Three key battles: Kerry vs Armagh
KEY MAN: David Clifford arrives before the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship semi-final match between Armagh and Kerry at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile
Mickey Harte’s reign as Derry boss came to an end after their quarter-final defeat but one of the elements he got right in that tie was the matchups for Kerry’s main attacking threat.
Christopher McKaigue made for David Clifford, Conor Doherty took his brother and Eoin McEvoy went with O’Shea.
Aaron McKay looks well-suited to tackle on O’Shea on Saturday. Ciaran Mackin’s loss will be keenly felt when it comes to Kerry’s captain.
Versatile Joe McElroy has the athleticism to stick with the half-forward. That leaves the two-time Football of the Year.
Speaking on the Irish Examiner Gaelic football podcast, Oisín McConville said he would opt for Barry McCambridge and encourage him to drive forward like he did in that Man of the Match performance against Roscommon.
“When he does, they will make it more fluid at the back. Plus, if Clifford follows him, that is brilliant. He probably won’t all the time but Derry took Clifford into positions he didn’t want to be and probably didn’t execute as well.”
At various points over recent games, Armagh have tried to land a long kick to the edge of the square. Rian O’Neill picked out Conor Turbitt for their opening score seconds into the All-Ireland quarter-final.
He then launched a boomer onto Andrew Murnin. His flick broke kindly for McCambridge, but Brian Stack scrambled across to deny the goal.
Later Niall Grimley was harshly unrewarded after calling a mark from a spectacular catch. In their previous fixture against Galway, Aidan Forker overcooked a long delivery and Connor Gleeson caught it.
In the second half, O’Neill floated a ball towards Grimley and Turbitt but once more the goalkeeper came out to claim it.
Armagh’s approach has been much-discussed yet it only takes one of those direct balls to break their way to change the perception. If anyone knows how to maximise this sort of possession it is their selector Kieran Donaghy.
Can they expose Kerry’s full-back line?
Kevin McManamon won eight All-Irelands and no All-Star. It is a curious thing. His impact on the pitch was undeniably crucial to several of those, opposition coaching tickets invested more time in planning for him than they did some starters.
After the 2011 All-Ireland final, one newspaper awarded McManamon Man of the Match despite the fact he was only on the field for 19 minutes.
Stefan Campbell has proven himself to be one of Armagh’s most effective attackers. He is their second-highest scorer from play. The forward has come on and scored in both of their previous games. He is listed as a substitute once more this weekend.
Campbell is one of several offensive talents who can make an impact as the game opens up. Aidan Nugent and Oisin O’Neill are proven scorers on the big stage.
Jack O’Connor has a similar weapon in his arsenal. Cillian Burke was outstanding against Derry. Killian Spillane and Dylan Geaney both scored after their introduction. It leaves them with a prepared option for the second half.
“Dara Moynihan, he was quiet the last day, but he has had a good year for them,” said former Mayo manager James Horan, speaking on the Irish Examiner’s Gaelic football podcast.
“I think he has had a good year; he has improved. They know now they have ready replacements who can come on early too."
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