will line up in the big match parade for the first time as will midfielder Seamus Scanlon and Bryan Sheehan, who came on as a sub last year against Mayo.

Gone from last year's 15 are Michael McCarthy and Seamus Moynihan, who have both retired, while wing-forward Sean O'Sullivan, midfielder Tommy Griffin and Mike Frank Russell are now on the bench.

Scanlon's midfield partner Darragh O Se bids for his fifth All-Ireland medal, a feat not achieved by any footballer since the legendary Kerry team of the Seventies and Eighties.

Cork boss Billy Morgan has delayed naming his team.

Anthony Lynch, who broke a bone in a hand during a practice match last Saturday and was immediately ruled out, is now being given an outside chance of playing.

Cork doctor Con Murphy originally indicated that because of the nature of the break Lynch had no chance of playing, but now they are thought to be exploring every possibility that would allow the experienced defender to play.

James Masters is also being given a couple of extra days to determine if he will be up to the rigours of such an intense match after fracturing his jaw.

KERRY (SF v Cork) - D Murphy; M O Se, T O'Sullivan, P Reidy; T O Se, A O'Mahony, K Young; D O Se, S Scanlon; P Galvin, D O'Sullivan E Brosnan; C Cooper, K Donaghy, B Sheehan.

[Owenabue]

www.irishexaminer.com/irishexaminer/pages/story.aspx-qqqg=sport-qqqm=GAA-qqqa=sport-qqqid=42289-qqqx=1.asp


Cooper ready for ‘huge Cork battle’
Wednesday, 12 September 2007

By Jim O’Sullivan
AS a child, Colm Cooper had a vision of Cork footballers being predominant in Munster when the Kingdom were going through ‘a barren spell.’
He was four when Cork won the first of four consecutive provincial titles in 1987 — and ended with the last recorded All-Ireland double.

His recalled: “They used to have the Indian sign over Kerry back then. They were very strong. We always said, ‘you’d love to beat Cork.’ That’s what I was brought up with.’’

Viewing Sunday’s All-Ireland SFC final as the champions’ ‘biggest challenge’ this year, he relishes the fact that the biggest confrontation between the counties will be played out in Croke Park.

“For a GAA footballer or hurler, there’s no bigger stage than Croke Park,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s a fantastic place to play — whether it’s an All-Ireland final, a semi-final or quarter-final. You want to do your best for your county.

“The Monaghan and Dublin games, they were huge battles, but I’m sure Cork is going to be twice the battle they have been. I’m sure that with five or six minutes to go it’s going to be in the melting pot’’

Cooper doesn’t believe Kerry’s six weeks of inactivity after their Munster final victory was reason for their drop in form in the quarter-final.

However he feels that there should be a reward for winning the provincial title and that, ideally, they winners should be playing within three weeks.

“Monaghan played outstanding football and probably should have beaten us. Coming to the latter stages of the game, we were in trouble big-time. We just struggled all over the field until Declan got the goal. And then, we showed a little bit of composure in the last couple of minutes when Bryan Sheehan kicked a couple of points and Tomás (Ó Sé) came through for the winner. But I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t think we were on our way out.’’

Meanwhile, he wasn’t surprised by Cork’s semi-final victory, feeling that they benefited from the fact that ‘all the hype was on Meath.’

“I think Cork came in under the radar a bit. They mightn’t have played too well, but they came through and beat a good Louth team and against Sligo too they didn’t set the world on fire. But, they were outstanding the last day.’’

Despite the exertions of a prolonged campaign with Dr Crokes in the club championship — effectively keeping him tied up in training and games for almost a year and a half without a break — Cooper admits to being almost surprised to be in top condition right now.

A week after the All-Ireland final replay with Crossmaglen Ranger, himself and Eoin Brosnan played in a vital League game. They were not only keen to get back with Kerry, but anxious to ‘get back into a winning mindset.’

“I cannot speak about Eoin, or any of the other Crokes lads on the panel, but I feel as fresh now and as hungry as I have in a long time. I don’t feel fatigued, I feel great. I don’t know why, I’m just mad for road. I’m enjoying my football.’’

It was rather different last year — when he wasn’t just fatigued but suffered a loss of confidence — when he admits he hit ‘a few low points’ over the year.”

Of course that’s going to take a bit out of you, It’s understandable. I probably found it hard to get back. Having said that, I set a mark for myself that sometimes isn’t easy to reach. I’ve had to realise that I’m not going to go out to ‘shoot the lights out’ in every game. That’s why I try to contribute in different ways in games. I have probably learned over the last 12 months to deal with that a little bit more.’’

Having his own club manager in charge is undoubtedly a help, yet he says that there has been no change of any significance since Pat O’Shea took over.

“When you’re playing, it’s all the same. When you are looking in, it might look different, but it doesn’t feel any bit different. A lot of the same guys are still there, the players who have come in have added that little bit extra and fellows have taken on an extra bit of responsibility which is great to see. Some of the guys who have been playing away for the last five or six years haven’t been accepted as leaders, but now they have — especially with Seamus (Moynihan) and Mike McCarthy going last year. So far they have stepped up to the plate. We’ll be hoping they do the same on Sunday!’’

IRRESPECTIVE of the fact that Kerry proved superior in their recent meetings in Croke Park, he feels that Cork have come on ‘in leaps and bounds’.

“They are wiser and they are a bit cuter,’’ he says. “They have a lot of things going for them in the final. People are missing the fact that they have been in three semi-finals in the last five years. Coming into the Meath game, people were writing off Cork an awful lot, which was surprising. They probably should have beaten the All-Ireland champions — us — in the Munster final.

“If you are in three semi-finals you are not a bad side. They were bound to pick up some experience over those years and they have proved this year they are a major threat. Right across the field they have plenty players who are match-winners. They have an excellent full-back line. They probably have the meanest defence in the country. They only conceded on goal in the championship (scored by him in Killarney) which is a great record. We know we’ll have our work cut out. We always have huge battles against them.”

[Owenabue]

www.irishexaminer.com/irishexaminer/pages/story.aspx-qqqg=sport-qqqm=GAA-qqqa=sport-qqqid=42311-qqqx=1.asp

Will Cork’s Canty be detailed to mark Cooper or Donaghy?
Wednesday, 12 September 2007

By Tony Leen
TOUGH one. There’s no wrong answer because Canty is like a gold credit card – you can use him anywhere.
Conventional wisdom would suggest he will be detailed to pick up Colm Cooper at corner back. Gooch is the key component of Kerry’s attack. Place him under lock and key, and Kerry will struggle not only for scores, but the creation of scores. Think about it — if you’re the Cork selectors, and you’re thinking who’s going to score more for Kerry, Cooper or Donaghy, there’s only one answer. Shut him down at source. That’s why Canty was detailed on Stephen Bray in the semi-final — big scoring threat.

Does that mean that Kieran Donaghy will be picked up at full-back by Michael Shields? Probably. The St Finbarr’s U-21 did well on big Shane O’Rourke against Meath. Also Shields marked Donaghy – tightly as is happens – when the sides met in the League under lights in Tralee last February. The St Finbarr’s man is tight and durable. But he’s also got a good record on Bryan Sheehan, and Cork feel he could snuff out the St Mary’s man. If that was the case, Cork could go with a conventional full back line of Shields-Canty and Kieran O’Connor who’s done as well as most detailed to pick up Gooch.

One other plus for the Canty v Cooper scenario — O’Connor has the beating of Bryan Sheehan for pace, allowing Cork to go with the Shields on Donaghy, Canty on Gooch.

But for what’s it worth, I go against the wisdom and believe Cork should start with Canty on Kieran Donaghy. The Tralee man offered snatches of his 2006 form in the semi-final against Dublin, and not just around the middle of the field. Before Darragh Ó Sé’s enforced withdrawal, Donaghy was burning Ross MacConnell for pace in attack. His confidence is high again and he’s a big day player. I don’t see Shields managing him in the air if Kerry’s delivery to the inside forwards is up to scratch. People talk about breaking it away from Donaghy, but only Canty can confidently expect to do that on a consistent basis. Remember, a full forward only needs to be lucky once.

There is a hole in my theory. What if Kerry again decide to bring Donaghy out to midfield and play with a two-man full-forward line? You might think that would suit a ball-player like Canty but would it appeal to the Cork management? Do they really want the Bantry man sucked out the field, exposing Shields and O’Connor to Gooch in space? Didn’t think so.

The smart money says Cork will want to keep Canty at home, minding the house, mopping up.

For what it’s worth, when I asked Kerry manager Pat O’Shea who be thinks will be marking Cooper, he replied: “Kieran O’Connor”.

Mind games? Cork haven’t all the headaches in this regard. Kerry similarly wish they could clone man-marker supreme Marc Ó Sé to pick up both James Masters (if he starts) and Donncha O’Connor. And like Cork, my bet is that they’ll want to keep the Gaeltacht man close to his own goal.

The Canty conundrum? I take the Cork selectors to put their faith in Kieran O’Connor to stifle Gooch, and permit their talisman to take to the skies alongside Donaghy. That way, they also get their Shields-Sheehan match-up.

In 2005, Cork had to replace Niall Geary after a 20 scorching from Cooper. They’ll want to avoid a similar scenario this time out, which suggests to me that O’Connor is the key player in the piece.

