The die feels like it is almost cast for football 2023. While several teams looked like they were moving away from heavily defensive approaches over previous years, there seems a distinct reversion to that position this year.
With most teams solid defensively it is unlikely to be the key difference maker come the summer. That will likely (and possibly as ever) be the quality of a team's attacking play and their ability to reach the magical 16-20 point marker.
To that end, Kerry, in just 10 wonderful minutes against Roscommon, put on a demonstration of attacking play worthy of closer inspection.
Third Minute, Gavin White point
Kerry had taken the opportunity presented by a David Clifford free-kick to apply a strong press on the Roscommon kick-out.
On winning possession, they played a long ball deep into Paudie Clifford in Kerry’s left corner. From there, the ball was recycled at pace to the far wing via two long kick passes.
There, courtesy of two looped fist passing exchanges, David Clifford ended up with the ball in his hands in his shooting zone. He may have skied his shot but the quality of the approach play was clear and the point ended up still registered when White fisted the break ball over from a tight angle.
Fourth minute, David Clifford goal
Kerry, maintaining their press, won possession at midfield from the resultant kick-out and again, they worked the ball to a Clifford in the left corner-forward position, this time David.
From there it was passed out round the arc and into Donal O’Sullivan's hands deep in the opposite corner.
Roscommon, to their credit, remained secure defensively, so Kerry switched the ball back out round again.
A pitstop in the form of a one-two between Tony Brosnan and Sean O’Shea centrally forced Roscommon to close the middle. When Brosnan got the ball back out he spotted the superb back door cut of Clifford and played him in with an exquisite left foot 40 metre kick pass.
Clifford’s finish was as emphatic and precise as the build-up deserved. Within 45 seconds Kerry had explored both corners of the Roscommon defence, probed centrally and sliced them open with a perfect low kick pass to claim a goal.
Their attacking movement had made Roscommon lose their defensive depth to the extent that when Brosnan released his killer pass, their shape was that of a flat back four hoping for an offside call (below).
Of note too was the three Kerry players holding their positions in the opposite corner from Clifford leaving the centre open for the Fossa man to exploit.
More important than any of that though was Brosnan’s vision. He ignored the obvious safe option of a further fist pass round the arc and looked inside. Because he looked he saw. And because he saw…well we got to see the rest.
Fifth minute, Donal O’Sullivan point
Again, Kerry maintained their high field position and on winning possession attacked hard down the right wing, ending up in a corner and in the hands of Clifford. Once again, the ball was switched rapidly to the opposite corner.
This time the speed was courtesy of a 40m-driven Clifford kick pass out of the corner and Gavin White getting on his motorbike to cut across the middle passing the ball to Tom O’Sullivan.
Like Brosnan, O’Sullivan didn’t take the conservative option despite it being on, he looked inside and hit possibly an even more technically difficult pass to find his namesake Donal, who had made a similarly brilliant back-door run to Clifford just moments before and, being at a slightly tighter angle, fisted over the bar.
The space exploited by Kerry was present once again by forwards holding their position on the far side. The speed of the transfer from one corner to the other this time? Just 20 seconds. No lethargic multiple fist passes or slow solos in sight. It was ruthless and brilliant.
Ninth minute, Donal O’Sullivan point
Slightly different this time but a perfect showcase of the movement in the Kerry attack. When Tom O’Sullivan attacked down the left flank he had three options – one man running direct towards goal, one making a crossfield cut and one coming towards the sideline (below).
Three different angles. Three runs all with proper intent. This time Kerry went central, where the fast, silky hands we had seen in the Armagh game returned to create a chance for Donal O'Sullivan well within the shooting zone.
Less than 10 minutes in and Kerry were 1-03 to no score to the good. It was a game-winning opening stanza and one built on superbly in tune forward play.
Key themes? Their readiness, and desire to play into the corners. The corners are not, on the surface, the best attacking zones, but they are key areas in forcing defensive set-ups to move. When you get the defensive set-ups moving it is a matter of spotting the gaps, which Kerry did with aplomb.
These gaps were emphasised by the holding of positions away from the centre of the goals to create the spaces exposed by the brilliant kick passes of Tony Brosnan and Tom O’Sullivan.
The speed of the transition between wings and decisive fast-paced runs at varying angles was also notable and gave evidence of an attacking unit working to a clear set of principles.
Of course, those coached principles would count for nothing if Jack O’Connor didn’t have players with the ability to both see and execute the key plays.
He does, and with them, he knows he has the keys to unlock the blanket. Crucially for me, so do at least seven other sides – Mayo, Galway, Tyrone, Roscommon, Armagh, Derry and Dublin.
Some haven’t got the attacking side of their game up and going yet, but with the blanket defences likely holding fort this summer, they will want to get it going sooner rather than later.
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