How to beat Kerry
Only two teams have beaten Kerry this year, both during the National League. The Mayo and Donegal managers explain how they did it and what strategies are needed to repeat it on Sunday ...
Darragh O Se wins possession ahead of James Masters during last year's Munster final, but Brian McIvor doesn't expect him to be so dominant on Sunday.
February 4 2007, Castlebar: Mayo beat Kerry 1-11 to 0-11
"Context is everything. This was the first game in the league, it was Pat O'Shea's first game in charge, Dr Crokes were still involved in the All-Ireland club championship (though Colm Cooper did play) and Kieran Donaghy was sent off (after 44 minutes).
We expected him at full-forward but Michael Quirke played there and Donaghy emerged at midfield (with Darragh O'Se) and certainly the Dublin game clearly showed that Kerry don't just have plenty of options in personnel but also have it in their styles of play too.
They have the obvious option of playing directly and getting long balls into Donaghy to feed others but they showed the last day that they can also opt to use the space up-front by using a two-man full-forward line to exploit it. All of a sudden against Dublin - and ironically when they lost Darragh O'Se to injury - they switched their style of play and the big question for Cork is which style they are going to use and how to counteract it.
Yet whatever your approach, there are two things a team must do to beat Kerry.
Firstly you have to dominate them possession-wise because, when they have the ball, few have as much talent to use it.
Cork are actually well-placed to do this because if you look right through their central spine - Graham Canty, Ger Spillane, Nicholas Murphy, Pearse O'Neill and Michael Cussen - they have an exceptionally tall, strong, physical team who have the ability to win a lot of ball.
Secondly, once Kerry get possession, you have to do everything possible to cut off the supply to their forwards. That may mean doubling up on Donaghy or bringing someone back to play in front of him.
It will be interesting also to see whether both sides stick with the big man at full-forward because they both have good attacking wing-backs.
Cork seemed to be having difficulties adapting this tactic and made Michael Cussen virtually redundant against Louth but when he's come outfield he's also shown he's very capable also.
If both himself and Donaghy come deep it will be like the M50 at rush-hour in midfield!
But if there's only a couple of points in it with 20 minutes left, then Cork will have a great chance."
Brian McIvor
(Outgoing Donegal boss)
March 25, Letterkenny
Donegal beat Kerry 1-15 to 0-13
"You have to take into account that they were without Declan O'Sullivan and Colm Cooper that day and lost Kieran Donaghy (shoulder injury) after 20 minutes but it was still an excellent game of football and we played really well.
Kerry started like a house on fire and raced five points clear but Kevin Cassidy got a great goal before half-time and it was nip and tuck all the way before Brendan Devenney got a couple of great scores to pull us clear.
If anything we showed Kerry too much respect, stood off them too much early on, which allowed them to get some great scores.
That's the first thing you can't do against Kerry because they'll punish you. But Cork know them better than anyone. They know they were only beaten by two late, great points in the Munster final when they had a fantastic goal chance themselves at the end that might have been a penalty. Not being afraid of Kerry is one of Cork's biggest assets.
The other vital thing you must do is to get a grip at midfield. It's not easy finding a weakness in their team but when we got on top there and started running at them that gave us a great platform and, naturally, the midfield battle will be massive on Sunday.
I don't see Darragh O'Se lording it in midfield like he did in last year's semi-final and while everyone is talking about the Kerry forwards I think Cork have great ability upfront. Their forwards' display against Meath was as heartwarming as I've seen in a long time, and that was without James Masters! So they know they have forwards capable of scoring if they can secure enough midfield possession.
One thing you have to watch for too, against Kerry, is to play to the final whistle. You can keep Cooper scoreless for most of a game but he can literally take you apart then in five minutes.
A lot of teams, as Cork know, have been caught late by Kerry this year so you must never take your eye off them.
I know everyone is making Kerry favourites and I'd have to go with that but I certainly wouldn't put the mortgage on it and I think it's going to be a great, great All-Ireland final."