[Attacking Wing Back]

Irish Times 12/09/2007

jack O Connor

Kerry have headstart in the battle for minds

www.ireland.com/newspaper/sport/2007/0912/1189076167770.html

All-Ireland SFC Final Jack O'Connor's Column: Cork have huge incentive but Kerry hold most of the aces

Say what you like about Billy Morgan, he has an ability to learn and to change. Billy spent last year complaining about Kerry being cynical. He hasn't mentioned it at all this year. I think Billy realised all he was doing was firing up the Kerry dressingroom.

It served no useful purpose. By the time the All-Ireland semi-final came around we had got our act together and managed to turn the tables on Cork. Billy had helped motivate us.

This year, the roles are somewhat reversed with Cork coming through the back door. They have made incremental progress in the last three years and are close now. They have a little of the advantage Kerry had going into last year's final too.

Back then, the hullabaloo over the Dublin-versus-Mayo semi-final allowed us to go about our business quietly. This year, Cork's impressive win over Meath in the semi-final was overshadowed by the game between Kerry and Dublin. Cork have also had a week extra to get themselves tuned in.

The final will be won in the head as much as on the grass. It's about pressure. Pressure is the difference between walking across a plank of wood when it's lying on the ground and walking across the same plank when it's 250 feet in the air.

Billy Morgan has played a good game in keeping that plank as close to the ground as possible by keeping expectations low.

Of all current managers, Billy is the best at playing the underdog. His sense of "us against the world" is a key part of the way Cork play football.

In Cork the footballers primarily see themselves as second-class citizens in relation to the hurlers. They have had very little support down through the years. They turn that around and tell themselves they aren't playing for supporters, but are playing for themselves. Cork use that to their advantage.

We used a little of the siege mentality thing last year when we felt our own supporters let us down a little in Páirc Uí Chaoimh. It made us a tighter unit. Generally, though, Kerry teams don't have to operate like that.

What height the plank is at when they set foot on it shouldn't affect Kerry teams too much. Wearing the green and gold jersey makes you favourites to win just about any match you line out for. Kerry players grow up with that expectation.

Cork have certain advantages, but Kerry are in a good position too. There is nothing more reassuring for a management than seeing your team tested in a tight match and coming through. To compensate for the loss of Mike McCarthy and Séamus Moynihan, new players have bedded in well and other young players have become leaders.

That's the reward of success. When a young player comes on to a team he sees himself as being apprenticed to the senior players. A certain amount of success and exposure to the big stage gives him the confidence to think of himself as a leader.

A relatively young player like Declan O'Sullivan is in his fourth final in a row this Sunday. The Gooch and Marc Ó Sé are in their fifth. Kieran Donaghy is footballer of the year and in his second in a row. They have the confidence of those around them.

Management have to make the space for players to develop as leaders. All these young players have great brains for football. They have a developed sense of the game and how it should be played. It would be foolish if you didn't use them in team meetings and didn't talk to them privately for feedback. That is crucial.

You involve players in tactics and strategy. The benefits are huge. If players are involved in devising the game plan they buy into it quicker. They often know as much about the game as the manager does; they are out there; they see the stress points and feel them; they know the dynamics. All those guys have a great brain for the game and are clever footballers.

It shows on the field. Kerry won games this year through simple economy. They have been under the proverbial cosh, but they have been economical and clever, pulling games out of the fire by thinking their way through. Playing Donaghy out the field against Dublin was an example.

That freed the Gooch, who came into his own after 20 minutes and in many ways ran the game after that.

Meanwhile, Donaghy had a big influence outfield. Kerry have a lot of options in that area and that will be a huge difference in pressure situations.

Pressure has such a bearing at this level. To take an example on the Cork side, I think Michael Cussen will be played as he was against Meath. Billy Morgan has discovered Cussen can't really be used as a target man. Cork have always played that running and passing game and getting players to switch their mindset is difficult. Under pressure players resort to what they do naturally.

Kerry have traditionally been a kicking team so Donaghy was an easy sell as a tactic. Cork have trouble with the idea of the big full forward.

I imagine Billy will move Cussen in and out depending on how the game is going. Apart from one 15-minute patch against Kerry, Cussen hasn't been that effective in there, and Billy will have considered all the nights in training since then that Tom O'Sullivan has spent marking Kieran Donaghy.

It's likely that there will be a pile of big men around midfield. If both Cussen and Donaghy come out around that area it could look like feeding time in Jurassic Park with so many big bodies fighting for the scraps. Pierce O'Neill is also a midfielder and McMahon is a big man.

That's five big men Cork can send into the breach. There won't be an awful lot of catching going on. It will be a busy afternoon for the Kerry half-forward line.

Kerry will line out as they did the last day. Billy Morgan has decisions to make, starting with James Masters. If the rugby World Cup has shown us anything it is that if players have been out of action for a long time they won't be up to the pace. I don't see how James Masters can be up to match pace for Sunday.

It isn't always healthy to have one player taking a huge amount of responsibility for doing the scoring. Other players subconsciously shirk their own responsibility.

The last day Cork found their forwards could lift it. They have options. It's a tough one for Billy though. Masters is a Nemo man and a good player.

Anthony Lynch, to be fair to a great player, isn't the loss to Cork that he would have been a few years ago. He isn't required to hold the Cork defence together anymore.

The loss is his experience; he is one of only three Cork players who have been to an All-Ireland final. Cork have enough players to compensate. I imagine they will put John Miskella back and bring in a wing forward.

Pat O'Shea, it has to be said, has done a great job for Kerry. Taking over a successful team is harder in some ways than taking over a losing team - a unique pressure. The big problem in trying to win two in a row has always been appetite though. Managers and players get to know each other and take short-cuts.

New management is always gung-ho and everybody ups his game.

The first year I was manager I remember I would have done absolutely anything to win. I have no doubt Pat has been the same this year.

That has worked out in Kerry's favour and the team have benefited from their last two close games. In contrast, Cork versus Meath was over early. On that basis, Kerry look better-equipped to hold out in a tight finish and reaffirm their credentials as one of the great teams.

Agus rud eile . . . .

The final gives us a chance to open up a debate about the modern game.

Is there such a difference between Southern football and Northern football? The business of teams from the same province playing each other in All-Ireland finals is fairly new. The widely held view is that football down south is more free-flowing, with greater emphasis on attack.

Defence gets a lot more attention in the North, where teams like to counter-attack at pace. The 2003 final between Tyrone and Armagh and the 2005 semi-final between the same teams were tight and rugged. That doesn't mean they were bad matches.

The 2005 semi-final was a fascinating game, which Tyrone stole at the death. The intensity was unbelievable because there was no space for forwards to operate.

Sunday's game should be more open, with both sides having the option to kick long to a big target man.

There is a tendency in Kerry and Cork to play attacking football - the idea of getting swarms of players behind the ball doesn't come naturally. There will be so many big men in midfield on Sunday you know already that's where attrition will be highest. It will come down to the hunger and desire to compete at the breakdown. If Kerry win their fair share in there, they should have the class up front to see them through.

Either way, our friends from the North will be watching it all with a critical eye.

© 2007 The Irish Times

[Kingdomson]

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GAA · Championship · Expert View · Michael Lyster
Anchor's Angle with Michael Lyster
Watch the MFC final between Galway and Derry and the SFC final between Cork and Kerry live on RTÉ Two and RTÉ.ie/sport this Sunday from 12.30pm to 5.35pm. Listen to live commentary on RTÉ Radio 1 from 1.30pm. Live updates on RTÉ.ie/sport and RTÉ Aertel. Watch Up for the Match on RTÉ One on Saturday from 9.55pm

As we come to the end of the Championship summer of 2007, I have once again realised how precarious a task it is making those big match predictions from week to week.

In actual fact, the only riskier job I can think of from the top of my head is being a member of a bomb disposal unit; your expert knowledge tells you that if you cut that wire there you should be all right; it's a bit late afterwards to discover it was the wrong wire!

The other part of the hazard is that, despite what they pretend, players and team managers pay close attention to your views and comments. Let's not fool ourselves here by buying into the 'we don't read the papers or listen to the analysts' nonsense. Of course they do. How else are they able to quote back, even in the immediate afterglow of victory, perceived injustices you have done to their big game prospects?

The real irony is that, in their indignation at your supposed lack of respect for their greatness and infallibility, you usually end up being completely misquoted and misrepresented by the great guardians of analytical correctness. Ah, it's all such fun!

Anyway, there is an All-Ireland final to be decided on Sunday so let's stick the old head into the mincer once again and see who we can insult.

Let's have a go at Kerry first. This may seem a bit unfair seeing that they are the All-Ireland champions and also this summer they have regained the Munster crown after a little blip in 2006. So what's the problem with them? Well, it's just that, despite their fairly smooth Championship run so far this summer, they haven't quite hit the high notes just yet.


Now, maybe it's a case of simply not having to. Yes, they were assured and focused against the Dubs but they were never pushed far enough to have to show some deeper level of inspiration. Remember last year? Just when it looked like the wheels might come off the wagon, that's when they really started to find themselves and by the time they got their hands on poor old Mayo in the final they were a killing machine.

Up to now this summer they have just been cruising along nicely; the only trouble with that is - can they be sure the extra gear will be there when they need it on Sunday?

Anyway, that's Kerry. Let's get Cork into the cross-hairs. Their biggest opposition so far this summer was Kerry in Munster and they lost that one. Cork fans took a lot of positives out of that match and, in fairness, the team has progressed since all the way to Sunday's final. But, obviously, it's Kerry who stand in their way again and there is no reason to believe that the Kerry men will be any more accommodating in Croke Park than they were in Killarney.

