Ian O'Riordan previews the National Football League Division One final between Galway and Kerry and this weekend's other GAA fixtures.
Sunday
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
DIVISION ONE FINAL
Kerry v Galway, Gaelic Grounds, Limerick, 5.30 - When these teams met in the league final of two years ago the football purists were almost weeping into their match programmes, believing they had witnessed all the great skills of the game at their finest. And it was a fast, free-flowing and exciting contest, with Kerry eventually winning by a point, 3-11 to 1-16.
Still, somewhere in the shadows there were doubters, believing the physical element was missing, that it looked like puff pastry stuff. When that point was put to Kerry manager Jack O'Connor earlier this week he just raised his eyes to heaven. "My God, you're awful hard to please," he said.
Well, tomorrow's meeting has the potential to satisfy everyone. Once again we have two quality teams weighed down with football talent - with the added sense this time that there's no way they'll be sitting back to admire each other.
Both O'Connor and his Galway counterpart, Peter Ford, have announced unchanged line-ups and that's no surprise. Kerry made Laois look like a very ordinary side, or at least limited to some intricate hand passing and not a whole lot of scoring threat. Kerry won by eight points and that margin seemed deserved.
The main talking point after Galway's five-point win over Mayo was the style of their execution, loaded with toughness as much as skill. The Mayo management didn't like what they saw. It definitely cramped their style but, as Ford pointed out this week, all Galway were doing was counteracting the game plan of their opposition. Tactics, in other words, and maybe that's where Mayo were caught out.
Anyway, what is certain is Galway go into this game approaching an early season peak. From looking down the barrel of relegation in the early rounds they've gone on to highly convincing wins. Just ask Wexford, Meath and Down.
The return of Michael Donnellan and Seán Armstrong helps explain that, but there are other factors too, such as the positioning of Declan Meehan at corner back and Derek Savage at centre forward - both now working a treat.
The full forward line of Micheál Meehan, Pádraic Joyce and Armstrong are capable of inflicting great damage on any team and that's where the main challenge for Kerry lies. Marc Ó Sé has been an outstanding replacement for the injured Mike McCarthy at full back and if that line holds up again tomorrow Kerry should be more than halfway to victory.
Colm Cooper will undoubtedly be Kerry's main scoring threat but the addition of Bryan Sheehan and Ronan O'Connor appears to have expanded their options, with Eamonn Fitzmaurice adding strength to an already capable half-forward line.
Given Kerry's enduring desire to be tested against the very best teams there's no doubt they'll be fired up for this one, and that gives them a slight edge. The only shame is Croke Park and a decent crowd don't get to witness what should be one of the games of the year.
KERRY: D Murphy; A O'Mahony, M Ó Sé, T O'Sullivan; T Ó Sé, S Moynihan, M Lyons; D Ó Sé, K Donaghy; P Galvin, E Fitzmaurice, B Sheehan; C Cooper, D O'Sullivan, R O'Connor.
GALWAY: A Keane; D Meehan, K Fitzgerald, D Burke; A Burke, D Blake, M Comer; P Clancy, N Coleman; M Clancy, D Savage, M Donnellan; M Meehan, P Joyce, S Armstrong.
DIVISION TWO FINAL
Donegal v Louth, Breffni Park, 3.30 - What is it with Donegal football that they always have to go and spoil a good thing? Just when it seemed the team had pulled themselves together the old problem of indiscipline raised its head again.
Manager Brian McIver apparently had no choice this week other than dropping two of his best players ahead of tomorrow's final. Defenders Kevin Cassidy and Eamon McGee were both reported for an alleged breach of discipline, and are not expected to return for the remainder of the year.
Cassidy was an All Star wing back in 2002 and McGee, his club-mate at Gaoth Dobhair, has been one of Donegal's key players in recent weeks at centre back. They played a big role in last Sunday's semi-final win over Westmeath.
And this comes after the recent decision by another defender Shane Carr to leave the panel, reportedly for the management's lack of action on discipline. Just how deeply this latest mishap hits the team we'll only find out tomorrow.
