All Ireland Semi-Final 2010 Sunday 29th August 3.30pm Corke Park Kildare vs Down***Official Thread***

Guinness stained Kildare Jerseys at 12 o clock on a sunday night in a heaving pub. Its what the summer is all about lads!

DERMOT EARLEY looks like losing his race to be fit for next Sunday's All-Ireland SFC semi-final against Down in Croke Park (3.30).

Kildare's All Star midfielder has been bedevilled by a cruciate injury all summer, most recently during their quarter-final win over Meath when his knee buckled in the very opening minutes.

The Lilywhite camp was happy at the time that no further structural damage had occurred. However, it's understood he had a minor keyhole procedure just over two weeks ago and, while he has resumed some light running, he didn't take part in yesterday's internal practice match.

"Dermot has done a little bit but it may just come too soon," a spokesperson said. "He still has a chance but it will be a race against time."

In the event that Kildare's veteran talisman doesn't make it, there will be several contenders for the midfield vacancy. Hugh Lynch would appear in pole position given his highly effective role when deputising for Earley against Meath, although David Whyte, Gary White and Ronan Sweeney could also enter the equation.

From what I have heard on the grapevine he has a great chance of being involved. I think the Kildare camp could be trying sell Down a dummy here on this one

Think we will start.if we get 20mins from him,will be great.

Down results

beat Donegal 1-15 to 2-10
lost Tyrone 0-10 to 0-14
beat Longford 1-14 to 1-10
beat Offaly 1-12 to 1-10
beat Sligo 3-20 to 0-10
beat Kerry 1-16 to 1-10

Average score For 1-15 Against 1-10

Kildare results

lost Louth 1-16 to 1-22
drew Antrim 0-15 to 0-15
beat Antrim 1-15 to 0-9
beat Leitrim 1-12 to 0-6
beat Derry 2-17 to 1-9
beat Monaghan 1-15 to 1-11
beat Meath 2-17 to 1-12

Average score For 1-16 Against 1-11

So x=2 then Sam?

Cheers Sam - so no closer to finding a winner eh?

All joking aside, if you leave out the Sligo result, it brings their average down a good bit.

On the face of it, Down beating Longford and Offaly by narrow margins suggests we have had a better run of it.

On the other hand, if we had beaten Kerry by 6 points, we would still be wacky-racing up and down Main St.

I'm confused.

Just putting the results up for information. They dont really mean much bar the fact its obvious both teams can rack up big scores.

Therefore I'm going for a 0-9 to 0-8 win for Kildare next Sunday.

You had to say rack, didn't you?

This will be a close one.Kildare to shade it, as there much fitter than down.

How do you work that out Carburyman?

Have watched all kildare matches this year over the last week,and in the last 15 mins they look strong.
Down will be fit,but just think kildare will have the edge in the last 10-15mins

Of course you're right about Kildare finishing strong but it doesn't neccessarily follow that Down aren't going to finish strong.

Hope you're right though!

You see rgb i pride myself in haven a fantastic football brain

I'm hugely confused, Ted.

going by most of your post you sound it

Good lad! I'm (virtually) patting you on the head.....

all injuries have cleared up in time for sunday

Thats great news Fone, all the talk in my part of the world is football, roll on sunday.

well i've been saying it all along here - I actually thing they're trying to sell a dummy by saying Dermot IS ready to go. I'd say if he were to get 10-15 minutes, it would be excellent.... even if everything was spot on with the knee, how could he get 50 minutes just getting back to a bit of jogging on Thursday night? I wouldn't start him anyway, maybe I'd try get 20 out of him at the end if needed. It's a terrible pity.

I think it'd be better to start Dermot and take him off when he needs to come off. As someone said earlier here if he came on and got injured and then had to go off we'd have used up 2 sub options!

Ogie wrote:

well i've been saying it all along here - I actually thing they're trying to sell a dummy by saying Dermot IS ready to go. I'd say if he were to get 10-15 minutes, it would be excellent.... even if everything was spot on with the knee, how could he get 50 minutes just getting back to a bit of jogging on Thursday night? I wouldn't start him anyway, maybe I'd try get 20 out of him at the end if needed. It's a terrible pity.

I think your right Ogie, if he's not fit, he shouldn't start, and according to the herald today he didn't train yesterday. I'd say Geezer will know best, if he's not fit he won't start him, like you say keep him for the end 15-20mins.

Ogie wrote:

well i've been saying it all along here - I actually thing they're trying to sell a dummy by saying Dermot IS ready to go. I'd say if he were to get 10-15 minutes, it would be excellent.... even if everything was spot on with the knee, how could he get 50 minutes just getting back to a bit of jogging on Thursday night? I wouldn't start him anyway, maybe I'd try get 20 out of him at the end if needed. It's a terrible pity.

Earley has all the hard training done over the winter and summer months, he wouldnt have lost any of his fitness in the last 3 weeks in my view. We all know he wasnt firing on all cylinders fitness wise prior to Meath game anyway.
He has been running the last few days seemingly without doing any contact work.
If he is any way right at all I would say he has to start the game. Maybe geezer will even consider doing what Tyrone did with Canavan towards the end of his days with Tyrone when he wasnt able for 70 minutes.

I'd have me doubts. Might be best for the big man to start on the bench and if needed bring him on for last 20 mins if he's anyway right. Or if he's needed. You'd have to have full confidence in Hugh Lynch based on Meath match.