And so we know the two hurling semi final matchups. A sure sign that the 'Back to School' offers must be getting up and running. Both most recent qualifiers for the semis will be extremely happy and relieved to be there, but for vastly differing reasons. In the big ball, 7 of the 8 quarter finalists were also annointed on Saturday, while Tyrone qualified for a Round 4 joust with Roscommon.
Sunday was a great day of hurling, from the spiritual home of the game in Thurles, as Dublin, Limerick, Galway and Waterford faced off for the last 2 spots in this years semi finals. Two very different games produced two delighted winners as Dublin and Waterford marched on.
In the opening game, Dublin finally managed to rubber stamp the progress they have been making over recent years. Barring an absolute mauling by Tipperary in the semi final, the Dubs can legitimately claim that this year has been an outstanding success. Winning the National League, by defeating Kilkenny in the final, and scoring championship victories over Offaly, Galway and Limerick has announced that Dublin are deservedly in the last 4 of the competition. They did have the bad performance against Kilkenny in the Leinster Final, and with Tipp looming on the horizon they may not make it to the final, but they will feel that they are really in a good place as a developing team.
This was no vintage performance on Sunday, but it wasn't that type of game. Limerick were up for it and revelling in the role of underdogs, against a team that has been out of the top echelon for many years, which would have spurred them on. Indeed Limerick played most of the hurling for long periods of the game and, but for some wayward shooting and over playing at times, we could be talking about an incredible resurgence under Donal O'Grady for the treaty men.
Dublin will not be overly enthused with their display but given the injuries they are carrying, most recently to the unfortunate Conal Keaney, and the fact that they rediscovered their goalscoring mojo they will be encouraged as they move forward. Their first touch was very sloppy on Sunday, and some of the passing seemed forced and unnatural, like a team struggling with expectation and tying up. The pressure is off them now, probably for the first time this year really, and they are free to give it a right good go against the Premier. Ryan O'Dwyer had a great outing in the full forward line but I think they may need his ball winning, in the absence of Keaney, on the half forward line. If that materialises, who'll get the goals they were lacking up until his hattrick on Sunday?
Limerick will feel this has been a year they have reestablished themselves as a serious hurling team again. Of course they will be disappointed that they didn't reach the semi final, but another year under Donal O'Grady will really help that style bed in. Mulcahy and Downes were starved of possession on Sunday, and when Limerick learn to mix up the possession game with the supply into the forwards, they'll be a good way along the path. Declan Hannon looks like he will deliver on his promise, and he had a great day on Sunday, remarkable for a young lad sitting his leaving cert last month.
And onto the second game. What can you say? Do you talk about Waterford, and their remarkable bounce back, or Galway and their latest no show? As I prefer to talk about the positive, I'll start with Waterford. People sneered when reports emanated out of the Deise about Davy's morning meeting with the team on the Monday after the Tipperary debacle, but one thing Davy Fitzgerald can do is rise a team. Tactically I think he tried to over compensate against Tipp, and caused himself bigger problems. On Sunday he left his best hurlers hurl in their best positions, and he got John Mullane involved early by bringing him out of the corner and onto the 45. Brick Walsh demonstrated why he is regarded as one of the top centre backs in the country and a great man to hold that position. He was like a man reborn on Sunday as he cleared up ball after ball and ate Ger Farragher alive. Kevin Moran, the evergreen Tony Browne, Noel Connors, Liam Lawlor, Stephen Molumphy, Shane Walsh, Seamus Prendergast, Mullane the list goes on and on of players in white and blue who stepped up and figuratively roared 'We're not finished yet!'.
As an observer with a soft spot for Waterford, as a lot of people have at this stage, it was great to see and was a measure of their character and the leaders they have in that team. Kilkenny are an awesome barrier on the road now, but one thing is certain - Waterford will give it their best shot, be that good or bad.
And then Galway. I don't want to put the boot in, as enough people around the country and county of Galway will be lining up to do that, but I will just say one thing. About 10 minutes into that second half, you could tell by the body language of the Galway men that the game was over. The only question was the margin of defeat. At that stage there was about 6 points into it, and Galway needed leaders, men with puffed out chests who refused to accept this happening again. Apart from flashes from Joe Canning and the odd skirmish no Galway player took his team by the scruff of the neck and led them out of their malaise. That is something that they need to find, and maybe they need to put an emphasis on that over some of the skillful hurlers that they have. Skill is great, but if you can't win the ball then you might as well be at home. It's very, very disappointing for Galway, but if we are to be honest it's not that surprising either.
