Project 2025

[Premier]

Armagh selector Ciaran McKeever: Kerry are “not the force that their name carries anymore”
t.co/B5b9zIOb26

1st final in 21 years. This is the confidence the teams from Ulster carry regardless of results. Fair play to them this year but there is always a feeling that they feel they are better than everyone else.
Set the fire under Kerry for the year to come

[tralee58]

I would think Donaghy would be considered for a coaching role.
Personally with Kerry’s noticeable struggle to score goals Colm coopers services could be utilised.

The talent pool still there I feel but not fulfilled potential big psychological work needed and renewal of a certain playing style

[hurlingman]

Talk about the league and Jack wanting to do well in it is an interesting one. You can see why he would want to as all four of his All-Ireland wins he also won the league in the Spring.

[tralee58]

Jul 24, 2024 6:03:17 GMT Premier said:

Armagh selector Ciaran McKeever: Kerry are “not the force that their name carries anymore”
t.co/B5b9zIOb26

1st final in 21 years. This is the confidence the teams from Ulster carry regardless of results. Fair play to them this year but there is always a feeling that they feel they are better than everyone else.
Set the fire under Kerry for the year to come

It good for GAA. Donaghy has helped instill something there. The mindset the Kerry 4 in a row side had would have had something special mentally too. Ferguson instilled it in Man Utd and Shanks in Liverpool. Of course Gavin in Dublin. Jack in current Kerry team ??

[thehermit]

Jul 24, 2024 6:03:17 GMT Premier said:

Armagh selector Ciaran McKeever: Kerry are “not the force that their name carries anymore”
t.co/B5b9zIOb26

1st final in 21 years. This is the confidence the teams from Ulster carry regardless of results. Fair play to them this year but there is always a feeling that they feel they are better than everyone else.
Set the fire under Kerry for the year to come

There is something particularly grating about counties with such a poverty of national success throwing out sly digs like this at the Kingdom. 1 All Ireland, you'd think you'd have some humility. Was always shouting for Galway on Sunday, will shout a little louder now 

Same with Tyrone and the likes of Donegal - they seem to think they created modern football on their way to winning their couple of All Ireland's - all ye helped create was a bloody defensive, cynical dul monster boys!

And don't get me started on the Dublin noveau riche fanbase, which is hilarious considering 2/3 of their titles were won in the 19th Century or else when Dublin teams were a collection of country journeymen until 1955. And we all know where what their unprecedented modern success is founded on: €€€€, Croker and Mr Gough and Co!


Speaks to something deeply insecure that they can't enjoy their success unless Kerry's nose is rubbed in it along the way!


That's this morning's rant over, in fairness we fecked up a great chance of (at least a 3 in a row) to soften their coughs!     

[hurlingman]

Jul 24, 2024 10:22:07 GMT thehermit said:

Jul 24, 2024 6:03:17 GMT Premier said:

Armagh selector Ciaran McKeever: Kerry are “not the force that their name carries anymore”
t.co/B5b9zIOb26

1st final in 21 years. This is the confidence the teams from Ulster carry regardless of results. Fair play to them this year but there is always a feeling that they feel they are better than everyone else.
Set the fire under Kerry for the year to come

There is something particularly grating about counties with such a poverty of national success throwing out sly digs like this at the Kingdom. 1 All Ireland, you'd think you'd have some humility. Was always shouting for Galway on Sunday, will shout a little louder now 

Same with Tyrone and the likes of Donegal - they seem to think they created modern football on their way to winning their couple of All Ireland's - all ye helped create was a bloody defensive, cynical dul monster boys!

And don't get me started on the Dublin noveau riche fanbase, which is hilarious considering 2/3 of their titles were won in the 19th Century or else when Dublin teams were a collection of country journeymen until 1955. And we all know where what their unprecedented modern success is founded on: €€€€, Croker and Mr Gough and Co!


Speaks to something deeply insecure that they can't enjoy their success unless Kerry's nose is rubbed in it along the way!


That's this morning's rant over, in fairness we fecked up a great chance of (at least a 3 in a row) to soften their coughs!     

The greatest myth in the GAA is the Ulster championship is the most comprehensive championship. Ulster fans really buy into and no one can ever tell them otherwise. They will even use it as an excuse when they don't win All-Irelands.

