Kerry scale another mountain

AFTER Cork rattled Kerry for a goal and three points in the first 10 minutes of yesterday’s All-Ireland final, Jack O’Connor turned to his management team and shrugged “one more mountain won’t kill us”.

The Kingdom scaled it like every other this summer – in their own good time – reeling in Conor Counihan’s Cork to post a 0-16 to 1-9 success at Croke Park yesterday.

The upshot of their success is a staggering litany of achievement this decade – a 36th All-Ireland title, a fifth in the noughties, and eight finals out of 10.

However, O’Connor, who coached Coláiste na Sceilge to an All-Ireland colleges title in his spare minutes this year, admitted last night: “This one was sweet.”

After a summer of what passed for scandal – a penalty kick away from losing to Sligo so constitutes – Kerry emerged emboldened for the Croke Park run-in.

O’Connor said last night: “We came in under the radar, and that suited us.”

Whatever the distractions, the green and gold get it done. It’s the Kerry way. They lured back defender Mike McCarthy from retirement and Tadhg Kennelly from Australia.

They allowed Darragh O Sé to blow out his dirty petrol, and redrafted the spine of the team – Tommy Griffin at full back, McCarthy at centre, Darragh and Seamus Scanlon and midfield, and Kennelly on the 40. As when the season got serious, they nudged Declan O’Sullivan into full forward and he created havoc for Dublin and Cork.

It’s not the easy way. It’s the Kerry way.