Didn't take long for the gloves to come off on this thread. If this is the standard of "banter" these days, I despair. Some lads need to learn the difference between slagging and just plain name calling.

Great game, and a good win. Couldn't be bothered googling it, but I'm sure someone here can tell me the last time Dublin lost two of their first three league games? Meaningless of course in terms of the championship, but it makes a pleasant change from assuming every inter county senior football final will consist of Dublin and TBD.

festinog (Galway) - Posts: 3097 - 10/02/2019 21:55:38    2164305

Jackeen (Dublin) - Posts: 4097 - 10/02/2019 22:48:48    2164327

Y'know what's mad ?

I spent all of yesterday, last night and this morning in Kerry and saw a lot of Kerry people and Dublin people sharing each others company, singing, conversing and generally just enjoying the weekend/occasion for what it was. There was no animosity or ill-feeling towards one another, No signs of tension or trouble (there never is) just two groups of fans with a healthy mutual respect for one another despite an insatiable hunger to beat each other on the pitch, and yet I come on here and read a few pages of to-ing and fro-ing and insults and its wild cause ive been to Kerry to watch Dublin down the years and they've come up to Dublin for big games too and ive never seen any animosity towards each other, yet I come on here and it seems to bring out a dark side in fans of both counties that in real life just doesn't exist outside of the cyber world. It never fails to amaze me just what can happen when you give someone a phone or a keyboard and access to an anonymous internet forum and the mentality can shift from an adult to a child almost instantly.

On last night, Its very hard when you are at a game, particularly behind a goal, to see flashpoints clearly that are happening 100 yards away when you haven't watched it back or seen a replay, so personally have no idea what went on at the end or who started it, What I can say with certainty and without watching it back, is that both sides contributed to a really good game of football in what where desperate poor conditions. It was probably one of the best league games ive seen live in the flesh for this time of year. Nobody left anything out there and the better team won the game. Kerry showed the lack of fear associated with teams that have no mental baggage against a top top team, and Dublin despite being nowhere near as good as Kerry showed the battling qualities of champions by hauling Kerry back in and ALMOST snatching it and it would've been totally undeserved. You can see why traits in both teams that suggest they'll be there come the end of summer most definitely but also a lot of work to be done over the coming weeks and months as more players come back from injuries/well earned breaks and games like last night will bring them both on tenfold.

I don't like seeing Dublin lose, Not used to seeing us lose 3 games out of 5 in 2019 so far, but can appreciate the year is young and im certainly not going to lose sleep or panic. Itd be silly to make any rash judgements or calls this early in the year but we will see dramatic improvement over the coming weeks. 6pts should be enough to stay in the division which we will get. Its likely we will relinquish our league title but the bigger picture is that if extended breaks and just surviving relegation means we get a really good crack at the 5 in a row in the summer then im totally fine with that.

Tralee, you where a blast. On to the next one..

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13650 - 11/02/2019 00:15:12    2164351

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 11/02/2019 07:47:22    2164370

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 11/02/2019 09:45:36    2164405

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13650 - 11/02/2019 10:19:13    2164427

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11230 - 11/02/2019 10:35:47    2164436

I guess Dublin can play their Division 2 league games in Parnell Park next year....sorry couldn't resist lads ;)

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11230 - 11/02/2019 10:39:34    2164438

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 11/02/2019 10:43:48    2164442

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11230 - 11/02/2019 11:08:02    2164457

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 11/02/2019 11:46:24    2164470

Just home and reality strikes.Work,kids,life and hangover from a fantastic trip. As usual the long journey was a small price to pay for a great contest between two top teams and the great hospitality of the genuine Kerry people. Shame we'll have to wait 2 years for our next visit. Congrats to kerry and bring on mayo for hopefully another great game. Na Dubs abu

CaogaCuig (Dublin) - Posts: 63 - 11/02/2019 11:46:26    2164471

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13650 - 11/02/2019 12:20:20    2164488

festinog (Galway) - Posts: 3097 - 11/02/2019 17:39:14    2164621

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11230 - 11/02/2019 18:18:05    2164635

Back in the home Vikings. Open discourse i spent the best part of the week down there, hit Castlebar island on Weds and caught up with some pals I met traveling in NZ. Stayed out there Weds and we did a lesuirely trek of Ivergh pensulla on Thurs and Fri, featuring two memeromable nights out in Waterville and Glenbeigh, met some really interesting GAA people steeped in Kerry GAA history and folklore, even got to have a kick about on two or three club pitches. Some fascinating conversations, not least with an 85 year old man in Sneem, god it's embarrassing to think we actually try to understand the game on here listeningc to this guy, such wisdom and lived expierence in the GAA.

