diego
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Post by diego on Jun 2, 2018 19:09:56 GMT
Is this game being televised? No, RTE are showing Fermanagh v Monaghan and Waterford/Tipp in the hurling.
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Post by Mickmack on Jun 2, 2018 19:29:14 GMT
Kerry: Something bold, something new? Saturday, June 02, 2018
By Tony Leen
Sports Editor
New jersey, new training centre, younger squad. Kerry football is moving in a new direction, on and off the field, part of the three-year plan to stimulate success and close the gap on Jim Gavin’s Dublin.
So what’s different about the Kingdom ahead of their 2018 Championship opener tomorrow against Clare in Killarney?
NEW DEFENSIVE STRUCTURE
Éamonn Fitzmaurice smiled when he was asked could we anticipate a different Kingdom rearguard for the summer.
“We’ve been working on it throughout the year,” he insisted this week.
However, the road test didn’t go to plan in the league, with Kerry leaking the highest total in all four divisions. On these pages two weeks ago, Colm Cooper wrote that Kerry needed to change their defensive personnel or system — or both.
Fitzmaurice is the hands-on coach for the defensive unit and agrees it’s a “work in progress”. He may not roll it out tomorrow, but supporters will be looking for clear and obvious signs of improvement and an ability to stop opposition players galloping at the heart of the Kerry defence.
NEW PLAYERS
Not so much. Despite all the winter and spring talk about a new, younger, more vibrant Kerry, only David Clifford from tomorrow’s squad has no experience of a Championship match day.
One of the key changes since last year’s Championship has fitted in so seamlessly that his introduction has virtually passed without comment — goalkeeper Shane Murphy from Dr Crokes. But for him, Dr Crokes might have been routed in the Munster Club SFC final defeat to Nemo Rangers last winter and he has continued that shot-stopping form, allied to a consistent kickout, this term. For the likes of Jason Foley and Ronan Shanahan, it’s good to know Murphy’s got their back.
NEW COACHING IDEAS
Kieran Shannon, of this parish, who has sat at the end of the same Ul Huskies Women’s Superleague bench as James Weldon, recognises the value of Kerry bringing in the basketball coach this season.
“Weldon brings much more than tactics, footwork etc. He comes from an international sport with a huge knowledge of how to coach as well as what (to coach). Can safely say he leaves 95% of county coaches-selectors in the shade,” Shannon tweeted this week.
Fitzmaurice values throwing something different at the players every season, and in bringing the Killarney man into the Kingdom set-up this season, he was bringing more than basketball smarts.
“We wanted our thinking as a management challenged,” he explained, “and he has done that. He’s taking parts of training, he’s a different eye with a different take on things. He’s been excellent.”
NEW TRAINING BASE
You’d think the Kerry players would savour the switch back to Fitzgerald Stadium as a training base in recent weeks. Trotting out on Fitzgerald Stadium’s firm sod means showtime can’t be far off. Summer sessions at the park are a rite of passage for any Kerry footballer.
However, there’s been a bit of a bounce too in the sessions at the new centre of excellence at Currans that have little to do with the underfoot sod. “It’s nice to be there with other Kerry teams, underage, hurling, etc,” said one player last week. “There’s a sense of We Are Kerry about the place, and the novelty of having a dedicated training base, where we train and eat, has been a real positive.”
DOMESTIC CLEAN SLATE
It’s one of the frustrations of every inter-county manager, one always uttered with a wince. ‘We hand them back to their clubs now’.
In Kerry, not everyone in clubland was singing the praises of Fitzmaurice and Kerry in April, but the decision by the County Board to run off the club senior championship and the intermediate, premier junior, and junior championships over a five-week period ensures that Kerry will have full and undiluted access to their squad up to and until their interest in the All-Ireland concludes. Only then will the blue riband, the Kerry SFC, kick off.