All Ireland Football Qualifers Round 3
In the last remaining round 3 football qualifier, hosts Tyrone defeated their big noughties Ulster rival Armagh and thus advance to play beaten Connacht finalists Roscommon in the last Round 4 Qualifier this weekend coming.
They will be delighted that Peter Harte again demonstrated fine form, and was arguably the Man of the Match again, based on feedback from people who were at the match. On the face of it, it was a comfortable 6 point win for the Red Hands, especially when you consider they allowed Armagh get off to a good start and had only scored 3 points coming up the half hour mark, but a late missed penalty from Armagh may have made a big difference and punished Tyrone for some wastefulness.
Joe McMahon continues to shore up the defence for Tyrone while Conor Gormley did a great job on Jamie Clarke. Ryan McMenamin was subbed as a precaution after picking up a yellow card, while the younger brigade of Swift, Coney, Donnelly and the aforementioned Peter Harte continue to develop well. The names that Tyrone were able to bring on hint at the reserves that have suddenly appeared (Dooher, Penrose, Justin McMahon, Davey Harte) and with Eoin Mulligan and Stephen O'Neill also hoping to get back, suddenly Tyrone look a real threat. Everyone's been looking at Kerry and Cork, while touting Kildare and Dublin as dark horses. Maybe we need to look North, again, for the threat that will come from nowhere.
All Ireland Football Qualifiers Round 4
In round 4 of the qualifers, Kildare, Cork and Limerick marched on to victory and a place in the quarter finals. Pride of place should go to Limerick, a side written off in 2 of their 3 qualifier games (by me as well), but who have overcome injuries, dual player issues and a hammering by Kerry to advance into the last 8 for the first time in their history. (I don't think there were quarter finals back when Limerick were winning their All Ireland). Their reward? Just another outing with Kerry, in an even more open pitch, and the guarantee of being written off again.
There was huge controversy in the endgame in Portlaoise as the umpires disagreed over the validity or otherwise of a late score from Ian Ryan, only for the referee to intervene and give the nod to the umpire with the white flag, and thus the victory to Limerick. Understandably the Wexford contingent were apoplectic, but most neutral observers have suggested that a) It was a free, b) it was a point and c) the referee was on the best line of sight to make the decision. On that basis, if it is a point, it is a point. The circumstances might hurt Wexford, but Limerick wouldn't deserve to lose in extra time because the ref hadn't the guts to award the score. So, similar to my opinion on Cormac Reilly in Croke Park, I say fair play to Derek Fahy on not taking the easy way out.
Limerick should be able to call on the hurlers now that their interest is over and Stephen Lucey and Mark O'Riordan should add something to the middle area of the field and, while it is hard to see the Kerry forwards being stymied by a defence they tore to shreds earlier in the year, stranger things have happened. At least Limerick are there, will be on the big stage and will get their crack, unlike 25 other counties (including London and New York, excluding Kilkenny).
Cork, as expected, had too much for Down in Croke Park, but the second half demolition job was not exactly what we were predicting. Cork's strength and game plan wore down the Down lads, and the likes of Donnacha O'Connor was on fire, while Paddy Kelly and Paul Kerrigan really stretched the Down defence. It was around midfield that Cork really dominated the game though and, unlike the Munster final, they used their superiority there to build a platform. Aidan Walsh and Alan O'Connor were much more like themselves and really made Down suffer in terms of primary possession and physical exchanges. Down introduced Ambrose Rogers, but he was clearly not ready for the game and in truth the verdict had already been handed to the judge at that stage.
A sad footnote to the game was the sending off of Marty Clarke, who was clearly frustrated at the way the game was unfolding, and it would be a pity if our last glimpse of him in a Down jersey was dejectedly leaving the field early with the referee waving the red card.
Back to normal service then for Cork, and a draw with Mayo won't send shivers up their collective spine. There is still a suspicion that the Rebels can be got at, and any team that somehow manages to pressure the middle third (as Kerry did in the first half in Killarney) will fancy their chances against them. They looked a lot more balanced in the full back line with Shields at #3 and Eoin Cadogan in, in place of Graham Canty, but because of the domination out the field they were not really stretched. There are teams remaining in the competition who would fancy their chances of hurting them if they can get enough ball.
