Seniors should sway it, but Kerry coach is urging caution

WITH four senior players in the line-up Kerry will be hot favourites to beat Waterford in the final of the Munster Under-21 football championship at Walsh Park tonight.

However, Kerry coach Jack O’Connor is preaching caution: “I was tremendously impressed by the way Waterford gave Cork a nine points start in the semi-final and came back to win on deservedly by two,” he said.

A selector when Kerry won the 1997 and 2000 All-Ireland senior titles, O’Connor, from the Dromid Pearse’s club in south Kerry, said Waterford have a great team spirit and are physically very strong.

“We know we will have our work cut out and I would regard it as a fifty-fifty game. In the corresponding minor game three years ago we just managed to win by a single point,” O’Connor added.

He believes if his charges hope to retain their title they will have to match Waterford’s work-ethic.

“Waterford worked exceptionally hard in their duel with Cork; they showed great hunger and were very quick to the breaking ball in midfield.

“We will have to match them in that aspect and deliver the ball quickly into our forwards. If we succeed in doing that then we stand a good chance of winning. Failing that, we could be in trouble,” said O’Connor.

Scanlon has been selected at midfield, with O’Sullivan lining out on the forty, Quill in the right corner and Cooper taking over the full-forward berth. Apart from O’Sullivan, O’Connor’s Dromid Pearse’s club also have two other representatives, right half-back Pádraig Sheehan and centre-back Colm O’Connor, a nephew of the coach.

Waterford have never won this championship but hopes are high, following their shock win over Cork, that the trend can be reversed.

However, Kerry appear to have the trump card in Cooper, and if he strikes form, O’Connor’s side should just about edge it.

Meanwhile, Tyrone’s bid to reach the All-Ireland Under-21 final received a huge boost with Mickey Harte’s decision to release three of his senior stars for the semi-final.

Sean Cavanagh, John Devine and Dermot Carlin will all play against Mayo at Markievicz Park on Sunday, despite the risk of injury ahead of the All-Ireland final three weeks later.

“It’s always a gamble, there’s always a risk factor,” Harte admitted.

“But these boys are under-21 and the Under-21 team has a right to have them. They’re three of their better players, and they must be available to them for an All-Ireland semi-final, because we can’t be picking and choosing what suits ourselves.”

Harte acutely understands the requirements of Under-21 manager Peter Doherty, having himself steered Tyrone to two All-Ireland Under-21 titles.

Phenomenally successful at this level, Tyrone go into Sunday’s tie as provincial champions for the fourth successive season.

The Connacht champions are gunning for revenge, however, having lost to the Red Hands at the Sligo venue two years ago.

Mayo are confident they can turn the tables on their Ulster rivals, having dethroned reigning All-Ireland champions Galway in their own provincial decider.

KERRY (Munster U21 final v Waterford, Walsh Park, 6.30pm): B. Sheehan, N. Lynch, E. Lawlor, F. Griffin, P. Sheehan, C. O’Connor, E. Kavanagh; S. Scanlon, P. Kelly; R. Donovan, D. O’Sullivan, M. Collins (capt.); D. Quill, C. Cooper, D.J. Fleming.

Substitute list will not finalised until today.