Nothing to whet an appetite like someone starring in ‘your’ jersey

LOSING an All-Ireland final is a tough experience for any player or management.

Mon, 06 Feb, 2012 - 00:00

An All-Ireland winner with Kerry as player and manager who now brings sharp, modern tactical analysis of the game to Irish Examiner readers and listeners.

There are stages in the recovery process. It’s all-consuming in the short term, becomes a dull ache by Christmas and eases as the new season kicks off. Saturday’s victory for Kerry over Dublin at Croke Park was not about revenge. The old Sicilian proverb states that revenge is a season in hell; emotion could not be the key motivator. These Kerry players wanted to cleanse their souls and move on. Croke Park provided the perfect platform, ditto the opposition. By yesterday morning, Kerry could narrow their focus on 2012.

Overall, Jack O’Connor will be delighted with the result, in particular the second-half display. Poor shot selection and decision-making in the first period meant Kerry were two points down at the break having played much of the football.