Kerry V Tyrone - Who would you choose?

[TheManFromFerbane]

Reckon I’ll go for Kerry myself, but only by a point!!

As for the game I think I’m gonna make a big punt and say it’ll be a draw. It’s been 12 years since there was a draw and I think these two teams are evenly matched enough for it to be a real possibility. I’m really looking forward to it though. It’s the first game in a long time that’s tough to call.

[Silken Thomas]

Great picture

As for the match it's really hard to know I could make an argument both ways. On the basis that Mickey Harte is such a crafty operator I will go with Tyrone. Absolute no confidence in the prediction though

[Lone Shark]

Them's be football shorts the likes of which we haven't seen in years....


Along similar lines to ST, I've a sneak for Tyrone. Kerry are without question the classier team, but I really like Tyrone's backline, and I can't see it being anything but fairly close with fifteen minutes or so remaining. In that situation, I'd much prefer to have Mickey Harte in my corner than the relatively unproven Pat O'Shea. (Only in Kerry would an All Ireland winning manager be unproven, but such is the truth of it!!)

[the bare biffo]

Well done to Tyrone. A bit like the borg, I find it hard to like them but you cant but admire them.
Kerry just couldnt live with the intensity in the second half.

Also I think I spotted the secret to their success at under age level.
Did you see the doctor and physio to the Tyrone minors..................................

Jayz, what younglad wouldnt want to be playing for the county and having those two ladies laying hands on them.

[Bord na Mona man]

I must say I was delighted Tyrone won.
Not so much for liking them, but for all of Kerry's antics in recent years, reaching a new peak this year.
Cynical football, constantly bawling at refs and the ridiculous fist pumping antics of some of their players.
Fine, other teams do it and other teams are dirty too, but when you consider the complaining Kerry did about Ulster tactics in recent years. The puritan notion that Kerry are the saviours of football, play the game as it should be played is total and utter bunkum.

Personally I'd rather watch Tyrone's off the ball running, great support play and workrate, than Kerry's Hail Mary balls wellied in the general direction of the square. If Tyrone or Armagh had first come up with Kieran Donaghy tactic, you can be sure it would have been branded "puke football".

In my view teams who develop a habit of chasing refs, questioning every decision against them, even when they get frees emerge being really sour about it, have developed a massive sense of self-entitlement. I think the likes of Cooper, Declan O'Sullivan, Donaghy, Galvin and the O'Se brothers need to cop on to themselves and learn to behave like the sportsmen that Kerry claim to be.

[TheManFromFerbane]

Personally I'd rather watch Tyrone's off the ball running, great support play and workrate, than Kerry's Hail Mary balls wellied in the general direction of the square. If Tyrone or Armagh had first come up with Kieran Donaghy tactic, you can be sure it would have been branded "puke football".

In my view teams who develop a habit of chasing refs, questioning every decision against them, even when they get frees emerge being really sour about it, have developed a massive sense of self-entitlement. I think the likes of Cooper, Declan O'Sullivan, Donaghy, Galvin and the O'Se brothers need to cop on to themselves and learn to behave like the sportsmen that Kerry claim to be.

Jaysus I don't know about this. First off the long ball game is the traditional game, if an Ulster team had found their Donaghy I don't think it would be branded as puke football.

Secondly I prefer the direct style to the hand passing game. Getting it from your wing backs/mid-field to your inside forward line as fast as possible is always the nicest stuff to watch IMO. That doesn't necessarily mean high balls though.

Finally as for the antics I would have to agree with you on that. I'm kinda happy that Tyrone won because hopefully it will show that the tactics of this year didn't work for Kerry and they'd be better off sticking with what they're best at. When they play football like they know how they are the best team to watch in the country. That’s why it makes it all the worse when they get up to those antics.

As for the side show. I watched the game in the big tree. Have to say the Tyrone women won it but only marginally. You can say what you like about your Rugger huggers and the eastern Europeans and all the rest. A good looking Irish girl in a skirt or a pair a jeans with her county jersey is still the best sight of all

[swiftpost]

I must say I was delighted Tyrone won.
Not so much for liking them, but for all of Kerry's antics in recent years, reaching a new peak this year.
Cynical football, constantly bawling at refs and the ridiculous fist pumping antics of some of their players.
Fine, other teams do it and other teams are dirty too, but when you consider the complaining Kerry did about Ulster tactics in recent years. The puritan notion that Kerry are the saviours of football, play the game as it should be played is total and utter bunkum.

Personally I'd rather watch Tyrone's off the ball running, great support play and workrate, than Kerry's Hail Mary balls wellied in the general direction of the square. If Tyrone or Armagh had first come up with Kieran Donaghy tactic, you can be sure it would have been branded "puke football".

In my view teams who develop a habit of chasing refs, questioning every decision against them, even when they get frees emerge being really sour about it, have developed a massive sense of self-entitlement. I think the likes of Cooper, Declan O'Sullivan, Donaghy, Galvin and the O'Se brothers need to cop on to themselves and learn to behave like the sportsmen that Kerry claim to be.

usually you have a balanced few on things, while what you state isn't fair from the truth the idea that only kerry are at it is way off. Fist to the crowd surely you'v seen a few other teams do that this year!

[Bord na Mona man]

Jaysus I don't know about this. First off the long ball game is the traditional game, if an Ulster team had found their Donaghy I don't think it would be branded as puke football.

True, but there is a difference between long ball football and just hitting long balls.

Good long ball football is where players kick an accurate and meaningful footpasses to a colleague.
Kerry's football is now a bit like "launch the Garryowen" style rugby or Wimbledon soccer in the 80s.

The Donaghy tactic is percentage football.
Hammer in enough high balls and hope the conversion rate is high enough to yield a winning total.
It is completely formulated and erodes the need for creativity.
When it wasn't working yesterday, Kerry never reverted to playing diagonal balls or using the wings.

