World Cup 2010 Group E previews

Holland vs Cameroon
The Netherlands will look to follow up their seamless progress to the last 16 with a commanding performance against already out-of-contention Cameroon in their final Group E match today.

.The Netherlands will be keen to avoid a repeat of 2006 and Euro 2008, when then-coach Marco van Basten fielded weakened sides in their final group matches and then suffered defeat in the first knock-out round. Coach Bert van Marwijk has spoken of the importance of the team finding their rhythm and has resisted the temptation to change around his team for the final game, meaning Arjen Robben will have to wait to make his first appearance at the 2010 tournament.

Cameroon has nothing to play for but pride after defeats by Japan and Denmark. The Indomitable Lions have been a huge disappointment in South Africa. Coach Paul Le Guen has been widely criticised over team selection and tactics, with some of his own players questioning his wisdom. This game could be his last in charge, with reports in Australia suggesting he is favourite to take over the Socceroos job from Pim Verbeek after the tournament.

The Netherlands will be hoping that their team can find the much sought after rhythm which has been missing in their two group games to date. They may have won both games with somewhat ease but the only criticism of the Netherlands' clinical wins over Denmark and Japan has been that their performances have lacked their usual dose of entertainment value. With Arjen Robben expected to appear at some stage there is hope that he will be the catalyst for the entertaining football Holland are known for and bring them far in the tournament.

Prediction: Holland 3-0 Cameroon

Denmark vs Japan
Progress for Japan would be a remarkable achievement. Okada's side came into the tournament on their worst run of form for 12 years, but stunned Cameroon in their opening match and were impressive in defeat against the Netherlands.

The Japanese side is built on a solid defence, with centre-backs Yuji Nakazawa and Marcus Tulio Tanaka in commanding form thus far. CSKA Moscow's Keisuke Honda has been their key man and a talismanic presence - Japan have won all five matches in which he has scored, keeping a clean sheet in all of them. If they are to progress to the round of 16 they will need him to hit the net again today.

Denmark has been unimpressive so far, and were on the brink of being eliminated from the tournament in the match against Cameroon, going a goal down before Nicklas Bendtner and Dennis Rommedahl hit back. The Danes have never failed to reach the second round in four previous attempts. No doubt they will be aiming to use their height advantage to beat the Japanese. 14 of the Danish squad stand over 6ft tall while only 6 of the Japanese squad are that tall.

Both teams will have the belief in themselves to reach the second round and face Paraguay. With Italy having been knocked out earlier today both of these teams might even believe they can go far as Paraguay wont fill them with fear. I think Denmark’s history and experience at this stage of the World Cup should see them through.

Prediction: Denmark 2-1 Japan

All-Ireland championship preview

Sligo vs Mayo, CSFC quarter-final, Markievicz Park (Sligo)
Mayo have a large number of injuries heading into their quarter-final clash with Sligo as Aiden Kilcoyne is definitely out and there are serious concerns over the availability of Alan Dillon and Trevor Howley. The loss of these three players would be felt by any county in Ireland but Mayo has a strong enough squad to deal with the problem.

Seamus O’Shea, Chris Barrett, Alan Freeman and Enda Varley all come in for their championship debuts after impressing during the league. These players will no doubt be looking to impress against the Yeats County and keep their places further down the line. With players like Aiden O’Shea and Pat Harte breathing down their necks a big performance will be needed.

There will be contrasting morale in the two camps as the Mayo players are still down following their annihilation in the league final against Cork, whereas Sligo won their second NFL title in a row when they defeated Antrim at Croke Park.

The Yeats County have made great strides under Kevin Walsh and this is a big year for them. Home advantage and a big crowd behind them should benefit them. If they are to defeat the defending Connaught champions, then belief could be the key to their success. Just as it was in 2007.

Mayo has an abundance of quality at their disposal but has constantly failed to deliver in big games. In the past ten years alone they have only beaten Tyrone and Dublin in a big championship game. I discount Fermanagh (2004 semi-final) as they are not All-Ireland contenders.

Saturday's game may not be considered a 'big game' in some quarters, but a determined Sligo has the capability to pull off the shock of the weekend. However, with players such as Conor Mortimer, Ronan McGarrity, and Andy Moran Mayo have more than enough quality to see of their neighbours and set up another championship meeting against Galway.

Verdict: Mayo by 5

Kerry vs Cork, MSFC semi-final, Killarney
This is possibly the first of a few meetings between these sides this summer,if the last number of years are anything to go by.

Kerry are undoubtedly a team in transition, but any team in transition who can call on five All-Ireland winners as replacements cannot be doing too bad. The one thing that must be asked though is, after so much All-Ireland success over the last decade, does Kerry care for the Munster championship? They went the qualifying route last year and we all know how that turned out and in the All-Ireland, they proved, no matter how much they are written off, that they are the best in the country.

The loss of five key players this year was not highlighted in the comfortable first round win over Tipperary, but it certainly will against Cork.

Cork's physicality is one of their main strengths and the return of Pearse O'Neill is a major plus as too is Colm O'Neill's return to the side.