For me, the key element in Sunday's final is the historical significance of the occasion rather than any tactical 'whys and wherefores' of the game. This, as we know, is the first All-Ireland decider between these two great southern rivals. The record books will show that, over the years and despite the intensity of the rivalry, Kerry clearly hold the upper hand.

Now, ask yourself this: if you are a member of the present Kerry team do you want to go into the record books as having been on the losing side in the first Kerry/Cork All-Ireland final?

Yes, I know the Cork players don't want that stigma any more than the Kerry lads do. But when Kerry put their minds to it they can produce that special bit of magic. And surely there's going to be nothing better than the sight of red jerseys on Sunday to concentrate the mind!

Now, if I cut that wire there the ticking noise should stop.......

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Story from RTÉ Sport:
www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2007/0912/michael15.html

[Owenabue]

www.irishexaminer.com/irishexaminer/pages/story.aspx-qqqg=sport-qqqm=sport-qqqa=sport-qqqid=42450-qqqx=1.asp

Donaghy likely to be fit for decider despite injury scare
Thursday, 13 September 2007

By Tony Leen
KERRY’S All-Ireland final preparations received a massive jolt after footballer of the year Kieran Donaghy picked up a foot injury in training.
However, after x-rays found no serious damage, sources within the Kingdom camp insist the Austin Stacks man will be fully fit to line out against Cork in Sunday’s final at Croke Park.

Hundreds of Kerry fans gasped when Donaghy stumbled and fell during a training session on Tuesday night. He had the injury investigated at Kerry General Hospital after training, and there was widespread concern when he left the hospital on crutches.

However Donaghy had the foot X-rayed in Tralee yesterday which confirmed nothing more than bruising. He may miss tonight’s final training session as a precaution.

Meanwhile Skibbereen’s Conor McCarthy could be included at right half forward when Cork name their starting 15 for the final tonight after training.

McCarthy has impressed on each occasion he was introduced as substitute this season, scoring in both the All-Ireland quarter-final against Sligo and the semi-final against Meath. He has also been going extremely well in training, and with James Masters likely to win a recall at corner forward, U-21 star Daniel Goulding could be the one to lose out for the game with champions, Kerry.

John Miskella of Ballincollig will be asked to fill the vacancy at left half back, with Anthony Lynch given little chance of any meaningful involvement after breaking a bone in his hand during a trial game.

[Owenabue]

www.irishexaminer.com/irishexaminer/pages/story.aspx-qqqg=sport-qqqm=GAA-qqqa=sport-qqqid=42395-qqqx=1.asp

‘It will be tough all over the field’
Thursday, 13 September 2007

By Jim O’Sullivan
HE’S acknowledged and respected for being a midfield colossus, in his 14th — and possibly his last — season with Kerry. And to describe Darragh Ó Sé as a ‘hard man’ doesn’t merely reflect the way he can play.
It mightn’t be appreciated outside the squad, but he’s also known for his quick wit and an impish sense of humour.

Newly married and auctioneering in Tralee, he’s one of those players who regularly shies away from giving interviews before games.

But, with a different approach under Jack O’Connor and the influence of County Board Chairman Sean Walsh, the Kerry team were very co-operative before last year’s All-Ireland final. Again this year under Pat O’Shea’s management Darragh broke a long-standing practice — a ‘piséog,’ he describes it — by agreeing to talk.

More notably, in a wide-ranging interview with Tom Humphreys before the championship began, he was revealing and humorous on a range of issues, such as his regard for his uncle Paidí (‘he’s the ultimate competitor’) and his thoughts on Jack O’Connor (‘Jack’s dressingroom was very dead, very meticulous’).

Asked if he regarded himself as a ‘dirty player,’ he responded: “Sure, you know I’m not. Seriously, I’m hard, but I take the lumps. I get battered.” After he won his fourth All-Ireland medal last September, there was speculation he might call it a day. However, he says that he didn’t take too long to make up his mind about continuing, reaching a decision around Christmas time.

Essentially, he was prepared to stay with it because he was continuing to enjoy his football. And, at the end of the day that was the ‘be all and end all’ for him. Plus the fact that he was satisfied they still had ‘a reasonably good team.

When it was put to him that Sunday’s All-Ireland final will mark his 67th championship appearance, he responded by saying that he wasn’t aware of it. He views it simply as ‘another game.’ “It’s an All-Ireland final and it’s Cork,it’s the way you feel about any championship game in Croke Park,” he commented.

Interestingly, for all of his experience and the frequency of his appearances in the All-Ireland series, he says that the pressure is always the same. “I feel every bit as nervous. No, it doesn’t get easier ‘at all!’ Something that doesn’t change is the consistency of his younger brothers Tomás and Marc. “Yeah, the lads are playing exceptionally well. Tomás has been around for a few years and Marc is having a great season. But, the season is only as good your last game and if you play poorly the next day, it’s going to be …” For all the attention that is being given to the uniqueness of the game, he doesn’t believe that Cork will be placing much emphasis on it. At the same time, he agrees that it will be different to all of their previous meetings in the championship.

“A final is a final and it doesn’t matter. It’s not like a Munster final — the ‘big’ prize is involved here. Obviously we know how each other play, but basically it’s down to how different players react on the day. And on how many fellows you can get playing well.

“Is it eight times Cork and Kerry have met in the last three years? That’s a huge amount of games and Cork have learned every bit as much from these games, if not more, than we have.

‘‘It’s a case of ‘on the day’ and anything can happen on a given day. Any team can beat any other — and especially in Croke Park on a final day.” To reinforce the point, he alluded to how well Monaghan played in the All-Ireland quarter-final, how successfully they got their game together.

And, in all probability they would have lost but for the fact that they put in such a big effort over the previous six weeks and Pat O’Shea had them so well prepared mentally for the challenge.

That said, the Dubs in the following game was a tough game again. ‘‘It was all about getting to the final, because I think the team had a lot of potential to get there. The Dubs came with a lot of passion, a lot of drive. We just came out the right side of it at the end of the day.”

Ultimately, he feels it will all come down to whichever team maximises its scoring chances, or, to put it in his own words, ‘who makes the most hay’ during their periods of dominance.

“Cork are going to have their spells the next day, Kerry are going to have their spells, hopefully. I mean it’s just a case of who can do the most damage when that happens, who can get the most scores.” He’s expecting a physical contest — pointing out that Cork ‘are a very big side.’ And, he knows too the type of challenge he can expect from a highly motivated Nicholas Murphy, commenting: “I know exactly how good Nicholas is! There’s going to be a lot of breaking ball, there are going to be a few balls caught ... It’s going to be tough out there (around midfield), it’s going to be very tough.

“And it’s going to be tough all over the field!”

[Admin]

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An updated list of articles and snippets can be found here:

kerry.gaa.ie/intercounty/2007/senfoot/final2007/news.htm

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[dart]

www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2007/0914/kerrycork.html?gaa

Kerry v Cork SFC final preview
Friday, 14 September 2007 12:38

By Seamus Leonard

Sunday's Bank of Ireland SFC final sees an all-Munster pairing for the first time ever, as Cork and Kerry bring their provincial rivalry to the national stage.

Peversely, such a historic and closely-matched encounter has brought the most low-key build-up in recent history.

True, they are two of the game's giants, but imagine the hype if the Dubs, or even Meath, had made it as far as the third Sunday in September.

There are many that take umbrage to such hype before games and sometimes it does get out of hand. However, it is a strange day when, according to former Cork centre-back Stephen O'Brien on this week's 'The Road to Croker' show, those in The People's Republic have to be encouraged to get their colours and bunting out.

Not that all this will affect the Cork footballers one little bit. They are well used to living in the long shadow cast by their hurling cousins, especially since 1999. The Rebel County had an interest in both All-Ireland deciders that year, but only the Liam McCarthy Cup made the trip down to Leeside.

Billy Morgan's men can never be accused of being an overnight success. Three successive All-Ireland semi-final appearances point to the fact that this team has been building towards this for some time.

The side is formed around a physically strong spine. They have one of the best defences around, with the excellent Graham Canty at full-back. The loss of wing-back Anthony Lynch to a broken hand is an unfortunate blow, but at least they have had a week to plan for his absence.

Morgan is lucky in that he can bring John Miskella back from his spell in the forwards, so the disruption to the half-back line will be minimal.

In their semi-final, Cork were able to nullify the effectiveness of a Meath full-forward line that had been grabbing headlines all summer. Kerry have Colm 'Gooch' Cooper and Kieran Donaghy close to goal, but there are still doubts as to whether they are firing on all cylinders. On the plus side for the Kingdom, Bryan Sheehan has made a name for himself this summer, dislodging Mike Frank Russell in the process. It could be that Cork will have to worry more about Sheehan than the other two.

The tussle of the day may well be between Cork wing-back Noel O'Leary and Kerry half-forward Paul Galvin. To say they are both fiery characters would be an understatement. The two of them could, and maybe should, have been sent-off in their respective semi-finals.

O'Leary was especially fortunate after he struck Graham Geraghty. He has already served a suspension this season and really needs to keep a lid on it on Sunday. Ironically, both managers might independently decide that it is not worth putting the pair in direct opposition to each other. Galvin has been given the number 10 jersey, rather than his usual 12, so we might be spared/denied the fireworks.

