Things are starting to get serious now. This weekend we have our first All Ireland Quarter Finals, as the Hurlers go at it. (What happened the summer?) We are also just 1 game away from knowing 7 of the 8 football quarter finalists, although Armagh and Tyrone have an outstanding 3rd round game to get out of the way.
It should be a great weekend, and I'll be looking to defend my 29-8 record. Definitely some coin tosses in there this week though.
(Please note, Still no affiliation with Starbets)
All Ireland Senior Hurling Quarter Final
Sunday July 24th.
Dublin v Limerick. 2pm. Thurles(Ref. Brian Gavin)
If you had been asked to call this game in May, you'd have probably gone for Dublin by a comfortable margin. However the landscape has changed slightly since then, and not necessarily in favour of the metropolitans. True, they did manage to overcome Offaly and took care of an uninspired Galway outfit, looking set for a real go at Kilkenny in the Leinster Final. That didn't work out so well, as we all know, and there is a suspicion that some of the questions we had assumed answered remain open after all. Injuries and suspensions didn't help against the Cats, and just as they prepared to welcome Ryan O'Dwyer back against Limerick, the unfortunate Conal Keaney will miss out after injuring himself in a motor cycle accident. Of course the primary concern is for the player, but Dublin and Anthony Daly could have done without the news.
Limerick, for their part, have had a good year so far, and anything other than a bad beating on Sunday would not necessarily negate that. However Limerick are not in the mentality of looking for good performances, they smell blood in the water and, buoyed by Donal O'Grady's approach, they have a new found confidence. Limerick have good forwards in Mulcahy (if fit), Downes, Hannon and others, and are working on implementing the possession game favoured by Cork under O'Grady. A feature of the game may well be the battle of the half forwards of Dublin against the half backs of Limerick. Limerick are largely content to bat the high balls in that area, and sweep up the breaks, while Dublin will look for primary possession. If they are frustrated there, and Keaney's loss is a blow in those exchanges, Limerick will be well on the way.
Dublin have struggled for goals, and you suspect they need to find that quickly, as they've been too dependent on Paul Ryan's frees. Ryan O'Dwyer will help but I feel they need Dotsy or Carton to rattle the net a couple of times. This is a real milestone game for Dublin. Win and they are validated, lose and people may start questioning exactly what progress has been made after all. Donal O'Grady the player is an injury doubt for Limerick and with that, and their physical power and the sense of desperation driving them on, I'll give a hesitant nod to Dublin.
Verdict. Dublin by 2.
All Ireland Senior Hurling Quarter Final
Sunday July 24th.
Galway v Waterford. 4 pm. Thurles (Ref. Cathal McAllister)
On the face of it, this is an easy game to call. Galway have steadily improved since that poor showing in Tullamore, while Waterford are coming off an absolute horror show in the Munster Final. It's not that simple in my view though.There is still a nagging doubt about Galway's consistency which will only be truly answered with an All Ireland, and there is a suspicion that Waterford's gamble that backfired in the Munster Final contributed to a scoreline that does not really reflect where they are.
Davy made a tactical call against Tipp and, when it didn't work out, they were obliterated as fine hurlers like Michael Walsh thrashed about like fish out of water. The team that ended that game, with Brick restored to his customary #6 spot may be an awful lot more stable. The question again, of course, is who is going to pick up whom on Sunday. Joe Canning will be a thorn in the side of any full back, which is of course a weakness thus far for Waterford, while Damien Hayes needs a pacy marker to negate his threat. Canning will wander around the 45 if he's struggling to get into the game, while Tanian and Joe Gantley will rotate in there on the edge of the square when he goes. Will Davy trust his men to hurl their positions this time. If he does, he may be better off. Brick will handle Ger Farragher from puckouts and close play, while Brown and Kevin Moran would feel happy facing Tanian and Gantley.
