Kerry boss plays down Ó Sé link

SUNDAY serves up a cracking NFL tie when Kerry travel to Mullingar to face Westmeath, managed by the Kingdom’s former boss Páidi Ó Sé.

However, Ó Sé’s successor Jack O’Connor is playing down the significance of the fixture.

“From our point of view, that does not come into it,’’ he said.

“It does not matter who is managing Westmeath. We just want to go up and give a good account of ourselves and try and get a result. That is the bottom line.’’

More pertinently, the Kerry manager was disappointed that the weekend win over Fermanagh in Fitzgerald Stadium did not test his squad, as the previous games against Dublin and Cork did.

“There was an awful lot of space there for fellows to stride into the ball, rather than having to win it in a competitive situation. We will try to play a bit of competitive football (in training) during the week and hopefully get it right.’’

O’Connor has no doubt that his team will face a far tougher test next Sunday, commenting: “it will be a tougher and more physical game.

Disappointingly, the Fermanagh game was not a great preparation for it.

“This has been a funny league. You had Wexford beating Meath on the other side and you had Dublin getting only three points against Mayo.

“You have to get yourself ready for every game and we will be endeavouring to do that next Sunday.’’

He admitted that the forced absence of the Gaeltacht players and the loss of Colm Cooper through injury has enabled the management to experiment. Five substitutes were introduced in Parnell Park and the full quota was used again on Sunday. Among them was Cooper, who has been in training for the last few weeks after having recovered from a groin problem.

“There’s going to be ferocious competition for places later on and that will be good for everybody,’’ he added.

The Fermanagh manager, Charlie Mulgrew, found it impossible to rationalise his team’s heavy defeat, though he praised the players for the effort they put in over the 70 minutes.

“It was very difficult to put it into perspective,’’ he commented. “They just seemed to be faster to the ball, stronger, bigger fellows. In every aspect of the game they were an example and we just could not cope.

“But, in fairness our lads kept plugging away. There were a couple of occasions in the second half when we had opportunities of goals and that would have put the score a bit right. We had twelve wides as well. The only thing that was pleasing about our display was that we did not put our heads down and run and hide. They kept going as best they could.’’

Meanwhile goalkeeper Diarmuid Murphy is bidding to retain the number one jersey following Declan O’Keeffe’s surprise decision to retire.

“I was on the bench for a couple of years so I have learned a lot. Hopefully I will be able to put that to good use,’’ he commented.

“It’s up to me to take my chance. Kieran Cremin has now come in (as reserve) and that will keep me on my toes. There is always somebody else coming through.

“So far, so good. We have had a couple of good wins. It was important to beat Cork and Dublin and while the Fermanagh game was a different type of game, played more in summer-time weather, it was good to win.”