Promotion was always the aim, but as the only team to go unbeaten in the league it would be a shame for Donegal not to seal that off on a winning note. They'll still present a very tough challenge for Louth, with a fine spread of scoring talent up front including Adrian Sweeney, Christy Toye, Michael Doherty and Michael Hegarty.
Louth, however, were arguably the most improved side of the league campaign, unbeaten until the last round against Westmeath, when their promotion was already guaranteed. They returned to full strength for last Sunday's semi-final with Limerick and were deserving eight-point winners.
They were in fact 11 points up with less than half an hour played, and Donegal can't afford a slow start tomorrow. JP Rooney, Mark Stanfield and Darren Clarke have been scoring with great consistency and if that's maintained to any great degree here then Louth can secure the Division Two title they also won back in 2001.
NATIONAL HURLING LEAGUE
DIVISION ONE SEMI-FINALS
Clare v Limerick, Semple Stadium, 1.30 - Brian Lohan returned from honeymoon earlier this week and trained on Wednesday and he's one of several big names returning for this one.
With Tony Carmody playing the best hurling of his career Clare are particularly strong up front, where Niall Gilligan is gradually returning to his best as well. Physically, too, Clare are as strong as they've ever been and they'd love another crack at the league title having lost the final 12 months ago.
Limerick, however, have been showing excellent form of their own, with last Sunday's win over Waterford extending their unbeaten run that stretches back to the Waterford Crystal Cup. While Waterford were poor Limerick did everything they needed to do to win, with Mark Keane hitting 0-9 at corner forward, while Donie Ryan, Conor Fitzgerald and Donal O'Grady chipped in with 0-9 between them.
Stephen Lucey appeared in the second half and helped kill off Waterford's challenge and he now starts at centre forward in an indirect swap with Mark O'Riordan.
Manager Joe McKenna has developed a winning mentality in this Limerick team and that will surely be tested to the maximum here.
Clare's mentality in that department has still been more regularly tested, just enough to give them the nod here.
Kilkenny v Tipperary, 3.15 - Kilkenny did what they always do and appeared to ease through the early rounds of the league, while Tipperary's recent form has matched the fine, spring weather.
The return of Henry Shefflin from a long lay-off with a groin injury and Noel Hickey after an even longer absence with a heart complaint means they go into this game as strong as they'd hope to be. Young Richie Power and Michael Rice have been doing most of the scoring damage in recent weeks, while Eoin Larkin continues to show up for an important contribution.
Offaly threw an awful lot at Tipperary last Sunday and yet the men in blue and gold always looked like winning. With Eoin and Paul Kelly back on form and Micheál Webster back at full forward their scoring threat is very real. There's a chance for under-21 player Darragh Egan to shine too, after taking over from team captain Ger O'Grady at corner forward.
Tipp can't afford to allow Kilkenny to dictate things like they did in their previous league meeting in February. A close and hard game guaranteed then, with Tipperary's new-found confidence just enough to sneak it.
DIVISION TWO SEMI-FINAL
Kerry v Mayo, Cusack Park, 2.0: Mayo's win over Meath after a replay was deemed one of the high points for hurling in the county in recent years but they'll have to raise that level again to beat Kerry, who still seem the better bet to meet Dublin in the Division Two final.
ALL-IRELAND UNDER-21 FC SEMI-FINALS
Mayo v Tyrone, Breffni Park, 1.45: Mayo proved their worth by beating All-Ireland champions Galway in the Connacht final by seven points, but they'll be up against it versus Tyrone in this Cadbury-sponsored semi-final. If Mayo don't freeze on the stage then victory can be theirs.
Laois v Cork, Gaelic Grounds, 3.30: Needless to say Laois' countdown to this game hasn't been ideal. Manager Seán Dempsey did agree to welcome back four of his key players - Donie Brennan, Colm Kelly (St Joseph's), Colm Kelly (Stradbally) and Colm Munnelly - after they were dropped for travelling to Killarney last Sunday with the senior team, against his wishes. But it remains to be seen what the mood of the camp will be. Unless Laois use the events of the past week to inspire them Cork look good to prevail.