Hayes and Canning may be the trump cards, and if Farragher and Smith can chip in with points to help out, Galway may have more firepower than Waterford, who have been heavily reliant on Pauric Mahony's frees and a frustrated John Mullane. Galway have a horrible record against Waterford in the championship (winless in 9 meetings all time) but if they hurl to their potential, their full forward line can do enough damage in a game that may be a lot closer than people think.
Verdict. Galway by 4
All Ireland Football Qualifiers - Round 3 and Round 4
3 new quarter finalists will (hopefully) be decided on Saturday evening while the 4th game, a round 3 back fixture, is hardly any less enticing. Among the menu are repeats of the All Ireland Finals of 2010 and 2003, and it should make for a hugely entertaining day, hopefully.
Tyrone v Armagh. 7pm. Omagh. (Ref. Martin Duffy)
This battle of the hitherto big two in Ulster is the last game of the qualifiers round 3, delayed because of Armagh's struggles in beating Wicklow. It's a repeat of multiple huge games from the early noughties, including that famous win for Tyrone in the 2003 All Ireland Final. They've shared each of the Ulster titles since 1998 until this year, and have been the dominant forces in the northern province by a long way.
All that being said, the teams are on different paths at the moment. Armagh's great team is largely broken up at this stage, and Paddy O'Rourke is trying to build a new team around experienced players like Aaron Kernan, Kieran McKeever and Steven McDonnell, while introducing exciting newcomers like Jamie Clarke. The mixture worked well against Down in a great victory over the mourne men, but came unstuck with naivite against Derry. The eventual qualifier success against Wicklow took longer than expected, but having been brought to a replay, a win down in Aughrim is no trivial achievement.
Tyrone seemed to be aiming for one last hurrah with the old timers as the team appeared to be backboned by the likes of Conor Gormley, Ricey McMenamin, Philip Jordan, Kevin Hughes, Sean Cavanagh, Brian Dooher, Brian McGuigan, Stephen O'Neill and others. However injuries and perhaps a paradigm shift by Mickey Harte saw a lot of changes around midfield and the forward line against Longford. Kyle Coney, Aidan Cassidy and Peter Harte were among those that made hay in the redesigned team, but it's interesting that Cassidy and Martin Penrose miss out on the named team at least this weekend.
I think Armagh are coming, but Tyrone still have enough of the old dog left in them for a couple of more barks this year.
Verdict. Tyrone by 4.Round 4
Limerick v Wexford. Portlaoise. 7.00 pm (Ref. Derek Fahy).
Limerick were swashbuckling counter attackers against Offaly, inspired by Ian Ryan and Ger Collins, while against a much more stoic Waterford side they relied on the brilliance of Stephen Kelly to show them the way. They are still greatly depleted thanks to injury and the unfortunate reality that football and hurling qualifers and quarter finals occupy the same weekends.
They may have big Jim O'Donovan back in midfield, which should allow Seanie Buckley operate as half forward, but you sense they may struggle against a powerful Wexford midfield.
Wexford's backs were very impressive against Dublin in a losing effort and with the options up front such as Barry, Roche, Brosnan and Lyng I take the Slaneysiders to advance to the last 8.
Verdict. Wexford by 5.
Cork v. Down. Croke Park. 6pm. (Ref. Michael Duffy)
Probably the tie of the round sees a rematch of the All Ireland final from last year as Down and Cork renew acquaintances in Croker. Cork were stung in Killarney last time out and, shorn of Colm O'Neill and Ciaran Sheehan, look slightly more vulnerable than you would expect. However that day in Killarney was certainly a curate's egg of a performance. Listless, clueless and aimless in the first half, Cork played into Kerry's hands and negated their own strongest portion of the field by playing short kickouts and running down cul de sacs. The second half was a lot better from the Rebels and, but for a goal attempt coming off an upright rather than rattling the net, they could well have even won that game.
Paul Kerrigan, Paddy Kelly, Donnacha O'Connor and Daniel Goulding still form the basis of an exceptional forward line, but there is no doubt the strength in depth is not as formidable as last year. Midfield should be a real strong area for Cork, as long as they play to their strengths with their own kickouts.
