skip to main content

Preview of 2005 All-Ireland SFC final

Colm 'Gooch' Cooper could be Kerry's hero again come Sunday evening
Colm 'Gooch' Cooper could be Kerry's hero again come Sunday evening

The biggest day in the Irish sporting calendar and Croke Park will be bursting at the seams, while millions will watch the action on television worldwide.

Will it be Kerry or Tyrone? They are polls apart as far as collecting All-Ireland trophies is concerned, but presently there is hardly a kick of a ball between them.                                       

Kerry appear to be most people's favourites to retain the crown they won with so much ease last season, but there are still some question marks regarding their overall ability to match Tyrone's full-blooded approach.

The Ulster men have named a strong side, a team so versatile that you could almost switch them completely around and they would still be capable of winning.

Peter Canavan will be in from the start. His experience alongside Stephen O'Neill and Owen Mulligan forms probably the best attacking line in present-day football.

It could be argued that Colm 'Gooch' Cooper is a potential match winner for the Kingdom.

His presence in Kerry's attack makes it difficult to call a winner.

Tyrone have had a tough passage to this stage, and along the way they have become a confident and hardened outfit.

Their opponents on Sunday, however, have rarely been troubled in this year's campaign.

Verdict: A hesitant vote for Tyrone.

Read Next