[Premier]

Jul 24, 2024 12:38:08 GMT hurlingman said:

Jul 24, 2024 10:22:07 GMT thehermit said:

There is something particularly grating about counties with such a poverty of national success throwing out sly digs like this at the Kingdom. 1 All Ireland, you'd think you'd have some humility. Was always shouting for Galway on Sunday, will shout a little louder now 

Same with Tyrone and the likes of Donegal - they seem to think they created modern football on their way to winning their couple of All Ireland's - all ye helped create was a bloody defensive, cynical dul monster boys!

And don't get me started on the Dublin noveau riche fanbase, which is hilarious considering 2/3 of their titles were won in the 19th Century or else when Dublin teams were a collection of country journeymen until 1955. And we all know where what their unprecedented modern success is founded on: €€€€, Croker and Mr Gough and Co!


Speaks to something deeply insecure that they can't enjoy their success unless Kerry's nose is rubbed in it along the way!


That's this morning's rant over, in fairness we fecked up a great chance of (at least a 3 in a row) to soften their coughs!     

The greatest myth in the GAA is the Ulster championship is the most comprehensive championship. Ulster fans really buy into and no one can ever tell them otherwise. They will even use it as an excuse when they don't win All-Irelands.

I also find this hilarious. If you were to ask anyone in Ulster who you would get a tougher game off Clare or the Ulster teams of Down, Antrim, Fermanagh they would scoff off how superior they are when Clare have been playing at a much higher level for 5-7 years and realistically much closer to Donegal, Armagh and Cavan that would feel comfortable.
How many All Ireland semi finals were Armagh in before this year? Tyrone were beaten last year by Kerry by 20 points and it was kinda like ‘ya sure Clifford’s pass was good wasn’t it’ Donegal in a first semi in 10 years.
When Ulster have won 3 of the next 5 all Irelands, I will give them the respect they think they have now because it seems to be that when an Ulster team is knocked out that all of Ulster is in behind the rest of them

[taggert]

It doesnt bother me in the slightest what a selector, ex-player or pundit says about Kerry. I've alwaus deferred to what I see out on the paddock. I was at the game against Armagh and said it afterwards on here that they were/are no great shakes. We were comfotrable in the extreme until Shane Ryan fell foul of the Gods and handed them a goal and a point. Once the onslaught came thereafter, the pathetic munster championship and group series meant we didnt have a single tough game in the legs and heads to call on. That was detrimental.
We butchered 2 goal chances amd our shooting effeciency after half time was appalling. 3 or 4 players repeatedly turned over ball throughout the game. If we meet next year I would expect us to win by 6 or 7 points plus.
Its water under the bridge for 2024 however as is the related commentary on Kerry. There is no mystique about Armagh. Nor about any of their Ulster brethern. They come along every now and then and shout from the rooftops. Then they disappear. Let them at it I say.....

[southward]

Ulster being seen as a tough or competitive province just means that the teams are close in standard and most of them fancy their chances of provincial silverware. And that's all it means.

Were Kerry at some point to regress back to the level of Clare, Tipp, Cork etc, then maybe Munster could claim to be a super-competitive arena. Likewise Dublin in Leinster. But so what - would that be something to shout about?

The only real measure of relative provincial strength is in National honours. Ulster fields 27% of the teams in the Championship yet holds only 13% 0f the titles. Ulster teams have appeared in the fewest finals of any province. Them's the facts.

But for all that, an Ulster team is there this year and we're not. Good luck to them too. I like Armagh - they kick the ball.

[blacksheep21]

The historical win percentage is irrelevant when you consider what Ulster teams have had to deal with for significant parts of the 20th century.

[Ballydonoghoor]

Jul 24, 2024 22:25:46 GMT southward said:

Ulster being seen as a tough or competitive province just means that the teams are close in standard and most of them fancy their chances of provincial silverware. And that's all it means.

Were Kerry at some point to regress back to the level of Clare, Tipp, Cork etc, then maybe Munster could claim to be a super-competitive arena. Likewise Dublin in Leinster. But so what - would that be something to shout about?

The only real measure of relative provincial strength is in National honours. Ulster fields 27% of the teams in the Championship yet holds only 13% 0f the titles. Ulster teams have appeared in the fewest finals of any province. Them's the facts.

