Sport
‘I genuinely believe that Mayo can win’
Eamonn Fitzgerald speaks to former Mayo footballer John Gibbons about Saturday’s All-Ireland semi-final.
No Kerry v Tyrone game on Sunday due to COVID problems in Tyrone, so the focus is on Dublin and Mayo tomorrow in the All-Ireland semi-final.
It seems like an eternity since Mayo won the Sam Maguire. You have to go back to 1951, in fact, and since then they have lost finals in 1989, 1996 (after a replay), 1997, 2004, 2006, 2012, 2013, 2016 (after a replay), 2017 and 2020. There is just one member alive of that last Mayo team to win the Sam Maguire and that is the powerful Paddy Prendergast, who has been living in Tralee for over 40 years. Glad to say Paddy is alive and in good health.
Many of our readers will remember Willie McGee, the red-headed full forward who really almost single-handedly beat Kerry in an U21 All-Ireland final by scoring four goals. McGee and the stylish centre-forward John Gibbons later teamed up as the central plank of the Mayo senior attack, meeting Kerry in two NFL finals in the early seventies.
EF: John Gibbons and I were working colleagues, but in direct opposition in those finals. During the week I spoke to John in his Louisburgh home and first asked him how Mayo are coping without the injured Cillian O’Connor.
JG: Mayo have coped reasonably well without Cillian, but you cannot lose a player of his quality without seriously diminishing your forward line. He has been Mayo's star forward for years: no other Mayo forward has come close to him with his forward play, his scoring ability from play and, very importantly, his free-taking.
Free takers win All-Irelands. There is a list as long as your arm, from Tony McTeague, Jimmy Keaveney, and a longer list in Kerry alone. Think recently of Michael Murphy, Stephen Cluxton even, Dean Rock, someone who is able to score frees under the biggest pressure. That's what Mayo have lost in Cillian. Young Ryan O'Donoghue has done very well but he is untried at this level.
What of the other younger players?
Tommy Conroy has great talent and played very well in the second half against Galway, but he was anonymous in last year's All-Ireland. Darren McHale, another newcomer, was taken off at half-time against Galway. That's what you get from young players: inconsistency. They are talented but inconsistent and with only two experienced players in the forward line (Aidan O'Shea and Diarmuid O'Connor), it's expecting a lot of the young players to step up to the mark and it took the introduction of 'old-timer' Kevin McLoughlin at halftime against Galway to change the course of the game. I believe that Mayo will really miss Cillian - that will be their first real test without him.
How do you rate the new kids on the block, John?
Of the other newcomers Pádraig O'Hora at full back – provided he has recovered from a shoulder injury – is a fine prospect. He is physically strong and athletic, not afraid to tackle and break forward. He should have Lee Keegan beside him and probably Michael Plunkett in the other corner. I would expect the half back line to be Paddy Durcan, and we all know his ability, Young Player of the Year Oisín Mullen at centre back, and probably Eoghan McLaughlin or Stephen Coen at left half back. That line has the attacking potential to trouble Dublin. It's how they can handle their defensive duties against the Kilkenny, O’Callaghan, Rock – forwards and others who may well decide the match.
At midfield Mattie Ruane is developing into one of the best midfielders in the country but if the real Brian Fenton turns up, Mattie will have his hands full.
Aidan O’Shea has been a huge player for Mayo but has had a disappointing record in Croke Park, scoring so little in 6 outings. Where would you play him?
The dilemma of where to play Aidan O'Shea is a head-scratcher. I thought he had a marvellous game against Galway. His work rate is always top class and if you examine his displays, he never gets the amount of frees that he deserves. He will probably be fouled twice while in possession and yet will have a free given against him for over carrying. I would play him at full forward but I think he prefers to roam around the centre forward spot so that he's involved more in the play.
Are Dublin on the wane?
They are they still a strong force. However, if Mayo play against Dublin in the first half as they did against Galway then the game will be over by half-time regardless of whether Dublin are on the wane or not. Mayo were sloppy in the back line and gave away two sloppy goals. Their forwards in that first half were wasteful in the extreme. You won't get away with that against Dublin.
Having said that I believe Mayo will put it up to Dublin and that it will be a close encounter, as I genuinely believe they can win.
MY VIEW
I take a different view to my friend John Gibbons. Dublin have not been beaten in six years and I expect them to continue on their way tomorrow. Yes, there are signs that they may not be as sharp as heretofore and have lost a few key players, none more influential than goalkeeper Stephen Cluxton. There was a big hullabaloo in the media that he never announced publicly that he had retired. He departed on his own terms. He owed Dublin or the GAA public nothing after a marvellous career. Fear ann féin is ea Cluxton. As far as I can recall, neither did Maurice Fitzgerald make a public announcement about his retirement.
Evan Comerford, the new Dublin keeper, is quite competent but has not yet perfected the skill of consistently finding teammate with the kickout. I wonder will Mayo press up on those kickouts. I believe they should because Dublin love to launch attacks from deep. They are superbly fit and are quite content to inter-pass and hold possession 50 yards from goal. They will not attempt Holy Mary kicks, with a high chance of failure. Hold the ball until a chink appears in the opposition’s defence and the ball is delivered to the player in the best position to score. This is usually predicated by the runner coming from deep. It could be anyone, not just running, but galloping at high speed. It may be Fenton, James McCarthy, Ciarán Kilkenny, Johnny Small, Con O’Callaghan, take your pick. Kerry folk will remember Eoin Murchan doing just that and scoring the goal that deprived us of the All-Ireland we should have won.
