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Irish Times
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Darragh Ó Sé: Kerry and Donegal have shown a different gear and should be too strong for Tyrone and Meath
After all the excitement in the run-up to the quarter-finals , there's a different feel about the semi-finals. Those games clarified a few things and changed the picture. Before the quarter-finals weekend, more or less everyone was saying that any one of six teams could win the All-Ireland. I think that number is probably down to two now – Kerry and Donegal . Without dismissing Tyrone and Meath, I just think that what Donegal and Kerry produced the last day was so far clear of anything any other team has been capable of in this championship. Both teams clicked into a gear that nobody else has shown. They might not reproduce it but we know they have it. We don't know that about Meath or Tyrone. Let's take the Saturday game first. The one thing that won't be a factor here is history. The Tyrone thing doesn't matter to the current Kerry players the way it did to our generation. I'd say if you asked Sean O'Shea about it, he'd take a look at you as if to say, 'Listen now, I have enough problems of my own without worrying about the hang-ups of washed-up old Kerry players.' [ 20 years on: How a league win for Tyrone in Kerry set the tone for a famed rivalry Opens in new window ] He'd be 100 per cent right, too. Time moves on. Tyrone have moved on too. This is a different type of team from the ones they used to produce. Their personalities are different. One the one hand, they're not as cynical or as cute with the dark arts. On the other, they're not as free-flowing or as filled with quality either. READ MORE Brian Kennedy and Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne during this year's Tyrone v Dublin quarter-final. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho If they're going to beat Kerry, they have to dominate midfield. They have Brian Kennedy and Conn Kilpatrick in there and not only are they huge men but they aren't one bit shy about using their size. With the way the game is now around the kick-outs, those two should be an incredible weapon for Tyrone. But Armagh had plenty of big men around the middle too. Mark O'Shea and Sean O'Brian came of age for Kerry the last day and Joe O'Connor put in one of those games he's been putting in all year. That's what I mean about the quarter-finals changing the picture. Before that, I would have been worried about how the Kerry midfield would cope against the likes of Niall Grimley, Ben Crealey and Rian O'Neill. They've shown now they can hold their own. It doesn't mean they'll be able to do it again against Kennedy and Kilpatrick but they can break even at least. [ Tactical Breakdown: How Kerry dismantled Armagh in just 15 minutes of ruthless dominance Opens in new window ] That might be all they need to do. Because when I look around the rest of the pitch, I think Kerry can dominate this game physically in the same way they did two years ago. Go through Tyrone's best forwards – the two Canavans, Darren McCurry, young McElholm who came off the bench the last day. What's the common factor? They're all small men. I know they won't all be on the pitch at the same time and that Tyrone have the likes of Peter Harte and Mattie Donnelly to bulk out the forward line. But when it comes right down to it, I think size is going to matter here. If Kerry do their job out the field, Tyrone have no outlet that they can pump the ball up to and expect him to win it by himself. They don't have a David Clifford or a Michael Murphy. They don't have a Seánie Shea or an Oisin Gallen. You'd take Darragh Canavan and Darren McCurry ahead of most players in the country in terms of skill on the ball. But they have to get on the ball first. Add it all up and I expect Kerry to have enough. Tyrone needed two-pointers to stay in touch with Dublin in the first half the last day – are they really going to be able to keep that sort of accuracy going from distance? They haven't been scoring goals and Kerry haven't been conceding them. Is that going to change here? I make Kery strong enough favourites. I make Donegal even stronger ones, in all honesty. It's funny, the previews to all of Meath's games this year probably said the same sort of thing. Fair play to them, they're a team on the up, Robbie Brennan has got a great tune out of them – but they won't be winning this. And still they went out and beat Dublin, Kerry, Cork and Galway. Meath's Jordan Morris in action during the quarter-final against Galway. Photograph: James Lawlor/Inpho So will we learn our lesson? Sure, why start