The midfield diamond area could be the winning or losing of this game for either team and Cork are definitely stronger in that area. With Galvin missing and Mike McCarthy a doubt Cork will be expected to run riot over Kerry in this area. Michael Quirke's mobility in the middle of the park is still questionable also.

It remains to be seen if Graham Canty starts; his inclusion would be massive boost to the Leesiders, but regardless they should have enough firepower to see off Kerry's challenge. Whether or not that can be said later in the championship is a debate for another day.

Verdict: Cork by 4

Waterford vs Limerick, MSFC semi-final, Fraher Field (Dungarvan)
This is a repeat of the division four final that Limerick won by a narrow margin. There is not much to separate these sides this year. Waterford has improved immensely over the past few years and will be looking to become third best in Munster ahead of Limerick and Tipperary.

Limerick will go into the match as favourites and justifiably as they are an experienced outfit, who know what it takes to reach a provincial final. Their ability to take their scores in the league final proved the difference between the sides and that is something Waterford will no doubt have worked on over the past few weeks.

Playing at home could make all the difference for the Déise, they are a side hungry for success and it is refreshing to see in the modern game. Spurred on by an enthusiastic home crowd and the possibility of a double Munster final involving the Waterford hurling & football teams could just see them over the finish line and into a first Munster final since 1960.

Verdict: Waterford by 2

Louth vs Kildare, LSFC quarter-final, Pairc Tailteann (Navan)
Louth are back in championship action less than two weeks after a hard fought win over Longford in Portlaoise, whereas Kildare are making their bow in this years championship.

The Wee County will have to show a vast improvement from their performance the last day and if the produce the kind of wayward shooting displayed against Longford, then they have no chance against a Lilywhites side who showed in a recent challenge game against Mayo that they have their shooting boots at the ready this season.

Changes are not expected to be made to the Louth team following that win while Kildare will be without Ken Donnelly, Mike Conway and Rob Kelly for the rest of the year, while it remains to be seen if last years All-Star midfielder Dermot Earley will be fit to last 70 minutes.

The tight pitch at Navan could well suit Louth and they pushed Tyrone all the way in the qualifiers there a few years back, but the Lilys will be looking to go all the way in Leinster this year and they should prevail.

Verdict: Kildare by 8

Wicklow vs Westmeath, LSFC quarter-final, O’Connor Park (Tullamore)
This is a repeat of last year's championship clash between the sides. On that occasion, Westmeath needed extra time to see off the challenge of the Garden County, but 12 months is a long time in Gaelic football.

Wicklow's confidence has risen as a result of last year’s historic run through the qualifiers and they easily swept aside Carlow in the first round. That game will have brought them on even further and they will be gunning for revenge on Sunday. In Leighton Glynn, they have a very influential captain who leads by example and if Westmeath are to win this match, then they will have to keep the shackles on the experienced wing forward.

To say Westmeath had a bad league campaign would be an understatement, no wins for the second year in a row, the loss of a manager and a players' revolt are just some of the problems that the Midlanders have had to deal with. Pat Flanagan, as top quality of a GAA coach as he is, has had little time to put things right, but he has been trying his hardest. The return of Dessie Dolan and Denis Glennon is a massive boost to them. However, this game may have come a little too soon for Westmeath and Wicklow are primed to progress to the Leinster semi-final.

Verdict: Wicklow by 5

Monaghan vs Armagh, USFC quarter-final, Casement Park (Belfast)
This should be one of that matches of this years championship. The Division 2 champions Armagh will believe they can go all the way in this year’s championship while Monaghan are seen as one of the underdogs and could go all the way in Ulster for the first time since 1988.

Armagh boss Paddy O'Rourke has received mixed news ahead of Sunday's game as it looks to have come too soon for Ronan Clarke, but Kevin Dyas cane through a recent challenge match unscathed and is available for selection.

The benefit of having already played in this year’s championship cannot be underestimated and should stand to Armagh. They were made to work hard against Derry three weeks ago and managed to get the job done, albeit not in an impressive fashion.

This is a massive campaign for the Farney County. A lot of their players have been knocking on the door for some time now and time may be running out for them. On paper, they are probably more experienced than Armagh at the moment and if they are ever to do anything in the province then this could well be the year.

Both teams had successful league campaigns and will be heading into this game with much confidence. A cracker could be in place in the city of Belfast.

Verdict: Monaghan by 2

World Cup 2010 - Group H

Spain

Switzerland

Chile

Honduras


Group Strength
La Furia Roja has been spared a nightmare scenario but being Spain at a World Cup they will no doubt still face some tough tests in the section. Ottmar Hitzfeld's Switzerland recovered from a poor start to their qualification campaign to top their listings ahead of 2004 European Champions Greece aswell as Israel. Meanwhile, Chile were only one point worse off than CONMEBOL section toppers, Brazil and are an exciting, dynamic prospect under coach Marcelo Bielsa, scoring 32 times in the qualification process. Honduras, back after 28 years to the world stage, are somewhat of an unknown quantity to a global audience but managed to inflict a 3-1 over Mexico during the CONCACAF qualification process and boast a number of impressive performers not to be taken lightly, particularly Spurs midfielder Wilson Palacios.

