Kerry’s powerful forward unit can beat blanket defence

The very fact the Kerry forward unit carries a most potent look despite the decision of management to omit top-scorer Jordan Kiely from the starting team speaks volumes of the talent coursing through this side.

Kiely, the contributor of 5-5 this summer, will enter the fray at some point tomorrow, but until such time scoring responsibility rests with Killian Spillane, Matthew Flaherty, Micheál Burns and Tomás Ó Sé — a more than capable bunch.

Spillane and Ó Sé, in particular, will garner close attention inside, the latter contributing 1-6 last day out and 1-8 in the quarter-final win. The performance of the duo, however, hinges on the quantity and quality of ball filtering through and, to this regard, the opposition will provide a level of examination Kerry have not been subjected to this summer.

To borrow Jack O’Connor’s words, this group of players have yet to come face-to-face with the “northern, defensive style” employed by Donegal. Man-to-man, open, free-flowing football we will not get in the curtain-raiser. Kerry will have to adapt, and quickly. Declan Bonner’s outfit showed remarkable resolve when overturning a two-point deficit late on against Dublin in the semi-final. John Campbell leads from the front, with the supporting cast comprising of Lorcan Connor, Stephen McBrearty, younger brother to Paddy, and Tony McCleneghan.

Given these are but minors it is difficult to envisage Donegal maintaining the intensity levels required to operate the blanket defence for a full 60 minutes.

Verdict: Kerry.