Can Kerry challenge the Blue Wave?
The most eager of the nine-to-fivers are still only trickling in to their IFSC offices, but Jim Gavin is already all business. The fancy clock in one of the Gibson Hotel’s corporate suites ticks past 8.05am as the Dublin manager sits down to cross the file marked ‘media’ off his to-do list. A full nine days before their next outing, against Wexford. Man’s in a hurry.
It’s the usual game of cat and mouse. Nearly half-an-hour passes and, come the end, one of the most interesting sentences uttered comes in the form of a question rather than an answer. Did he see Kerry’s team for the game against Clare this week? The word ‘regeneration’ is used, the unveiling of five new faces stressed. Yet the very mention of their name is proof that you never discount Kerry completely, that their shadow always looms.
It isn’t that long since many of us were greeting the sight of Kerry lifting the Sam Maguire in September with a ho-hum, here-we-go-again shrug of the shoulders. Five All-Irelands in the one decade will do that to the neutral.
Five years on from the last of those trips up the Hogan Stand, and the game could do with a strong Kerry side now more than ever.
It is far too early to be talking about Dublin’s long-term dominance of the trade, yet there is no denying the county has yet to crest a wave that could see them wash over other counties for years to come. Their resources, financial and personal, are staggering and, with structures now in place, they are better positioned than any side in history to claim a stranglehold.
The ‘Blue Wave’ strategic plan unveiled three years ago targeted an All-Ireland title every three years. Pat Gilroy, manager at the time, dismissed it as unrealistic, but they are already ahead of schedule with two of the last three bagged and are odds-on favourites to make it three from four. Would you bet against them right now? There can be an element of scaremongering to all this. The ‘one-against-31’ aspect of the debate is always there and the ABDs would no doubt delight in the downfall of the reigning champions, as people longed for the demise of Kilkenny hurlers for so long.
It’s not that a run of Dublin success would be bad for the game, but a succession of wins without meaningful rivalry would take the shine off the whole affair.
For all Kilkenny’s success this last decade, it was only when Tipperary emerged to stare fearlessly into their eyes in 2009 that the hurling world was truly energised by what we witnessed. So it may be with the modern Dubs. It’s 40 years since Heffo’s Army emerged with a team that threatened to subjugate the rest of the country until Mick O’Dwyer and his men emerged from the Kingdom to challenge and eventually topple the city slickers.
The pulse of the rivalry and fascination it held cannot be diminished by historical revisionism. It may grate with Kerry folk — with all those titles and all that tradition — that they are asked to lead the charge of the underdog, but it’s a role we need them to embrace. By the time they take to the field against Clare on Sunday, every one of Dublin’s other potential challengers will have played their first card. Cork, who had 10 points to spare when they met their Munster rivals in the last round of the league, have wintered well given the loss of so many key players since last summer and will continue to be a source of hope for anyone interested in contests rather than coronations. Beyond that, the ranks are yet to impress.
Mayo impressed no-one this year thus far. Tyrone have failed to bridge the divide between golden generation and the one that followed, Donegal have a long way back towards the heights in 2012 and Monaghan have yet to advance beyond the mezzanine level that has made them top dogs in Ulster.
Kildare and Meath will have to do more than embarrass Louth and Carlow before sceptics can believe that resistance to the capital may be stiffening around the Pale. And so to Kerry. No Gooch. No Galvin. No Tomás. The county hasn’t won an All-Ireland minor in 20 years. Just one at U21 since 1998. Were it anyone else you would declare them non-runners. This September may be beyond them but on Sunday we will look for signs of promise for the years to come.
Email: brendan.obrien@examiner.ie Twitter: @Rackob
