Coaches find their time and place at last

OF all the storylines that this Dublin-Kerry final throws up, one of our favourites is the tale of the two coaches.

This past year Donie Buckley has worked with and been revered by the Kerry footballers, while for the past two seasons, the 72-year-old Mickey Whelan has been the drill sergeant to the Dubs, often putting them through their paces at 6.30am. There are many reasons why these are the two teams in the All-Ireland final but one of them is that they are coached by two of the most progressive and passionate football men in the land.

Yet there was a time when neither coach was wanted. Instead they were discarded and abused and deeply, deeply hurt.