Group Favourites
Spain will certainly fancy their chances of topping the group with relative ease; nine eminently winnable points are on offer for the current world number two and European champions. Wins over Switzerland and Honduras could leave Spain with the enviable prospect of fielding an under strength side in the final match against Chile. With players like Xavi, Andreas Iniesta, Fernando Torres, David Silva and David Villa at their disposal Spain could go the whole way and should see this group as a warm up for tougher tests further down the line. Spain’s history at major tournaments, particularly the World Cup where they have never gotten past the ¼ final stage, could be their downfall but they should still qualify from this group with relative ease.

Battle for Second
Chile and Switzerland will both see themselves as favourites to qualify alongside Spain and are separated by only six places in the current world rankings. In Ottmar Hitzfeld the Swiss have one of the best coaches in the world, having won two Champions League titles with Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich, and will be looking to at least equal their two most recent world cup performances where they reached the second round at USA 94 and Germany 06. Chile, however, were the stars of the South American qualification rounds, finishing above Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay and just behind the number one team in the world, Brazil. The second match day fixture between these teams should decide who follows Spain into the second round and earns a fixture against Brazil. The tie really hinges on the players who perform best on the day for their country. For Chile Gary Mendel and Mark Gonzalez will be the main men while Hakan Yakin and Alexander Frei will be the men Switzerland will be pinning their hopes on.

The Outsiders
It would be unfair to label Honduras as rank underdogs in the section as they could have been handed a lot worse draw. However, the central Americans need to hit the ground running with a decent result against Chile on matchday one. It would be foolish to dismiss La Bicolor as no-hopers, boasting the likes of Wilson Palacios, David Suazo and Carlos Costly in their ranks. But I still believe the best they can hope for is a draw against Switzerland on the last day as the Swiss should have already qualified alongside Spain by then.


Going Forward
The runners-up in Group H will surely have a stern task on their hands in the knock-out round of 16. Brazil, Ivory Coast, Portugal and outsiders North Korea comprise Group G, with the top-placed team in that pool moving on to meet Group H's second best. Whoever finishes second will more than likely be taking on Brazil in the second round and should see their tournament end at that point, but Spain will fancy themselves against either Ivory Coast or their Iberian neighbours in the second round. Spain are the favourites to go all the way and win the tournament but in order to do this they must do two things for the first time. They must get past the ¼ final stage and they must become the first European team to win the World Cup outside of Europe. In order to do this they are going to have beat the likes of Portugal, Holland, Italy and Brazil along the way. They may have been handed a relatively easy group but once the knock-out stages begin Spain will have the toughest route of all. However, I still expect them to go far and at least reach the semi-finals.

Fixtures
Honduras – Chile, June 16th, (12.30)
Spain – Switzerland, June 16th, (15.00)
Chile – Switzerland, June 21st, (15.00)
Spain – Honduras, June 21st, (19.30)
Chile – Spain, June 25th, (19.30)
Switzerland – Honduras, June 25th, (19.30)

Prediction
1st – Spain
2nd – Switzerland
3rd – Chile
4th - Honduras

World Cup 2010 - Group G

Ivory Coast

Portugal

Brazil

DPR Korea

Group Strength
A tantalising battle between three teams, Brazil, Ivory Coast and Portugal, who love to exhibit the beautiful game. Any one of these teams will believe they can leave their mark on this competition. Brazil are perennial favourites while Ivory Coast are Africa’s best chance of success on home soil. Portugal, despite their recent problems, can also be viewed as a threat so long as Ronaldo is fit. North Korea pulled off a huge shock in 1966 when they beat Italy. Even gaining a single point from this group will be viewed as an even bigger shock.

Group Favourites
Brazil are probably considered the favourites based on history and experience at this level but there are no clear favourites to finish top of Group G. With players like Lucio, Julio Cesar, Kaka and Robinho, Brazil are understandably seen as the strongest team and for that fact alone they will be viewed as favourites. Recent form generally does not mean much coming into a World Cup tournament and neither Brazil nor Portugal have much form as of late, however, the Ivory Coast do not have enough class and experience to take advantage if the opportunity arises.

Battle for Second
The opening round of games could decide who qualifies alongside Brazil for the round of 16. Portugal face Ivory Coast on June 15th. This should make for an explosive start to the group but could possibly leave the final round of games as a damp squib. The winner of this game will accompany Brazil through to the second round. Didier Drogba, Yaya & Kolo Toure will be the leading Ivory Coast stars while Portugal will be calling on Cristiano Ronaldo, Deco and Pepe to get them through. A very tough match to call but I will trump for Portugal, despite the recent 0-0 draw against Cape Verde Islands, to qualify.

The Outsiders
North Korea are the underdogs in this group full of pedigree and star players. They could not have asked for a more difficult first game to kick-start their finals campaign than facing five time world champions Brazil, and things will only continue in a terrible vein from there. The threat that is probably coming from Kim Jong Il towards the team will make no difference as it is very possible that North Korea will finish bottom with no goals scored and a record number of goals conceded. Nobody will enjoy seeing that happen, and no doubt the people of North Korea won’t even know.

