Ahead of the All-Ireland semi-final on Sunday, JOE has picked out a few crucial battles where the game could be won and lost.
Damien Rafferty v Johnny Doyle
After having to deal with the threat of Colm Cooper and Kieran Donaghy against Kerry, Down will be up against a two-man full-forward line once again this weekend, as the versatile Eamonn Callaghan will no doubt wander all over Croke Park and leave as much space as possible inside for Doyle and Alan Smith.
As good and all as everyone knows Cooper and Donaghy are; the Down full-back line could be in for an even tougher task this weekend. Against Kerry, Cooper and Donaghy were starved of ball because Down cleaned up around the middle third. What’s more, Dan Gordon was stationed at full back deliberately to curb the aerial threat of Donaghy, whereas Doyle and Smith are far more mobile.
Doyle, however, is without a doubt Kildare’s greatest threat and it is fitting to see somebody who has given so much to Kildare football over the years finally get his chance to perform on the big stage. He has often been the sole attacking threat for the Lilywhites in the last decade or so, but even since the emergence of the likes of James Kavanagh and Alan Smith, he has been prolific as ever this year, with an impressive 1-43 from seven games.
Doyle is comfortable off either foot from anywhere within 50 metres and, as he has shown against Monaghan and Meath, he has the bottle to keep shooting at the target even if he is off radar with a few early efforts. If it is Rafferty that keeps tabs on Doyle, he will have to – to use an old GAA term – stick to him like shit to a blanket, although the contribution of his teammates out the field in stopping the supply line will be crucial.
If Down can keep Doyle quiet, they will go a long way to booking their place in this year’s final.
Martin Clarke v Peter Kelly
It would be fair to say that Marty Clarke’s year was a bit hit and miss before the All-Ireland quarter-final against Kerry. Throughout the league and the championship, he showed glimpses of his vast potential without ever delivering a dominant performance.
Part of the problem was where to play him. Because of his vision and ability to play a telling pass, centre forward seemed an ideal position, but his versatility, combined with his prodigious work rate and accuracy in front of goal, make him an ideal candidate for any number of positions throughout the pitch.
Marty Clarke has impressed on his return from Australian Rules football
James McCartan seems to have got the balance right by giving him a corner-forward berth with a license to roam wherever he sees fit. Against Kerry, Clarke was outstanding. He got on an amount of ball and set up numerous attacks, while also breaking up play around the middle of the park and popping up with a couple of scores for himself.
The Kildare full-back line were exceptional against a much vaunted Meath attack and have come a long way since being taken to the cleaners against Louth back in June. Kelly didn’t give Stephen Bray a sniff against the Royals and also limited Tommy Freeman’s impact against Monaghan.
With Benny Coulter also in the Down attack, Kelly could be deployed elsewhere, but Kildare cannot afford to allow Clarke the latitude he was allowed against Kerry and Kelly might be the man to ensure it doesn’t happen.
Conor Garvey v James Kavanagh
Outside of Johnny Doyle and a fit Dermot Earley, James Kavanagh is arguably the most important member of Kieran McGeeney’s side. The rangy wing-forward has played a crucial role in each of Kildare’s last two victories and scored what is likely to be the goal of the season against Meath, with a delightful solo dummy and finish to bring the Lilywhites back into the game when needed just before the break.
He contributed 1-6 in those two games and 1-13 in total so far this year, but scoring isn’t his only attribute. He set up the likes of Padraig O’Neill, Eoghan O’Flaherty and Johnny Doyle for plenty of other scores and his height makes him an important presence around the middle of the park.
Garvey did extremely well against one of the top forwards in the country – Declan O’Sullivan – against Kerry, but O’Sullivan looked out of sorts in what was a lethargic Kerry performance overall. Garvey won’t be averse to roaming up the field and taking a point if the chance allows and given the way that both teams play, that is a distinct possibility.