MORE OPTIONS
Kerry is one of a handful of counties which has maintained a bloated squad into the summer, with obvious cost implications. They had 34 players involved in a final internal game — it’s no longer politically correct, apparently, to call them A v B games — last weekend, and the manager’s reasoning is self-evident. “Because it’s a new format and a unique circumstance to some degree, we may need a big squad (where everyone’s) ready to go.”
However, such is the changed landscape these days that a team manager is as likely as a county board treasurer to be discussing ‘sustainable models’.
“It’s big business,” said Fitzmaurice. “At a very basic level, before you start going into any bells and whistles, there’s feeding the teams, travelling expenses, going away for matches at weekends, hotel costs, and all that stuff.”
Hence the appointment of the county’s first full-time professional commercial manager, Maurice O’Meara, whose job it is to grease the wheels bidding to keep pace with the boys in blue.
NEW FIREPOWER
One could calculate on a stopwatch the amount of time David Clifford has spent on the same pitch as James O’Donoghue and Paul Geaney. The Legion man’s absence for all but five minutes of the National League means that tomorrow against Clare is the first opportunity the Kingdom faithful has to salivate over the possibilities of such an imaginative attacking arsenal. The trick will be Le Fusion, as the French like to call it, the combination of this trio with other seductive options like Sean O’Shea, Stephen O’Brien, Kieran Donaghy, and Michael Burns.
Remember too that Daithi Casey, Donnchadh Walsh, and Johnny Buckley are all unavailable to Kerry at the moment.
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peanuts
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Post by peanuts on Jun 2, 2018 20:25:54 GMT
Funny how Leen seems to think 7 players getting their first taste of championship football is ‘Not so much’ new players. 🤔
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yerah
Junior Member
Posts: 40
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Post by yerah on Jun 3, 2018 12:10:57 GMT
Any ideas on this. ''Rumour has it Kerry might be without a key forward today - I am saying no more #MysticMurt''
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Post by oldschool on Jun 3, 2018 13:14:07 GMT
I think Kieran Donaghy should be starting. He would be a mighty help to D. Clifford. Remember himself and Gooch.??
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kerryexile
Fanatical Member
Whether you believe that you can, or that you can't, you are right anyway.
Posts: 1,115
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Post by kerryexile on Jun 3, 2018 13:57:03 GMT
During the league Kerry didn't seem to be as fit as other teams. They seemed to be on a training pattern that was designed to get them to peak in August / September so we shouldn't be expecting a vintage performance today. On the other hand this is probably the most important game of the season for a good Clare side.
A solid performance and a win of 5 or 6 points would do fine. I hope Kerry aren't too tactical - that the young players have think and work their way to a win.
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Post by sullyschoice on Jun 3, 2018 14:10:03 GMT
All 6 forwards are out on the pitch anyway
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Post by Ballyfireside on Jun 3, 2018 15:43:11 GMT
If that's the best team we have (as opposed to blooding lads) then it looks like we have closed the gap with the Dubs, i.e. that half are Championship debutants means that 50% have been pushed on and which is remarkable by any standards, 2 or 3 would equate to an average of a 6 year inter-county career. And with all the minor success we will keep that figure up, exciting or what! Personally I'll be watching Gavin Crowley's progress - the two ends of wan right hoor of a Kerry footballer is how wan John B Keane would describe him! Also watching our own Jason and great that Ballydonoghue is back in the big time, that he already brought Tom Marken to the Cross now leaves him with wan wee job, to collar Maguire and Foley's wouldn't be known for letting the parish down. I didn't realise Lord Horatio Herbert Kitchener (YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU) was born on Ballydonoghue till i read Fergal Keanes book "Wounds". You kept that one quiet That would hardly be the most significant one I forgot to mention, there is a lot happening at Ballythefireside these days so watch this space, you mightn't have long to wait, we might answer such a call in a way you just couldn't imagine!
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Post by kerryboy83 on Jun 3, 2018 19:16:14 GMT
Have Kerry ever scored over 30 points in a championship game before? Total mis match but kerry did what they had to do. Mission accomplished
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Post by number14 on Jun 3, 2018 19:35:54 GMT
Job well done. Positives Good pace and style to play. Some good scores and a great spread of scorers. Blooded some good new talent to championship football. Worries Never looked like scoring a goal despite huge dominance. Bigger tests lie ahead - bring them on and let's see what we have up our sleeves.
