12 big questions ahead of the All-Ireland quarter finals
Eoin Mcelhone Conor In Attemots Stop To Tracks His Tyrone's Carroll
In the aftermath of Armagh’s draw against Galway, Kieran McGeeney was asked about Stefan Campbell’s impact off the bench. The forward landed a crucial equaliser and assisted points for Andrew Murnin and Rian O’Neill before that.
How did the 2022 All-Star nomination feel about not starting?
“Listen, all of them are very mature about things like that,” said McGeeney.
“The game has changed so much. There are very few teams not using three or four subs. The thing about it is, nowadays they actually nearly need to be better - the ones coming on - because it is at that point of the game, the composure and ability to score.
“But Soupy, he was excellent for us today. I think he’s been excellent all year. We probably just went with a bit of size with Higgins, in terms of their half-forward line, so it was more of a tactical thing.”
Several elements will delight Davy Burke from consecutive victories, but their kickout performance will rank right at the top. Against Tyrone, they scored 0-7 from that source and conceded nothing. Against Cavan it was 3-12 and again, nothing conceded.
A side will concede the opposition kickout if they back their defensive structure. Basically, force a team to work the ball up the field and through a set defence. Armagh have mixed up their approach this season. They predominately conceded against Donegal in the Ulster final. A successful press turned the game against Galway as they picked off Connor Gleeson.
Roscommon’s talented forward unit have helped them average 17.4 points per game in championship. At the other end, they have conceded an average of 19.6 ppg. Dublin, Cavan and Mayo (Sam Maguire series) have all hit a minimum of 20 points against them. After the Tyrone tie, Burke stressed defenders like David Murray are as important as forwards like Daire Cregg.
Speaking on the Irish Examiner’s Gaelic football podcast, former Mayo manager James Horan offered his suggestions for these three questions.
“I think Seán MacMahon will go on Comer. He is rugged enough and pacey enough. I’m not sure Comer will start but when he comes on, I’d expect that. When you want a job done, John Small. If I was there that is exactly what I would do. Shane Walsh could start in Croke Park and get into a vein of form. John Small to cancel him out.”
“John Maher, what a game he had the last day,” said Horan. “The energy. A perfect matchup for Fenton for me. He is a guy who if you give him a job, he loves it. A really smart guy who loves doing a job as well. That would keep Paul Conroy free.”
Dublin’s starting forwards last time out: Niall Scully, Cormac Costello, Ciaran Kilkenny; Paddy Small, Con O’Callaghan, Colm Basquel. Paul Mannion, Ross McGarry and Killian McGinnis came on. Mannion started the All-Ireland final last year instead of Scully and was Man of the Match.
“Bugler back to wing forward, do they have enough defensive cover? I’m not sure that will happen. For me, it is between Small and Basquel. Mannion starts. That is the decision to make. I don’t think they will start Small and Basquel again. They are both strong and unpredictable.”
At half-time in the Leinster final, Louth were one point up having enjoyed 59% of possession. From the throw-in, they won the ball and held it for over two minutes. Dublin did try to press them, however it wasn’t always successful.
Donegal’s first game of the league campaign was a home tie against Cork. That day Jim McGuinness’ outfit did press high and force turnovers in the opposition’s half. They rarely returned to it since.
In every single championship game except the Ulster semi-final against Tyrone, Donegal’s conversion has been above at least 70%. Peadar Mogan has scored 0-8 from play while hitting a single wide. They’ve racked up 109 points as well as six goals so far this season (including two extra-time periods). Their proficiency from range means Louth can’t afford to sit in either.
The Donegal boss was delighted after their Clare triumph two weeks ago for several reasons. Tyrone did them a big favour by beating Cork to pave the way for Donegal to take top spot, they’d scored 2-23 and several key men returned to help them do it.
Conor O’Donnell played his first Donegal game in a year and kicked 0-2 from the bench. Hugh McFadden and Stephen McMenamin came on for much-needed championship minutes. There was a positive update about the progress of midfielder Jason McGee. If he comes back in, where do they move breakout star Ciaran Moore? Daire Ó Baoill did not start with Odhran Doherty playing in the half-forward line. He now has stiff competition.
In the MacHale Park tunnel on Saturday night, Derry were walking wounded. Some of their most important players were limping heavily. Mickey Harte was concerned by the physical toll, but it was unavoidable.
“That is the price you pay for not being in the pole position, we all know that.” Three of the four preliminary quarter-final winners went on to lose their quarter-final last year. Tyrone, Mayo went in one point down at half-time and lost by 12. Tyrone trailed by three and lost by 12. Cork were one down and lost by four.
Derry’s delight at overcoming three defeats in a row should see them start strongly. Harte knows the key is sustaining that challenge.
Think back to the 2023 semi-final. A devastated Ciaran Meenagh referenced the punditry about their style of play afterwards. He wasn’t taking issue with it. “A lot of that is fair,” he said. "But that also created a lot of opportunity for us because Kerry might have looked (at it) like that as well. We decided we would really go for it.” Meenagh also revealed that the players on the field coached each other to pick Kerry apart. That was then. This is now. In a bid to stop the bleed, Derry reverted to a slow, controlled strategy. It saw them past Westmeath and Mayo. As a collective, they felt it wouldn’t be enough to down the Kingdom last July. Do they stick or twist?
A final question with an obvious answer. Chrissy McKaigue and Conor McCluskey are primed for David and Paudie Clifford respectively. However, McKaigue has endured some testing outings recently. Padraig McGrogan’s absence due to a cruciate ligament injury means Conor Doherty will be deployed to track Sean O’Shea again. Eoin McEvoy is the wild card in the pack. The Young Footballer of the Year nominee went with Paul Geaney last time. If any of his colleagues are in trouble, Harte and Gavin Devlin could switch the 21-year-old across.