But for all that, an Ulster team is there this year and we're not. Good luck to them too. I like Armagh - they kick the ball.

Ulster has more good teams than any other province and that they are at a similar level drives them on, bit by bit - a consistent perfect storm of a kind if you like.

While the political situation hampered them, I still believe we would have won most of the AIs we won anyway though we will never know.

While comparing is harmless, TBH I'm sick of it and I think it is overdone.  I lived in Donegal and I think I have a good grasp of the crack with Ulster teams, well in so far as one can.  In my innocence I always believed they all loved each other and were united in their hate us free staters, solely in a GAA context that is.  Fact is they detest each other when it comes to GAA, gives a new meaning to 'frenemy' - we only fall out with Cork for an hour once a year, they fall out with all the other counties for the entire season; trust me, secretly they love to see Kerry beat their neighbours!

Sign on a Derry man's car - 'I support 2 teams, Derry and the team playing against Tyrone', and it ain't a joke. I bust my arse when I think of lines like this that come out of them - I have polite, mild mannered, professional, gentile friends up there and just dare praise another county's performance and you'd have 'em reeling.  And that is the rule, 99% of the time - for such hardy bucks it is surprising but it is an absolute fact!

While they are as good at talking through their backsides as the rest of us, I have had the most amazing GAA times with them.  They love Kerry - in darker days the highlight of their week was to go to a house of a Sat night, maybe after the pub, and rewatch Kerry GAA videos!

Look - we are all one big GAA family and sure the crack is mighty.  The contrast in cultures across the counties and regions is intriguing - I have had conversations with women at games and did they know what they were talking about - you'd learn from  them, trust me?

Amazing spirits, yeah I love batin 'em home but always like a pint with 'em before we put 'em on their bus.

And yes they have their warts and if what was said re what went on with DC is true then the GAA need to wise up.

Armagh play proper football and so will Galway and may the best team win. 

In a similar vein I think there is a lot of misguided talk re the semi - Armagh were better on the day and got the breaks and so maybe it was a question of how they would get over us, if we won by a point the colour of the conversation would be the opposite.

As regards Sunday I'd love to be there just to try to gauge the influence of Donaghy and who I think is a bigger part of equation here, as he and Joyce go to war as generals - though there ain't a whole pile general here and my guess is that God willing we may well  be looking at these two gangers for a good few years to come.  They were both leaders as players so it is no surprise that they are doing well and good luck to them both.  Hopefully we will now see more proper football played - even Derry vs us in ASP earlier this year was great football, even if much of it was the bogsiders raging against us in that traditional GAA style of old, just good old fashioned hoorism.

The GAA year was ok all things considered and the winter mightn't be so long as we mull over how we might prevail in '25.

Look, I am not abdicating my birth right to being a Kerryman, and as one man put it, 'we are GAA first' and when you see what hurling just served up, gosh we have so much to be grateful for - no other country in the whole wide world has anything like it.  You can meet a stranger and if GAA becomes a common denominator it is almost like you grew up together, and well, sure you did, in spirit.

UP DA KINGDOM!

[southward]

Jul 24, 2024 22:51:00 GMT blacksheep21 said:

The historical win percentage is irrelevant when you consider what Ulster teams have had to deal with for significant parts of the 20th century.

Fair enough. But since the Good Friday Agreement (1998), Ulster has won just 6 out of 26 titles. Sam has gone North just twice since Mickey Harte's last success in 2008 and only once in the last 12 years. The strike rate isn't improving.

What does stand out with Ulster teams is that while they don't appear in too many finals, they don't tend to lose them either. Typically a team will emerge, blow everyone away, then disappear again.

[clarinman]

Jul 25, 2024 10:18:22 GMT ciarraimick said:

Jul 25, 2024 8:42:25 GMT southward said:

Fair enough. But since the Good Friday Agreement (1998), Ulster has won just 6 out of 26 titles. Sam has gone North just twice since Mickey Harte's last success in 2008 and only once in the last 12 years. The strike rate isn't improving.

What does stand out with Ulster teams is that while they don't appear in too many finals, they don't tend to lose them either. Typically a team will emerge, blow everyone away, then disappear again.

