16-06-2025
'Fine and cranky' Kerry camp on Armagh All-Ireland quarter-final collison course
Eamonn Fitzmaurice is expecting 'a fine and cranky' Kerry camp this week as they look to bounce back from their shock All-Ireland round robin defeat by Meath.
If they turn over Cavan at Killarney next weekend as expected - and provided there are no shocks in the other preliminary All-Ireland quarter-final ties - Jack O'Connor's side are on a collision course with Armagh.
Due to the avoidance of repeat pairings from provincial finals and the group stages, Armagh can't face Donegal, Galway or Dublin in a potential All-Irealnd quarter-final, which leaves Kerry as their only opponents in this scenario.
That one, if it happens, would be a mouthwatering prospect and a repeat of last year's All-Ireland semi-final, which Armagh won after extra-time before going on to defeat Galway in the final and land their second Sam Maguire.
Kerry are reeling after a surprise 1-22 to 0-16 defeat by Meath at O'Connor Park, Tullamore on Saturday in Round 3 of the All-Ireland series.
This meant that rather than topping the group, as they were widely expected to do, and securing a two week break to prepare for the All-Ireland quarter-finals, they found themselves in this morning's preliminary quarter-final draw.
Jack O'Connor's side got a break in the draw as they could have pulled Galway in a repeat of the 2022 All-Ireland final, but they avoided them with Cavan coming to Fitzgerald Stadium next weekend.
The draw was set to throw up Kerry v Cork, but due to repeat pairings from provincial finals and the group stages not being allowed the Rebels now go to Croke Park to face Dublin with Cavan making the long trip south.
Cavan have taken back to back beatings from Donegal and Tyrone, and only qualified for the last 12 thanks to Ciaran Moore's last gasp winner for Donegal against Mayo at the weekend.
Raymond Galligan's side finished with a -29 scoring average, while Mayo finished on +3 and were knocked out due to their Round 1 head to head defeat by Cavan.
Kerry will be expected to take care of business in that one with their formidable record in Killarney.
They've only lost once there in Championship football across 31 seasons - the 2023 Round 1 All-Ireland group stage defeat by Mayo.
Kerry were missing three of their four main forwards in the Meath defeat: playmaker Paudie Clifford, dead ball expert Sean O'Shea and the wily Paul Geaney.
They were also without midfielder Diarmuid O'Connor and defender Brian O Beaglaoich. Jack O'Connor will be hoping to have some of them back for next weekend, with one eye on the following weekend and the quarter-finals at Croke Park.
'They (Kerry) have to bounce back at this stage now,' said former Kerry manager Eamonn Fitzmaurice, speaking on RTE's Morning Ireland after the draw.
'Look, Kerry are always hard beaten in Killarney and I imagine it will be a fine and cranky camp this week as they try to right the ship.
'They will be very disappointed with the way they performed at the weekend and it's do or die now. They have an opportunity to get their season back on track against Cavan at home.
'Regardless of who is coming to Killarney, Kerry have a great record there. It's a big ask for Cavan to try to come down there and win. I'd be hoping that Kerry will react positively and they can get their season back on track.'
Speaking about the other four preliminary quarter-final ties, Fitzmaurice said: 'I suppose wherever Galway were going was probably the biggest game of the lot and obviously Down are welcoming them to Newry.
'While straight away it might appear that that's an easier draw for Galway, the way Down are playing at the moment, and the way they played yesterday (against Monaghan), that is going to be a tough battle up there again.
'To be fair to Conor Laverty and the Down lads, they have really adapted to the new rules very well. We saw they had a great game with Monaghan yesterday. It's going to be a very interesting game.
'For the teams that were defeated this weekend they are going to have to respond next weekend.
'Dublin are back into Croke Park and they'll feel that they've turned a corner with that win against Derry. They'll be well road tested for Cork.
'(For Cork) it was about surviving that battle with Roscommon and getting back to this level again for this year. You'd have to fancy Dublin in that situation but Cork will fancy a shot to nothing at the same time.'
On the Donegal, Louth encounter and Jim McGuinness' complaints about the weekend win over Mayo taking place at Hyde Park, Roscommon, Fitzmaurice said: 'He (McGuinness) was understandably I suppose a bit disappointed yesterday.
'But I'd say he forgot how far some of the Kerry and Galway supporters had to travel as well.
'Look, they played in the All-Ireland quarter-final last year where Donegal kind of kept Louth at arm's length.
'But to be fair to Louth, they've developed in the meantime. They've won the Leinster Championship.
'They'll feel, similar to the likes of Cork, that they have a shot to nothing. It is obviously going to be a big task going up to Ballybofey and winning.'
If Dublin defeat Cork, and the other preliminary quarter-finals go as expected, Dessie Farrell's side will face either Meath, Monaghan or Tyrone in the All-Ireland quarter-finals. They can't meet Armagh due to their group stage encounter.
Monaghan, already in the quarter-finals, could face preliminary quarter-final big guns Dublin, Galway or Donegal (Kerry would be ruled out as they'd have to play Armagh).
Quarter-finalists Meath would play Dublin, Galway or Donegal in the last eight, but they'd hardly relish a rematch with Dublin at Croke Park if it came to it.
The final quarter-finalist, Tyrone, can play big guns Dublin and Galway, but can't face Donegal or Kerry (who'd have to play Armagh).