Cork centre-back Ger Spillane has a tough task ahead of him. The Ballygarvan man could end up marking Eoin Brosnan, or Kerry might leave Declan O'Sullivan to keep tabs on him - like they did on Dublin's Bryan Cullen in the semi-final. Either way, Spillane, who is fond of getting up the field, will have his work cut out for him.

Midfield will be a war zone on Sunday. Kerry took Dublin to the cleaners the last day and Darren Magee's late introduction for the Metropolitans as a third midfielder was too little, too late.

It is possible that both Cussen and Donaghy will be brought out to add their height to the situation. If that proves to be the case, it is difficult to gauge which team it will suit more. You would expect Cork to catch more clean ball, but Kerry could benefit from their ability to secure the breaks.

One crucial factor could be Kerry boss Pat O'Shea's perseverance with Seamus Scanlon in the engine room. Scanlon had a poor game against Monaghan and his shooting was woeful against Dublin. One can only assume that Tommy Griffin has not got 70 minutes in him and O'Shea prefers to hold the Dingle man back for his impact sub qualities.

Many observers, this one included, predicted that Cork would not be able to defeat Meath without James Masters. We were wrong. Horribly wrong. Cork, with the exception of the aforementioned Masters, may not have household names up front, but they are an effective, cohesive unit. They work hard for one another and understand each other's game, which more than makes up for their lack of box office attraction.

Aidan O'Mahony has made the number six jersey his own for Kerry and he will need to replicate something close to his Man of the Match performance of last year's final. Pearse O'Neill does not have the guile of Ciaran McDonald, but his high-fielding and link play pose a serious threat.

Masters has made a remarkable recovery from the broken jaw he incurred in the quarter-final against Sligo. However, you always got the sense that if Cork were able to get past Meath, they would get him back for the final.

It would be asking a lot for him to be back at his best by Sunday. However, his dead ball prowess and eye for goal mean Morgan simply had to take the risk. His presence should also give the Rebels a psychological boost.

This, of course, is these sides' second Championship meeting in 2007. Kerry came with a late burst to win the Munster final by two points in Killarney, but it was Cork who arguably took more from the game.

They did struggle against Louth and Sligo, but were brilliant against Meath, suggesting they have learned how to produce the goods when necessary.

Kerry have had the tougher route in the All-Ireland series. They were not great against Monaghan, but some of the criticism they received in the aftermath did not take into account how good the Farney were on the day.

Kerry then took care of Dublin, but that game did more to prove that Dublin were not good enough to win an All-Ireland than it did to show the Kingdom have what it takes to become the first side this century to win back-to-back Sam Maguires.

There is little enough between these old foes, but Cork's hunger, allied to Morgan's tactical nous, may just tip the scales.

Verdict: Cork

[Admin]

Can we keep this to ONLY copies or links to articles. ONLY the articles themselves will be alllowed here.

Any issues raised within the articles should be discussed in new threads, or within existing threads.

[ticketless]

When:16 Sep 2007 (annual)Where:Croke ParkThe All-Ireland Gaelic Football Final, from Croke Park in Dublin, is the climax of Ireland's most popular sporting season. On match day the fantastic old stadium is full to the rafters, creating an unparalleled atmosphere.
Spectators will witness an encounter between the two best regional teams of the year, containing mostly amateur players who have reached the pinnacle of their nation's favourite sport.

Gaelic football is similar to traditional football, but is much more fun to watch as it has no silly rules like offside. At least that's what the proponents claim. In reality, to the uninitiated, the game is a chaotic scramble full of strange idiosyncratic rules. The ball can be played with both hand and foot, but every four steps the ball must be switched from hand to foot. Are you following? The goalposts are similar to those in soccer but extended, enabling points to be scored both below and above the posts. A goal under the bar is worth three points, over is worth one. Don't worry, it will all become clear eventually.

A visit to Croke Park is an incredible experience. Inside the ground you will find that big groups of friends gather at their favorite place, engaging in noisy good-hearted banter. The Hill is the place to be to experience the event at its noisiest and rowdiest. However, if this is not quite to your taste, try the rebuilt east stand where the seating is comfortable and the view of the game is great. It is unlikely that any game is played with as much passion, bravery or skill. Anyone addicted to sport for its raw energy, competitive drive and team spirit must see at least one game of Gaelic football. This is the one.

[murhur]

18 pages of articles from this weeks Kerry's Eye - full colour printed version of the paper online. Too much work to save screenshots of the articles.
editions.pagesuite.co.uk//openpagesuite.aspx?pubid=1874
page 40 - 58.

[riorrahar]

www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/michealomuircheartaigh.html

The biggest day in the football season is at hand and who would have guessed at the start of the year that Kerry and Cork would be meeting in the Bank of Ireland All-Ireland final.

There is a rivalry between these counties that stretches back over a hundred years. They first met in a final 117 years ago. It was the Munster final of 1890, played at the Market Field in Limerick.

Incredibly, the game was still scoreless after 57 minutes of play, and then the ball burst. It was the Cork ball and when Kerry stated that they had forgotten to bring their ball along, the game was abandoned. Cork won the replay and went on to win the All-Ireland title.

The rivalry between the counties has been hectic ever since, with Kerry coming out on top more often than Cork. But this year, it is the occasion of the first ever All-Ireland final between them and Cork will be motivated to repeat the victory of 1890 when they won that first Munster final clash.

And they are capable of doing so. I saw them play brilliant football in the spring when beating Tyrone and Mayo in good League games; I saw them do everything but beat Kerry in the Munster final; and since then, they have improved greatly, as they showed in spasms against Louth and overall against Meath.

On the other hand, Kerry are All-Ireland champions and well used to big days in Croke Park. Their greater experience of big match days might be the factor that will see them complete the first two-in-a-row of All-Irelands since Cork did so in 1990.

Don't miss the unique event - and this time, the footballs will be supplied by the GAA.

[Admin]

===========================================

An updated list of articles and snippets can be found here:

kerry.gaa.ie/intercounty/2007/senfoot/final2007/news.htm

===========================================

[wcorkkerryman]

Winners again with a wink and a shrug
Tom Humphries

Locker Room: Is it nurture or nature? Does it really matter? Not when it comes to Kerry.

At just after six o'clock yesterday evening Croke Park lay quiet and eerily empty save for the odd steward loitering in the stands and us press drones pecking our keyboards high in the Hogan. The field itself was disfigured with an acne of litter and no heed was paid as Kieran Donaghy dandered across the grass to a corner of the stadium with the Sam Maguire dangling idly from his hands.

Minutes earlier in a corner of the Kerry dressingroom Donaghy had been the recipient of a crushing bear hug from Jack O'Shea and seeing the two of them briefly locked together reminded one of the unique lineage of Kerry football. The Sam Maguire was free to go walkabout with Kieran Donaghy because in a way it is incidental to Kerry's business.

Being the best at football and being the best more years than anyone else is what it life is all about in Kerry. A beautiful and quiet obsession. There are no fetishes about the trophy and no licence for a bigger hat size comes with having got your hands on it.

Football just means more in Kerry than it means anywhere else. And when a sport touches the heart of a place and becomes itself a from of self-expression it makes redundant the need for development squads and five-year plans. Children just grow into men with a football as their best friend.

An old teacher of mine used to tell a story about asking an old footballer in Kerry what it meant to have an All-Ireland medal. There was a pause and finally an answer: "Yerra, I'd have five of them and I suppose there'd be a small bit more thought of me than a man who'd only have the four."

Donaghy has two All-Ireland medals and has won them back to back and despite having had the nickname Star stapled on to him some time ago he would be the first to concede that in Kerry there is a small bit more thought of Jacko than himself. And Jacko in turn would quietly plead that all his medals and All Stars hardly turned him into a Charlie Big Potatoes.

There is an innate modesty about Kerry football which demands that it is the business of others to make assumptions and connections.

Donaghy and Jacko are soul brothers in some respects, easy-going beacons of excellence in teams filled with quiet zealots. They stand out from their respective eras like sore thumbs. Charlie Nelligan, who roomed with Jacko back in the day, likes to tell stories about his friend's demeanour on the Saturday nights of those All-Ireland weekends when the nerves would be choking Nelligan and Jacko would lie in splendid repose in the other bed reading the early editions of the Sunday newspapers and cackling at any unfavourable mentions which caught his fancy.

On the following morning Charlie would get up and fretfully pull open the curtains to survey the elements.

"Jacko, it's lashing rain!"

"Is it! Perfect. I was hoping for rain."

Same again the following year.

"Jacko. It's so hot and sunny out."

"Is it! Perfect. Exactly what I was hoping for."

And then Jacko would get up and amble down for a game of pitch and putt in Malahide before heading to Croke Park and waving to his friends from the parade.

You can imagine the same stories being told about Kieran Donaghy in decades to come. Donaghy has the same louche appeal, the same happy, wide-eyed approach to life. Apart from his extraordinary attributes as a player he is the type of character every team needs. He takes life on the bounce. His description of his goals yesterday was characteristic of his breed. Insisting, as all Kerry players do after their gaiscí have been completed, that he was very fortunate indeed he went on to describe the scores with his usual touches of comedy and mock boasting.

The first, "I stole the ball. I had to check myself. I got a fright. Said to myself 'am I gone mad? There's no goalie'. It was just unfortunate for them. It broke for me. Fortunate enough."

And the second.

"I've been telling the lads, I don't think Drogba could have swivelled any better to finish it!"

