Kerry green and gold used to strike fear in hearts of GAA rivals – but Armagh will be smelling blood in All-Ireland tie
IT'S Question Time in the Kingdom — but who has the answers?
Kerry are at a fork in the road in their All-Ireland SFC quest.
Advertisement
2
David Clifford scored a hat-trick as Kerry hammered Clare
Credit: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
2
But Armagh will be chomping at the bit to face the Kingdom
Credit: Dáire Brennan/Sportsfile
One route the path to redemption and the other, a road to nowhere.
For years, Jack O'Connor's men have sleepwalked through Munster — winning 14 titles in 16 seasons.
They've got a rude awakening this season.
Advertisement
Read More on GAA
The game was a classic but a bit too close for comfort at 3-21 to 1-25.
That was as tough as it got though, as their provincial showpiece against
After their 86th Munster crown, they should've been champing at the bit. Yet somehow, Kerry failed to top their All-Ireland group.
Beaten Leinster finalists Meath
Advertisement
Most read in GAA Football
Yes, they had injuries. Paudie Clifford (muscle strain), Diarmuid O'Connor (shoulder), Seánie O'Shea (knee) and Paul Geaney (shoulder/concussion) all missed the trip to Offaly.
But they took their eye off the ball too, big time. The Royals romped past them by nine points and were full value for it.
Tomas O'Se calls out GAA's mid-season rule change but fellow Sunday Game pundit disagrees
An All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final was their punishment but maybe it was a game they needed.
Despite boss O'Connor criticising the atmosphere around Killarney, his men
Advertisement
The return of his brother Paudie and O'Shea were massive boosts but Diarmuid O'Connor's troublesome shoulder forced him off after just three minutes last weekend and he is unlikely to feature against Armagh at Croke Park on Sunday.
Tony Brosnan and Mike Breen were absent at Fitzgerald Stadium as well and Kerry have defensive concerns after leaking 2-39 in their last two games.
With midfield a concern too, Joe O'Connor and Seán O'Brien could form the makeshift pairing once more, but Armagh's strength in the sector of the field is absolutely frightening.
Niall Grimley was handed a first Orchard start of 2025 in the final group game against Galway and took his opportunity with both hands by scoring 0-3.
Advertisement
Jason Duffy and Callum O'Neill have shared the No 8 jersey this summer, and Ben Crealey is in All-Star form once more.
The Maghery man will be fresh too after resting up for their loss against the Tribes.
BLOOD ORANGE
All those factors mean the Orchard will smell blood again this weekend after striking down the Kingdom in last summer's semis.
The sight of the Kerry green and gold used to put the fear of God into teams but that doesn't happen anymore.
Advertisement
Their 2022 All-Ireland title ended an eight-year wait for Sam Maguire. But they have failed to build on it as Dublin got revenge a year later and Armagh punished them last summer.
Kerry are the only county to reach every All-Ireland quarter-final since they began in 2001.
However, they often come untested. Their fanatical followers often don't travel this early and anything less than an All-Ireland is a failure.
Timing is everything, and this game could be perfect or disastrous. David Clifford can't do it all on his own, but the return of Paudie, O'Shea and possibly Paul Geaney are massive boosts.
Advertisement
One wrong turn could spell the end but redemption is there if they want it enough.
Kerry's credentials and hunger are being questioned.
Sunday will provide us with the answers.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTÉ News
18 minutes ago
- RTÉ News
'Disgusted' Dublin icon Stephen Cluxton dropped to Parnells' second team in protest at how crisis club was run
Earlier this year one of Dublin's oldest GAA club, Parnells, was liquidated. The club, serving the parishes of Coolock and Artane, had been in financial difficulty for some time, having been ordered to pay a redundancy lump sum to 11 staff members who were not given work after the start of the Covid pandemic. However in 2008, Parnells GAA club sold lands near Dublin Airport for €22 million, making it the wealthiest of Ireland's 1,610 GAA clubs. Last night's Prime Time investigation detailed the club's precipitous fall. For a period in the last decade the club, chasing a first county title since 1988, was synonymous with the recruitment of inter-county stars from outside Dublin. Internal club documents – seen by Prime Time – show the scale of money allocated to some within the club. One player received almost €20,000 over a 16-month period – €8,050 for coaching and €11,600 for travel and subsistence. A number of years later, a coach was paid €16,820 in travel and subsistence payments over a 9-month period. However, the most successful inter-county footballer at Parnells (or any other club for that matter) is nine-time All-Ireland winning goalkeeper Stephen Cluxton - Parnells through and through. Just as Dublin were beginning to dominate, he took the unusual decision to drop down to the club's second team. As the goalkeeper has never been one for speaking to the media, his reasons for doing so were never made clear. However Prime Time last night revealed that in late September 2014 Cluxton wrote a letter to all members of the club executive. He outlined the reasons why he had taken the highly unusual decision to regrade down, to play for the club's second team. He also detailed his "frustration at the direction in which the club is being lead". The letter stated: "I don't agree with the policy of head-hunting players" and "I don't agree that county players are treated to various perks". He added that he was "disgusted with the tax situation having to be settled in the manner in which it was" and "I am disgusted that the club is now in debt".
