THE EXCEPTIONAL SUMMER in hurling has seen football take a back seat but this is the weekend where the spotlight switches to football.

It’s Croke Park on the August Bank Holiday weekend and all the elite teams are there.

Looking at the games, there is an intriguing element to all of them.

This could be an absolutely cracking weekend of football in Croke Park.

MONAGHAN V TYRONE

When I saw Monaghan lose to Down in last year’s Ulster semi-final, I concluded that their older core of players were not going to claim that provincial title they craved. I suspect I was not alone in that judgement.

Their turnaround to defeat Donegal recently and win Ulster has been seismic. Let’s not forget this was a Division 3 team going up against the All-Ireland champions. But they still beat them.

You have to give great plaudits to their management team for that. I don’t know Malachy O’Rourke but he seems an extremely calm individual and a very good man manager.

Alan Hansen reckoned you wouldn’t win anything with kids but it’s difficult to win with a bunch of older fellas as well. Blending the youth like Walshe, Hughes and Beggan to the older crew like Finlay, Corey and Mone was key to Monaghan’s win.

I was delighted to see some of their players get the medal they wanted after giving sterling service to the the county.

The key question before tomorrow is are Monaghan be satisfied with that achievement in Ulster? I’d be surprised if Malachy hasn’t stepped back and told his players they have a chance to create more history and they should seize it.

It’s a really intriguing tie. Monaghan are a strong and aggressive football team. Their opponents are a crowd that know how to do it going through the back door. It was Tyrone’s marquee players that really stood out against Meath last Saturday. Sean Cavanagh kicked great points and gave great direction to their team.

I don’t believe this Tyrone team is as good as their past teams. But they’re effective and have really class footballers in Cavanagh and Stephen O’Neill, while Matty Donnelly and Peter Harte bring a lot to the table.

Tomorrow’s game is going to be really tight but the way Tyrone closed out the game last Saturday without displaying any signs of worry can stand to them. They have greater Croke Park experience and I’d give them a tentative vote.

Verdict…Tyrone

Monaghan manager Malachy O’Rourke celebrates after the Ulster final
Pic: INPHO/Donall Farmer

DUBLIN V CORK

For me Dublin represent the dilemma in modern Gaelic football. They are a team I really enjoy watching, particularly with the amount of pace they have all over the pitch. But for all that attacking play, there is the flipside that they can be vulnerably defensively as was demonstrated in the Leinster final.

Compared to their style under Pat Gilroy, Dublin are not as tight at the back with Eamonn Wallace exploiting that for Meath the last day. Dublin have a couple of problem areas in Cian O’Sullivan at midfield who could struggle aerially against a Cork team who will have big men in that sector.

At centre-back Ger Brennan is a very good footballer with the ball in hand but does he lack a bit of pace? If I was in the Cork camp, I’d be looking to target Brennan and hurt Dublin in that area of the pitch.

Yet Cork have their own worries. They may have won last Saturday but the game created concerns for Conor Counihan. He sticks with the tried and trusted and shows huge loyalty to this players. But that could cost them. If they line out with the team that he has selected, I think Graham Canty is a vulnerable figure for Cork despite being a big leader for the team.

We always expect a lot more from Cork but can they deliver? They were troubled by a Galway team last weekwho had their backside handed to them by Mayo, cannot be a good sign. I don’t see the dynamism in their team, they go across the park too regularly. Ciaran Sheehan being in the full-forward line improves the team but for me it has to be Dublin in this game.

Their overall athleticism and pace will be key. They don’t have Alan Brogan in attack and I’d like to see Diarmuid Connolly closer to goal to exploit his talent but I still feel their forwards have the capacity to shoot them to victory.

Verdict…Dublin

Ciaran Sheehan of Cork with Ger Brennan of Dublin
Pic: INPHO/Donall Farmer

KERRY V CAVAN

This game is a real throwback to the ties of old between these counties. I have a slight personal interest in that Finian Hyland, one of the selectors of the Ballyboden St Enda’s team that I manage, is a brother of Cavan manager Terry. Finian has been onto me all year about how this Cavan team are developing and what they’ve done has been tremendous.

Cavan have a manager that the county trusts and believes in. They’ve gone through the hard yards and claimed three U21 successes up in Ulster. Terry’s brought all these young players through with him.  They play very defensive style of football, leave three guys up front and it’s been very effective.

Cian Mackey is possibly the most exciting player I’ve seen this year and I’ve also been impressed with them defensively. They’re not playing with any fear either.

But they’re now coming up against a level of quality they haven’t faced to date. Kerry are a rejuvenated side and you could list off their entire team as being exponents of great football ability. Terry needs to bring his Cavan side down to earth and ensure they forget about what their opponents represent.

It’s just another team to face. They must continue to trust in the system and believe in what they are doing. It’s been interesting that Kerry have struggled against teams in the past that drop bodies back. Cavan flood their defence with bodies and can they thus pose a problem for Kerry?

The way Kerry played against Cork in the first 50 minutes of the Munster final was scintillating. Cork didn’t have sweepers but Kerry’s play was beautiful to watch as they hit brilliantly measured passes to their forwards.

It’s an intriguing game but I would come down on the side of Kerry. As long as Cavan don’t freeze, it’ll be a great game on what is a great occasion for them.

Verdict…Kerry

Kerry’s Eamonn Fitzmaurice and Marc O’Se
Pic: INPHO/Lorraine O’Sullivan

MAYO V DONEGAL

I thought the war of words between the Mayo and Donegal management teams this week was absolute nonsense. Personally I don’t like to see it as an approach to a game and found it annoying. I don’t buy into this talk of collusion between Mayo and Monaghan to take down Donegal.

I watched back yesterday the footage of the tackle between Stephen Gollogly and Mark McHugh. It was a very heavy, competitive tackle but there was no malice to it. Mark McHugh was off balance but Gollogly didn’t go in with his elbow or knee. It’s a peripheral point for Sunday’s game anyway.

You’d like to think Mayo have learnt a huge amount from last year’s final, particularly with their defensive match-ups. They’re a very fine team though. Take that early start from Donegal out of last year’s final and Mayo were the better team for the last 50 minutes of the game.

Mayo also have Andy Moran back, a leader they didn’t have last year. Donegal in contrast are struggling to get their leader Karl Lacey in top shape for the game. In addition there is a serious problem with the absence of Mark McHugh. When he isn’t there, the game plan falls apart.

Where is Plan B? Donegal were found wanting against Monaghan and they have questions that need to be answered. There is a question about Mayo as to whether their lack of tests in Connacht means they’re not ready for this game or they are instead fresh and ready to go.

I can’t see there being a huge amount of it and it’s a really close call but I think Mayo will edge this as they might have more in the tank.

Verdict…Mayo

Aidan O’Shea of Mayo with Rory Kavanagh of Donegal
Pic: INPHO/Donall Farmer

This promo for Sunday’s Mayo-Donegal elimination game will get you psyched

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