Of course the links between Jacko and Donaghy run deeper. Jacko played in 1978, the last time I can remember any Kerry player scoring a goal into an untended net in an All-Ireland final. Paddy Cullen's phone may ring a little less often now with requests to recount how Mikey Sheehy wiped his eye 29 years ago.

Kerry are easy winners to like and to appreciate and not just because of the box-office appeal of men like Jacko and Star. Yesterday their native genius found its purest expression in the jinking confidence of the Gooch, whose display surely puts an end to all debate as to whether he should get past the ropes into the pantheon of the greats.

But that cutting edge was backed up with an extraordinary work-rate.

As Darragh Ó Sé commented afterwards, it was Kerry's halfbacks and half-forwards who handed their colleagues the game with an extraordinary afternoon of sweat and commitment. We see the carrot-topped tip of the iceberg but scarcely notice what lies beneath.

Watching Paul Galvin, who gets cast as the bad guy in every western movie, would have been instructive for any young player. His chasing, his harrying, his tackling and his distribution are extraordinary. He has become one of those players whom referees get bonus points and a bit of a panto cheer for booking but there isn't a team in the country who wouldn't yearn for his presence.

Again listening to him speak afterwards was interesting for anyone wishing to understand what makes Kerry football different.

"Fear of losing to Cork was the key," said Galvin.

"I felt myself that everything Kerry football stood for was on the line today. Everything we have achieved in the last four or five years and the last one hundred years was on the line. We had a meeting last night and I looked around me and knew we couldn't lose this.

"We hit them with huge force early on like. For me it is all about medals. I want to win as many medals as I can while I'm playing. The fact that it was Cork meant that defeat wasn't an option. No way we could leave the people of Kerry down. We wouldn't be let back into the county."

In a team where the tendency is to play down everything, to approach every game in the same state of mind as the last one, to play the match and not the occasion, as the sports psychologists say, here was a player who was raising the stakes in his head to the point where the entire history and culture of Kerry football was on the line for 70 minutes. And then going out and playing to that level.

It means more. We'll never know if it is nurture or nature but we know that Kieran Donaghy's two goals had nothing to do with luck and lots to do with persistence and with putting his body on the line and we know that Paul Galvin came to Croke Park with a sense of the big picture that almost any other player would be afraid of. And he addressed it there and then.

It just means more. You can see it in the Ó Sés, in the quiet dignity of Declan O'Sullivan, in Galvin's defiance and Donaghy's self-deprecation. Dynasties (and that's what this team have become) shouldn't be so easy to like.

[wcorkkerryman]

Yep it is - to be fair West Cork people are real football supporters and it would be hard to find fault with them. All the same it's funny to read some of the pre-match analyses - see below from the Southern Star(West Cork local newpaper - and a good one usually)


Cork look to have edge man to man
By Tom Lyons Saturday September 15th, 2007
Noel O’Leary, Cork’s tenacious half back; his clash with Paul Galvin should certainly cause some sparks to fly. (Photo: Sportsfile)
AS WE write this before the actual teams are picked we will assume that both camps will stick with the starting fifteens they had in the semi-finals and we will attempt to analyse the various pairings to see who might have the upper hand if it were a straight man-to man-contest. But, as we all know, even if both sides do contain the same fifteens, there is no guarantee they will line out as in the programme and the tactical battle could be just as interesting as the battle on the pitch.

There can be no arguing that Kerry possess the best subs’ bench in the country right now which means if any of their starting fifteen are in trouble they can replace them with somebody just as good or even better. They can also make various switches on the pitch as all their players are superb footballers, capable of playing in most positions. Cork would not have the same quality on their bench and when it comes to impact subs, in the second half especially, Kerry will definitely have the edge. It may be the deciding factor in the final as most managers will tell you that it is now a twenty man game.

So, to the various pairings that may take place.

Diarmuid Murphy and Alan Quirke. Two outstanding goalkeepers, two great shot stoppers and very influential characters in defence. Both are not at their best when kicking out the ball and Quirke doesn’t seem to have recovered his best form since his return from a long injury span. Murphy to just shade it. Advantage Kerry.

Michael Shields and Bryan Sheehan. The Cork corner back has settled in as an important part of defence. Very good at covering off and moving forward with the ball, he will have to be at his best to mark Sheehan, who has to fight for his place and who knows exactly where the posts are. Sheehan’s biggest contribution is from placed balls and in general play we expect Shields to be on top. Advantage Cork.

Graham Canty and Kieran Donaghy. Canty is back to his very best after his long lay-off and was magnificent against Meath. His return has steadied the whole defence and the big question of how he would have fared against Donaghy last season should be answered in this final. Donaghy will not stay on the edge of the square but play to both wings and, possibly, spend some time around midfield. No matter how he wants to play it, we expect Canty to get the better of him, be it high around the square or wandering around the pitch. Advantage Cork.

Kieran O’Connor and Colm Cooper. Probably the defining clash of the final. If the Gooch is allowed to dictate the trend of play in Kerry’s attack, then Cork will be in serious trouble. O’Connor has played well on Cooper previously but has also suffered against him. Expect Cooper to be the key man in attack again, and to possibly move to full forward or even out the field, but a containing job, no fouling, by O’Connor will suffice for Cork. Advantage Kerry.

IMPULSIVE

Noel O’Leary and Paul Galvin. No contest as the betting will be that both won’t last long enough to be judged. But in seriousness, this is the clash everybody wants to see and could well set the tone for this final. It will be hot and it will be impulsive and expect Galvin to tear into the game from the start against a slow-starting O’Leary. However, on his semi-final form, the Cork man will come to grips and will be on top in the second half. It is vital that O’Leary holds his aggression in control as not only will he have a vital job to do against Galvin but Cork can’t afford to lose any player in this final. Honours even.

Ger Spillane and Eoin Brosnan. The Cork All-Star, after a slow start to his season, seems to be back to his very best form just in time. His battling qualities are vital and his surges upfield often lift the whole team. He won’t get too many chances to go forward against Brosnan who has the happy knack of cutting through the centre to finish off some great Kerry moves. Don’t be surprised if Brosnan gets a goal but Spillane to come out on top in general play. Advantage Cork.

Anthony Lynch and Declan O’Sullivan. A month ago I would have given a confident vote to the Kerry captain who has been flying this season, notching some great points and a vital goal against Dublin. But after looking miles short of the great player he was, Lynch seems to have played his way back into form and was my man of the match against Meath. Not the tightest marker, he will probably be caught for a few points but should more than compensate in general play. Honours even.

Derek Kavanagh and Séamus Scanlon. Two very similar players, they are both great workers and do the donkey work around the middle of the pitch. Kavanagh has the advantage in his shooting for scores as Scanlon just can’t kick a point to save his life. But then, Kavanagh has been missing them this season also. Honours even.

Nicholas Murphy and Darragh Ó Sé. Last season Murphy was well on top in both the Munster final and replay and then got wiped out in Croke Park, so he surely owes Ó Sé one. Murphy is vital to Cork’s chances as he is the side’s main ball winner and showed in the last few games that he is flying at the moment. Ó Sé shipped an injury against Dublin and, worryingly, for Cork, he wasn’t missed as Griffin more than compensated when he came on. There will be a doubt about Ó Sé’s fitness and Murphy should come out on top this time but expect Kerry to have some ploy up their sleeves to disrupt him. Possibly Donaghy at midfield? Advantage Cork.

John Miskella and Killian Young. The Ballincollig man is enjoying an Indian summer in his intercounty career and has been showing impressive form, both at wing back and wing forward. He is a hard worker more than a scorer and will never let the side down. He comes up against one of Kerry’s rising stars in Killian Young. There was a doubt about him holding his place until the game against Dublin when he not only held his man scoreless but found time to link up well with the attack. Advantage Kerry.

Pearse O’Neill and Aidan O’Mahony. O’Neill’s strength, size and surging runs have been vital to Cork’s cause and he has a great engine. Scored two fisted points against Meath that could easily have been goals. O’Mahony has the unenviable task of filling Moynihan’s boots and has not been convincing at centre back. Was in trouble late on against Dublin but mastered Jason Sherlock, a totally different player than O’Neill. I expect O’Neill’s work rate to win this battle. Advantage Cork.

VITAL CLASH

Kevin McMahon and Tomás Ó Sé. This is a vital clash for both teams. The Ó Sés have been absolutely instrumental in Kerry’s progress this year while McMahon has been a revelation for Cork. His work rate, linking with defence and score-taking have been first class. Each player will have to curb his natural instinct to go off on independent forays, although that is McMahon’s job. If he can prevent Ó Sé from surging forward into attack, he will have done a good day’s work. Honours even.

Daniel Goulding and Padraig O’Reilly. Two rising young stars. There is pressure on both to hold their places but O’Reilly was in good form against Dublin after a nightmare against Monaghan. Goulding got his chance when Masters lost out through injury and did well on his debut against Meath. This has all the makings of a fifty-fifty contest. Honours even.

Michael Cussen and Tom O’Sullivan. Cussen looks an unhappy camper at full forward at times and prefers to roam out the field while O’Sullivan is in the very same situation at full back. Cussen could do a lot of damage if he stays near goal and gets the right kind of ball but it will suit O’Sullivan if he drifts out as the Kerry man likes the open spaces too. Again this looks to be a very even contest. Honours even.