Irish Daily Mirror
19 minutes ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Tipp Ladies ‘dismayed' at All-Ireland quarter-final clash with hurling
The Tipperary Ladies football team have hit out at the scheduling of their historic TG4 All-Ireland quarter-final clash with Meath. The Premier Ladies are chasing a first All-Ireland success since 1980 but have contacted independent TD Michael Lowry to express their astonishment that the match will clash with the Tipperary hurlers' All-Ireland semi-final meeting with Kilkenny. Tipp will face 2021 and 2022 All-Ireland champions Meath at 5.15pm on Sunday July 6th in Navan, at the same time the hurlers will be facing off with old foes Kilkenny at Croke Park, with a throw-in there scheduled for 4pm. It will be the first time the Tipperary hurlers have played a Championship game in Croke Park in six years and there is huge excitement in the county over both games. However, the scheduling will mean that fans of both teams won't be able to attend the two games. It will also be the first time Tipperary ladies have been in an All-Ireland senior quarter-final in 40 years. In correspondence received by Deputy Lowry, a player on the Ladies team said: 'This decision is not only inconsiderate to the dual supporters of both codes, but also makes it practically impossible for players, families, and fans to support both teams - something that means a great deal to Tipperary fans.' Several of those who have contacted Deputy Lowry also said that the issue isn't just the clash of dates, which is frustrating enough, but the close timing of the games adds to the frustration as it removes the possibility of attending both games. In a post on his Facebook page, Lowry added: 'While both players and supporters understand that fixture congestion is a challenge and that some overlap in scheduling is inevitable, it is noted that three of the four quarter-final games are already scheduled for Saturday.' One aggrieved fan told Lowry that: 'Surely the most reasonable and respectful solution would have been to place the Ladies game on the Saturday to allow supporters the opportunity to be present for both massive occasions in Tipperary Sport.'' Another felt that, '"this kind of scheduling sends a message that is hard to ignore - that consideration for the players and fans of Ladies Football remains secondary." Lowry's post added: 'It's been over 40 years since Tipperary reached an All-Ireland Quarter Final in the Senior Grade, so it is a huge achievement. This squad works just as hard, prepares just as much, and deserves the same opportunity to showcase Ladies Football in front of full stands, not to be hidden away in a scheduling conflict that could easily have been avoided. 'Fixtures should be scheduled with respect and common sense. This is not just a clash of calendars - it's a failure in planning that actively damages the growth and visibility of Ladies Football in Tipperary and beyond' the post went on to say. Irish Mirror contacted the Ladies Gaelic Football Association for a reply.
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
‘So much integrity' – RTE viewers hail Stephen Cluxton for ‘principled stand' Dublin GAA icon took during Parnells saga
RTE viewers praised Stephen Cluxton after watching the financial ruin of Parnells GAA Club detailed on Prime Time. Established in 1893, the six-time county champions went into liquidation in January. 2 The Coolock club went into liquidation in January Credit: @RTE_PrimeTime 2 Cluxton was their most famous player That such a big club could go under is all the more amazing given it became the richest GAA club in the country in 2008. This was due to it selling land it had first acquired around Collinstown Lane near The club received €22million upon selling that land. Half of that sum was soon spent on purchasing land in their main catchment area of Coolock from the Marist Fathers. The rest was duly wasted as the club embarked upon reckless spending practices while building a state of the art clubhouse and other facilities. Read More On GAA In one stark moment during Tuesday's programme it's stated that Parnells went from employing two members of staff in 2007 to 69 by 2013. These habits ended up burdening the outfit with huge overheads as chickens came home to roost in the following years. The moment involving It informed viewers that the goalkeeper wrote an open letter to all members of the club's Executive. Most read in GAA Football In it, he outlined his "disgust" at the direction the club was going in. This prompted his "highly unusual" decision to regrade with their second team. In the letter, the 43-year-old is quoted as saying: "I don't agree with the policy of head-hunting players. Tomas O'Se calls out GAA's mid-season rule change but fellow Sunday Game pundit disagrees "I don't agree that inter-county players are treated to various perks. I am disgusted the club is now in debt." Among the online reaction to the startling show, prominent GAA journalist Cahair O'Kane praised: "Stephen Cluxton will be remembered for everything he's achieved on the pitch. "But part of his legacy of greatness ought to be the principled stand he took about the financial direction Parnells were taking. Fair play to him." Similarly, Conor succinctly agreed: "So much integrity. Great fella." LEADER ON AND OFF THE PITCH Máire pondered: "Prime Time about Parnells is crazy to me! How was a club allowed to go that far without any intervention. "The 'disquiet' should have been LOUDER, at least Stephen Cluxton showed a bit of integrity." Fin added: "Anyone watch the Prime Time programme on Parnell's GAA Club? Boom to Bust. Absolutely shocking. "Non Dublin fans might not like Clucko but his letter to the club in the midst of this fiasco, expressing his fears and thoughts, showed the character of the man - top class." To which Liz replied: "Most GAA people respect and admire Stephen Cluxton. He's a terrific player and a great captain. "He knew that Parnells were on the wrong track and expressed concerns but the club Executive ignored him. It became a social club. Shame on the Executive." In January, the north Dublin outfit returned their training ground complete with a floodlit astroturf, clubhouse and gym to the Marist Order.