Ulster (well the 6 anyway) still have a divide when its comes to Gaa but It is the toughest province no doubt.The amount of All Irelands is irrelevant.Its the hardest to wim as many of the teams are at same level.

As an earlier poster said if Kerry went back to Clare and Tipps level maybe Munster might be tough too.Does nt mean the teams are better but it is the toughest competition.

When Kilkenny hurlers were on their winning roll,Munster hurling was still the best and toughest province.

When Dubs were on their roll ,Leinster was the weakest football province.

When I started following football in the 70s the Ulster championship was the best then also but the winners were normally cannon fodder for the rest in the All Ireland.Nowadays that is certainly not the case as we know well.

In my lifetime following Kerry obviously the teams we play most in championship football are Munster but only two teams ever beat us .Clare (once) and Cork.

In fact in championship football in my lifetime we have lost to more counties from Ulster than aby other province.

Munster-Losses to Cork and Clare
Leinster-Losses to Dublin Meath and Offaly

Connaught-Losses to Mayo and Galway
Ulster- Losses to Armagh Tyrone Donegal and Down.

Finally our record against those teams that have beaten us is nt flattering either. In my reckoning we have played Armagh 5 times- We have 3 wins out of 5.
Tyrone 9 times-We have 5 wins
Donegal 3 times-We have 1 win 1loss 1 draw
Down 5 times-We have 5 losses.

You left out Kildare in 98 Mick.

[hurlingman]

Jul 24, 2024 22:25:46 GMT southward said:

Ulster being seen as a tough or competitive province just means that the teams are close in standard and most of them fancy their chances of provincial silverware. And that's all it means.

Were Kerry at some point to regress back to the level of Clare, Tipp, Cork etc, then maybe Munster could claim to be a super-competitive arena. Likewise Dublin in Leinster. But so what - would that be something to shout about?

The only real measure of relative provincial strength is in National honours. Ulster fields 27% of the teams in the Championship yet holds only 13% 0f the titles. Ulster teams have appeared in the fewest finals of any province. Them's the facts.

But for all that, an Ulster team is there this year and we're not. Good luck to them too. I like Armagh - they kick the ball.

The argument that anyone can win it doesn't really stand up either. From 1999 to 2010 only Armagh and Tyrone won it. Donegal were the only other one who you could say might have been challenging for it. The likes of Derry, Down etc were nowhere near challenging.

Even in the 2010s it was a little more but you still only had three winners Donegal, Monaghan and Tyrone. Still the likes of Down, Derry, Cavan weren't challenging.

There's been four this decade but Cavan winning in 2020 have proved to be a one off.

[horsebox77]

Ya but Niall Buckley also didn't start for Kildare, he was one of the country's top mid fielders at the time

[The16thMan]

Jul 24, 2024 13:01:26 GMT The16thMan said:

Out of curiosity, as I've heard a few people say this to me in person. Are there many season ticket holders planning on not renewing for next season, bar a change in management?

I'll put this in here also, just out of curiosity. Not just for season ticket holders, but in general, are people leaning on the side of not attending matches next year after what they saw this year.

[horsebox77]

I'd be more inclined to stick with the club scene at the moment until the grà for Inter County returns, even at that I prefer the league to the championship unless the format changes

[thehermit]

Jul 25, 2024 17:15:03 GMT The16thMan said:

Jul 24, 2024 13:01:26 GMT The16thMan said:

Out of curiosity, as I've heard a few people say this to me in person. Are there many season ticket holders planning on not renewing for next season, bar a change in management?

I'll put this in here also, just out of curiosity. Not just for season ticket holders, but in general, are people leaning on the side of not attending matches next year after what they saw this year.

The Season Ticket scheme seems to have lost whatever value it had in last couple of years, I gave it up 9 years ago because I just found it more economical even then to pay game by game and hope to find an AI ticket when it came to it (abusing a uni student card for about 8 years after graduation also helped 😀)

Barely want to think about football at the moment, but come 1 January I'm sure I'll be so starved I'd queue a week in advance for the first McGrath Cup match 😆

[blacksheep21]

The only reason I would not attend matches other than personal commitments etc is if I did not care anymore about Kerry football.

I may not be happy currently but I certainly care and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.

