GAA: Kerry v Tyrone preview, predictions and All-Ireland semi-final tips

Tyrone v Kerry
Croke Park
TV: RTE & Sky Sports, 3.30pm Sunday

There are serious question marks hanging over a number of Kerry defenders and their attacking unit is young and inexperienced, so Tyrone could bully them to book their place in another All-Ireland football final.

There is no doubt Kerry are the more flamboyant side and their starting 15 have more natural ability than Tyrone's, but Mickey Harte's men have been there and done it before. They are built for days like this and the odds are not a fair reflection of their chances. Indeed, on all known form in the last two years, they should be favourites.

Kerry may have peaked against Mayo in Killarney last month. That performance was right out of the top drawer. They were lively, got early ball into David Clifford and Paul Geaney and did everything that was asked of them. They were not as good against Donegal but did enough to secure a draw and they were worse against Meath last week but stumbled to an eight-point win in which the manner of victory flattered them.

The most worrying aspect of that display was their defensive structure. There was an ocean of space in front of their full-back and Royals rookie, Shane Walsh, just 18, kicked six points and could have bagged two goals. Cathal McShane's size and strength could cause all sorts of problems.

David Clifford and Sean O'Shea are exceptional talents but still young, as is Killian Spillane, and space will be at a premium against this Tyrone side. They may not have enough strength and power to create scores from nothing.

Tyrone tried to change their style following a sluggish start to the league but a defeat to Donegal in the Ulster championship forced a rethink and they have returned to the system that brought them to an All-Ireland final in 2018 - lots of short passing and hard running, with Colm Cavanagh dropping deep to cut off goal chances.

Cavanagh cannot leave David Moran to roam around freely should he retreat at every opportunity, though, so Harte will have to have a man-marker on Moran. That is crucial.

If Kerry peaked against Mayo last month, Tyrone are set to peak now. It looks like Harte has timed his challenge to perfection. They didn't do anything spectacular against Roscommon or Cork and played a second-string side against Dublin last Sunday. Their whole season appears to have been geared towards an All-Ireland semi-final in mid-August.

McShane has given Tyrone a new dimension up front and Mattie Donnelly is having another stellar season. Add Peter Harte and the nippy Niall Sludden into the mix and you have got a potent attacking unit with the potential to take Kerry down.

Tyrone know how to win games like this Kerry may not. They had every chance to beat Donegal and they didn't. Cork could have beaten Tyrone but they didn't.

This could be the game where Sludden explodes into life. He's been relatively quiet by his own high standards this year but he will get space against Kerry and should exploit it. He looks value at 10-11 to score more than Spillane in a match bet with Paddy Power.

The weather forecast is not good and that will suit Tyrone more than Kerry. It could also mean that scores will be harder to come by and odds of 9-1 about no goals at all are worth taking.

Tyrone can win more comfortably than most are expecting in a low-scoring, cagey encounter.

Recommendations
Tyrone
3pts 6-4 general
Tyrone-Tyrone double result
1pt 4-1 bet365
No goals
1pt 9-1 BoyleSports
N Sludden to score more than K Spillane
1pt 10-11 Paddy Power

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