Previous meetingsKerry 2-17 Tyrone 3-8 (Last regular league match on April 3rd)Despite losing in Killarney, Tyrone ended the defending league champions' interests on points difference when Mark Harte pointed a free in the fifth minute of injury time.
It was a soft foul and due to backchat the ball was moved well within the replacement forward's range - Tyrone were guilty of a similar crime against Dublin at the end of the drawn All-Ireland quarter-final.
Several key actors were missing on the day (including Darragh Ó Sé and Peter Canavan) but a significant sub plot was the 1-4 Colm Cooper kicked off Ryan McMenamin.
Tyrone lost the league semi-final to Wexford in dreadful conditions in Portlaoise.
KERRY: D Murphy; M Lyons, A O'Mahony, T O'Sullivan; T Ó Sé (0-1), S Moynihan, B Guiney; E Brosnan (0-1), W Kirby; P Galvin, P Kelly, L Hassett (0-2); D Quill (0-2, one free), D Ó Cinnéide (1-5, two points from frees), C Cooper (1-4). Subs: B Sheehan (0-1) for Brosnan (26 mins), MF Russell for Sheehan (yellow card, 39 mins), R O'Connor (0-1) for Quill (58 mins), E Fitzmaurice for Kelly (65 mins).
TYRONE: J Devine; R McMenamin, C Lawn, S Sweeney; J McMahon, G Devlin, P Jordan; C Holmes, S Cavanagh (0-1); E McGinley (1-0), M Penrose (0-4, two frees), M Murphy; R Mellon (2-0, one penalty), O Mulligan (0-2. one free), M Coleman. Subs: B Meenan for Coleman (yellow card, 48 mins), C Gormley for McMahon (53 mins), P Donnelly for Mulligan (56 mins), M Harte (0-1, a free) for Penrose (73 mins).
Contrast in styles
The constant talk about contrasting northern and southern styles has become positively tiresome. Football has evolved. Simple as that. But one thing that does separate Ulster's elite from the rest is their attention to every detail.
Take the recent press nights. Tyrone wheeled out every member of the panel last Wednesday at the Carrickmore GAA club, which doubled as a "meet the fans" night so they also signed autographs until their hands ached.
Despite the mass turnout every journalist went home with tape loads of interviews, while BBC's Gaelic Games show even got in a live interview with Mickey Harte and Seán Cavanagh. Late on Friday night in Killarney, Kerry produced four players for 60 journalists.
Unsung heroes honoured
The main sponsors of the football championship, the Bank of Ireland, will present a cheque for €15,000 to the GAA Unsung Hero before Sunday's football final.
Nominations have been pouring into 22 local radio stations around the country and the candidates chosen by each station will be given VIP treatment for the weekend.
The candidates will be put up in the Hilton hotel, supplied with match tickets and invited to a reception in the new Jury's Hotel (beside Croke Park) before the match. Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh will select the winner, while the winner's nominee wins a5,000.
Head to head
Colm Cooper versus Ryan McMenamin, by Irish Times football analyst John O'Keeffe
"Colm Cooper has been the most outstanding player in the championship this year with almost every Kerry score flowing through his hands. This has been aided by his increased strength, which allows him to take down balls over his head. His showing for ball into space has also improved. It is so rare that a forward comes along who can kick points off both feet and can also turn creator when a team-mate is in a better position. Sunday though will be the sternest test of his career because of Tyrone's tactical astuteness.
"If you are going to pick a defender to mark Cooper it would have to be Ryan McMenamin. Still, Cooper is unmarkable in open space. That is why another player, probably Brian Dooher, will drop back to clog up the space in front of the full-forward line.
"I wouldn't expect McMenamin to be making any of his sporadic sorties forward either as all his focus will be tuned to the Gooch.
"While McMenamin is the type to put his body on the line to block a shot, he will need to stay on his feet due to Cooper's mesmerising balance. Also, he must be careful not to commit needless fouls, as an early yellow card would be detrimental to this unenviable task.
"Control the Gooch and Kerry's primary avenue of attack becomes a cul-de-sac. Still, too much focus here will allow Kerry's other jewels to shine."
