This weekend brought down the curtains on 4 more inter-county teams' dreams, I must say there must be some hangovers in Donegal and Dublin this morning.
Donegal yet again did a Jekyll and Hyde show and Derry and Galway must be sick considering that they were disposed by such opposition. Cork ran riot and could do whatever they felt like. This game will be of no benefit to the rebels whilst Tyrone got a great wake up call which will have them well versed for the semi-final showdown.
This is definitely the plum semi-final clash, the 2 form teams clashing horns. Both teams are very similar - fast, organised, fit, strong, good bench, tactical manager. However Tyrone hold 2 key aces - they are proven winners with experience and their forwards are so clinical. Cork will only relish this challenge and i feel this will be the game of the year.
Another Dublin disaster
What can say about the Dubs, yet again they have fallen down after their provincial success and once again they have believed the blown up press reports of their brilliance.
It must have been very hard for the Dub supporter yesterday to watch their team completely capitulate in their own back yard. The Hill never once chanted and i was suprised that they endured to the final whistle watching a hopeless cause.
This Dublin team needs a radical shakeup and the whole structure in Dublin football needs to be turned upside down. There are too many players from Armagh, Kerry, Galway, Longford and other counties playing with clubs in Dublin. Clubs in Dublin should use their own players, nurture their underage structures so when a Dublin manager goes to a game he can choose from 30 players on view on any given Sunday.
Kerry has 94 clubs, Jack O' Connor has 94 x 15 Kerry men to choose his team, no outsiders, all Kerrymen, Dublin do not have this luxury.
Lack of fitness
A few things surprised me yesterday about Dublin, what a waste of a warm up, whoever was in control of this should be ashamed of himself, You would see better at an underage match. Their lack of fitness, on several occasions i saw Dublin players with their hands over their heads gasping for air.
How could they justify putting Brian Cullen on Paul Galvin who is a workaholic after only playing 40 minutes of championship football. Finally can someone explain why Dublin decided to turn their backsides to the weightsroom?????.
What rocket scientist decided to go against all physical and fitness recommendations. Kerry hammered Dublin yesterday in the physical stakes and we won virtually every kick out bar the fantastic fast precise kick out from Stephen Cluxton.
Dublin, time to get to smell the roses, use the fantastic facilities like DCU, UCD and prepare a team for battle, to win more than a Leinster title but i feel this is a long way off. It is the end of the road for Jayo, Whelan, Ryan, time to look at their underage and take a 5 year view. This disease will not be cured overnight.
Kerry deliver with style
As for Kerry, well done, top drawer performance but i must admit this was put up in a tee for the Kingdom. Written off by the whole country (including Kerry), playing poorly, this was the game to reignite the team and by God did they deliver.
Gooch, Declan and Darren Sullivan were buzzing, Gooch finding his old back of tricks again that he left in the dressing room after last years all-Ireland. Tom Sullivan was my MOTM, super defending and completley deleted Bernard Brogans game. Mike Mac, what a footballer, yet again he showed what a super player he is with his intelligent runs, passes and interception. Jack must be so happy this man returned to the family.
Kerry now await the winners of Mayo and Meath, no doubt Mayo will love to put a dagger through the heart of the kingdom, so lets hope Kerry now will stop clapping themselves on the back and get back to business, nothing in the bank account so far.
They must also realise as bad as Dublin were, they hit the crossbar twice and the butt of the post once. 3 goals, 9 points, different ball game if lady luck was with Dublin.
So back to the training grounds for Kerry, Cork, Tyrone, Mayo and Meath. Dublin, Donegal, Limerick, Kildare, thanks for the memories and enjoy the week of drinking to forget!!!!
The Pony
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