now? There's a hint of the Cork v Dublin hurling semi-final about this. Donegal won't be running in seven goals but they will be every bit as relentless in wearing Meath down. Unless Meath have some sort of magic potion, I expect it will all just be too much for them. What really struck me about Donegal against Monaghan was how much they looked to be enjoying Croke Park. You could see in that second half that they were at home there, that it was the place they had been aiming to get to all year. This was the weekend they had circled on the calendar – we're going to be there, boys, and we're going to make mincemeat out of whoever is waiting for us. On the flipside, Meath came to Croke Park the last day looking to right a wrong. They felt they had left the Leinster final behind them by coughing up so many goals to Louth so they were coming back to Croke Park to make amends. And there's nothing wrong with that – but it tells you they're a team at a different stage in their journey than Donegal are. Meath have some great players and you go through some of their lesser known names and they can seriously play ball. Jordan Morris is obviously their go-to player but the likes of Ciaran Cualfield and Ruairi Kinsella and Matthew Costello have really jumped out this season. I just think Donegal are operating at a level above. They'll be looking to feast on Morris in particular. That lovely dummy bounce he has might get him past the odd defender against Donegal but it won't get him through on goal. Beat the first man and there'll be another right there waiting. Meath will be full of energy and we know they don't lack courage. But Donegal didn't come all this way to slip up against a Division Two team. I expect Donegal to do a professional job here and that they'll go through along with Kerry. But I've been wrong before.
Irish Daily Mirror
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Colm Boyle: O'Shea masterclass as Kerry produce stunning second half performance
I wrote off Kerry last week and said David Clifford was the only chance they had of winning this game, but as it turned out we got a Sean O'Shea masterclass. O'Shea hit 12 points from play and set the tone right from the start with a couple of incredible scores that lifted his team. Kerry's second half was the best 35 minute performance by any team in this year's Championship. It was almost total football, not just in how good they were with the ball in hand, but the way they out fought Armagh and outwitted them on their own kickouts. While most of the focus will be on Sean O'Shea and David Clifford, who really kicked into gear in the second half, Kerry had very unlikely heroes in the midfield pair of Sean O'Brien and Mark O'Shea. They both put in huge shifts, as did Joe O'Connor around the middle third and Gavin White, who delivered one of his best performances in a Kerry jersey. When Armagh went five points up early in the second half, I thought Kerry were done. It looked like Armagh were going to cruise home in the second half but what Kerry produced after that was absolutely sensational, to score 14 points without reply. Armagh's kick out losses in the second half was into double digits. When they came under serious pressure, their decision making on their kickouts seemed very one dimensional and quite poor at times, which shows that even the best teams can collapse under pressure with the new kickout rule. Despite trailing by a point at half-time, I thought Kerry looked the better team with that man Sean O'Shea really leading the charge. For Kerry to win the game, I felt they needed to start well and be in the game at half-time and O'Shea was a huge reason why they were. Their response to conceding a very soft goal was also hugely impressive. They had it wiped out in two minutes with Sean O'Shea getting a two pointer and a one. That showed a steeliness and a resolve that probably I and others throughout the country had doubted leading into this game. Armagh just didn't seem to cope well with the expectancy of coming into this game as All-Ireland champions against the Kerry underdog. The most surprising aspect was how they lost control of that game and an area everyone thought they were so strong in, that middle eight. Both their midfielders were removed in the second half - Niall Grimley and Ben Crealey. And at times it was Oisin Conaty almost forging a furrow up front alone as he continued his almost Player of the Year form. He was absolutely brilliant. For Kerry to win this game without a fully fit Paudie Clifford, Paul Geaney not seeing game time, Diarmuid O'Connor out with injury, Tom O'Sullivan hobbling off after 20 minutes - and also missing Mike Breen, Tadhg Morely and