Ciarraí V Maigh Eo – BEO TG4 @ 14.00
Kerry topped division one of the league losing just won match along the way. They go in to this match as hot favourites as a result. Jack O’ Connor has made seven changes to the team that played against the same opposition last weekend. Marc Ó Sé, Paul Galvin, Declan O’Sullivan and Darran O’Sullivan are all returning to the starting line-up while
Brendan Kealy comes back in goal, Aidan O’Mahony will start at centre-back, and Anthony Maher will be along side Bryan Sheehan in midfield. Sheehan has been the Kingdom’s top scorer in the league this year with 2-33 in total. All bar eight of those points have come from placed balls which is slightly worrying from their point of view. However with Cooper coming back in to the side scoring from play should dramatically improve. Even if Cooper fails to fire Moyvane’s Patrick Curtain has shown in recent weeks he could be the man to fill the Gooch’s boots. Curtain has kicked an impressive 1-09 from play despite starting just three games.
Mayo have played Kerry in Croke Park four times since 2004 and have lost every time. The westerners often appeared to be beaten before they even took to the field. If you look at the Mayo’s sides that have lost out to Kerry in the past they appear to be much stronger on paper than the current side. Gone are the likes of Heaney, McDonald and Padden. While the current Kerry side may not be as strong as it was in the past either, it is still hard to see the current crop of Mayo player turning them over. The Connacht champions will be without Aidan O’ Shea who is out with a hamstring injury and is not expected back until late June.
Verdict: Kerry
Corcaigh V An Dún – BEO Tg4 Ó 16:00
Cork have mastered the league format it would appear, if they win on Sunday they will be playing in their third final in three years, having won the last two. Last weekend against the Dubs, Cork played some terrible football and hit some awful wides but still managed to win fairly comfortably. Cork and Dublin are two of the best three teams in the country but after last Sunday’s display, not even the most optimistic of fan could see either of them troubling Kerry. Dublin came down to Pairc Uí Chaoimh with no intension of playing expansive free flowing football. The worrying thing from a Cork point of view was that they found it very hard to break them down. This Sunday Down should not cause them the same trouble and expect them to rain balls in on top of Aidan Walsh who is slowly growing in to his role as full forward. The Kanturk dual star has scored 1-08 in five starts and should add to that at the weekend.
Down got a bit of a lesson in football when they played the rebels back in Feburary. They conceded four goals that day, their season has turned around since though and following that defeat they beat both Mayo and Dublin. Benny Coulter is still their man main but he has only managed 1-05 so far this campaign, a lot more will be expected from him if Down are to have any hope of causing an upset in Gaa HQ on Sunday.
Verdict: Cork
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