A round-up of other Gaelic Games news
Cork's goal average will give fans great heart
If goals win matches, then Cork fans can take heart from their goal average this year and in their head-to-heads with Kerry over the past two years. According to the Vodafone Big-Match Stats from the past two years, Cork have hit eight goals in six games, giving them an average of 1.33 per match. Conversely, Kerry have found goals harder to come by, bagging six in seven games, an average of .85 per match. The sides’ two championship meetings this year support that trend as Cork have put two goals past Kerry, whereas Kerry have failed to breach Alan Quirke’s goal.
A head-to-head analysis of the five games involving the two sides over the past two years also shows that despite ending up on the wrong side in the most critical of all five – last year’s All-Ireland semi-final replay – Cork have struck seven goals to Kerry’s four and have a nine-point scoring advantage over Kerry with an overall score-line of 7-63 to 4-63 from the games.
There is one positive omen, however, for Kerry in the goalscoring department as the only time they outgunned their rivals was in last year’s All-Ireland semi-final replay, as they put three past Cork and conceded two.
Ruislip to host football final
The Interprovincial football final will take place in London after Ruislip was chosen to host the decider in November. The event will take place on Sunday, November 8th, a fortnight after the semi-finals.
Ulster will play host to Leinster at Crossmaglen on Saturday, October 24th, with Munster and Connacht meeting in the other semi-final on the same day in Limericks Gaelic Grounds.
Meanwhile, John Kiely is no longer the Waterford football manager after the county board ended his five-year reign. Kiely has expressed his disappointment at the decision.
Seán Boylan, the former Meath manager, has moved to dismiss speculation linking him with the vacant Armagh managers job.
No minor motivation
Neither Mayo nor Armagh will lack any motivation to get their hands on the Tom Markham Cup on Sunday.
Mayo lost last year’s All-Ireland minor final to Tyrone after a replay and are bidding for their sixth title in all, but first since 1985. They won’t want any reminding of how many finals they’ve lost in the 14 years since.
Armagh are chasing only their second title, having won their first and only title exactly 60 years ago back in 1949.
More interesting five-game stats
Other interesting facts emerging from the Vodafone Stats over the last five games are . . .
- Kerry have marginally given away more frees (three) –128 to Cork's 125
- Cork have hand-passed more – 467 compared to Kerry's 322
- Kerry have a far higher solo-run ratio – 409 compared to Cork's 312
- In the drawn All-Ireland semi-final last year Kerry soloed 104 times compared to Cork's 27
- Kerry enjoyed 56 per cent possession in that game, which ended in a draw
- Seven players (four Kerry and three Cork) received their marching orders in the five games.
Analysis of this year’s games involving both Cork (drawn and replayed Munster semi-final, Munster final, All-Ireland quarter-final and semi-final) and Kerry (drawn and replayed Munster semi-final plus All-Ireland quarter-final and semi-final), also shows Kerry have the highest possession total for any one game – 60 per cent in their demolition of Dublin.
Cork boast the highest possession return (56 per cent) from any one match which was, pointedly, in their Munster semi-final replay victory over Kerry, more even than in its quarter-final victory over Donegal, enjoying 53 per cent possession.
Other telling trends to emerge from the games covered involving Kerry and Cork are . . .
- Cork kicked an average of 10.2 wides per game (five games) compared to Kerry's 11.25 (four games)
- The sides have the exact same average for hand-passes (126) per game and pass completion rate (90 per cent)
- Kerry's average playing time per match is 17mins 36secs compared to Cork's 17mins 40secs
- Cork conceded an average of 25.6 frees per game compared to Kerry's 22.