The defense is strong on paper, but Conor Counihan is risking a lot by placing Graham Canty on the edge of the square. Canty is a great footballer and leader, but I think he is a centre back. He has a great full back in Michael Shields and Eoin Cadogan could easily come into the corner back position. Cork may well end up in that alignment, but will the damage be done?
Down have at last kicked it up a gear with their last performance against Antrim, following 3 uninspiring outings this summer so far. Beaten in Armagh, lucky in Ennis and so-so against Leitrim they finally looked more like All Ireland contenders in Casement Park.
They do boast a formidable forward line, perhaps second only to Kerry, with Marty Clarke, Liam Doyle, Benny Coulter and Conor Laverty leading the way. With men like Paul McComiskey held in reserve they have enough up front to cause anybody problems. Down have issues in midfield, and Dan Gordon is forced to stand in at full back due to necessity, which means they can ill afford the absences of Ambrose Rogers and Daniel Hughes. Hughes came on against Antrim though, and Rogers is back in training so the Mourne men may have reinforcements on the way.
Down only lost by 1 point last September, and if Cork are below their best then Down could well reverse the result, however I'm going to take Cork to progress on the basis that one bad first half does not make them a bad team.
Verdict. Cork by 3.
Derry v Kildare. Croke Park, 4pm. (Ref. Syl Doyle)
The appetiser in Croke Park has the potential to be another cracker as the travelling Kildare roadshow returns to headquarters for a tussle with defeated Ulster finalists Derry. Kildare seem to be flavour of the month in many quarters, which is a little puzzling in one sense. They are still unable to call themselves champions of anything, but most pundits appear to have them resting in 3rd place in the race for Sam, behind Kerry and Cork. I'm not so sure about that elevated ranking, and Dublin in particular would have a good case for being ranked higher than the Lilywhites, but I am an affirmed admirer of this team, as much as it pains an Offaly man to say so. McGeeney has transformed them in the intangibles as much as in the obvious areas like physicality and gameplan. Kildare are mentally strong now, and they need to be as they navigate their way through the qualifier minefield again. Laois in Portlaoise and Meath in Navan are not easy assignments coming off a defeat in Leinster, but Kildare won both games in different ways. Well on top in Laois, they had a much more onerous task in Navan and came through.
They are not operating at full throttle, and won't be as long as Johnny Doyle is in midfield, but they are delighted to have Daryl Flynn back in harness especially with the loss of Hugh Lynch. Defensively Kildare are organised and strong, and Hugh McCrillen and Mick Foley are putting in All Star type performances, as is Emmett Bolton in the half back line. Up front, the pundits' favourite target of scorn, I believe Kildare are actually well served with the likes of Eamonn'Callaghan, Eoin O'Flaherty and Tomás O'Connor as a target man. I'm surprised that James Kavanagh, who showed great form against Laois and Meath, is again consigned to the bench but with Alan Smyth there as well Kildare have men that can score to call off the reserves. There is pressure on Rob Kelly and Fionn Dowling to get the scores, but they have the ability if Kildare get the ball in.
Derry will need to forget about Clones in a hurry, and that is easier said than done. I'd argue that John Brennan hasn't helped the cause by continually making an issue of the penalty decision against Donegal, but perhaps the message inside the camp is completely different, and what we see is meant to divert from the usual talk of the difficulty beaten finalists face in the media.
There is no doubt that Derry are missing the Bradleys badly, and were stuck for ideas against Donegal. They will not be the last team to face that particular issue however, and I still would not write them off on the basis of that. Conleth Gillegan, Mark Lynch and James Kielt are fine forwards, while the half back line, particulary Charlie Kielt, showed they are not afraid of taking a score either.
I just think that Kildare match up pretty well with Derry. McGrillen and co will fancy their chances of locking down the Derry forwards, and that might just give Kildare the edge, although I expect James Kavangh to be required to make an appearance to seal the deal.
Verdict. Kildare by 3.
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