[greengold35]

Jul 25, 2024 18:20:13 GMT thehermit said:

Jul 25, 2024 17:15:03 GMT The16thMan said:

I'll put this in here also, just out of curiosity. Not just for season ticket holders, but in general, are people leaning on the side of not attending matches next year after what they saw this year.

The Season Ticket scheme seems to have lost whatever value it had in last couple of years, I gave it up 9 years ago because I just found it more economical even then to pay game by game and hope to find an AI ticket when it came to it (abusing a uni student card for about 8 years after graduation also helped 😀)

Barely want to think about football at the moment, but come 1 January I'm sure I'll be so starved I'd queue a week in advance for the first McGrath Cup match 😆

The season ticket is now too expensive having to buy tickets for meaningless games to get a guaranteed ticket for the final if your county qualify.
A combined total of 3,500 for Sunday between Galway & Armagh is proof it’s lost its value.

The club scene will dominate for the next 6 weeks & then it’s county championship season - supporters of successful clubs will be drained not to mention the demands placed on the players.

[pony]

Jul 25, 2024 18:43:21 GMT ciarraimick said:

Jul 25, 2024 17:15:03 GMT The16thMan said:

I'll put this in here also, just out of curiosity. Not just for season ticket holders, but in general, are people leaning on the side of not attending matches next year after what they saw this year.

That could be true.I have spoken to a few who saying they have no interest in watching Kerry the way they playing at mo but often those things are said in jest and when the league returns people will go back.Some of the people I hear complaining dont go to too many matches anyway.
Tbh often after a defeat like that people come out with all sorts of statements.Deep down I think many in Kerry felt this was an All Ireland there for the taking like 21 with the Dubs gone.

I posted recently about meeting a former player from Kerry who was so disgusted after the Derry game said "it would serve them right if they got the sh*** bate out of them".Tbf to him I think it was said more in frustration.

Back to your post I think most of the regular supporters who normally go will be back attending games again next year.

An awful lot of blame being put on Jack and Kerry for the current state of football. Did this "former player" offer up any suggestions on how he'd play against such a defensive set up like Derry's? I found the game to be poor, but I also would categorise the second half as a satisfying performance, we've tried to attack the defensive set ups and it backfired, badly.

I would agree, our attacking play this year was laboured and slow and never clicked. I was as frustrated as anyone when our defenders had turnovers against Armagh, and the break was on, only to go lateral or backwards.

Jack and co. have given us some of the most satisfying wins in recent times, Tyrone & Derry last year, Dublin, Mayo and the final the year before, and have basically been a kick of a ball (and massive errors) from giving us one or two more, while not even coming close to peak performance, especially versus Armagh. Was it our poorest performance since Jack came back?

This "I'm not going anymore" and "it would serve them right if they got the sh*** bate out of them" stinks of toys being thrown out of the cot

[exiled]

As far as people not going to games I don't think they are real supporters. I've been going for close to 50 50 years and not going to stop now. Always and ever a Kerryman.

[jackiel]

Jul 26, 2024 10:13:44 GMT ciarraimick said:

Jul 26, 2024 9:48:59 GMT pony said:

An awful lot of blame being put on Jack and Kerry for the current state of football. Did this "former player" offer up any suggestions on how he'd play against such a defensive set up like Derry's? I found the game to be poor, but I also would categorise the second half as a satisfying performance, we've tried to attack the defensive set ups and it backfired, badly.

I would agree, our attacking play this year was laboured and slow and never clicked. I was as frustrated as anyone when our defenders had turnovers against Armagh, and the break was on, only to go lateral or backwards.

Jack and co. have given us some of the most satisfying wins in recent times, Tyrone & Derry last year, Dublin, Mayo and the final the year before, and have basically been a kick of a ball (and massive errors) from giving us one or two more, while not even coming close to peak performance, especially versus Armagh. Was it our poorest performance since Jack came back?

This "I'm not going anymore" and "it would serve them right if they got the sh*** bate out of them" stinks of toys being thrown out of the cot

No this former player did nt offer anything just the throw away comment.I agree with you pn people throwing the toys out of the pram.I often find most of these people saying they are nt going anymore dont go too much anyway altho would be the first looking for final tickets.I know I will be back attending games straight away.

