TACTICAL TAKE: KERRY
THE trouble with underdogs and replays is that they have to think of new ideas all over again.
Some of Kerry’s tactical work spooked Dublin, not least them leaving Paul Mannion or Dean Rock completely free to overload on Cluxton’s kickout. They won three-in-a-row off him, but didn’t get the scoring reward they should have and then did it again and got caught for the Dublin goal.
Gavin White on Jack McCaffrey didn’t work, and behind that Peter Keane will review some of his match-ups before the replay, particularly Tom O’Sullivan on Con O’Callaghan.
But they got a good few right, with Tadhg Morley and Gavin Crowley doing good jobs on Paul Mannion and Ciaran Kilkenny. Paul Murphy was better in the sweeping role than against Tyrone, but still not perfect.
TACTICAL TAKE: DUBLIN
THERE will be debate over whose the moral victory was, but it seemed like Dublin’s.
The plan was torn up by Jonny Cooper’s red card, but Jim Gavin deserves credit for the way he reorganised. Namely, he didn’t panic and gave Michael Fitzsimons a chance on Clifford, moving Davy Byrne over to Geaney, and that full-back line coped well enough that allowed them to keep the rest of their defensive pieces intact.
John Small on Stephen O’Brien worked well, though James McCarthy struggled with Sean O’Shea. Keeping Con O’Callaghan close to goal when down to 14 gave them a physical platform and allowed them to throw a few in long and save the legs.
The gaping chasm in their defence when they were in control midway through the second half led to the Kerry goal and the game’s swing, but it was a necessary evil.
REF WATCH
David Gough
IT just goes to prove how hard it is for a GAA referee to win. Kerry fans were upset by a second penalty not given and a free Sean O’Shea might have had at a crucial time. Dublin felt Jonny Cooper’s red was harsh and that Tom O’Sullivan was owed the same fate.
And yet for those few quirks, Gough was brilliant. Contributed massively to the spectacle that the game was. Took no cognisance of the tiredness in the last quarter and kept letting both sides sail into each other, which ended up suiting Dublin. But overall neither side could really complain.
KEY BATTLE
Jack Barry v Brian Fenton
IT was widely expected that Jack Barry would come into the Kerry side, and that he would pick up Brian Fenton as he has in the last four meetings between the sides.
Barry did come in and had an outstanding first half in which he not only completely nullified the Footballer of the Year, but his fetching at midfield gave Kerry a real platform for attack from both ends.
The battle wasn’t quite so prominent in the second half but Barry won it overall.
TURNING POINT
YOU could pick a million instances, especially given that there was no definitive swing one way or the other, and perhaps this decision is unfair. But Kerry had a one-point lead and they had 14-man Dublin chasing the ball in stoppage time when David Moran took off on a needless travail into occupied waters.
His tired body couldn’t hold on to the ball, he got stripped of it and Dublin came down to work the game’s final equaliser for Dean Rock. Had Moran moved the ball on and Kerry had kept it out of contact, the clinching score was there to be worked.
TOP SCORE
DUBLIN’S goal was as much a testament to their players’ ability to work the game out as it was to their brilliance.
Kerry were having great joy overloading the Dublin half on Stephen Cluxton’s kickouts, but having lost three, they organised into a shape where Brian Howard made his way into an aerial battle against Gavin White. Howard was always going to win it and Dublin knew what Kerry were at.
They moved the ball quick and bang went Jack McCaffrey through the gap to put manners on Kerry’s bravery.
