O’Connor wants redemption for pain of 2002 and 2003

FOR two years the GAA press corps has been waiting to quiz Kerrymen about the prospect of facing their northern nemeses again and, when the question finally landed at Jack O’Connor’s feet yesterday, it did so utterly devoid of any fancy wrappings.

“So Jack, any fear of the Ulster counties,” asked one radio reporter. The bluntness of it caught everyone by surprise, not least the Kerry manager himself who responded with a brief low chuckle at the interesting wording of the enquiry.

“Well, we’ll only be playing one of them for a start,” he joked, “but it will be fascinating because there is that contrast of styles between northern and southern football. It will be a great challenge for both managers and sets of players to adapt our game.”