Much needed fri, in Killarney on Sat before an all day job in Tralee, game then back to Killarney for the night, leisure Sunday and light evening refreshments then home. I'm sure no cares, the reason I mention it that traveling around a bit gave me an insight and to be honest a bit of a shock into how hurt people are in Kerry and how much this current teams success means to them, it's like a yearning need or a reassurance of realavance.

It's quite amazing the missing out on their five in a row, still is very raw, they know they should have done it, but are equally very proud and rightly so of their four, it's not nice that anyone has equaled that never mind having the opportunity of five. That's not criticism everyone I met down there wished Dublin luck. More sense of what should have been and wishing it had been, or close to being done by themselves. It's irrelevent at this stage because Dublin will have to earn it.

The above hasnt been helped by two seasons of limits in their own teams and to be honest, that was the biggest hurt I picked up, Kerry should not be beaten convincingly by Mayo, Galway, or need a last minute scramble against Monaghan to keep a breath of life in a championship campaign.

My sense is there is a lot of hurt in the Kingdom, built up over years, opposing forces of another team matching and having an opportunity to over take some of their historic greatness, while in current context struggling to maintain their own standards and expectations in the Championship.

But hope springs eternal and plenty of it at play in the fields of Kerry, the green shoots are coming and their was a Wryersmileon Sun then their was on Fri.

As I said all of the above, was all conveyed in great spirit, sport, banter and honesty, the vast majority of people you meet in places in Kerty are welcoming, gracious and great hosts, fantastic GAA people, despite the messing you see on here, I hope they are back in sunny days deep in Summer, in Dublin 3 soon.

go raibh maith agat

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4445 - 11/02/2019 19:16:17    2164655

So onto the game itself. I was accused of being petulant with my well dones just after the game. I was probably being frank and gave my concrete thoughts and didn't sugar coat it, a couple of days on the sauce might not have helped, so apologies for that if anyone was offended, that wasn't my intention.

A very entertaing and exciting game. I know the narrative was it was a great game, personally I didnt think so, exciting and entertaing , definitely. But I think there is plenty of head room in terms of skills and quality from both teams.

Dublin started with the U25s largely and the footballing terminators that seem to be Rock, McCarthy and Cooper, a couple of old hands were called from the bench later in the day for a stretch of the legs.

Kerry made up largely of some new lads, some we have seen in rennet years and a few old veterans. A good mix of layers of generation, for what you need. Look well prepared and drilled, had a clear game plan and did done their home work in Dublin. You can tell Donnie Buckley is involved the Kerry defense have the made in Mayo look about them. Good defensive structure, swarm defense and the quick counter, may as well be Mayo of recent years. Kerry played with every inch a team hurt by the Dubs with a five in a row and knocked out with a whimper in the Championship in 2018, taking the whole laying a marker thing at name value. Great intensity and desire.

Dublin, in all honestly played with a basic man to man shape, set positions, and very little tactic. It's long been my thought that Jim let's the lads of the leash in the league and gets them to think it out. So no seeeper or anything of the like. Basically trade punches and think it out. Dublin have struggled with this approach without Kilkenny and to a lessor extent Connolly pulling the strings.

So early blows traded fairly equal until, the second quarter and Kerry really pulled away, with a resilient enough defensive system working well and Dublin being a bit cocky in pocession with with bad decisions or getting caught on the turnover. I mentioned the Mayo defense system and Kerry countered well with pace, athleticism and something Mayo never had, lethal finishing. Kerry really gave an exhibitition in this quarter of finishing. Dublin looked a bit leggy and took the lazy option of giving frees away, where the exceptional at a dead ball O Shea gobbled them up. Kerry deservedly went in with a healthy lead at half time. Should say Kerry executed a brilliant high press, that Dublin didn't look like they expected and struggled with.