Tony Brosnan - is a serious testament to them. If they can get a couple of them back for the semi-final against Tyrone, they are going to be in a really good place. Meath produced the shock of the round against Galway. This was a result I just didn't see as possible, even though they'd beaten both Dublin and Kerry in this year's Championship I thought the road Galway have been on over the last couple of weeks in particular, and the last couple of years, would have stood to them coming into yesterday's game. Padraic Joyce will be shocked at how poor his team was and some of the basic errors they made in the game. This was a very strange match. The first half was of a shockingly poor standard and Galway probably undeservedly went in at half-time one point up. I felt at half time that Galway would come out and blow Meath away in the second half, but it just never materialised and the longer Meath were in the game, the more they grew in confidence. In Jordan Morris they had the outstanding footballer on the pitch. When Conor Gray goaled in the 52nd minute, which was followed quickly by a Morris point to put Meath six up, that shocked Galway into life. And in the space of seven minutes, Galway went from six down to three up after goals from Cillian McDaid and Liam Silke. It looked like Galway were going to survive, like they did in Celtic Park against Derry and in Breffni Park against Armagh. But an incredible turnover by Morris on Johnny McGrath a couple of minutes later led to Morris palming the ball to the back of the net and Meath all of a sudden gained control again. Padraic Joyce will be really disappointed with his team, that they could not see this game out after Silke's goal. But the story of this game is Meath and what a performance it was by them in the last 20 minutes. A dramatic ending to the game did have a slightly farcical side to it with Meath slowing down the play and wasting enough time for Eoghan Frayne to kick the ball out over the endline, while they were waiting for the hooter. I hope they get rid of the hooter next year. I think it's just too easy for players to run down the cloak and play keep ball for the last two minutes. At least in injury time you are not sure if it's the last play of the game if it's in the referee's control. Anyway, Meath shouldn't have any fear whatsoever of Donegal, but Jim McGuinness will be absolutely delighted to avoid Kerry in what has been an unpredictable championship so far, so who knows what could happen from here on it? Dublin's All-Ireland quarter final defeat by Galway last year shocked the country, but this year's quarter final loss to Tyrone wouldn't have surprised too many. While I did fancy the Dubs to just about get the job done, the loss of Con O'Callaghan for most of the game proved decisive. I was surprised how much the O'Callaghan no-show against Cork was played down by various media outlets during the week. Dessie Farrell played it down in the aftermath of the Cork win, stating that he didn't feel the game needed O'Callaghan's introduction, despite it being level with 10 minutes to go. In hindsight it was a huge signal that he was struggling badly. I'd imagine Malachy O'Rourke would have been expecting O'Callaghan in from the off, but the fact he didn't even take part in the Dublin warm up would have been a huge boost from his Tyrone team. All of a sudden there was very little to fear for his team. That said, I thought Dublin played some great football in the first half playing into a tricky breeze into the hill. They went in at half time a point down but actually outscored Tyrone 10 score to 7. Crucially, Tyrone hit four brilliant two pointers in the first half, something which has been an Achilles heel for Dublin in this year's Championship. Dublin had the lowest number of orange flags of all eight teams going into this weekend - and again failed to raise an orange flag on Saturday. The second half was almost a replica of the Armagh game a couple of weeks ago. Dublin's radar was completely off. In total they had 16 scores from 35 shots, which ironically was the exact same as Monaghan had against Donegal in the earlier game. When Eoin McElholm lined up Ciaran Kilkenny and breezed past him to put Tyrone two points up coming down the stretch it felt like a huge moment. For a young player to show so much confidence in a critical moment was incredible. Tyrone smelt blood after that, kicked on for home and outscored Dublin by six points to one in this period. For Tyrone it's a brilliant win but I think O'Rourke will feel there's another gear in his team ahead of the All-Ireland semi-final, which is an ideal scenario for his team to be in. Dessie Farrell didn't hang around