In the Leinster final Brian Fenton was largely invisible. He will be influential tomorrow.
For Mayo, Aidan O’Shea has to be a leader; he must lead from the front tomorrow, to inspire the young cohort playing with the big boys on the grand stage for the first time. I have been impressed by the progress of the young ones on the Mayo team and wish them well tomorrow.
Mayo bridesmaids once more? Unfortunately, I think so.
Sport
Jack O’Connor’s Kerry squad is looking deeper and stronger (but the proof will be in the eating)
As we reach the midway point of the 2025 season, Adam Moynihan takes a close look at Kerry’s strength in depth
As the Kerry players, management team and backroom staff huddled together for a photo with the Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh Cup in front of the Hogan Stand, one of the photographers raised his fist in the air, trying to illicit something resembling a celebratory scene. No joy.
Victory over Mayo had been secured in convincing enough fashion but winning the league has never been grounds for buoyant celebrations as far as Kerry are concerned. Retaining Division 1 status and unearthing some new talent is generally enough to tick the springtime box ahead of the serious business of the championship. Once that has been achieved, anything else is gravy.
Going by the disappointing loss to Armagh in last year’s All-Ireland semi-final, the need for new blood was especially great heading into the 2025 season. The team faded badly down the stretch and into extra time against the Orchard County with overdependence on core players glaringly obvious. It wasn’t the only reason they lost but Kerry simply didn’t get enough from their supporting cast on the day.
With that in mind, Jack O’Connor knew he had to work on the depth of his squad during this league campaign, and you’d have to say he made a pretty good fist of it.
Starting in goal, the situation here is clear with Shane Murphy providing back-up to Shane Ryan.
Moving out the field, in recent years Kerry have generally gone with Jason Foley at full back, Tom O’Sullivan at left corner back, and one of Paul Murphy or Graham O’Sullivan at right corner back.
After making his debut in the league in 2024, Damien Bourke has emerged as a genuine right corner back alternative with some strong performances that have vastly enhanced his reputation. Not many Kerry players came out of the Dublin defeat with extra credit to their name but Bourke was brave and tenacious, bursting out of defence and using the ball wisely. He was replaced as a starter by the experienced Murphy in later rounds but the Tralee man capped his league with a goal off the bench against Galway in Salthill.
Dylan Casey also got extended game time in the absence of Tom O’Sullivan and he acquitted himself professionally. He has a solid head on his shoulders and you get the impression that Jack O’Connor would now be comfortable throwing him into any given situation without hesitation.
The versatile Graham O’Sullivan is also an option at corner back and it looks like he’ll need to slot in somewhere other than his natural position of half back as Brian Ó Beaglaoich and Gavin White are nailed on starters at 5 and 7. O’Sullivan lined out at half forward against Galway and Mayo, underlining his flexibility and importance to the team.
There could be a changing of the guard taking place at centre back with Mike Breen seemingly shaking off the injury woes that have held back his progress with Kerry to date. With regular number 6 Tadhg Morley unavailable for selection for most of the league, Breen slotted seamlessly into that crucial central role, and he looked really confident against Mayo on Sunday. As things stand, Morley will be doing well to displace Breen but either way Kerry should have two good centre back options heading into the summer months.
Midfield has been a head scratcher for Kerry for a number of years but in Diarmuid O’Connor and Joe O’Connor they appear to have found a winning combination. Diarmuid was playing the best football of his career up to his injury against Armagh in Round 6 so getting his shoulder right for championship is of paramount importance to Kerry’s chances.
Joe is a guaranteed starter too but his assured display at wing forward against Armagh was interesting in that it opens the door for a third midfielder to start. Seán O’Brien and Barry Dan O’Sullivan both applied themselves admirably when called upon in the league and the manager should feel like he can trust them more now than he did 12 months ago.
Joe O’Connor’s arrival as a half forward candidate has improved Kerry’s options to the extent that it’s difficult to predict how they will line out from 10 to 12 in the Munster Championship. Micheál Burns has done quite well upon his reintroduction to the team after being dropped from the panel in 2024, and Paudie Clifford is looking sharp at centre forward. Tony Brosnan and Dylan Geaney are options along this line too, although Dylan has been operating as a withdrawn inside forward to date – a role Tony is also capable of playing.
Of course, Seánie O’Shea will have to fit in somewhere in this department when he fully recuperates from his knee ligament injury, so it will be interesting to see how Jack O’Connor works this conundrum out. File under ‘good problems’.
Dara Moynihan is still recovering from a hip injury and has not yet featured in 2025. He would naturally be an option at 10 if he can get back up to speed. Meanwhile, Darragh Lyne, Ruairí Murphy and Cathal Ó Beaglaoich all featured at half forward in the league.
David Clifford and Paul Geaney will play at 13 and 14 with Dylan Geaney in pole position to start at 15 on the back of a really good run of form, perhaps excepting the league final in which he was relatively quiet. Tony Brosnan is a prime candidate to challenge Dylan for that spot; the Dr Crokes player has kicked some fantastic scores in each of his last three appearances as a substitute.
As for out-and-out inside forwards, Conor Geaney and Killian Spillane are likely to be used as impact subs.
All told Kerry do appear to have better depth than they had last year, particularly with the emergence of second season players like Bourke, O’Brien and Dylan Geaney as legitimate options, and with Breen beginning to fulfil his potential. Burns’ comeback and Joe O’Connor’s newfound ability to play the 12 position also help.
As always, though, the proof will be in the eating. We will have to wait for the suffocating heat of do-or-die championship matches to find out if this squad is as deep and dependable as it looks on paper.
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