08 May 2007 Kerry to face acid test against Waterford Share this Article 0 0 0 Shares! 0 Shares! Kerry to face acid test against Waterford Munster Semi Final Ladies Football Championship Kerry v Waterford Kerry face an acid test next Sunday at Blennerville at 2 p.m as they bid for a spot in the Munster final. Up to a fortnight ago Kerry would’ve been warm favourites for this match. Having impressed throughout the league which including an opening day win against the Deices back in Feburary, Robbie Griffin’s side looked well poised to reach their first League decider since 2003 when trailing Galway 0-6 to 0-5 at half time in the semi-final in Tuam. That Kerry failed to go on and win that match with the wind at their backs will surely have put some doubt in the players mind about their capabilities to make a break through at National level in the year ahead. Sarah O’Connor was surprisingly lethargic in that game but the news in the past few days that Sarah was stepping down from the panel due to ill health put her performance on that occasion in some perspective. The Southern Gaels player will be out of action for a few weeks and this will come as a huge setback to the Kingdom ladies. The current all-star and Kerry captain O’Connor was very much to the fore in all of Kerry’s league ties and her silken skills will be sorely missed as she has the ability to thread the neatest of inside passes to her full forward line. Several of Kerry’s league goals could be pin pointed to O’Connor presence and the Portmagee lady netted a double in the quarter-final win away in Monaghan. How Kerry cope without their captain on Sunday will be crucial to the outcome as they will miss her industry and bustling runs. Debra Murphy is another casualty as the Legion player went off injured against Cork in Kerry’s Munster minors loss at home to the rebels. The corner forward often profited from openings that O’Connor along with Geraldine O’Shea and Kacey O’Driscoll made for her and the Legion starlet had the knack of being in the right place at the right time. Further hampering the homeside’s efforts is the news that Catherine Sexton is also set to miss the game with a broken finger. Sexton had just made her way back from injury to her AC joint and this latest injury for the Abbeydorney lady is just plain bad luck. Kerry had a blow out at the weekend with a challenge game against Tipperary and the resolve of the panel will be put further to the test with Cassandra Buckley going over on her ankle. The Dr Crokes player now looks a serious doubt for Sunday’s match. All in all, it’s not the ideal run-in to a game where the result will have far reaching implications for the remainder of Kerry’s Munster and All Ireland campaign (seeding for the All Ireland series pool games will be decided on Provincial results). There is a second chance on offer to the losers of this weekend’s game as Cork await Sunday’s losers. Neither County will relish the prospect of facing the All Ireland champions Cork who will be hurting after losing their proud 32 game winning streak in the other National league semi-final against eventually winners Mayo. Waterford were not at full strength for their 4-15 to 3-7 reversal against Kerry a few short weeks back at Keirns O Rahilly’s and it must be remembered that last year they ended Kerry’s Munster prospects with a two point win at home in Dungarvan. Linda Wall and All-star Mary O Donnell will carry the fight to the home side and all the pressure will be on Kerry to produce the goods at home. Kerry will most likely introduce Edel Murphy, Nessa Ni Shuilleabhain and Edel O Connell to their starting 15. The loss of captain Sarah O’Connor means more is now needed from the fringe players to pitch in alongside lead lights Grainne Ni Fhlartharta, Caroline Kelly and Patrice Dennehy. As ever former all stars Kacey O’Driscoll and Geraldine O’Shea will carry most of Kerry’s scoring threat and presuming Katie Kenneally has recovered from the injury she sustained in Tuam the Kerry attack should have enough about them to send Robbie Griffin’s side into a Munster Final decider. Share this Article 0 0