I'm with you 100% Mick. People who sit at home for most of the season and then rock up for the final. Our support for the semi was pitiful. I've already said that I'll be back on the road the last weekend in Jan and I guarantee I'll see a lot of the same faces as every other year.

[ciarraimick]

Jul 26, 2024 22:06:27 GMT jackiel said:

Jul 26, 2024 10:13:44 GMT ciarraimick said:

No this former player did nt offer anything just the throw away comment.I agree with you pn people throwing the toys out of the pram.I often find most of these people saying they are nt going anymore dont go too much anyway altho would be the first looking for final tickets.I know I will be back attending games straight away.

I'm with you 100% Mick. People who sit at home for most of the season and then rock up for the final. Our support for the semi was pitiful. I've already said that I'll be back on the road the last weekend in Jan and I guarantee I'll see a lot of the same faces as every other year.

Fair play to you Jackiel

[horsebox77]

Anyone calling for Paul Geaney to hang up the boots may be a premature going on tonight's display.

Dingle looked sharp sharp

[blacksheep21]

It would have been great this year to have Paul coming off the bench with 20 minutes to go when there is a bit more space. If someone else can step up next year from the start, Paul would be a serious impact player.

[horsebox77]

Jul 27, 2024 20:15:54 GMT blacksheep21 said:

It would have been great this year to have Paul coming off the bench with 20 minutes to go when there is a bit more space. If someone else can step up next year from the start, Paul would be a serious impact player.

I think his cousin may replace him in the starting team eventually, however, Paul still has a vital place in my opinion.

Not wanting to sound cold or cruel, but has White regressed?

On a positive, at stages today Mark Shea and Keating look like two that warrant a look.

[givehimaball]

Jul 27, 2024 21:06:12 GMT horsebox77 said:

Jul 27, 2024 20:15:54 GMT blacksheep21 said:

It would have been great this year to have Paul coming off the bench with 20 minutes to go when there is a bit more space. If someone else can step up next year from the start, Paul would be a serious impact player.

I think his cousin may replace him in the starting team eventually, however, Paul still has a vital place in my opinion.

Not wanting to sound cold or cruel, but has White regressed?

On a positive, at stages today Mark Shea and Keating look like two that warrant a look.

Pretty sure that Keating is heading to Oz in a few months?

[The16thMan]

One Major Observation:

I've just watched The Sunday Game (evening show) and what they have highlighted the big problem with Gaelic Football is the lack of goals and goal chances in games and it is very evident.

Only 1 team, in 1 game, managed to score more than 1 goal in the knockout stages of the All Ireland Championship.

This was Armagh vs Roscommon where they managed 2 goals.

No game had more than 2 goals between both teams in the knockout stages.

11 knockout games (including preliminary quarter finals):

Games with 2 goals = 3
Games with 1 goal = 4
Games with 0 goals = 4

What the new rules committee need to really get to grips with is the lack of danger posed by inside forward lines nowadays due to the lack of space they get.

As a result there are very little goals or chances being created, a lot of goals scored this year were lucky rebounds from balls dropping short or from goalkeeper errors.

There HAS to be changes made that allow for space for the attacker. Goals change games and make them interesting, upsets don't come easy without goals. We have to see more 1on1 battles and teams best forwards at least having chances to show why they are the best forwards.

Look at scoring rates (from play) from inside forwards in these games and there is a noticeable drop. We saw how Galway and Armaghs inside forward lines totalled 1 point from play (Shane Walsh 2nd half).

Galway had 0 goal chances. Armagh had 1. Also Galway took 3 minutes of handpassing around the Armagh 45 at the end (prior Dylan McHugh hitting post) to try and conjure up a shot when they were running out of time and chasing an equaliser. This is very common nowadays, very similar to the Kerry v Derry game.

All this is whats wrong with the modern game, and until this pattern changes we will see less and less entertaining games, big crowds and less of the marquee forwards lighting up pur Stadia like we had before. We will continue to see this controlled, robotic and predictable strategies.

I think these new rules (whichever they choose to propose) might be the last chance to save Gaelic Football.

This should make the league in 2025 all the more important and intriguing.

[thehermit]

Mike Quirke just announced he's leaving the Kerry set up


x.com/Mike_Quirke/status/1823648403089199523