Gaelic Games

Vox pop: scrutinising the key areas in Sunday’s Dublin v Kerry semi-final

Conor Counihan, Mickey Whelan, Jack O’Connor and Terry Hyland give their views

Jack O’Connor says that the kick-outs of Dublin’s Stephen Cluxton (above) and Kerry’s Brendan Kealy will prove vital in Sunday’s All-Ireland senior football semi-final. Photograph: Inpho
Jack O’Connor says that the kick-outs of Dublin’s Stephen Cluxton (above) and Kerry’s Brendan Kealy will prove vital in Sunday’s All-Ireland senior football semi-final. Photograph: Inpho
Thu Aug 29 2013 - 01:00

CONOR COUNIHAN (Cork manager – stepped down after defeats to Kerry and Dublin in 2013)

1. What's more important in an All-Ireland semi-final: experience and proven quality or pace, power and youth?
"Age is a factor in sport but there is a level of experience that comes with age. Games these days are so much about 'on the day,' you know, who turns up mentally right. If Dublin come at it with the right approach you would expect them to get through. Kerry need to start well. They can't afford to go behind against this Dublin side. That's when the age profile would tell."

2. What are the key match-ups?
"Around the middle of the field. Managing the Dublin kick-outs is important but it's the battle throughout the field that matters. If the guy behind Jack McCaffrey is in trouble then Jack McCaffrey will also come under pressure. And vice versa. You are only as strong as your weakest link.

3. Free bet: Dublin or Kerry and by how much?
"I expect Dublin to win but Kerry will make it very difficult for them. We saw it last weekend, Mayo's few scores before half-time were crucial and Tyrone had two injuries. The penalty decision as well. Confidence is a thin line in sport."


MICKEY WHELAN (Former Dublin player, selector and manager)

1. What's more important in an All-Ireland semi-final: experience and proven quality or pace, power and youth?
"If you put the work in you will be fit enough for 70 minutes. Having won All-Irelands matters. Kerry are talking themselves down at the moment. When they do that they are generally confident of a big performance and are playing well in training. Their second half performance against Cavan might have been due to a heavy training load. Maybe a calculated risk. I certainly don't see them falling apart."


2. What are the key match-ups?
"Dublin need to gain parity in midfield. I also think Kerry are gearing up to use a fast inside forward line, with just two men in there."


3. Free bet: Dublin or Kerry and by how much?
"I feel that Dublin will win it. Over the last five years they have a good record against Kerry. I don't think they have beaten us since that shellacking in 2009. The young guys have fitted in well, they have won a National League and look confident in themselves. But you can never write Kerry off. They always bring a lot of footballing nous to every game."



JACK O'CONNOR (Two-term former Kerry manager)

1. What's more important in an All-Ireland semi-final: experience and proven quality or pace, power and youth?
"Dublin do have more pace than Kerry, especially around the middle third of the field but pace is only useful if you have the ball. We've seen these Dublin guys on the front foot all the year. You'd love to see them on the back foot. Just to see how they react then."

2. What are the key match-ups?
"The critical battle is between the goalkeepers. Brendan Kealy and Stephen Cluxton have the two best kick-outs in the game. They can kick 50 yard balls into pockets. I think this game will come down to primary possession. Cluxton put on an exhibition against Cork, not only was he hitting half backs and midfielders, he was hitting half forwards. Cork didn't make it as difficult on him as they could have."

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3. Free bet: Dublin or Kerry and by how much?
"There is still a huge amount of hurt in that Kerry squad from the 2011 final. I have never been able to watch it back. It's too painful. Now imagine how the players feel? Make no mistake about it, this will be a hugely driven Kerry team. Whether that will be enough to overcome the exuberance and pace of Dublin, sin scéal eile but I think you write off them off at your peril. There is a freshness about them with the new management."



TERRY HYLAND (Cavan manager)

1. What's more important in an All-Ireland semi-final: experience and proven quality or pace, power and youth?
"Kerry have probably five of the better forwards in the country, certainly experience-wise, but a lot will hinge on how Dublin set up defensively against them. Will their attacking half-back line leave holes at the back if they are turned over? I think Dublin's age profile will eventually come into play."

2. What are the key match-ups?
"I think how Dublin handle the Gooch will be crucial. He has been starting at number 11 so he might need a man marker, maybe Cian O'Sullivan, because his passing is so influential. The game will all depend on turnovers, I feel."

3. Free bet: Dublin or Kerry and by how much?
"I think it will be like last week, Kerry will stay with them for a long time but Dublin, like Mayo, will have too much for them in the last 10 minutes. In the second half of the quarter-final against us Kerry retreated, and maybe it was a tactical thing for further down the line, but they did leave gaps 35 yards from goal. Long range shooters could have easily punished that. We kicked 13 wides and kicked three short. They do concede scoring chances."