In the curtain raiser in Croke Park, Kildare moved another step closer to their All Ireland dream, with a 6 point victory over a Derry side who were unable to shake the perceived wisdom that says beaten provincial finalists are goosed when they play 6 days later. In fairness to Derry, they gave it a shot, and had brief periods where they took the game to Kildare but they were unable to really shake the Lilywhites, and when a penalty decision was not given to them, the signs were there that they wouldn't be able to pull this off.
Kildare continue to march on, and with every game it looks more and more as if the momentum they are building is a real, tangible force, rather than a figment of journalists' imaginations. They have belief, which is McGeeney's greatest achievement with them in my opinion, and an unshakeable sureness that they will get there in the end, no matter what. I believe this, as much as their conditioning, has led to those big second half performances, much like that great Meath team of the 80s. Donegal will be yet another kettle of fish this weekend, and it will be fascinating to see how McGeeney goes about counteracting the Donegal defensive plan. Will Tomás O'Connor be a target man? Will the likes of Callaghan, O'Flaherty, Bolton and Kavanagh try to burst through the line? Will Doyle and the aforementioned foursome try to kick points from distance? All for another day, but Kildare will be delighted that they are in a position to plan their offensive rather than watching from home. The odyssey continues.
Hits
Limerick Footballers. Say what you like about Munster Football, they have 3 teams in the last 8 and Limerick have beaten 2 Leinster teams to get there, including the high scoring beaten Leinster Finalists. They have fought and fought since losing to Kerry, when they could easily have laid down and blamed injuries and hurling for their problems. Ye deserve yer day in Croker lads, and fair play to ye. Do yerselves proud.
Donnacha O'Connor. I've been unconvinced about Donnacha, and his mental strength, ever since I saw him melt down against Kerry in Croke Park along with the rest of his teammates. However he has really gone from strength to strength since then and winning the All Ireland seems to have crowned him. Cork are missing Ciaran Sheehan, Colm O'Neill and now Daniel Goulding is likely to miss the quarter final. In their absences Paddy Kelly and Paul Kerrigan have been great, but Donnacha O'Connor has stood up and become THE man for this Cork forward line. A study in what confidence allied to ability can do.
Dublin Hurlers. Not the prettiest, not the best hurling, and not their greatest, or even a good, performance. However the Dubs have overcome their own injury problems and a brutal lesson at the hands of Kilkenny, and they've emerged to sit proudly in a semi final. They have a lot of work to do if they want to take Tipperary's crown, but they can justifiably claim to be one of hurling's elite teams now. Anthony Daly is the figurehead, and has done a great job, but the work done at underage level in Dublin is incredible and should be a blueprint for other counties with potential but no good structures.
Anthony Masterson. I heard Anthony Masterson giving out for Ireland on Newstalk about the referee, the umpires, the linesmen and everyone else after the controversial score that condemned Wexford to defeat. Then he admitted he had no idea whether it was a score or not, and I was mentally noting Anthony for my 'misses' section. Then he surprised me, and reminded me of one of the reasons why I love Gaelic games, when he took a deep breath and proceeded to give a very warm congratulation and best of luck to the Limerick lads who had beaten them. Sportsmanship is one of the best attributes a person can have, and when you are as angry and frustrated (and probably wrong) as Anthony was, it's a great sign that he could do that.
Misses.
Forget about it. I could mention Galway, but they need to be left alone to sort themselves out. I'm sure they will.
Maybe I will mention the van that clipped Conal Keaney's motorbike on Friday though. Accidental of course, but a cruel blow for a player on the top of his game this year, and a team who've already suffered too many injuries this year. How they'd love Keaney to be contesting puckouts with Padraig Maher and Conor Mahoney in the semi final.
Other Sports
It's over!!!! Finally, the NFL lockout has been ended, the players and owners have reached an agreement that guarantees the league for the next 10 years and more immediately ensures that we will have a full season in 2011. I never doubted that this would be the outcome, but I'm glad the nonsense isn't extending to brinksmanship and training camps and pre-season or regular season games getting affected.
Players in fantasy leagues, which has become popular in Ireland need to be on the ball in the upcoming weeks as free agents (players whose contracts have expired), and rookies get signed with various teams, while you can also expect some trades (transfers) between teams, especially in the Quarterback and Running Back positions.
Exciting times for NFL fans though, and with college football also revving up, the season will soon be knocking on our door like an old friend.
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