Dublin came out the second half and had the run of the first ten mins, scored s could, before Kerry reasserted themselves to a four point difference, Dublin unusually wasteful, and trusting in their lateral game when for me a more direct game was required. Kerry struggled for points from play second half and largely relied on frees the Dubs to easily coughed up.

Both teams emptied their bench and as it entered the last quarter Dublin turned the screw, flashing of the few points when needed, ultimately to draw level. To Kerry's huge credit, they lifted their head and went up the filed caught Dublin on the counter, backed up their man, and phased a good point. Dublin could have easily won or drawn the game, but a hit post from a free and an uncharacteristic side by Super Brian 1, in the last kick one the day for a Kerry.

In all honestly Kerry really deserved it, they had more hunger and desire and the game meant more to them, so fair play.

So Kerry will be happy with their win and a good chance now of being involved in the league final. Look to have unearthed a couple of good players, Moynahan, O Brien in particular caught the eye. They will be happy implementing this defensive system nice swarm tackling and blanket when required, looked to have kick out strategy and as you would expect from Kerry excellent point execution. Moving nicely toward a balance. k

As a Dub, I left fairly confident in our defeat, that we still have to much for them if we meet in the a Championship. If I'm honest I thought they had a bit more coming through, I see a couple of good additions but many names who've been there and not done it. The back three are very small and can really be got at, they are tenacious in the tackle but lack any sort of power or presence. A team at full pelt is going to dominate them and hb line will have to drop to compensate and eventually you get nailed. Also I thought the Kerry keeper was poor, you'd really fancy your chances of goals, once you in behind that back line. Midfield as well is an area Kerry are light have to flood, another area that can be exploited. Going forward Kerry looked great, but it's important to say Dublin played without its usual sweeper system, I'd be confident enough shoring up, with Cian O Sullivan, Philly and Cluxton coming back into that defense and Jonny going back to three.

From a Dublin perspective, it was a great game to bring the lads on, look about 65% fit and to bring the intensity we know we can. But with the year that's in it you can understand giving prolonged breaks and having a bit of craic in the league. Micky Fitz had another mare for the second week running. Young Gavin had a useful game, he needs coaching but he can be an influence. Was delighted young Even stuck the course, he had a challenging night and you could wipe, 4 or 5 of the score board if Cluxton was there, but will stand to him. Good expierence for the young lads there are games you have to show character and for these young lads the game will stand. We struggled with the Kerry's high press at times so that needs to be looked at. But I feel Kerry have showed there hand now and how they will play, Gavin gave absolutely nothing away and if we meet again it will be a very different Dublin team and game. Imaging a Dublin forward line of Mannion, Con, Costello, Howard, Kilkenny, Costello bearing down in that Kerry defense! ;) Much work to be done at the back but motoring well. We didn't deserve but still could of won it.

We rarely do well down in Kerry, draw the last game and beaten in 15 in Killarney. All to play for Kerry will be confident by that morale boosting win, Dublin will also be confident. Anything can happen in 70 mins in football should our paths cross again in the summer, or maybe with the rub of the green in a few weeks! ;)

Thanks for the hospitality lads.

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4445 - 11/02/2019 20:16:11    2164668

KingdomBoy1 (Kerry) - Posts: 14092 - 11/02/2019 21:30:08    2164693

@Username once again you are vaguely insinuating that ye faced a full strength Kerry side at the peak of fitness, tell yourself that if you want but Kerry's absentees were arguably a bigger loss than Dublin's, Clifford, JOD, Moran, Foley, White and McCarthy will probably all start in the summer and Kerry are a few weeks in to training as well with a whole new management team trying to implement a whole new way of playing. We had just as much right to be rusty as Dublin.

As for Dublin being 65% fit and just having a bit of craic because it's the league that has never been Dublin's MO. Every player bar maybe a handful are playing for their places in that Dublin side and they sure looked to me like they wanted to win on Saturday. Your post on the match is really quite bizarre to be honest.

Btw I do agree with your broader point, Dublin will in all likelihood be too strong for Kerry for a while yet, especially in Croke Park. I think if we keep improving we can do enough to give ye a fright though and with a bit of luck who knows.

GeniusGerry (Kerry) - Posts: 2105 - 11/02/2019 22:08:00    2164704

KingdomBoy1 (Kerry) - Posts: 14092 - 12/02/2019 00:16:42    2164726