Date Published: 04-Aug-2010

THERE are only four teams left now, but just one of them was expected to get so far. Reliable Cork, that is until they come up against Kerry, have managed to reach the business end of the All-Ireland football championship again, but few envisaged that Down, Kildare or Dublin would make it to the semi-finals giving the extent of their respective early summer struggles.

In a title race which has featured no amount of shock results, it probably should have came as no surprise that the trend continued in last weekend’s All-Ireland quarter-finals. Yet, it is still hard to credit, that both Kerry and Tyrone – the two teams which have shared every title since 2002 – were sensationally sent packing on the same day in Croke Park.

Admittedly, depleted Kerry were vulnerable against a county that they have never beaten in championship football despite four previous attempts. Without the retired Dara O Sé, his suspended brother Tomás and Paul Galvin (what’s new!), together with the unavailability of Tadgh Kennelly and Tommy Walsh, the champions were always going to have their work cut out against a Down outfit which had flattered to deceive against Tyrone in the Ulster semi-final.

Not alone that, but James McCartan’s men were no great shakes either in their opening two matches of the qualifiers against Longford (1-14 to 1-10) and Offaly (1-12 to 1-10) before running riot against a battle weary and deflated Sligo outfit in the All-Ireland quarter-final. It was hardly the level of form which would normally have perturbed the Kerry camp except for that damning championship statistic of having yet to succeed against Down.

If you just landed in front of the TV in time to see Kerry substitute David Moran finding the net from a late penalty, you would have automatically assumed that Jack O’Connor’s squad were merely wrapping up their passage to the All-Ireland semi-finals rather than bringing their margin of defeat to a somewhat more respectable six points.

Kerry were out-battled and out-manoeuvred by hungrier and sharper opponents who possessed top class performers in goal scorer Mark Poland, centre back Kevin McKernan, Martin Clarke, goalkeeper Brendan McVeigh, Paul McComiskey, and, eventually, Benny Coulter.

Of course, it didn’t help Kerry’s cause that wing forward Donncha Walsh was lost to a second yellow card early in the second-half, but apart from Colm Cooper up front, they just never looked like unhinging Down’s tenacious defence with McVeigh twice denying Kieran Donaghy from point-blank range. The Ulster men were utterly deserving winners on a day Kerry could only manage a mere three points from play.

If Down’s triumph over Kerry was a turn up, Dublin’s eclipse of Tyrone comes into the bombshell category. Remember, Pat Gilroy’s team had stuttered their way past Wexford in the opening round of the Leinster championship before being ransacked for five goals by Meath. Their passionate followers began to desert them in droves as they headed off on the qualifiers where they recorded unconvincing wins over Tipperary, Armagh and Louth. Sure, Dublin were gradually improving but off a low base.

Few neutrals gave them a chance against Tyrone last Saturday, but the in-form Bernard Brogan and his team-mates stood up to the challenge, both physically and mentally, while their tightened up defensive system, carefully honed during the National League, finally began to yield results in the championship. The Dubs were honest and determined, while the turnaround in their fortunes is a great tribute to Gilroy who appeared a dead manager walking less than two months ago.

Only Owen Mulligan really threatened to unhinge Dublin at the back but, significantly, when the game was there to be won in the final five minutes, it was the younger legs of the sky blues which were to prove decisive, with Eoghan O’Gara’s late goal the killer blow. This was a mighty win for the Dubs and they won’t be backing away from Cork in the upcoming All-Ireland semi-final either.

Sunday’s doubleheader at Croke Park didn’t have the same earth-shattering potential, but it was still a mild surprise that Kildare eventually ran Meath ragged, having found themselves 1-3 to no score down after the opening salvos of the match. All summer, it has been a feature of the Lilywhites, starting slowly only to come with a withering second-half surge. Meath had no answer and few will feel sorry for them after the manner in which they ‘won’ the Leinster final against Louth.

Ironically, Kildare had come up badly short when facing the Wee county in the provincial championship and even had to dig deep to force a replay against Antrim in the qualifiers, but they haven’t looked back since as Kieran McGeeney’s super-fit troops continue on a hectic schedule which saw them face into their sixth consecutive weekend of action against Meath last Sunday.

First-half goals from James Kavanagh, who showed admirable composure, and Alan Smith had dragged them firmly back into the contest by half-time despite losing Dermot Earley to injury early in the match. With Johnny Doyle again leading by example up front, Kildare gradually began to pull away and, on this evidence, have arguably the greatest momentum of the four counties left in contention.

Of all the quarter-finals, Cork’s meeting with Roscommon was the driest-cut in terms of the expected result and though the Rebels sauntered home by nine points in the end, the spirited Connacht champions did have the audacity to take a narrow lead early in the second-half following points from Ger Heneghan, who really ought to have found the net, Michael Finneran and Karol Mannion. Their tiring bodies, however, ensured that Cork virtually took over the final quarter with Pearse O’Neill’s goal opening clear daylight between the teams.

It’s hard to credit that not one team which contested a provincial final has managed to reach the All-Ireland semi-finals. Kerry, Limerick, Roscommon, Sligo, Meath, Louth, Tyrone and Monaghan have all fallen by the wayside as counties which have come through the qualifiers comprise the last four.

Though Cork remain as favourites to atone for recent disappointments, the Inside Track’s loyalty will be to Kildare as they go chasing their first All-Ireland title since 1928.