3 or 4 years ago Kerry would gain possession outfield, Cooper or Russell would wrong foot his marker, dart into space, receive an accurate foot pass and punish with a score.
It was creative and great to watch. What they play now isn't.

[the rat]

Its hard to believe Mike Frank Russell wasnt even used in this years championship. What a player to have on the bench, I suppose hes not over six foot.

[Bord na Mona man]

while what you state isn't fair from the truth the idea that only kerry are at it is way off. Fist to the crowd surely you'v seen a few other teams do that this year!

That is exactly what I didn't say.
My point is that Kerry are now doing do the sort of things that they are extremely quick to criticise other counties for doing.

However other counties generally don't make lofty claims about themselves.
If they didn't have this snobbish attitude and foist themselves up to be something they aren't, then I probably wouldn't have cared.

[swiftpost]

while what you state isn't fair from the truth the idea that only kerry are at it is way off. Fist to the crowd surely you'v seen a few other teams do that this year!

That is exactly what I didn't say.
My point is that Kerry are now doing do the sort of things that they are extremely quick to criticise other counties for doing.

However other counties generally don't make lofty claims about themselves.
If they didn't have this snobbish attitude and foist themselves up to be something they aren't, then I probably wouldn't have cared.

Grand sorry picked it up wrong.

[the bare biffo]

while what you state isn't fair from the truth the idea that only kerry are at it is way off. Fist to the crowd surely you'v seen a few other teams do that this year!

That is exactly what I didn't say.
My point is that Kerry are now doing do the sort of things that they are extremely quick to criticise other counties for doing.

However other counties generally don't make lofty claims about themselves.
If they didn't have this snobbish attitude and foist themselves up to be something they aren't, then I probably wouldn't have cared.

Hmm....... when you say "Kerry", which players are guilty of the snobbish attitude you are talking about. I can't recall any public statements by players that gave me the impression you are talking about. I've watched Darra O'Cinneide most of the year and I didnt get that impression from him either.
Of course there is the bespectacled spillane, but I wouldn't lay anything he says at Kerry's door. He's paid to do a job.

I think you are also being very unfair on Kerry in your assesment of their tactics. I say unfair because this is not a "great" Kerry team. To Dunphyise, they are a good team, but not a great team.

The real "great" Kerry team of the 70's/80's could mix it between long bombs to Liston and more intricate build up because they had the players to do it.

This team doesn't have the same quality of player and were rightfully playing to their strength.

Unfortunately the media loves to talk and wite shite about 3 in a rows, team of the decade blah blah blah.

[Bord na Mona man]

Hmm....... when you say "Kerry", which players are guilty of the snobbish attitude you are talking about. I can't recall any public statements by players that gave me the impression you are talking about. I've watched Darra O'Cinneide most of the year and I didnt get that impression from him either.
Of course there is the bespectacled spillane, but I wouldn't lay anything he says at Kerry's door. He's paid to do a job.

Whatever they actually think, current players are not going to publicly express their opinions.

"Twelve months ago, pundits were proclaiming the death of football as we knew it. We are delighted that it took a Kerry team to restore the pride in Gaelic football. The return to a free-"owing game from the packed defence type game is welcomed by the thousands of supporters that travel to our games"

Kerry chairman Sean Walsh 2004

I have talked football with many Kerry supporters and former players in recent years and the above sentiments are certainly not unique to the Kerry chairman. I don't remember much clambering to disown those comments at the time either.

Obviously I must have just happened to stumble upon every member of that small grouping that hold that view in my travels...

[azoffaly]

Kerry formulated this tactic, because of the blanket style defences that swallowed them up there, as they were trying to play 'the beautiful game'. If Tyrone and Armagh hadn't decided to start playing 5 man half back lines, Kerry would not be launching percentage passes up to Donaghy and Walsh. It didn't work yesterday, granted, but it's still a more effective plan against that sort of blanket defence than soloing, handpassing and trying to pick the perfect pass as you are being eaten alive by 2,3 or 4 opposition half backs.

Kerry obviously are better when they have time to hit those balls diagonally, from 30 or 40 yards. Yesterday they were hitting them aimlessly from 60 yards out, which was never going to work.

Having said all that, I'd much prefer Kerry's approach to the sort of thing that we saw in Tullamore this year against Westmeath. That night saw the effect that Tyrone's approach has had on average teams around the country.

I find Kerry 'not guilty' on charges of puke football

[Tar Man]

IMO Kerry didn't use their normal tactics yesterday. They tried to mix it with Tyrone, be more physical than them. This is emphaised by high tackles, late blows etc. Kerry should have had 4 off yesterday - Darragh O'Se's elbow on Cavanagh, Aidan O'Mahony's retaliation along with Paul Galvin & Tommie Griffin's high tackles. Kerry were more interested in taking the ball into contact and trying to come out best rather than playing their normal game of accurate cross field diagonal balls to Walsh & Donaghty. Bringing the ball into contact did not work nor could it have worked. When they did play long balls into the twin towers they were 60 yard balls from midfield. Remember the patience they showed against Cork when they worked the ball into the correct position before firing it across the field. How many times yesterday did Tomas O'Se go soloing down the field leaving loads of time for Tyrone to plus any gaps that were left. Each time he got down everyone else was marked and he shot himself a few times. I don't remember any scores coming from his forays forward.

In summary I don't regard Kerry's normal tactics as being anywhere near puke football but I think they resorted to the dirt yesterday and there was only going to be one winner then. Pat O'Se and the managment team will have to take a lot of responsibility for the defeat as they were obviously part and parcel of the tactics.

By the way ManfromFerbane, I like your style!!!!!