Donncha O’Connor and Marc Ó Sé. Any notion that O’Connor can reproduce his sparkling form against Meath must be tempered by the knowledge that he is being marked by the best corner back in the game. O’Connor is afraid of nobody and scored a great goal in Killarney. He won’t be shown too much respect by Ó Sé and this could be a ding-dong struggle. If Ó Sé wins it, then Cork’s attack will be seriously blunted and if O’Connor comes out on top, then Cork could be celebrating. Again honours even.

Subs’ Bench – The most likely Kerry subs will be Tommy Griffin, Seán O’Sullivan and Darren O’Sullivan while Cork’s top three would be James Masters, Conor McCarthy and Fintan Gould. The Kerry subs have carried them through this campaign but the quality of Cork’s three isn’t bad either. Still, the Kerry subs have proved their worth and must get a narrow vote. Advantage Kerry.

That gives Cork the advantage in five positions, Kerry in four with seven even, proving what a delicately poised contest this could be. Cork to win by a single point!

[Admin]

===========================================

An updated list of articles and snippets can be found here:

kerry.gaa.ie/intercounty/2007/senfoot/final2007/news.htm

===========================================

[Die Hard Kerry Fan]

www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/munster-council-holds-key-to-osheas-kerry-future-1082307.html

Munster Council holds key to O'Shea's Kerry future
Tuesday September 18 2007


KERRY football manager Pat O'Shea will have to get permission from Munster Council if he is to stay on at the helm of his history-making stars.


O'Shea is employed by Munster Council as a Football Development Officer, filling one of the key coaching roles in that province. When Jack O'Connor stepped down last year, he needed his employer's agreement before he could take on the job.

Some Munster officials feared it would conflict or detract from his full-time coaching work with them, and were initially opposed to the proposal.

It was a delicate matter which took some time to be settled, not least because O'Shea was also still involved managing his club team to an All-Ireland club final.

Meeting

Eventually, at a meeting that went on well into the night, Munster Council eventually gave him their imprimatur. He has combined both roles since and, on that basis, took the Kerry job on an initial one-year basis and will now have to renegotiate with his employers.

"I would like to stay on," he admitted yesterday.

"We said we'd go for one year and see how it went.

"I'll speak to Munster Council, the County Board and obviously my family and make the right decision hopefully."

O'Shea already has the backing of Kerry chairman Sean Walsh.

"Last year we had to seek clarificationf rom the Munster Council as to whether Pat could do both," he said.

"He has done it aned done both very well. I wouldn't see any problem between the Munster Council and the Kerry County Board in the future as to his re-appoinentment."

[hatchetman]

Could somebody post Jacks piece from todays Irish Times, pls?

[islandexile]

Walsh hails team-manager and captain’s roles

Kerry County Board Chairman Sean Walsh has praised team-manager Pat O’Shea and his captain Declan O’Sullivan for the manner in which they have represented their county during the All-Ireland SFC campaign and since Kerry’s triumph last Sunday at Croke Park.

"I think everybody in Kerry would be very proud of Pat O’Shea and what the team achieved," said Walsh.

"But, more importantly, in the way he spoke on radio, television and the functions last night (Monday), he came across as a very dignified person. He carries the mantle of Kerry exceptionally well."

And of O’Sullivan, Walsh was no less generous in his praise:
"He was a players’ man, everything was for the panel. And even though he was captain, he never allowed it to sidetrack his own game. This year proved it, he’s up there with the greats."

[surfdude62]

Hey guys!Any chance someone could post colm o'rourke's article in the sunday independent?Always used to enjoy reading his article the morning of the all-ireland!Thanks!

[Mickmack]

God help us, Napoleon and Co. are building an empire
By Keith Barr
Tuesday September 18 2007


NO one does a reality check quite like Kerry. After a season of trying to pick holes in a team we believed to be in decline, they delivered a final performance suggesting quite the opposite.


This is not the beginning of the end for Kerry, probably more like the end of the beginning. Five All-Irelands in 10 years; could have been seven if it wasn't for Oisín McConville and Peter Canavan.

Kerry did not peak against Dublin; rather they delivered a stirring performance worthy of the occasion before saving their glorious finale for the big day. Maybe we're all part of the Kerry thing without knowing it. Do we give them the credit they deserve? Do they want it?

Do they feed off the doubts raised by a sceptical media?

Are we always criticising their opponents rather than praising their performances?

Why was Darragh Ó Sé omitted from the Sunday Game's team of the year despite negating Nicholas Murphy twice in the one season?

Doubts

Perhaps it was because three of the previous four titles were at Mayo's expense that doubts as to Kerry's greatness continued to emerge. Let's be honest, Kerry did not need to hammer Cork to assert their class.

However, by doing so, they have nailed their critics once and for all. In an era of unprecedented competition and fitness, this Kerry team has now started to eclipse their illustrious predecessors -- and that is an astonishing feat.

By breaking the sequence of one-off victories their dominance is now taking on the trappings of an empire. God help us.

This great team is personified by Darragh, the Napoleon of Gaelic football.

A hard man with immense football ability, he has worn the same jersey for 12 years. He will play it any way he needs to, but he leads by example with the end always justifying the means. He is a real footballer's footballer.

On Sunday his task was, as it has been so often in the recent past, to stop Nicolas Murphy from dictating midfield. He wiped him out.

And there is no point playing down the opposition now with the benefit of hindsight. Previews were laden with talk of Cork's midfield prowess, much of it centred on Murphy whose form going into the final was spectacular.

Kerry hammered the life out of them in the middle third.

The Kerry defence was monumental. Marc Ó Sé, clearly the player of the year, was a model of consistency, while Tomás Ó Sé took up where he left off in the semi-final, forcing himself on the game and putting the Cork half-forward line on the back foot. Young Padraig Reidy, who got the Kerry 'treatment' after the Monaghan game has grown in stature, backing up his excellent display against Dublin with another in the final. Ditto Killian Young.

After Sunday's virtuoso performance, the Gooch has taken up Canavan's mantle as the game's truly outstanding forward. It was one of the greatest displays in an All-Ireland final, and you get the sense that he meant to deliver it. Alongside Cooper, Kieran Donaghy's value continues to rise. Besides his obvious talents, he exudes honesty and was rewarded for it.

Paul Galvin was again at the heart of Kerry's performance.

Always playing on the edge, he mixes aggression and skill like few others. He is a warrior and without him Kerry's stars would not shine as brightly.

I got a bit of stick from a few belligerent Kerrymen during the summer for pointing out some of the delicious cynicism in their game and in their approach, but I stand over what I said and take my hat off to them. Kerry do whatever it takes; we can be as romantic as we like about them, but they certainly know how to stop teams playing.

And they do this by targeting the opposition's strong points. Cork were expected to have an advantage in the middle third, but ended up being cleaned out in that area. Physically Kerry destroyed them, and once that area was secured it was only a matter of time before they outscored them. The fact that this was done far more easily than expected due to a series of calamities in the Cork defence shouldn't detract from Kerry's powerful display. They hit Cork hard and often.

I sympathise with Cork and Billy Morgan, but gifting Kerry three soft goals rendered all their preparation irrelevant.

Gooch may be a genius, but he should have suffered for his first goal. The second one killed the game. No further analysis is required.

So Pat O'Shea has grabbed the baton and taken a huge stride in his first season.

With confidence at an all-time high and a bench to die for, he is entitled to mull over a potential three-in-a-row this week.

Kerry are masters of their own destiny. Cute hoors to the bone, they never want for motivation; back-to-backs, the media, fights in the camp, rows over managers, f**king animals... they do whatever it takes. Just like Kilkenny, champions to the marrow.

Hats off boys.

[Die Hard Kerry Fan]

What do ye think of this one lads?

Final fails to deliver
By Eugene McGee
Monday September 17 2007


Kerry won one of the handiest All-Irelands they have ever got in a diabolical game at Croke Park yesterday. We thought last year's massacre of Mayo was bad, but at least on that occasion we got some attractive flowing football at times.


Yesterday you could smell the negativity in the air from the start as both teams set out to prevent the other playing constructive football. Pulling, dragging, obstruction and hitting opponents after the ball had gone combined to give us an abomination of a first half that yielded an amazing 37 frees in as many minutes.

If that wasn't bad enough, the result was all but decided in the first minute of the second half when a massive mistake by the Cork defence let in Kieran Donaghy for a laughably easy goal that put Kerry six points in front and essentially ended the game as a contest.

It was accepted in advance that Cork could win only if they managed to keep the Kerry score to about 12 points, but Donaghy's goal saw them reach that tally with almost the whole second half still to play and it was clear that an inefficient Cork attack had no hope of bridging the gap.

The second half was a bit more progressive as Kerry succeeded in breaking Cork's tight marking to play some attractive football which yielded an array of excellent points from play.

We saw the brilliance of Colm Cooper and Donaghy, but when the result of an All-Ireland final is decided with half an hour to go, it can never be the real thing and so it was yesterday.

Cork were a huge disappointment and never did themselves justice in any area of the field. While we had not expected much from the Cork forward-line, the big disappointment was the performance of the backs who had played outstandingly all season.

The performance of Graham Canty epitomised the overall Cork defence. He started very well, beating Kieran Donaghy to the first few balls, but the Kerryman soon got the upper hand and then Canty was switched on to Colm Cooper. From there it was all downhill for the Bantry Blues player.

The whole Cork defence suffered a similar fate after they had managed to prevent the Kerry forwards scoring from play for 19 minutes.

The collapse of the Cork defence was the most surprising aspect of this final and the fact that it was mainly self-inflicted wounds that caused their downfall will not make them feel any better.

