The latest chapter in the ever more storied Kerry-Tyrone rivalry is set to occur much earlier in the year than might have been expected, with the two sides drawn to face off in Round Three of the GAA All-Ireland football qualifiers. Neither side has lived up to expectations thus far in the Championship, to point where it may be time to question whether these two counties are still part of the top tier.
Tyrone had a solid league campaign in reaching the Division II final, and they followed that up with a nice win over Armagh in their first match of the Ulster Championship. Yet, Donegal exposed some flaws and despite their comfortable win over Roscommon last Saturday, I'm not convinced. The rot began in earnest for Tyrone during last season's Championship, and while most may not have seen the humiliation against Dublin coming, the signs were very much there in the struggles the had putting away a relatively poor Roscommon side in their previous match. Tyrone just don't have it in them anymore to play with the same ferocity and intensity which made them three-time All-Ireland Champions. They still possess some fine footballers, and they've shown they have enough talent to beat most counties on their day, but they seem to lack the cutting edge required to really be a contender for Sam. I just can't see them giving much trouble to Dublin, Cork, or even Donegal. They could yet challenge for major honours this year, but I've seen no evidence up to now to suggest that have it in them.
As for Kerry, the difficulty they had in beating Westmeath will have them scrutenised in the media, leading up to this next game. They too, have taken a step back since winning their last All-Ireland in 2009, and they're very much feeling the effects of losing Tommy Walsh to Australian Rules. Kerry's problems are in the middle of the field, where they just don't have the players to match up against the likes of Cork and Dublin. They desperately need Kieran Donaghy out around the middle third, but the can't afford to miss out on his physical presence and ball-winning abilities in the full-forward line either, highlighting just how much of a difference Walsh could make for them, if he was available. The Kerry back-line is far from stellar either at this point with Tomás O'Sé really starting to show his age, and still a gaping hole unplugged at full-back. Nonetheless, the Kingdom still have the best set of forwards in the country and could well have won the All-Ireland last year had it not been for an incredibly resilient Dublin, and an extremely contentious late-free given against them.
Tyrone have always had the upper hand in this fixture over the last decade (at least, in championship encounters), to the point where it has been suggested that Kerry have a mental block when facing the Red Hands. Look for Saturday though, to be the day that changes. Despite their struggles, I have to believe Kerry have another couple of gears to shift up, just as they always seem to do as the summer wears on. The defensive frailties of this Tyrone team should be exposed by the Kingdom, particularly if Kerry get Darren O'Sullivan and co., running at them. Take into account the fact that the away team in qualifier matches, wins less than thirty-percent of the time, and Kerry's home advantage seems set to be the extra help they may need to drive this one home.
While Kerry-Tyrone is the highest profile clash of the next round, there is plenty more action to be excited about. Leitrim have been rewarded for recording their first ever qualifier win with a match-up against Laois. The O'Moore men will be heavy favourites in this encounter, but coming of Carrick-on-Shannon with a win will not be an easy task, and I expect this game to end up a lot closer than most are predicting. Tipperary have earned another home draw, having beating Wexford in Thurles last week, and will face of against Galway's conquerors, Antrim. Both sides looked impressive in their Round Two wins and will feel there is a real chance here to get a back-door run going. Their should be very little in it, and this promises to be possible the second-best match of the round. Kildare and Limerick complete the draw, although there remains some controversy over where the game will actually be played - it's currently scheduled for Portlaoise.
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