Going Forward
The runners-up for this group will face the winner of Group H, very likely to be Spain. If that is Portugal or Ivory Coast then it essentially means that they will have to face the number one and number two ranked nations in FIFA's current world ranking before a potential clash with Italy in the ¼ finals. Not necessarily the easiest of routes to World Cup glory. The group winner, however, will have a relatively straightforward second round match against Chile, Switzerland or Honduras before a potential ¼ final meeting with the Netherlands. No matter what, if a team from Group G goes on to win the tournament, which is a very real possibility, they will have done it the hardest way possible.






Fixtures
Ivory Coast – Portugal, June 15th, (15.00)
Brazil – North Korea, June 15th, (19.30)
Brazil – Ivory Coast, June 20th, (19.30)
Portugal – North Korea, June 21st, (12.30)
Portugal – Brazil, June 25th, (15.00)
North Korea – Ivory Coast, June 25th, (15.00)

Prediction
1st – Brazil
2nd – Portugal
3rd – Ivory Coast
4th – DPR Korea

World Cup 2010 - Group F

Italy

Paraguay

New Zealand

Slovakia


Group Strength
Spain, Holland, Brazil, Germany, all these teams face somewhat tricky routes out of their group. Group F, however, contains no such problems for Italy. While the group contains the holders, neither New Zealand nor Slovakia hold any real weight on the international scene. This is only the All Whites' second World Cup, while 2010 is Slovakia's debut. Paraguay have previous experience at the World Cup, but have never progressed beyond the last 16. Don't expect anyone but Italy to reach beyond the round of 16 from this group.

Group Favourites
Without doubt Italy are considered favourites to top this group. While they did not perform to their best during qualification, the holders will have enough to see off their immediate opposition. Marcello Lippi has picked a strong squad for the tournament, surprisingly leaving out Giuseppe Rossi, and will look to be going all the way. Daniele De Rossi, Antonio Di Natale, and Gianluigi Buffon will be Italy’s leaders through Group F and it will be hoped that one or two more players can step up to the mark. They should have no problem qualifying for the round of 16 and with Cameroon their likely opponents there, should make at least the ¼ finals.

Battle for Second
Having picked up wins against both Argentina and Brazil during the South American qualification phase, Paraguay showed that they will be no pushovers on the big stage. They conceded less than a goal a game during qualifying, while the likes of Man City’s Roque Santa Cruz and Salvador Cabanas will be leading the line which should mean scoring a few goals against New Zealand and Slovakia. Like Italy, the Paraguayan mentality is more inclined towards defence than attack and they should have enough going forward to secure second place in the group.

The Outsiders
It's a toss up between New Zealand and Slovakia to see who will finish bottom of the group. New Zealand's only previous appearance in the World Cup finals came in 1982, when they lost all three matches. Slovakia have the stellar Marek Hamsik in their ranks and came through a far more difficult qualifying campaign than the All Whites, but their lack of experience at the very top level may hinder them a little. The likes of Ryan Nelson and Rory Fallon, who are plying their trade in English football, should mean New Zealand pick up their first ever world cup point against Slovakia. That alone will make this a world cup to remember for the All Whites.

Going Forward
Italy and Cameroon should face off in the last 16 and the Azzurri should get through that with no problems. Paraguay, the most likely runners up in Group F, should meet the Netherlands and will go no further. Group F will not make a mark on the 2010 World Cup and seeing the weakness of this group should make Irish fans even more annoyed that we are not involved.

Fixtures
Italy – Paraguay, June 14th, (19.30)
New Zealand – Slovakia, June 15th, (12.30)
Slovakia – Paraguay, June 20th, (12.30)
Italy – New Zealand, June 20th, (15.00)
Slovakia – Italy, June 24th, (15.00)
Paraguay – New Zealand, June 24th, (15.00)

Prediction
1st – Italy
2nd – Paraguay
3rd – Slovakia
4th - New Zealand

World Cup 2010 - Group E

Netherlands

Denmark

Japan

Cameroon

Group Strength
The only heavyweights in this group are the Netherlands and among the four teams only they can realistically aspire to get beyond the last 16 stage of the competition. The rest of the teams look good but they wouldn't be able to challenge for a quarter-final berth. Yet the games between these teams should be interesting as they are all around the same level. A surprise or two could even be sprung along the way.

Group Favourites
The Netherlands are easily the favourites to win this group. They were in great form in the qualifiers and won all their eight matches. Bert van Marwijk's side have exceptional attacking players such as Robin van Persie, Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben and although they are vulnerable at the back, the Oranje should comfortably win the three games in the group. Sneijder and Robben should be in great form following their exploits in Europe with Inter Milan and Bayern Munich respectively. If the Oranje are going to go far in South Africa these two will have to be accommodated to fulfil their strengths.

Battle for Second
The battle for the runners-up spot will be interesting as Japan, Cameroon and Denmark will all count themselves as second favourites in the group. Cameroon would especially believe in themselves given that they are an African side and would be buoyed by a 'home' support. Moreover, they have players such as Samuel Eto'o, Carlos Kameni and Stephane M'bia and if each of these, particularly Eto’o, performs to their potential then they should reach the round of 16.

