Qualifiers - Round 4

Meath v Laois
Down v Tipperary
Sligo v Kildare
Clare v Kerry

Will be interesting to see venues etc but I think Kerry are the only team to come out of this that the 4 provincial winners would prefer to avoid. I could see a Dublin-Kerry QF ... full house guaranteed ....

As far as I know when the draw is made next weekend if Down are in it they can't play Donegal, Meath can't play Dublin, Sligo can't play Mayo and Cork can't play Clare if they beat Kerry. Am I right?

No Croke Park fixture at all!! Strange!

Laois v Meath, 3.30pm, Tullamore
Tipperary v Down, 4pm, Mullingar
Kildare v Sligo, 6.30pm, Roscommon
Kerry v Clare, 7pm, Limerick

All on Saturday .... blazers really seem to be giving Lilies a kicking in the qualifiers ....

Parouisa wrote:No Croke Park fixture at all!! Strange!

Heard that originally Kerry-Clare was fixed for Croke Park but then realised Kerry could not have a home venue.

Real Kerry Fan wrote:

Parouisa wrote:No Croke Park fixture at all!! Strange!

Heard that originally Kerry-Clare was fixed for Croke Park but then realised Kerry could not have a home venue.

And it wouldn't have been worth opening up HQ for 6 people ......

Parouisa wrote:

Real Kerry Fan wrote:

Parouisa wrote:No Croke Park fixture at all!! Strange!

Heard that originally Kerry-Clare was fixed for Croke Park but then realised Kerry could not have a home venue.

And it wouldn't have been worth opening up HQ for 6 people ......

Ah God my family would make up 6 plus the three Clare fellows I drink with and maybe Anthony Daly might get in free so that would be a start anyway.

Wanted: Sligo Jersey. Will swap for Limerick jersey.

Real Kerry Fan wrote:Anthony Daly might get in free so that would be a start anyway.

Dalo would be on the Hill .....

Will Sligo get a bit of Connaught support? Will Tullamore suit Laois better than the Royals. Is Mullingar an advantage for Down? Will Clare turn up?

Jonsmith wrote:Wanted: Sligo Jersey. Will swap for Limerick jersey.

Wear the Limerick one all week and don't wash it

OMAR wrote:

Jonsmith wrote:Wanted: Sligo Jersey. Will swap for Limerick jersey.

Wear the Limerick one all week and don't wash

Fixhed ......

I've put together a tactical preview of Sligo vs Kildare for anyone interested [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Good man Emmet - JS will be passing this on to Kevin Walsh! C'mon the Sligo men!

all postive energy heading weast to sligo

Sorry Emmet fairytale ending with Seanie scoring the winner.

Real Kerry Fan wrote:Sorry Emmet fairytale ending with Seanie scoring the winner.

I'd say the backpage headlines are already locked and loaded to go if that happens

I expect Kildare to easy past Sligo. The win over Limerick will stand to them.

As for Seanie, for interest's sake I want to see him against a Division 1 side to see how he plays. The last time he met a top side he didn't fare out so well, although as Paul Fitz pointed out he did manage to keep Karl Lacey to just the one point that day..

Parouisa wrote:Laois v Meath, 3.30pm, Tullamore
Tipperary v Down, 4pm, Mullingar
Kildare v Sligo, 6.30pm, Roscommon
Kerry v Clare, 7pm, Limerick

All on Saturday .... blazers really seem to be giving Lilies a kicking in the qualifiers ....

Sligo will give the Flourbags their fill of it in The Hyde.....Meath will account for Laois in Tullamore on the big pitch...
Venues/Pitch sizes crucial....

Jonsmith wrote:I expect Kildare to easy past Sligo. The win over Limerick will stand to them.

As for Seanie, for interest's sake I want to see him against a Division 1 side to see how he plays. The last time he met a top side he didn't fare out so well, although as Paul Fitz pointed out he did manage to keep Karl Lacey to just the one point that day..

A promoted division two side to be pedantic

Jonsmith wrote:I expect Kildare to easy past Sligo. The win over Limerick will stand to them.

As for Seanie, for interest's sake I want to see him against a Division 1 side to see how he plays. The last time he met a top side he didn't fare out so well, although as Paul Fitz pointed out he did manage to keep Karl Lacey to just the one point that day..

There's twice the football skills in Sligo than Kildare. Sligo to match them man for man and out-score them.
KIldare are steeplechasers, Aintreee-esque, where's Sligo are/maybe hurdlers....

Verdict: The All-Blacks.....

Parouisa wrote:Meath v Laois
Down v Tipperary
Sligo v Kildare
Clare v Kerry

I honestly think Meath will find it tough to bounce back - despite Banty's positive words. Laois have had a run of 3 championship wins and some of their stalwarts are playing well.

I am trying to not let me heart rule my head with Sligo and Kildare. The head says Kildare - this is proving a very difficult tipster pick. Maybe I'll pick KE and if they lose I will be only too happy to lose the 2 points! Down are pretty awful but experience and guile may be enough for an inexperienced but game Tipp side. Clare v Kerry is a no-brainer!

Pity Clare/Kerry clashing as if drawn seperate Munster would have four in Q/F. Count Limerick who should have beaten Kildare and there would be 5. Strongest provence by far.

Meath v Laois 1/2 15/2 9/4
Down v Tipperary 1/2 15/2 9/4
Kildare v Sligo 3/10 9/1 7/2
Kerry v Clare 1/50 33/1 14/1

Bookies give Laois the same chance against Meath as they do Tipp against Down!!! Some good value here. Laois, Tipp, Sligo treble nearly 50/1!

emmetryan wrote:I've put together a tactical preview of Sligo vs Kildare for anyone interested [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Very good analysis Emmet.

Only one thing to add to it from a Sligo perspective. Midfield is the glaring weakness in this Sligo team. There's no dominant ball-winner there. TT has never figured out how to out-muscle and opponent, and Shane Mc has been anonymous for the county team this year. Eugene Mullen offers a bit more when he comes in off the bench, but he's never seemed to fully regain his match fitness since he did his cruciate two years ago.
O'Hara will always compete in midfield, if introduced there, but at best we'll get 30 minutes from him, and even at that a good midfielder will have a significant size advantage over him.

In short, if we can break-even at midfield then we're a long way down the road to a victory. Anything less than that and we'll struggle to get scores. Problem is, just breaking-even in midfield will require both our midfielders to play to their very best, which they haven't come close to this year.

black&white wrote:

emmetryan wrote:I've put together a tactical preview of Sligo vs Kildare for anyone interested [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Very good analysis Emmet.

Only one thing to add to it from a Sligo perspective. Midfield is the glaring weakness in this Sligo team. There's no dominant ball-winner there. TT has never figured out how to out-muscle and opponent, and Shane Mc has been anonymous for the county team this year. Eugene Mullen offers a bit more when he comes in off the bench, but he's never seemed to fully regain his match fitness since he did his cruciate two years ago.
O'Hara will always compete in midfield, if introduced there, but at best we'll get 30 minutes from him, and even at that a good midfielder will have a significant size advantage over him.

In short, if we can break-even at midfield then we're a long way down the road to a victory. Anything less than that and we'll struggle to get scores. Problem is, just breaking-even in midfield will require both our midfielders to play to their very best, which they haven't come close to this year.

What about Stephen Gilmartin B&W? It looked like he was going to really be a presence in there a year or two ago.

is there a game on the box tomorrow