Of course, the presence of Colm Cooper in the vicinity of your goals is a major source of unease for any defence and yesterday Cooper showed the real class that sets him apart from nearly every other forward in the game today.

It is not that he does a huge amount; it is the quality of what he does -- like the brilliant goal he poached in the 16th minute, helped by another defensive blunder, at a time when the game was at its most dogged and negative.

It was a message taken up by his Kerry colleagues in the second half as they adopted a more positive attitude and used their football skills rather than their strength to punish their Cork opponents.

Readjustments

Tomas O Sé began to play as we have seen him all year and that is a huge factor in the present Kerry team's performances this term. The readjustment of the Kerry full-forward line after about 20 minutes which saw Cooper and Donaghy in the full-forward line on their own was a turning point, as it seemed to unhinge the Cork defence even though they should have been ready for such a move.

The man whom Kerry can thank for holding them together when they were so surprisingly jittery in the opening half was centre half-back Aidan O'Mahony who dominated his area of the field and also found time to go up and get Kerry's first score in the fifth minute. For a man who was allegedly a reluctant convert to the No.6 position when Seamus Moynihan retired he certainly adapted well to his new location just as Tom O'Sullivan did at fullback this year.

There are more natural footballers in Kerry as opposed to the manufactured ones that we see in a lot of other counties. A natural footballer can play in nearly any position and that is where Kerry have always scored.

This was an All-Ireland that will be quickly forgotten firstly because of the terrible football played in the first half and secondly because the result was virtually decided within a minute of the second half starting.

If this had been a game between two Ulster counties many would have summed it up by saying it was 'typical Ulster football' with all the negativity that is meant to convey. So, I suppose it is fair enough to state that this was typical Munster football.

There have been many negative games between Kerry and Cork over the years, but on the biggest stage of all yesterday it was a desperate advertisement for Gaelic football.

However, we must extract this Kerry team from the odd bad match and give them due credit. They have now won four All-Irelands in this decade which in the present competitive qualifier system is an amazing achievement.

Yesterday they got 16 scores and 12 wides against what was supposed to be the best defence in the country.

They are fully entitled to be called a great team if only for the way they have perfected the art of winning games no matter what the circumstances.

[wcorkkerryman]

Again from the Southern Star

Kingdom rule as Rebels self-destruct
By Noel Horgan Saturday September 22nd, 2007
A dejected Anthony Lynch watches on from the crowd as Kerry are presented with the Sam Maguire Cup. (Photo: Brian Lawless/ SPORTSFILE)
Kerry 3-13

Cork 1-9



Given that Cork were in the opposite corner, it was a victory that Kerry will cherish as much, if not more, than any of the previous 34 recorded by the Kingdom’s footballers in an All-Ireland final. But, for neutrals in the attendance of 82,126, there was precious little to savour in a contest that had lost its competitive edge long before the finish.

For the third year in a row, the Rebels succumbed tamely to their arch-rivals at Croke Park, allowing Kerry to become the first team to retain the title since Cork achieved back-to-back triumphs in 1990. That Kerry were by far the better side is beyond dispute, and their ten-point winning margin was a fair reflection of their superiority over the 70 minutes.

But they didn’t have to produce anything special to crush the challenge from a Cork outfit that was punished severely for some elementary errors which were totally unacceptable at this level. All three of the Kerry goals were of the give-away variety, while quite of number of the champions’ points came about after Cork had carelessly turned over possession.

In the circumstances, it could be argued that Cork were the chief architects of their own demise, but the reality is that Kerry dictated matters to a large degree once they began to warm to their task following the boost of a Colm Cooper goal in the 16th minute. Prior to that, both sides had struggled to settle into a rhythm, and mistakes were plentiful as the enormity of the stakes on offer in what was the first meeting between the counties in an All-Ireland final took its toll.

After Cooper, timing his jump to perfection, fisted home Seamus Scanlon’s probing delivery, however, Kerry always appeared to have the situation under control, and it was by no means unfitting that Scanlon and Cooper should be involved in the score which did much to undermine Cork’s bid for glory.

Scanlon was the least vaunted of the four midfielders who lined out in this contest, but he had a massive match against Derek Kavanagh, and was primarily responsible for giving Kerry an edge in a sector where Darragh Ó Sé, without ever exerting a major influence, also enjoyed much the better of his duel with Nicholas Murphy

WIZARDRY

Cooper, for his part, added to his reputation as the most gifted forward of his generation with a display of wizardry that enabled him to run Cork’s Kieran O’Connor and Graham Canty ragged on the day. His goal should have been prevented, however, as Cork ’keeper Alan Quirke made a bad error of judgement in advancing to contest Scanlon’s speculative lob with O’Connor and the Gooch.

It was brilliantly and bravely executed at the same time, and it provided the first indication of what was to come from Cooper, who caused the alarm-bells to sound in earnest for Cork when he easily rounded O’Connor to shoot a point that left Kerry four the good, 1-4 to 0-3, three minutes later.

That prompted Cork to take remedial action, with Graham Canty moving on to Cooper, Michael Shields going to full back on Kieran Donaghy, and Kieran O’Connor switching to the right corner on Bryan Sheehan. It didn’t yield the desired result, however, as Canty and Shields never came to terms with the twin threat posed by Donaghy and Cooper, and Cork’s last line of defence began to look increasingly vulnerable towards the end of the first half.

Fortunately for Cork, Kerry didn’t press home their advantage to the full before the break, with Cooper off-target with a couple of efforts for a point, and Donaghy failing to find the net after fielding a Tomás Ó Sé free ahead of Shields. But Donaghy clearly had his jersey tugged by Shields before he screwed the ball wide from close-range, and Kerry should have been awarded a penalty.

Trailing by 1- 5 to 0-4 at the time, it was a huge let-off for Cork, and Kerry clocked up a total of six wides in the first half when they also pumped a few balls into the welcoming arms of Cork custodian Quirke. Tomás Ó Sé completed Kerry’s first half tally in stoppage time, but there could be no disputing that Cork were decidedly flattered to go in at the break just 1-6 to 0-6 in arrears.

The challengers luck ran out within a minute of the resumption, however, when Ger Spillane was dispossessed at the edge of the square by Donaghy, who, with Quirke having vacated his post to receive a pass, had the simple task of tapping the ball into an empty net.

REMOTE

It was hard to visualise Cork recovering from that body-blow, even if they had pulled back a six-point deficit in the second half of the Munster final. They were struggling so badly in all sectors this time, however, that the prospect of mounting a similar comeback looked extremely remote.

As things transpired, Kerry quickly stretched the gap through points from Bryan Sheehan, who converted a free after Cooper was fouled by Canty, Seamus Scanlon, Declan O’Sullivan and Cooper before Donncha O’Connor opened Cork’s second half account in the 45th minute.

The Kerry scores from Scanlon and Cooper came about after Kieran O’Connor and Conor McCarthy had frittered away possession, and there was worse to follow for Cork in the 48th minute when Michael Shields and Alan Quirke collided as they rose to meet an Eoin Brosnan cross from the right wing.

It allowed Donaghy to break the ball down from behind Shields and Quirke, and he was in quickly to again knock it into an unguarded net. It was another horrific score to concede by Cork, and, trailing by 3-10 to 0-7, they were always battling for mere respectability in the wake of it.

They managed to trim the gap to eight points after effective substitute Daniel Goulding did well to latch on to a pass from Donncha O’Connor and squeeze the ball past Diarmuid Murphy before O’Connor added a point in the 58th minute. But any slim hopes of a late rally by the Rebels were firmly dispelled when substitute Fintan Gould had a pass intercepted by Tomás Ó Sé, and the resultant counter-attack led to a foul by Shields on Cooper which the latter expertly slotted over from a difficult angle on the right.

Kerry cruised through the last ten minutes, embellishing their comprehensive win with an absolute gem of a point from Cooper and another fine point from substitute Sean O’Sullivan which came in reply to Cork’s last score from Goulding.

While Cooper was unquestionably the man-of-the-match, Donaghy played a starring role too at full forward, and the problems which they posed for the Cork full back line were instrumental in smoothing Kerry’s path to victory. Ironically, Graham Canty started well on Donaghy, but it was obvious that the Austin Stacks clubman was going to make his mark on the game even before Cork restructured their last line of defence.

At the other end, Michael Cussen, as in the Munster final, again threatened to make life difficult for Tom O’Sullivan, but the problem for Cork was that they were unable to get enough quality ball into their towering full forward. That was primarily due to their failure to make headway in the half forward line where Kevin McMahon, from whom a lot was expected, was completely out-of-touch on the left wing.

FIVE-STAR

It was a mistake by McMahon in failing to hold a pass from Cussen that produced a point from his marker Aidan O’Mahony which got Kerry on the board in the fifth minute. O’Mahony went on to turn in a five-star display at right wing back, while Tomás Ó Sé was also in control from the outset against Pearse O’Neill, whose move to full forward in a switch with Cussen midway through the first half worked against Cork.

Not only did Ó Sé continue to perform well at centre back, but Tom O’Sullivan looked much more comfortable at full back when faced by O’Neill, and it was no surprise that Cussen reverted to full forward before half time. Again Cork struggled to get Cussen involved, and it wasn’t until the 26th minute that a high ball was pumped in his direction by Kevin McMahon. Cussen duly won it from Tom O’Sullivan to kick what was to be Cork’s only the score from play in the first half.