The Outsiders
Japan should find themselves struggling in the group and along with Denmark will be looking to avoid finishing bottom of the group. The former World Cup quarter-finalists are one of the strongest teams in Asia but struggle against physical and technically superior sides. Cameroon can be physically intimidating and the Dutch are far superior to them in every aspect. Denmark should be able to hold off the challenge of Japan as they are more experienced at this stage of world football. The final group game between the two sides should decide who props up the group and while neither team will want that indignity I would expect Denmark’s superiority to show through.

Going Forward
Group favourites Holland will face Paraguay or Slovakia, while Cameroon should meet Italy in the last 16 stage if they qualify. Holland will fancy themselves to go far in this tournament and will believe this could finally be the year they break their World Cup hoodoo. Cameroon, however, will more than likely see their journey end at the hands of the defending champions.

Fixtures
Netherlands – Denmark, June 14th, (12.30)
Japan – Cameroon, June 14th, (15.00)
Netherlands – Japan, June 19th, (12.30)
Cameroon – Denmark, June 19th, (19.30)
Denmark – Japan, June 24th, (19.30)
Cameroon – Netherlands, June 24th, (19.30)

Prediction
1st – Netherlands
2nd – Cameroon
3rd – Denmark
4th - Japan

Armagh, Wicklow and Kerry all progress

Armagh 1-10
Derry 1-07

In front of a crowd of just over 10,000 Armagh booked their passage through to the quarter-finals of the Ulster Senior championship after a hard fought win over Derry. It was Derry’s first championship defeat at Celtic Park since 1994.

It was point for point all the way throughout the opening 22 minutes, with the Oak Leafers pulling away with frees from Paddy Bradley and Mark Lynch, only to be pegged back by Aaron Kernan an Steven McDonnell.

A very tense contest burst into life just before half-time when Paddy Bradley grabbed a goal for Derry. But this was the sign for McDonnell to show why he is one of the best footballers in the country. As he fired over four points late in the half, two of them from exceptionally difficult frees, to level the scores and send the sides in at the break deadlocked at 1-5 to 0-8.

Charlie Vernon fired Armagh into the lead for the first time two minutes after half-time before Derry suffered a game changing double blow.

First Eoin Bradley picked up a second booking after hauling Aaron Kernan to the ground, and his side was reduced to 14 men. Less than two minutes later, the Orchard men forced ahead with a goal from substitute Jamie Clarke. The Crossmaglen youngster collected McDonnell's cross from the left to shoot deftly past Gillis for a 1-10 to 1-6 lead.

Derry only managed to score two points in the entire second half as the Armagh defence stood strong, particularly Kieran Toner and Ciaran McKeever. However, they were still in with a chance to at least bring the game to a replay when they were awarded a penalty with five minutes left. But Paul Hearty pulled off a tremendous save to deny Gerard O’Kane.

Derry: B Gillis, B Og McAlary, K McGuckin, D McBride, G O'Kane, B McGuigan, M Bateson, F Doherty, Patsy Bradley, SL McGoldrick, M Lynch (0-4 (3f), D Mullan, Paddy Bradley (1-2, 0-2f), E Bradley (0-1), R Wilkinson Subs: B McGoldrick for McGuigan (inj, 23), J Kielt for Wilkinson (49), M Craig for Bateson (61), J Diver for Doherty (inj, 63), E Muldoon for SL McGoldrick (70)

Armagh: P Hearty, A Mallon, K Toner, B Donaghy, P Duffy, C McKeever, F Moriarity, C Vernon (0-1), J Lavery, M Mackin, A Kernan (0-3, 2f), G Swift, B Mallon, S McDonnell (0-5, 4f), R Henderson (0-1) Subs: V Martin for Lavery (34), J Clarke (1-0) for Henderson (49), M McNamee for Mackin (70)

Referee: M. Deegan (Laois).


Kerry 2-18
Tipperary 2-06

Kieran Donaghy was the conductor for All-Ireland champions Kerry as they passed this early summer examination against Tipperary, running out 12-point winners in the end.
The 4,965-strong Thurles crowd had hopes of an upset as Tipperary ended the first half just 0-08 to 1-04 in arrears, with Philip Austin scoring a cracking early goal. But, turning with the wind, the Kingdom hit their stride in the second period to cruise through to a semi-final showdown with Munster title holders Cork on 6 June.

Bryan Sheehan netted twice and Colm Cooper, Donaghy and Barry John Keane all had an influence, putting the game beyond a brave Tipp's reach. John Evans' young side also finished the game with 14 players as top scorer Barry Grogan was very harshly dismissed for his second bookable offence, a mistimed challenge on Kerry substitute Adrian O'Connell.

With five of last year’s All-Ireland winning side missing, following the retirements of Darragh O Se and Diarmuid Murphy, the departures of Tommy Walsh and Tadhg Kennelly to Australia and Aidan O'Mahony's recent withdrawal from the panel, Kerry will be very happy this week with their performance as the begin training for another Cork challenge.