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Post by southward on Jun 3, 2018 19:46:46 GMT
Hard to believe that this Clare team almost put one over on us 12 months ago. However credit must go to Kerry, who never gave them a sniff today. Have to be happy with that performance; perhaps the only quibble being that midfield took a while to get going. Felt a bit sorry for Gary Brennan - seemed to be carrying the fight on his own and maybe the only Clare player getting the better of his man.
Amazingly, in a game with 42 scores, neither keeper had a save to make.
Good start.
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Post by gbbuei on Jun 3, 2018 20:13:38 GMT
Yeah. Without trying to sound greedy after scoring 32 points (!!) the lack of goals is concerning. Going on through League more or less as well. Mikey and Maurice need to have a word.
Good solid start though. All credit to the team and management. Excited by this team.
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Post by gamechanger10 on Jun 3, 2018 20:33:46 GMT
Great crowd today and clearly everyone expected a good game, clare just seemed to be totally flat or else we just may be looking at a dawning of a really serious kerry team rising from the ashes of transition. Its hard to pick holes in that performance today to be honest, perhaps our inside three played a little too far from the posts at times and therefore we never created or indeed looked that intrested in creating a goal chance. I would have liked to see Clifford play off Donaghy for a spell as clifford looks like a player that would create real carnage with the distraction and freedom to be fed good ball on the run towards the goal. I expected so much more from the Banner today but in truth they were outfought and out thought all over Fitzgerald Stadium today, hats off to all our wonderful players today, sound the drum and start the march.
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Post by Deise Exile on Jun 3, 2018 22:47:27 GMT
Thankfully no lateral crossing the ball across the 45 yard line. ForwRds showing well and JODs movement and Geaneys score taking were a joy to watch. Very exciting
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Post by southward on Jun 3, 2018 23:13:28 GMT
Tell you what, you could see the level of competition for places in that performance today. No let up at all, right to the final whistle.
Is Stephen O'Brien after getting even quicker? I thought he was just superb today, Clare couldn't cope with him at all.
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Post by homerj on Jun 3, 2018 23:42:52 GMT
Have Kerry ever scored over 30 points in a championship game before? Total mis match but kerry did what they had to do. Mission accomplished Apparently 32 points is a record score in GAA history?
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Post by sullyschoice on Jun 4, 2018 0:07:31 GMT
I think if we needed to score goals we would have. Some moves that would have ended up as goals were tapped over.
Passing was beautiful to watch. Direct football. David Clifford is a very un-selfish player. Obviously not as dominant as he was as a minor but played very well.
James.O was good.
The strategy for Clare kickouts was different. They had to go long every time and we got a better return as he game went on. Clare won a few of the kickouts early on in the middle but we came more into it as the game went on.
Feck all lateral sh1te
Very happy with what I saw today.
Clare were poor though.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 4, 2018 0:28:09 GMT
32 points is fair scoring in any game but's lads let's not get carried away. Clare were terrible. A club team would have done better. It was no contest. Kerry's passing and movement was very good however. The new players have made a big difference.
David Clifford if he stays healthy and injury free can become a Kerry legend. He has everything.
Everything went well but they won't have an easier game all year.
