Dublin
Their recent semi-final history involves…victories. Dublin haven’t lost a last four clash since Donegal in 2014. Last year they strolled past Ulster champions Cavan by 1-24 to 0-12.
Their championship so far…has chucked along without them ever needing to get out of second gear. Single digit wins over Wexford, Meath and Kildare have done nothing to quell the talk that Dublin have come back to the pack. But the Sky Blues look as composed as ever in the closing stages of games. Their ability to choke the life out of a game remains unmatched.
Reasons to be optimistic…On paper, Dublin still have the best starting XV in the country. Kerry would dearly love to have defenders of the calibre of John Small, Davy Byrne and Mick Fitzsimons in their rearguard. They’ve lost plenty of attacking talent, yet Dublin have been putting up big tallies and their front six remain top class.
Cause for concern…Dublin’s aura has slipped somewhat and they don’t seem the invincible side they once were. They’re not hammering sides in Leinster, have a lack of impact off the bench and the loss of Stephen Cluxton in particular is a big one.
A dilemma for the manager is…where he plays Brian Howard. The Raheny man has operated on the half-back line in Leinster, but the likely return of Eoin Murchan to the team could see Howard moved further forward where he is more dangerous. Might he partner Brian Fenton at midfield with James McCarthy moving to wing-back, or could he push up to half-forward?
Mayo
Their recent semi-final history involves…an easy victory over Tipperary in the 2020 semi-final and defeat to Dublin a year earlier.
Their championship so far…it was hard to assess Mayo in comprehensive wins over Sligo and Leitrim. They were poor in the first-half of the Connacht final against a Galway outfit that were relegated from Division 1. Trailing by five, Mayo turned on the style after the interval and blew their rivals away.
Reasons to be optimistic…Mayo’s confidence levels are high and they sense Dublin are vulnerable. The pace and energy James Horan has introduced since last year revitalised the team. Unlike most teams in the country, they’ve got the athletic profile to compete with the Sky Blues.
Cause for concern…Mayo lost long-serving several warriors over the winter, but the loss of Cillian O’Connor to serious injury was a major blow. Doubts hang over the fitness of Oisin Mullin and Padraig O’Hora, while Brendan Harrison and Jason Doherty are also on the long-term injury list.
A dilemma for the manager is…how long Aidan O’Shea spends on the edge of the square. The temptation will be to use the Breaffy man at centre-forawrd as am extra kick-out option for Rob Hennelly. But for Mayo to win this game, they need goals and O’Shea provides that threat at 14.
Kerry
Their recent semi-final history involves…a three-point win over Tyrone in 2019. The Kingdom lost the 2017 last four clash to Mayo after a reply, and fell to Dublin at the same stage a year earlier.
Their championship so far…has been smooth sailing. Kerry breezed through Munster without much fuss. They dished out cold revenge on Cork with a 22-point beat down in the provincial decider.
Reasons to be optimistic…is they’re playing like a team carrying serious hurt from how last year transpired. Kerry’s much-vaunted forward line are clicking nicely, even if David Clifford was unusually quiet against Cork. His brother Paudie has added running power and creativity to the half-forward line.
Cause for concern…Peter Keane’s main worry surrounds his backs and their ability to defend one-on-one. Peter Crowley’s retirement before the campaign was a blow. Going forward, Kerry are so good that they might be content to simply outscore teams, á la Newcastle United under Kevin Keegan. David Moran’s ability to go hard for 70 minutes is also in question, but Diarmuid O’Connor and Jack Barry are able deputies.
A dilemma for the manager is…the uncertainty over Tyrone’s Covid outbreak has also hampered Kerry’s preparations. They could arrive into the All-Ireland final without being truly road tested as it’s still a possibility Tyrone will be forced to pull out of the competition. Kerry will probably play a full-blooded A v B training game this weekend to keep match fitness high.
Tyrone
Their recent semi-final history involves…defeat to Kerry in 2019 and a win over Monaghan in 2018.
Their championship so far…has seen Tyrone move to a more attacking style of play. They were down joint-boss Feargal Logan and four players for the Ulster final win over the Farney due to Covid. A further outbreak in the squad has rocked the Red Hands, with up to 19 players reported to have tested positive for the virus.
Reasons to be optimistic…is, if the game is fulfilled, Tyrone will arrive into the Kerry game with few expectations. The Kingdom are favourites to go all the way and Tyrone will be able to adopt a siege mentality, which has served them well in the past. If they can get their best players on the field, they’ve got a shot, but therein lies the issue.
Cause for concern…is the Covid outbreak in the squad. It’s desperately unlucky on Tyrone to be hit like this when they’re 70 minutes away from the All-Ireland final. Their preparations for the biggest game of their season have been completely turned upside down. In addition Covid has been found to have some negative long-term affects on athletes after the virus has left their body, so performance levels could be impacted even if they can field a team.
A dilemma for the joint-managers is…do they play hardball with the GAA and insist on a further postponement to allow them some training time before the match? Withdrawing from the championship could force the GAA’s hand in giving Brian Dooher and Logan’s side an extra week to prepare. But with the All-Ireland final fixed for 4 September, the Association don’t seem willing to budge.
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