The visitors hit the front after a minute and 20 seconds, Donaghy turning inside two defenders to land the opening point. But Tipperary, boosted by their Under-21s' recent win over Kerry, levelled with a '45' from Grogan and took a seventh minute lead when Austin beat Brendan Kealy in the Kerry goal with a measured finish.

Cooper (0-03) and Paul Galvin got Kerry back on terms, but they should have been in front. Sheehan had a 14th minute goal harshly disallowed for an ‘illegal’ hand pass from Donaghy, a decision that may well have gone for Kerry on another day.

The Tipp goalkeeper Paul Fitzgerald blocked a goal-bound effort from Donaghy and the Tralee giant had two wides in quick succession as the Tipp rearguard did their job in frustrating Kerry's fluent forwards. Cooper watched a point attempt from directly infront of the goals bounce back off the post, and the Premier County side went back in front when a strong burst in from the left from Austin set up a Brian Mulvihill point.

Pointed efforts from Galvin and Sheehan saw Kerry use their huge amount of possession to go in ahead at the break by a point, 0-08 to 1-04.

There was a sense around Semple Stadium that Kerry would simply go through the gears when the action resumed in the second half and gradually that is the way it played out. Sheehan hit the woodwork with a point attempt, but Cooper traded points with Grogan as O'Connor's charges kept ahead.

The Tipp defence was caught out in the 47th minute as Tomas O Se and McCarthy raided forward, the latter's point attempt failed to find the target but Donaghy scooped the ball over for Sheehan to slip a low shot to the net for a 1-12 to 1-06 scoreline.

Tipp rallied superbly and were unfortunate not to close the gap as Austin went wide from a kickable free and Kealy had to be on his toes to block a snap shot from Acheson.

They did manage to whittle Kerry's lead down to three points when the Kerry net minder was beaten to a high ball by Grogan for Tipp's second goal in the 52nd minute. But that proved to be Tipp’s last score as Kerry tightened their grip on proceedings and the excellent Donaghy gave an exhibition of high fielding.

Five minutes from the finish, another top drawer catch and feed by Donaghy set up Sheehan for a drilled finish to the bottom left corner of Fitzgerald's net. Cooper added another point soon after to wrap up the scoring as Kerry finished the final quarter of the game having outscored Tipp by 1-08 to 0-00

Tipp have a long wait to the first round of the All-Ireland qualifiers on 26 June and their search for a first Munster Championship win since 2003 continues, but they can certainly be proud of their efforts here and Evans has an abundance of potential to build on. Every year an unfancied team goes on a run through the qualifiers, Fermanagh in 04, Wexford in 08, and Sligo in 02, 2010 could be Tipperary’s year.

Tipp: P Fitzgerald; P Codd, N Curran, C McDonald; C Aylward, R Costigan(c), C McGrath; K Mulryan, G Hannigan(0-1), P Acheson (0-1), P Austin (1-00), H Coghlan; S Carey, B Grogan (1-03, 1 ’45) B Mulvihill (0-1) Subs: B Fox for Coghlan (13-20 mins, blood sub), B Fox for Mulvihill (44), B Coen for Carey (55), J Cagney for Austin (61), B Jones for Aylward (66), A Morrisey for McGrath (70).

Kerry: B Kealy; M O Se, T Griffin, T O'Sullivan; T O Se, M McCarthy, K Young; S Scanlon (0-1), M Quirke; P Galvin (0-2), Declan O'Sullivan (0-1), D Walsh(0-1), C Cooper (0-5, 1f), K Donaghy (0-1), B Sheehan(c)(2-05, 4f) Subs: P Reidy for T O'Sullivan (45 mins), Darran O'Sullivan for Galvin, A Maher for Quirke (both 56), A O'Connell for Young (61), BJ Keane (0-2) for Declan O'Sullivan (62).

Referee: D. Coldrick (Meath)


Wicklow 3-13
Carlow 0-12

A hat-trick of goals saw Wicklow clear their Leinster Championship first hurdle as they overcame Carlow at O'Moore Park on Sunday afternoon.

Wicklow had Nicky Mernagh sent off in first half injury-time but a Paul Earls goal ensured a 1-06 to 0-06 lead for them at the break. Carlow lost midfielders Brendan Murphy (straight red) and Thomas Walsh (second yellow) in the closing 35 minutes, and their provincial hopes were ended by further goals from Wicklow's Leighton Glynn and JP Dalton.

After a pulsating encounter which saw referee Gerry Kinneavy award three red cards and 16 yellows, the reward for Mick O'Dwyer's men is a quarter-final clash with Westmeath on 6 June.

Carlow were unable to make their first half domination tell on the scoreboard as they hit seven wides in the opening 21 minutes. Wicklow, however, were more clinical with their possession as they broke into a 0-03 to 0-00 score.

Carlow were left exposed defensively, while the expected midfield dominance by former Aussie Rules trainee Brendan Murphy and ex-Wicklow player Thomas Walsh failed to materialise in the opening quarter. Luke Dempsey's charges had registered four wides before Murphy landed Carlow's opening point to cut the deficit to two points.