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Post by colinsworth1 on Jun 4, 2018 0:39:09 GMT
I did not see or hear much of the game but the one snippet I heard was a 45 being taken by Sean o Shea and sent wide now I know it was a wonderful new dawn hopefully today but we went from David Moran missing the 45 now to Sean o Shea missing what appears to be Close on 50%? Scoring from these , Can we not have a clear plan B and aim at a player nearer goal to try manafacture something if our 45 s are only 50 /50 chances I know many U16 kids and some U14 that can score 45 s what is our problem here.? I would say against the strong breeze or from a difficult angle let’s try make a play instead? Or don’t go direct at all if we are not confident that we have a high percentage shooter
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Post by gbbuei on Jun 4, 2018 6:28:44 GMT
I did not see or hear much of the game but the one snippet I heard was a 45 being taken by Sean o Shea and sent wide now I know it was a wonderful new dawn hopefully today but we went from David Moran missing the 45 now to Sean o Shea missing what appears to be Close on 50%? Scoring from these , Can we not have a clear plan B and aim at a player nearer goal to try manafacture something if our 45 s are only 50 /50 chances I know many U16 kids and some U14 that can score 45 s what is our problem here.? I would say against the strong breeze or from a difficult angle let’s try make a play instead? Or don’t go direct at all if we are not confident that we have a high percentage shooter Point taken but we did kick 10 out 11 place balls I think.
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Post by gbbuei on Jun 4, 2018 6:35:43 GMT
The strategy for Clare kickouts was different. They had to go long every time and we got a better return as he game went on. Clare won a few of the kickouts early on in the middle but we came more into it as the game went on. Stat from The Sunday Game. We won 16 of the Clare kick-outs and scored from 14 of them.
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Post by kerryboy83 on Jun 4, 2018 9:00:49 GMT
IT will be interesting to see if the same 15 start against cork. By all accounts a person told me in the terrace yesterday that Kevin McCarthy was sure to start yesterday but fell ill late in the week. If that’s true who would lose out. Be hard on any player yesterday that started not to get the nod again in cork.
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Post by royalkerryfan on Jun 4, 2018 9:12:29 GMT
Excellent start to the summer for Kerry. You saw Dublin lay down a marker against Wicklow and we did the same yesterday. Gary Brennnan was excellent and we really couldn't handle him for much of the first half. Jack Barry could have shown a little more composure in front of goal in the first half and taken his goal rather than a point. Overall 32 points in glorious sunshine really was brilliant and I think that FF line with put the fear of god in any defence.
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Post by glengael on Jun 4, 2018 10:26:38 GMT
One of the more interesting sights was our Maor Foirne having a word with the linesman on the terrace side during the 1st half. I am sure it was merely a coincidence that their little chat ( about the weather and the Skellig Coast or some such, no doubt) happened around the time David Clifford was getting attention from the Clare backs that might have merited action by the main man in black.
On the field it was a good result, and a particularly good day for Kenmare.
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Post by piggott on Jun 4, 2018 11:45:59 GMT
How come Clare's two victories in 1949 and 1992 not mentioned in List of Championship meetings. Is it Kerry or Munster responsible for programme?
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Post by smalltalk on Jun 4, 2018 12:07:40 GMT
Pretty sure that roll of honour of Kerry v Clare matches is Munster semi’s as yesterday was the Munster semi!
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Post by homerj on Jun 4, 2018 12:28:28 GMT
How come Clare's two victories in 1949 and 1992 not mentioned in List of Championship meetings. Is it Kerry or Munster responsible for programme? All of kerrys non semi finals wins were missing also. Kerry have beaten Clare in 12 Munster finals and none were mentioned along with multiple first round games.
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Post by piggott on Jun 4, 2018 17:07:30 GMT
So it was Semi Final record rather than Championship record. It will be hard to regroup for Clare!
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Post by southward on Jun 4, 2018 18:49:14 GMT
Surprisingly little comment on the game here lads. 17,000 in attendance so ye can't all have been at the beach.
Anyone have a link to the full game - Mickmack? Wouldn't mind seeing it again, some lovely football played, the opposition notwithstanding.
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Post by playitfair on Jun 4, 2018 19:45:54 GMT
Surprisingly little comment on the game here lads. 17,000 in attendance so ye can't all have been at the beach. Anyone have a link to the full game - Mickmack? Wouldn't mind seeing it again, some lovely football played, the opposition notwithstanding. good point. I expected Kerry to win well given the sprinkling of youth and and pace. This gives a pep to players and the crowd. The buzz is certainly back.
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