Battle of midway can go in Kerry's favour

DIVISION ONE FINAL/Kerry v Derry:THE MOST meaningful of the Allianz National Football League divisional finals brings together the best teams in the competition, both of whom are already looking good summer prospects.

Although that mightn't be an earth-shattering revelation in the case of Kerry the fact that the All-Ireland champions have progressed to this stage while consistently under-strength indicates the depth of Pat O'Shea's panel. Once more tomorrow sees the Kerry manager improvise because of injury and the demands of next week's under-21 final.

Derry have shown the consistency and performance levels that make them many people's tip for Ulster this year. Perhaps the overall effort is unduly dependent on a strong centrefield establishing the platform for Paddy Bradley but the trend during this campaign has been encouraging.

When the teams met in Tralee last month there was only a point in it but the circumstances were a little different. Derry should have won but Kerry hung on and kicked a late point for victory, courtesy of a Bryan Sheehan free.

The injury to Sheehan is a significant loss to the All-Ireland champions. His place-kicking accuracy has been at the core of the team's advance to tomorrow's final. Just six points of his campaign haul of 1-41 have come from play. That average of nearly five and a half points per match from dead-ball opportunities is a huge asset to any team. In his place Michael Russell comes in but wouldn't offer Sheehan's consistency or potential from distance.

On Derry's side, James Conway's absence with injury is also a tough break. Conway and Fergal Doherty have been the mainstays of the team at centrefield. The only occasion on which the partnership was disrupted ended in defeat to Galway, with the attack starved.

It's neither lazy nor fanciful to predict that the battle in the middle will decide this match. Darragh Ó Sé caught everything against Galway, assisted by an apparent non-compete clause on the opposition's part but the veteran, who's on the trail of a sixth All-Ireland medal this year, destroyed any vestiges of resistance and with Séamus Scanlon continuing to improve beside him, the Kerry centrefield will be stronger than it was in March.

One feature of the previous match is that Bradley thrived for a while in the company of Tom O'Sullivan but failed to score after Marc Ó Sé was switched on to him. Presumably that data will be put to good use tomorrow.

There is also data on the edge of the other square. Kieran Donaghy got into good goalscoring positions against Galway but was denied by good goalkeeping.

Niall McCusker marked Donaghy well in Tralee whereas Kevin McCloy, named at full back tomorrow, struggled on him at times in the interprovincial championship final last October.

Both teams have strong benches even if Colm Cooper and Paul Galvin are too rusty to make major impacts.

Hard to call, Kerry have thrived on meeting challenges so far and, although this is their most daunting, they can survive it.

KERRY: D Murphy; P Reidy, M Ó Sé, T O'Sullivan; T Ó Sé (capt), A O'Mahony, T Griffin; D Ó Sé, S Scanlon; Declan O'Sullivan, D Walsh, E Brosnan; Darren O'Sullivan, K Donaghy, MF Russell.

DERRY: B Gillis; K McGuckin, K McCloy (capt), F McEldowney; L Hinphey, G O'Kane, M McIvor; F Doherty, J Diver; M Lynch, B McGoldrick, E Muldoon; C Gilligan, P Bradley, E Bradley.