Championship

The players Kerry need to turn this season around

June 16th, 2009
by Weeshie Fogarty

Any debate or analysis on Cork's comprehensive and richly deserved win over Kerry in a thrilling game last Saturday will have to take into consideration their display and that of their opponents over the course of both matches. Watching these two great rivals during the course of two hours and twenty minutes showed up the strengths and failings of both sides and both Jack O'Connor and Conor Counihan know full well that huge improvement is needed on both sides if the All-Ireland is to be won.

And, of course, in this respect the Kerry boss has a far more difficult job on his hands. Again last Saturday, just like the previous Sunday, Cork left Kerry right back into the game when it looked as if they would really hand out a drubbing to the men from the Kingdom. It happened in the final fifteen minutes of the drawn game and Cork again took their foot off the pedal for the first fifteen minutes of the second half in the drawn match.

Also, Cork's their ability (or inability) to take their goal scoring chances really left Kerry off the hook on both occasions and as the Championship progresses and they meet opponents in Croke Park this failing could prove their down fall. On the other hand Cork's overall strength from one to fifteen is highly impressive and in particular last Saturday when Kerry crowded them in their own half of the field and swarmed around the men in the red shirts they never gave the ball away. Their support play all over the field and the manner in which they backed each other up and worked the ball out of defence was superb.

Of course, this is not a Cork team that has appeared from nowhere. I remarked in this page two weeks ago that they would have no fear whatsoever of Kerry following their win, draw and narrow defeat by the Kingdom in last year's Championship. This is a Cork team still in transition, but another great ace in their pack is their substitute bench. Each and every one of the men who entered the fray, and there were four, all performed as if they should be on the first fifteen. This Cork side will be there and thereabouts when the Championship is finally being decided. And their greatest strength of all which proved vital in the two games is the fact that they have a settled team. Kerry has not.

So what of Kerry? Without a shadow of a doubt this is the greatest challenge that Jack O'Connor has ever faced in his hugely successful coaching career with club, school and county. We knew it was going to be difficult, nevertheless following the unbeaten run in the league hopes were high. That is until injury and loss of form on the bone hard summer sod changed everything.

The one redeeming feature of both games was the tremendous fighting spirit displayed by the team in those two fight backs on both days. Following five successive All-Ireland final appearances it is amazing that a panel of amateur footballers can still show that desire and will to win despite the huge mileage in the legs. It was the first time since 1992 that for a second game in the one championship we had a complete change of personnel at midfield. Seamus Scanlon was a huge loss here – young, fit and experienced, the Currow man can help solve this now worrying problematic position. I thought that Darragh Ó Sé, despite being in trouble in the first half, was a key figure in the early second half fight back last Saturday and was called ashore prematurely. As was Bryan Sheehan.

Tommy Walsh was visibly labouring at full-forward and the fact that he too was substituted was a clear indication that he was unfit due to that ankle injury. Like Seamus Scanlon it is imperative that Kieran Donaghy is fit and well for the next round. He has been the axis for the Kerry full-forward line since he first burst on the scene and while Colm Cooper's brilliant form has dipped it's not every day that he will meet a superb defender like Anthony Lynch. Without Gooch back on song alongside a fully fit Donaghy the future looks bleak. Last Saturday our scoring potential was simply not good enough to defeat a superb, evenly balanced Cork side.

Cork outplayed Kerry in all areas last Saturday. Tiredness has set in, that is as plain as day. In a revealing newspaper interview last Saturday Jack O'Connor said: "A lot of fellows are thinking this team is coming to an end, that the fire might be gone out of the belly. We think there's stuff left in the tank." So, he like many others was contemplating the fact that trouble lay ahead. Aidan O'Shea, David Moran, Sean O'Sullivan, and Daniel Bohan are just a few that are ready to begin. They have fresh legs, so give them their head. Many will disagree, but I would start Darran O'Sullivan. He added great drive and penetration when introduced last Saturday. He is highly experienced and I don't believe in this theory of a super sub. If a man proves himself capable time and again then start him.

We could go on until the proverbial cows come home and discuss each and every player, however, I firmly believe if the injuries I referred to clear up, including the superb Marc Ó Sé, and the fresh, fast legs who sit on the bench for the start of most games are given their heads, added to the hope that we get a favourable draw at home then Kerry will still give any of the losers we meet plenty to think about.

Jack O'Connor, Ger O'Keeffe and Eamonn Fitzmaurice will be deeply hurt with this display and knowing their pride and their deep passion for Kerry football and its supporters they will, I am utterly convinced, advance at least one more round of this championship.



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