Carlow levelled the game by the 20th minute but Wicklow then took control with an unanswered score of 1-2 before the break. The goal coming from the boot of Paul Earls. However, Wicklow were quickly on the back foot once again as Nicky Mernagh was sent off in first half injury time. Carlow took immediate advantage of their numerical gain with two quickfire points to leave three between the sides at half time.

McWalter bagged another Wicklow point within 40 seconds of the restart, with scores from Hannon and Glynn giving O'Dwyer's side a 1-10 to 0-07 lead by the 45th minute. But Carlow pressed hard, with Murphy beginning to exert his authority on proceedings from midfield, although Wicklow goalkeeper Mervyn Travers denied him a certain goal in the 58th minute.

The Barrowsiders were reduced to 14 men when Murphy received a straight red with eight-and-a-half minutes remaining. They tried hard to pick up the pieces but were dealt a huge blow with two sucker-punch goals in a six-minute spell.

Firstly, Wicklow captain Glynn found the net, after an excellent long ball in from midfielder Dalton. Glynn outpaced both Padraig Murphy and Benny Kavanagh before beating Clarke from close range. Dalton turned scorer as he completed Wicklow's hat-trick in the 68th minute, nipping the ball past Clarke to put his side 3-11 to 0-09 in front.

Carlow rallied in the closing stages with scores from substitute Daniel St Ledger and defender Alan Curran. But it was too late for Dempsey's side to stage a recovery and Wicklow progressed through to a quarter-final meeting with Westmeath.

Wicklow: M Travers; S Kelly, D O'hAnnaidh, A Byrne; P McWalter (0-1), B McGrath, D Hayden; J Stafford, D Jackman; L Glynn (1-04), T Hannon (0-6, 2f, 1 ’45), N Mernagh; D Odlum, S Furlong (0-2), P Earls (1-0) Subs: JP Dalton (1-0) for Jackman (21 mins), S Canavan for McWalter (52), P Dalton for Odlum (58).

Carlow: J Clarke; P Murphy, L Murphy, B Kavanagh; A Curran (0-3), J Hayden, P McElligott; B Murphy (0-3), T Walsh; S Gannon, D Foley, M Carpenter; S Rea (0-4, 4f)), J Murphy, J Kavanagh Subs: S Redmond for L Murphy (29 mins), JJ Smith (0-1) for Foley (34), D St Ledger (0-1) for J Murphy (44), P Cashin for Hayden (60).

Referee: G. Kinneavy (Galway)

World Cup 2010 - Group D

Australia

Germany

Serbia

Ghana

Group Strength
Without doubt this is one of the toughest groups in the 2006 World Cup. This is a group where all four nations finished first in their respective qualifying series and although Germany are the only perennial giants, Australia, Serbia and Ghana are all teams who can put on a great run of form. Germany always come into form at just the right time for a major tournament and after the disappointment of 2006, when they went out to two late extra-time Italy goals in the semi-final, they will be determined to get closer to Brazil in the role of honour. None of Australia, Ghana or Serbia will be viewed as creditable challengers for the World Cup crown but could cause a shock or two during the tournament.

Group Favourites
Germany, not surprisingly, will be favourites to secure first place, although it won't be all plain sailing. They have not been spectacular but as the most experienced nation in this group, they will immediately have the psychological advantage. With players like Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski they should score enough goals and their supporting cast, such as Philip Lahm and Bastien Schweinsteiger are among the best in the world when it comes to the international game. Even with the loss of their talisman Michael Ballack, this group will hold no fear for them.

Battle for Second
Probably the most open battle for second place out of any group. Australia, Ghana and Serbia are all capable of snapping up the coveted second spot. The former two progressed to the knockout round of the 2006 World Cup, in Germany no less, but the Serbians were one of UEFA's surprise packages in the qualifiers. If they can carry their momentum to next summer, they could be a real threat. Australia know they should have gone further in the 2006 competition, but for dodgy refereeing, and will want to set that right in South Africa. Added to that they have better players in Tim Cahill, Harry Kewell and Mark Schwarzer than either Ghana or Serbia.

The Outsiders
With all four teams having pretty much equal chances of progressing, the two teams who lose their opening game, should they lose, will quickly become the outsiders. Australia have a daunting showdown against the Germans, but Ghana and Serbia will be looking to put one over the other to make a bright start to the tournament. Serbia’s performance in the 2006 World Cup, where they were humiliated by Argentina, compared to their opponents will make them outsiders for this group

Going Forward
The group winners will face the runners up in Group C, which comprises England, USA, Slovenia and Algeria. But a meeting with Argentina could be on the horizon in the Q-finals. The runners-up, curiously enough, could have an easier fixture in the last 16, with South Africa, Mexico, Uruguay (from Group A) and Nigeria, Korea Republic or Greece (from Group B) the potential rivals.

