Éamonn Fitzmaurice: From Michael Murphy to Meath nightmares, it's go-time for Sam hopefuls
Donegal manager Jim McGuinness, left, and Michael Murphy. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
When this championship format was being constructed, I imagine a final weekend like this one was the desired outcome. It is all to play for.
Bar Armagh, there are consequences for every county. Some are playing for their lives, others for position. Four teams will have departed stage left by Sunday evening. One of Derry, Galway or Dublin will be gone, Mayo could top their group or could be out and Cork need to find something, and fast.
So far this crazy football summer has been defined by a consistent inconsistency. Armagh and Kerry are the exceptions in this regard. Teams have struggled to back up high level performances week-on-week. The challenge of being perfectly pitched mentally would appear to be taking its toll. Teams coming off a loss and playing with anger appear to be getting the win the following weekend. With talking points aplenty, we can keep that in mind as we anticipate a cracking weekend of action ahead.
The significance of finishing top of the group and advancing straight to the All-Ireland quarter-finals has increased this year. Playing for a third week in a row and trying to win a quarter-final against a well-rested team is challenging. Over the last two seasons only only two teams, Monaghan in 2023 and Galway in 2024 have won a quarter-final having travelled the preliminary road. Both of those wins were arm wrestles under the old rules. The new world means it is a lot harder to play the sort of slow controlled football that would suits a team on the go for a third week in a row, emphasising the importance of that top spot.
The split season has meant that teams have had no choice but to develop deep squads to cope with the demands. Armagh are the market leaders in this regard. The interesting thing about the squad that Kieran McGeeney has developed is that so many of his panel are of an equally high standard which allows him to replace like with like when juggling. There are always critical players though. For example, Con O’Callaghan’s availability for Dublin this weekend can be game-deciding. Of equal significance is Shaun Patton’s selection for Donegal. While we all appreciate the importance of his kickouts, his shot stopping is significant as well. Gavin Mulreany is an able deputy but he has conceded soft goals against both Tyrone and Cavan, while coming under pressure on his restarts. Just like Con Patton’s presence is vital for the Ulster champions.
Speaking of Donegal, Michael Murphy has been magnificent for them since his return. His two-year hiatus, miles on the clock or age are having zero impact on his performances. He is still the man for his county and leads with his actions. One of the best players I played with was Seamus Moynihan. He was an incredible player, but he was fantastic at keeping it simple. Repeatedly, doing the simple things well. Signs on he rarely had a bad game. Murphy is similar. He is exceptional at the fundamentals. One area where they have to look at supporting him on is kickouts. The now available Jason McGee, Michael Langan and Ciarán Thompson have to offer alternative targets, especially in the final quarter of games when Murphy has tired. In their defeat to Tyrone, Mulreany sent 12 of his 25 restarts in Murphys direction, including five of the last six, none of whom the Glenswilly man won. At that stage of matches it is his leadership and finishing that is of most importance rather than his ability to win every restart.
Recalling Kerry's All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Meath in 2001 still sends a shiver down my spine. While they were a great team and had won the All-Ireland in 1999 the nature of that hammering is still inexplicable to me. We were defending All-Ireland champions and were coming in off our memorable draw and replay with Dublin in Thurles. We may have trained too hard between the games but that still doesn’t go near to explaining it. Jack O’Connor was a selector that day, and now selector Aodán Mac Gearailt was playing. They won’t need any reminding of Meath’s capabilities, especially considering the positive summer they have been enjoying.
Having to change a third of your team is hardly ideal, and can upset the balance. Paudie Clifford is irreplaceable with Brian Ó Beaglaoich, Paul Geaney and Barry O’Sullivan all in a rich vein of form. It does give an opportunity to the players selected to start. Tadhg Morley and Paul Murphy must have been champing at the bit for exactly this kind of chance. Meath beat Dublin in the Leinster championship by winning the midfield battle, in the air and on the ground, by kicking two pointers and by getting ball to their lively inside men. James Conlan, Eoghan Frayne and Jordan Morris will take minding from a Kerry perspective. As Tullamore can be a breezy venue these factors will be of critical importance once more. Match Meath in these areas and Kerry will be just fine. Lose the physical battle and this could suddenly become a very trick tie.
In the last few years the amount of coaches moving between counties has increased exponentially. It can create interesting dynamics, none more so than the position Stephen Rochford finds himself in this weekend. From the four years he spent working with Declan Bonner in Donegal he has an intimate knowledge of the opposition on Sunday. The fact the game is on in Dr Hyde Park is a further favourable factor, as Mayo have not lost a game there since 2001. If both Donegal and Mayo play to the top of their game the Ulster champions will win but Mayo have to win so we can’t underestimate that. Generally that is when they are at their best. One way of troubling Donegal is by going back to their hard-running game from deep. They can load up inside with Aidan O’Shea and Jack Carney as options in there and create space around the arc. Play Ryan O’Donoghue at 11 to create space for him to shoot. Get players like Matthew Ruane, Patrick Durcan and Davitt Neary coming onto the ball at pace and punching holes in the external Donegal defensive shield to create scoring opportunities. Tyrone did this to effect in their recent defeat of the Ulster champions, with the late Cormac Quinn point a perfect example of it.
There has been much speculation about Armagh’s approach to Saturday's Galway meeting. Would Kieran McGeeney rest a slew of his players? Will they want to knock Galway out so they don’t meet them further down the line? Will they really go for the win? Knowing McGeeney’s personality they will be going all out to win. Messing with momentum is a tricky business and injuries can happen when a team take their foot off the gas. Additionally, none of his players will want to sit this one out.
They know that if someone takes their jersey and shines, there is no guarantee that they will get it back for the quarter final. It shows the value that the manager places in Rory Grugan that he has left him off the squad this weekend. No one else is getting that pass. While Galway are fighting for their lives Armagh will compete manfully as well. There has been nothing between these teams in their recent rivalry. This weekend will be no different.
I was in Salthill for Galway’s win over Roscommon in the Connacht semi-final on Easter Sunday in April. I left impressed. They looked really good on the day, well coached with plenty of players playing well. In the intervening seven weeks they have won one match against Mayo in the Connacht final. Unusually a share of their key players have suffered a slump in form simultaneously. However, against Derry they displayed serious grit. The home side were pitched much better for the game and Galway had to fight back from eight down. Twice. They rode their luck but the muscle memory and survival instincts that they have built up over the last four seasons kicked in. There is a serious rivalry with Armagh and coupled with the raw hurt of losing the All-Ireland to them last year should bring the best out of them here.
I mentioned a few weeks ago that Derry could be the fly in the ointment of the fabled group of death. They had time to right the ship. Paddy Tally was able to get to know his players properly, and they him. Since the final quarter of the Armagh match we have seen what they are all about. This Derry group, at it, are still formidable. Have they left it too late to show this type of form though? They will fancy taking the Dubs out. If they do no one will want to see them coming next weekend. Dublin are also in unfamiliar position. They haven’t won back-to-back games since they defeated the Oak Leafers in the league in February. Remarkably, they have only played in Croke Park once this summer. Think about that for a second. There were years during their glory run that they didn’t play a championship match beyond Jones' Road. In isolation, that is significant. They hadn’t played there for over two months when they faced Armagh last time out. I wonder if that was a factor in their erratic shooting. It would be unthinkable for them to bow out at this stage but that is the position they find themselves in. I have a sneaky suspicion that Derry will win this, which of course still doesn’t eliminate Dublin. They will need a favour from Armagh though.
Stranger things have happened.
