THE COUNTDOWN IS on to next Sunday’s showdown in Croke Park with Kerry and Donegal putting the final touches to their preparations.
Kerry will announce their team on Thursday night while Donegal’s side will be unveiled later in the week.
What are the big calls that face Eamon Fitzmaurice and Jim McGuinness? We’ve taken a look.
KERRY
1. Bringing Marc Ó Sé back
It cannot have been an easy decision for Eamon Fitzmaurice to relegate his former team-mate Marc Ó Sé to the bench for the replay win over Mayo. But Fitzmaurice’s judgement was rewarded as Ó Sé came on as a substitute early in the game and produced a rousing display. He had plenty motivation to perform but even after a long and decorated career, Ó Sé proved he can still make an impact.
Will he be in from the off next Sunday? It’s the dilemma facing Fitzmaurice. Shane Enright endured a torrid opening on Cillian O’Connor in the Gaelic Grounds yet he had been outstanding back in the Munster final shadowing Brian Hurley. Is Ó Sé better kept in reserve or do Kerry need his calm and cool head in a defence that will contain some raw talents on the biggest stage?
2. The role of Declan O’Sullivan
Kerry’s win over Cork in July was a revelation as a team that entered the game armed with low expectations went on to crush their opponents. The sublime display of Declan O’Sullivan in a quarter back role was central to that sparkling success.
Since then O’Sullivan has not been as influential, hampered by his injured knees and restricted to substitute roles in the two-game saga against Mayo. His class is undoubted yet is the Dromid Pearses clubman better suited in being sprung from the bench? It’s a similar conundrum to the Ó Sé question facing the Kerry boss.
3. Bolters from the bench
Kerry used 23 players over the course of that frenzied replay success in the Gaelic Grounds. It was a day that tested the depth of their panel and Kerry’s players passed the stern test with flying colours. Have any of them done enough to persuade Fitzmaurice that they are worth a starting berth?
Barry John Keane and Jonathan Lyne came on to knock over a vital brace of points apiece. Pa Kilkenny and Mark Griffin put in important shifts in defence. While Bryan Sheehan, Darran O’Sullivan and Stephen O’Brien have shaken off injury travails to be back fighting fit. Fitzmaurice has plenty options and choosing what way to go with his starting deck will be interesting.
DONEGAL
1. Patrick McBrearty challenging in attack
He was the match winner against Armagh as his point enabled Donegal to stave off a storming All-Ireland quarter-final challenge. He started two years ago when Donegal tasted All-Ireland glory and came off the bench to strike 0-2 in their recent semi-final win over Dublin.
But will Patrick McBrearty gain a place in the starting line-up next Sunday? The Kilcar youngster is a brilliant talent yet a key strength of Donegal’s system is the positioning of Colm McFadden close to goal. That has meant McBrearty thriving in the impact sub role and Jim McGuinness may opt to use his hard running and clever point-taking late in the game.
2. Christy Toye’s influence against Dublin
Donegal experienced a rocky opening to their clash with Dublin but grew into the game as the first-half progressed. The influence of Christy Toye was key in that regard. The renaissance Toye is enjoying after a serious illness was captured in his performance in that game.
He came on before the interval with his surging runs and strength in the tackle proving central to Donegal’s revival. Has Toye done enough to merit inclusion from the off? It would appear David Walsh is the player he will push closest for a starting berth and that’s the call facing McGuinness.
3. Match-ups in defence
Given how Kerry’s attack is more orthodox in structure than Donegal’s, we can expect McGuinness to pay a lot of attention to his defensive match-ups on Sunday. Kerry’s full-forward line all enter the game in good form. James O’Donoghue is leading the way in the Footballer of the Year race, Kieran Donaghy has bounced back impressively after injury woes and Paul Geaney has established himself in a strong fashion this summer.
Donegal are likely to pull bodies back to negate the impact of Donaghy and O’Donoghue in particular. The suspicion is that Donaghy will be marshalled by Eamon McGee, O’Donoghue marked by Neil McGee and that would leave Paddy McGrath shadowing Geaney. How McGuinness sets out to shut down Kerry’s attack will crucial.