For all that, they twice managed to inch ahead during the first ten minutes, and they were on level terms after Donncha O’Connor negated a Colm Cooper free to make it 0-3 apiece six minutes later.

The first Kerry goal soon followed, however, and, with Cooper and Donaghy moving with ever-increasing menace, it triggered off a steady improvement from their attack in which Paul Galvin did a lot of effective foraging on the right wing to prove a handful for John Miskella.

Allied to Seamus Scanlon’s admirable industry at midfield, it ensured that Kerry enjoyed the bulk of possession in the second quarter when Noel O’Leary and Ger Spillane kept their end up fairly well in the Cork defence against Eoin Brosnan and Declan O’Sullivan respectively.

Kieran O’Connor benefited from his move on to Bryan Sheehan, but Cork had major problems elsewhere, with Murphy and Kavanagh unable to make their presence felt at midfield, and only Cussen and Donncha O’Connor showing any sort of promise up front.

With Mark Ó Sé’s typically tight marking minimising the threat from O’Connor, the Kerry defence always looked assured, and newcomers Padraig Reidy and Killian Young both came through their first appearance on the big stage with flying colours. Young was never seriously extended by Cork wing forward Conor McCarthy, while Reidy had James Masters in his pocket before the Nemo ace was replaced by Daniel Goulding at half-time.

Goulding pilfered 1-1 off Reidy, but Kerry had the laurels in the bag long before that, and it removed little of the gloss from the Scartaglin man’s overall contribution.



A MISTAKE

In hindsight, the decision to start Masters after he had missed the semi-final against Meath due to injury will be viewed as a mistake by the Cork management, especially since Goulding looked the sharpest of the Rebels’ forwards following his introduction. But Masters’ inclusion wasn’t the reason why Cork lost the match.

That can be put down to a flaw-riddled and seriously inept performance which was exploited to the full by Kerry, who, following a first half dog-fight that contained 37 frees and was shrouded in a mantle of mediocrity, raised their game to a new level on the turnover. Donaghy’s freakish goal may have been the catalyst for Kerry to move up a few gears, but the flurry of points that followed emphasised their class, shattering Cork’s resolve before Donaghy’s second strike drained the last drop of blood from the contest.

Every Kerry player put a shoulder to the wheel in the second half, with the marvellous O’Mahony, Tomás Ó Sé, Scanlon and Galvin particularly prominent during the period of the game when any lingering doubts about the outcome were removed. But the genius of Cooper was the most illuminating feature of this mismatch, and, along with Donaghy, he revelled in the extra space resulting from the deep role adopted by Bryan Sheehan from corner forward in the second half.

In fairness, Michael Shields toiled manfully against Donaghy, as did Noel O’Leary, Kieran O’Connor, Ger Spillane, Donncha O’Connor, Michael Cussen and Daniel Goulding further out. But Goulding was the only Cork player who could justifiably claim that he shaded his duel with his immediate opponent after the interval as Kerry romped to a third title in four seasons, dispatching the Leesiders in the same ruthless and efficient manner with which they had foiled Mayo’s aspirations in 2004 and last year.

[wcorkkerryman]

Another one- again to be fair to the West Cork crowd, a fairly honest analysis
Cork manager Billy Morgan
NOBODY died, thank God. It’s only a game and on Monday morning most of us were back at work, dealing with the real issues of life. By now most of the Cork players and management will be back at work too and life will go on.

It was worse for them than anybody else on Monday morning. They woke to realise that Sunday, All-Ireland final day, had slipped by and they hadn’t turned up for the game. A game they had dreamed about, planned for and worked bloody hard to reach had turned into a nightmare that will always haunt them. They will always have to live with the awful memory of a hammering from Kerry and will wonder for a long, long time where it all went wrong.

Billy Morgan will ponder on how a defence with the best reputation in Ireland was turned into a shambles by two outstanding Kerry forwards and how his vaunted midfielders could completely collapse on the day. How could any management team expect or cater for that? How could an intercounty goalkeeper concede goals that would have embarrassed an under-12 team?

How could intercounty, intelligent players think that playing the ball across the pitch often enough would eventually lead to the goalposts and scores? Could anybody imagine beforehand that the strongest physical team Cork has ever fielded would be so easily deprived of possession and spill every ball in the tackle?

No doubt the team’s spokesman, John Corcoran, will put nice words on it all and come up with explanations but how can he explain where all the team leaders disappeared to when the need was greatest, after the second disastrous goal? Maybe he can come up with a reason why Cork cannot find somebody to mark the Gooch and why the management team played into Kerry’s hands by shifting Canty away from the edge of the square?

The Cork supporters will dismiss this defeat, this rout, as just another abysmal performance by our footballers, not the first in recent times by a team that can’t seem to play away from home. But this was the most embarrassing and difficult to swallow on the biggest stage of all. We have followed Cork football religiously for 45 years, have gone through some very lean times and have suffered more than our share at the hands of Kerry, but this abysmal performance will rank right up there as the most embarrassing hour we had to sit through in all those years.

Afterwards, on the way out of Croke Park, we were jeered by some mindless Kerry yahoos and we just had no answer for them. There was no defending this dreadful hammering. Kerry are good, much better than we gave them credit for in our preview last week, but we had been led to believe that this Cork team was on the verge of the big breakthrough following their great win over Meath. We bought into it and forgot the past as we tipped Cork to win. We expected glory and we got kicked in the teeth. Another kick in the ass from the Kingdom, and another chastening reminder that no matter how we delude ourselves with an odd Munster title, Kerry are on a different level when it comes to winning All-Ireland titles.

Kerry belong in Croke Park, are masters of playing there and it is their second home. They love winning All-Ireland finals and fully believe it is their birthright to do so. Cork footballers, on the other hand, are just a backwater Munster team which only picks up All-Ireland titles when Kerry get fed up of winning and leave it open for us. We can beat them in all the minor and under-21 Munster finals in the world but when it comes to winning All-Ireland senior titles Kerry are on a different planet to Cork.

This was class Kerry, doing everything to perfection, imposing their game on Cork and availing of every mistake Cork made. And, boy, did we make mistakes, monumental ones. With Kerry it was all chiefs and no Indians, with Cork it was all Indians and no chiefs.

Yes, our expectations were high for this final. The best we expected was a win that would be remembered forever, the least we expected was a battling performance that would make Kerry battle every inch of the way and make us proud to be Cork people. What we got from Cork, no disrespect to any player or mentor, was a load of rubbish, little short of a disgrace. Yes, we’re bitter about it. We sat in Croke Park and had to suffer through it, every Kerry score, every mistake by Cork. The jokes about this Cork team were starting before we even left the stadium but we won’t repeat them here.

Yes, we felt sorry for the players who set out to do their very best but whose world collapsed around them in just over an hour. Bur Cork supporters deserved better than this. Nobody could legislate for the mistakes Cork made on the day but mistakes were made that could have been avoided and this is not the first time that this Cork team has left us down with a bang.

Billy Morgan can talk all he wants about a great bunch of lads and we have no doubt they are in real life, but what they served up on Sunday was pathetic and somebody, somewhere should apologise to the Cork supporters and the county in general for what transpired. This was a humiliation for everybody associated with Cork football, an embarrassment for every coach and trainer from under-10 to senior and should never be allowed to happen again.

Who will accept the blame for what happened? Will the County Board, which failed so miserably to promote this final, demand an explanation from the management team? If it happened to the hurlers there would be an investigation at Board level.

Let’s have sympathy for the players but let’s not lose sight of the fact that this was the showpiece for football in Cork and that we are now the laughing stock of the country. Ask anybody working in Dublin this week with people from Kerry, Dublin or even lowly Monaghan what jibes they have been subjected to as a result of this fiasco. It was a fiasco, nothing less and we can all bury our heads in the sand and ignore it but will that prevent it from happening again?

Nobody died, but the image of Cork football for which we all work so hard, has taken a hammering that will be hard to recover from. Add to this abysmal defeat the manner in which the County Board has treated the county championship and the ordinary club players in recent years and you have a situation in which football is again being kicked around within the county and who cares? I do, and many of the genuine Cork footballer supporters in Croke Park on Sunday care.

Yes, I’m mad as hell at what transpired, mad at Billy Morgan for his attitude and for putting a team like this on the field for a final, mad at the management who panicked and made such elementary blunders, and especially mad at the players who left the whole county down. Cork football deserves an explanation and an apology from those involved.

On Sunday next, we will have our own mini All-Ireland final here in West Cork when Bandon take on Muintir Bháire in the SW junior A football final in Ballineen. To date the fare served up in this championship has been most disappointing, with an odd exception. Muintir Bháire are the surprise packets, but by defeating the favoured Kilmacabea side and then knocking out reigning champions, Tadhg Mac Cárthaigh, they have more than earned the right to appear in their first junior A final.

Bandon are tipped every year to do well but have disappointed year after year. This season they looked the team of the season, unbeaten in the league but then it took three games to overcome plucky Barryroe in the semi-final and opinion of their worth had to be revised. In truth, they were haunted to survive the first two days and some of the fare they served up was most disappointing.

On the other hand, I have been most impressed by the Durrus side when I saw them. To my mind they are playing better football than Bandon and should win on that score but I would be worried about the effect their first final will have on them. The result is definitely hard to predict but as I predicted Cork to win last Sunday, who is going to take any notice of anything I say anyway. Muintir Bháire to win by two points.