Fixtures
Serbia – Ghana, June 13th (15.00)
Germany – Australia, June 13th (19.30)
Germany – Serbia, June 18th (12.30)
Ghana – Australia, June 19th (15.00)
Australia – Serbia, June 23rd (19.30)
Ghana – Germany, June 23rd (19.30)

Prediction
1st – Germany
2nd – Australia
3rd – Ghana
4th - Serbia

World Cup 2010 - Group C

England

Algeria

Slovenia

USA

Group Strength
England will be relatively pleased with what has been pinpointed as one of the weaker draws. Certainly Algeria and Slovenia, both of whom qualified via a play-off, are seen as minnows. Meanwhile the USA, having qualified with room to spare from CONCACAF, still lack some of the allure offered by European or South American teams. However, their performances at the Confederations Cup in South Africa last summer, where they reached the final only to lose to a late Brazil goal, will give them confidance. The Three Lions will still be quietly confident of first place.

Group Favourites
It must be England. Having been seeded first before the draw was made they were expected to be first in the group regardless of who they faced. They have a reasonably tough opener against the USA, but fans will expect nothing less than six points against Algeria and Slovenia. With players of the calibre of Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole England will be hoping to go a long way in South Africa. A 100% record, then, is not out of the question.

Battle for Second
The USA will fancy their chances of qualification. Having avoided the likes of Portugal from the UEFA pot, the Americans are eager to go at least one further than in a difficult World Cup 2006 when they finished bottom of their group. Meanwhile Slovenia have team spirit, always important in the World Cup, and a sense of the unknown about them, causing local fans to grow in optimism. Algerians never quit, meanwhile, and off the back of a solid defence could possibly cause a surprise.

The Outsiders
Slovenia are the lowest-ranked team in the group, although they are ranked 33rd, and will be expected to battle with Algeria to avoided bottom spot. However, having only conceded four goals in qualifying, the Slovenians are not to be laughed at. Algeria, therefore are likely to find the going extremely tough, and should prop up the group.

Going Forward
It's not just the group itself that has England fans calling this a dream draw. Australia or Germany, more than likely Australia, will be their round of 16 opponents and they have plenty of grudges about them to up their game. France are the most likely quarter final opponents so a run to the semi-final is not beyond this England side. The likely runners-up, America, will probably meet Germany in the round of 16 and that should end their interest in the competition as Germany are masters of peaking at the World Cup.

Fixtures
England – USA, June 12th, (19.30)
Algeria – Slovenia, June 13th, (12.30)
Slovenia – USA, June 18th, (15.00)
England – Algeria, June 18th, (19.30)
Slovenia – England, June 23rd, (15.00)
USA – Algeria, June 23rd, (15.00)

Prediction
1st – England
2nd – USA
3rd – Slovenia
4th - Algeria

World Cup 2010 - Group B

Argentina

Nigeria

Korea Republic

Greece

Group Strength
Compared to the other seven groups in the first round, Group B can be considered as somewhere in the middle in terms of quality. With the exception of Argentina there are no big-hitters in the pool, but there are also no easy-pickings as all four teams are capable of beating one another on their day. The group will be considerably weakened by the fact that Argentina have decided to leave at least five world class players at home.

Group Favourites
Before the squad announcements I had tipped Argentina as possible winners of the tournament, let alone Group B, I even said in my last posting that it would be a death sentence to have to face them in the round of 16. But with the omission of Esteban Cambiasso, Javier Zanetti, Gabriel Milito, Fernando Gago and more than likely Diego Milito, I am beginning to doubt they can live up to their group favourites tag. Diego Maradona does not seem to know who he wants playing for his team but he certainly does not want to use the 11 best Argentinian players in the world. They had a shaky qualifying campaign and only got through by virtue of a last day win over Uruguay. They are favourites for the group on reputation alone, there is no guarantee Argentina will get out of this group. Every four years there is a major surprise in the group stages and this could be it.

Battle for Second
All four teams could realistically finish in fourth place. The most likely battle will be between Nigeria and Greece, but South Korea also have a great chance of qualifying for the second round. These three teams also have very contrasting styles, which should make the clashes between them interesting. None of these teams have world class individuals who can carry their team over the line but they are, as Greece proved in 2004, squads who will play for each other. Whoever can get a victory over Argentina should qualify from the group.

The Outsiders
South Korea are without doubt the outsiders in the group, but their recent performances in the World Cup will give them strength - they reached the semi finals in 2002 and also drew with France four years ago. Park Ji Sung and the European contingent will need to lead by example.

Going Forward
Group B is on the weaker side of the draw, meaning that none of its occupants can meet big guns Brazil, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Holland or the Ivory Coast until the semi finals. With France the likely winners of Group A none of the teams are going to want to finish in second place. This leaves open the possibility of Argentina vs France in the round of 16. In the quarter finals, England and Germany are likely opponents, before the aforementioned giants from the other side enter the fray in the semi finals. Whoever tops the group will see it as a great opportunity to reach the last four.

Fixtures
South Korea - Greece, June 12th, (12:30)
Argentina - Nigeria, June 12th, (15:00)
Argentina - South Korea, June 17th, (12:30)
Greece - Nigeria, June 17th, (15:00)
Greece - Argentina, June 22nd, (19:30)
Nigeria - South Korea, June 22nd, (19:30)

Prediction
1st – Argentina
2nd – Greece
3rd – South Korea
4th - Nigeria