Cooper holds key for Kerry
Whether or not Joe Kernan’s team will progress through Ulster is open to debate following their draw last weekend, and now the question can be asked as to whether Kerry can be depended on to live up to their reputation when they square up to Limerick in tomorrow’s Munster SFC semi-final at the Gaelic Grounds.
Potentially, the reigning All-Ireland champions are best equipped to be every bit as successful because, unlike Armagh, they have youth on their side and, more pertinently, their have strength in depth in attack.
And, as long as Colm Cooper can continue to conjure up his magic, they will worry any opposition.
This game marks the sides’ sixth successive meeting in five years, with the draw last season at the Gaelic Grounds representing Limerick’s best result.
Putting the ball in the Kerry net 10 seconds into the replay, they led 1-6 to 0-2 after 20 minutes but scores were level at the break after a marvellous Eoin Brosnan goal and a Dara Ó Cinnéide penalty.
Kerry went five points clear by the three-quarters stage, but were pegged back to a single score before finishing strongly.
In essence, the ability to win in tight situations has separated the two teams in their recent meetings.
Another example was Kerry’s two points win in the league semi-final in Limerick early last year, after Darragh Ó Sé was sent off.
GAA president Sean Kelly’s brother Brian, a member of the Limerick management, feels that they are at a disadvantage in being without a competitive game for the best part of three months. From Kerry’s perspective, selector Ger O’Keeffe agrees that while they got no real test from Tipperary in their opener, a ‘run-out’ before any championship game is useful in getting players ‘tuned in.’ “It’s more of a psychological thing,’’ he says.
But Brian Kelly is hoping that the week they spent in Spain will benefit the team. “The players put in a lot of hard work. It should stand to them,’’ he says. “We have John Quane and Jason Stokes back at midfield and they did very well last year.”
Kerry have chosen Paddy Kelly alongside Darragh Ó Sé. Kirby came on for the Ballylongford man against Dublin last year and consolidated his position for the remainder of the campaign. Unless Kelly has improved considerably, I can’t see him keeping Kirby off the team.
In O’Keeffe’s view, Limerick represent as strong a challenge as they have done for the last few years. And, against such a physically strong and very confident side, they can only be sure of winning if all of their players perform up to standard.
As vital a role as Cooper plays, the rest of the forwards must play their part, he stresses. “Limerick have a lot of good players, players who could get on the Kerry team. You underestimate them at your peril!’’
Limerick compete so effectively because of their ability to win clean possession all over the field, with John Galvin at full-forward another key performer.
But they have had a recurring weakness in attack, in simple terms an inability to gain a bigger return from possession. Interestingly, they have brought in the son of former Kerry star DJ Crowley (who scored a memorable goal in the 1969 All-Ireland final against Meath), who would have obvious ambitions to don the green and gold but lacks experience at this level.
There is the near certainty that this game will be as close as their previous meetings, even though it would be generally felt that Limerick have been slipping while Kerry continue to mature. If the champions play to form, the result won’t be in doubt.
Limerick v Kerry, Gaelic Grounds, 4pm, RTÉ 2.
Boylesport betting: Home 5/1 Draw 9/1 Away 1/6
: S O’Donnell; T Stack, J McCarthy, S Lavin; P Browne, S Lucey, C Mullane; J Quane, J Stokes; M Crowley, M Gavin, S Kelly; C Fitzgerald, J Galvin, S Buckley.
: D Murphy; A O’Mahony, M McCarthy, T O’Sullivan; T Ó Sé, E Fitzmaurice, M Ó Sé; D Ó Sé, P Kelly; P Galvin, E Brosnan, L Hassett; C Cooper, D O’Sullivan, MF Russell.
: (E Murtagh, Longford).
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