in announcing his departure as Dublin manager in the aftermath, which wasn't a surprise after six years in charge. Who will replace him will be interesting but there is no doubt there will be an uncomfortable few weeks ahead for Louth as I expect Ger Brennan to be heavily linked to the job. Whoever the next Dublin manager is, he'll face big questions straight away about his veterans. If Stephen Cluxton does finally call a day, it will be off the back of an incredible season for him. He was completely written off after the defeat to Meath in the Leinster semi-final. We all thought that at his age the new kick out rule was one step too far for him. But he returned to have a brilliant game in Dublin's victory in Salthill against Galway and had an incredible 90percent retention rate back to back against Derry and Cork, before signing off for this season with 77percent retention against Tyrone An interesting few months await for Dublin. From looking like they were in serious trouble at half-time, Donegal went on to produce their best 35 minutes of football in Croke Park since Jim McGuinness returned at the helm. They wiped out Monaghan's seven point lead in the space of 17 minutes and once Michael Murphy drew them level with a free in the 52nd minute, there was only ever going to be one winner. Monaghan will look at some very poor decisions in front of goal, especially in the second half and it sucked the life out of their general play. The more Monaghan suffered in front of the posts, the more energy Donegal seemed to have and their direct, hard running at Monaghan in the second half often from turnovers or shots that dropped short had the Farney men in all sorts of trouble. Ryan McAnespie's injury at the start of the second half was a huge blow to Monaghan after a monster of a first half from him. The sight of Conor McCarthy hopping off at a time when Donegal had serious momentum was a clear sign it was going to be Donegal's day. Jason McGee and Paddy McBrearty in particular gave Donegal a huge impact off the bench and both were hugely influential in the closing stages.
The 42
29-06-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Kerry knock Armagh off their perch as they dump champions out of race for Sam
Kerry 0-5-21 (32) Armagh 1-4-13 (21) KERRY HAVE DETHRONED All-Ireland champions Armagh in a devastating third quarter in their quarter-final meeting. The Kingdom looked be in serious bother after the break when four points after put the champions in a commanding position with a margin of five. But Kerry then produced an ultra-aggressive kickout press on Armagh's goalkeeper Ethan Rafferty, winning all the clean possession and the breaks and forcing him over the sideline in a fifteen-minute spell when they went from 0-14 to 0-30, helped on the way by Sean O'Shea and David Clifford turning on masterful performances. The introduction of Paudie Clifford at the break brought class, while Micheál Burns was barely on the pitch before he had his first score and his energy pinned the Armagh defence back. Advertisement Armagh had looked the better side up until Kerry's astonishing revival, capped by a brilliant Rory Grugan goal after Tiernan Kelly was alive to a short kickout that was botched between Shane Ryan and Dylan Casey. more to follow….
Irish Daily Mirror
21-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
What time, TV channel is Kerry v Cavan on today in the All-Ireland Championship?
All eyes will be on what game time, if any, injured Kerry players Paul Geaney, Sean O'Shea, Paudie Clifford, Brian O Beaglaoich, Diarmuid O'Connor and Barry Dan O'Sullivan get. If Kerry and the other four favourites win this weekend, Jack O'Connor's side will face Armagh in next weekend's All-Ireland quarter-finals at Croke Park. Cavan will do well to lift it here after heavy defeats by Donegal and Tyrone. Kerry have only lost one championship game in 30 years in Killarney. That was an All-Ireland round robin defeat by Mayo back in 2023. Where is the game being played? The game is being played at Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney. What time is throw-in? Throw in is at 3.30pm. Can I watch the game on TV? No, the game isn't on TV Is the game being streamed online? Yes, the game will be live streamed on GAA+ Betting Odds: Kerry: 1/20 Draw: 25/1 Cavan: 13/1
Irish Independent
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Huge boost for Kerry as big names return for preliminary quarter-final clash with Cavan
Sean O'Shea, Diarmuid O'Connor and Brian Ó Beaglaoich are back in the team with Paudie Clifford among the Kerry subs for their All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final against Cavan on Saturday.
