Kerry have the experience to survive Roscommon challenge

KERRY v ROSCOMMON Throw in 2.0, Live TG4

here is a danger associated with reaching the playoffs of the league. Whereas on one level it is an achievement and an opportunity to go farther, on another it is a risk of watching a promising season go up in smoke and sustaining damage to morale just at the point that championship preparations begin.

Two years ago Cork were on the receiving end of a 17-point turnaround against Dublin and arguably their season never quite recovered. A year ago, also against Dublin, Monaghan took the chance to set the record straight with a competitive display after being annihilated by the same opposition a week previously. They went on to win Ulster.

Roscommon have had an excellent season, securing their place in Division One and taking notable scalps away against Donegal, Kerry and Cork. Their three defeats have come against provincial champions, Dublin, Mayo and Monaghan and they have learned a lot in the process.

Now they have the opportunity to play at Croke Park on a fast track that will suit their game and a full panel, given that the under-21s involved – notably Diarmuid Murtagh, man of the match in the provincial final with 1-2 from play and who makes his first start in this – will be able to concentrate exclusively on the senior team.

Kerry approach the match from a different angle, the defeat by this weekend’s opponents two months ago being their last dropped points in the current campaign.

They have looked comfortable in winning the five matches since even if at times both Mayo and Cork caused difficulties. Their experience in Croke Park is an obvious advantage going into this.

Roscommon have had a tendency to get caught in the headlights during their most challenging matches and only recover when the contest looks over and the pressure off, as happened against both Mayo and Dublin.

Kerry’s centrefield has been supplemented by Kieran Donaghy’s reborn form in his original position and it’s a sector where Roscommon aren’t at their strongest.

With the pressure comparatively eased, Roscommon can give a performance but Kerry should reach a first final in seven years.

DUBLIN v DONEGAL Throw in 4.0, Live TG4

Donegal have been the most influential particle in Dublin’s universe since the latter’s return to prominence five years ago. Coping with the almost existential nature of the defensive challenge in 2011 made Pat Gilroy’s team and positioned them to win an All-Ireland whereas Black Sunday in 2014 made Jim Gavin re-evaluate the attack orientation that delivered the previous year’s All-Ireland and how his team should be structured.

Curiously there has never been the same influence on show in the league meetings although the match in Ballybofey three years ago ended up relegating Donegal.

Dublin’s achievement in setting a flawless record for seven matches is set against their opponents’ precipitous loss of form once they had beaten the weaker teams (three of the bottom four) in the division.

A nagging concern about Donegal’s displays has been how they have run out of steam in the closing stages of matches, including the regulation fixture between these teams, also at Croke Park, last month.

Having set up very defensively the 2012 All-Ireland winners lacked the dynamism to maintain the tempo of the counterattacking game that has to accompany the blanket defence. There were other unhelpful circumstances: Michael Murphy’s dismissal at the same time as James McCarthy was a good trade for Dublin even though the latter has been in resurgent form and the extra space suited the holders, who ran out comfortable winners.

Overall though there was a sense that Dublin’s relentless pressing was always going to eventually expose gaps in the Donegal cover.

How Gallagher approaches this will be interesting in that it could be the last run-out before championship. It represents an opportunity to give some of the younger, emerging players a gallop but that will hardly happen if the intention is to keep faith with most of those who contributed so much to the county’s recent heyday.

Gavin still has challenges; the loss of Rory O’Carroll and Jack McCaffrey has been coped with so far but any vulnerability is unlikely to be seriously probed for another four months and in attack the plethora of exciting options has to be streamlined into a pecking order. For now, the holders should march on. MALACHY CLERKIN