Galway (H)

Big test for Kerry to see how much they have learned from the battering they took in Galway a couple months ago.

The narrow nature of the defeat to Waterford would suggest they are in a much better place to compete this time around.

Looks like Kerry FC are going to go into May without having a single unsold ticket to their name. Still early days in their development obviously but the people of Kerry should be proud of what they've managed to create in such a short space of time.

I think most of us thought the crowds would drop off after the opening week. Kerry have a huge ceiling as a footballing entity.

As you say, the defence has tightened up a lot in recent games, though Galway would probably have been a lot more clinical with the kind of chances Waterford largely wasted, so we'll probably need to do more pressing in midfield, as well as funnelling behind the ball.Jonathan Hannafin has steadied the ship since he came into the team, and Kevin Williams has been Mr Consistency since the season began. The fans know it'll be a season-long project, and it'll be the games against sides in and around us, such as Treaty, Longford and Harps, where the creativity that's been rather patchy so far will need to be stepped up a notch or two.

Last week in Waterford was a defensive improvement. There have been signs of maturity in some of Kerry's play in recent games. They've learned lessons from some of the naive mistakes they made in the earlier games. Hannafin and Williams have played a big part in that.
No expectation really from the Galway game. 9 wins from 9 for them. Just hope Kerry can put in a good defensive display for the whole game and not concede any sloppy goals.

We definitely need the same type of set up vs Galway Friday at home in front what looks like to be another full house at Mounthawk Park. You cannot help but see the big improvement of the team in recent games being very hard to beat whilst also remaining dangerous on the break. We may get some more chances vs Galway at mounthawk park than we did vs Waterford away from home. I would not be surprised if we ran Galway close and gave them a scare.

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Originally Posted by dansultheman

We may get some more chances vs Galway at mounthawk park than we did vs Waterford away from home. I would not be surprised if we ran Galway close and gave them a scare.

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Big words after they sticking nine in yeer net a little over a month ago, but you could well be right. It won't be another hiding I'd definitely say. Just looking at the fixtures there, I'd expect ye to win soon ( & actually would like to see it happen ) the Treaty / Longford / Athlone / Wexford games in the coming month could well see a couple of wins for Kerry.

Dan gets a bit carried away at times, was always going to be about weathering this fortnight as best we could, but the following few games, as you say, all have potential for draws, if not better.

Kerry scored a great goal in Galway to be fair. The dream would be to succeed in parking the bus and to snatch a goal!

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Originally Posted by culloty82

but the following few games, as you say, all have potential for draws, if not better.

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I think the group have shown they can draw and stay in games now, & the Waterford scoreline, fair play like, they had scored ten in the previous two & will give a few good hidings before the season is out I'd say. It's time to win a game and its in them I think.

One change from last week. Sean O Connell out. Sean Kennedy in. A reversal of the change for last week so the same starting XI as the previous home game.

The stability in the starting XI now is undoubtedly a major help in terms of performances, although you could conversely argue that it was sorting out the wheat from the chaff which revealed the players who worked best together as a team.

To be honest lads when we play ye soon ye should beat us we are pure crap at present and thats being blunt!

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Originally Posted by culloty82

The stability in the starting XI now is undoubtedly a major help in terms of performances, although you could conversely argue that it was sorting out the wheat from the chaff which revealed the players who worked best together as a team.

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Billy understandably wanted to bring in some experience but the young guys who know his methods have been stepping up.

Very honest from Cian Barrett about the lads "having it out" in the dressing room at FT - yes, we can talk about amateurs vs professionals, but the squad themselves are evidently gutted that the second 45 drifted away from them after all the effort exerted in the first half: