Fresh Kerry side to bear final fruits, says O’Shea

BILLY O’SHEA has more reason than most to remember the last Kerry-Mayo clash in an All-Ireland final, and why not, when he carries a reminder of the game in his shinbone.

O’Shea’s involvement in the 1997 final came to a premature end when a ball rolled loose at the Canal End.

“It was early in the game and I passed the ball to Dara Ó Cinnéide. I went for the return but Maurice Fitzgerald and I got our wires crossed. He pulled on the loose ball but got me instead. He was trying to fly-kick the loose ball over the bar. We’ve never spoken about it.”

The injury was bad - a compound fracture of the shin bones, the tibia and fibula. But between the shock and adrenalin the pain wasn’t that bad, and O’Shea argued his corner in hospital.

“They wanted to operate immediately but I persuaded them to let me watch the game, and the result meant I wasn’t too disappointed. By the time Liam Hassett collected the cup I was being wheeled into theatre.”

Rehabilitation followed and O’Shea returned to action reasonably quickly.

“I had screws in the leg, so I couldn’t extend myself fully in training, but I was back playing with the club eight months later, and back on the inter-county scene within 12 months. The injury didn’t really impinge on my inter-county career; by 2000 the selectors just left me go.”

Having played at the highest level, O’Shea knows what this week is like for the Kerry panel.

“I’m still friendly with some of the lads, Seamus Moynihan and I know each other since before we were minors, but this week I wouldn’t be talking much football with them - the Ryder Cup, anything but football! Lads want to stay focused on the game, so they tend to shy away from the public.”

The shyness is understandable when the hunt for tickets is at fever pitch, and O’Shea says that leaving the inter-county scene means readjusting.

“When you’re playing, the All-Ireland tickets are allocated on the Tuesday night before the game, and it’s a decent allocation. The county board gives All-Ireland winners two tickets when they’ve finished playing, but you meet people who think you get 15 or 16 tickets! Still, it’s part of the craic.”

He’s confident about Sunday and credits the management: “Kerry are fresher this year. I know from talking to the lads they enjoy the variety in training, and there’s a buzz this season, whereas last year the players seemed a bit flatfooted.

“A lot of that is down to the new management team, they’ve brought in freshness. Ger O’Keeffe and Johnny Culloty have nothing to prove in football, while Jack O’Connor’s style of management is respected by the players, many of whom played for him at underage level.”

Paul Galvin is a favourite of O’Shea’s: “He’s a great worker. People felt earlier in the year he was getting involved in situations unnecessarily, but he’s grown in experience and against Derry he gave a terrific, disciplined performance. He does a similar job to Liam Hassett, buzzing around and winning ball, but Liam has that after years of playing for Kerry.”

Two experienced players won’t start for Kerry on Sunday, but O’Shea sees a silver lining.

“Darragh Ó Sé and Seamus Moynihan are natural leaders, but sometimes it’s not a bad thing for a team to have to cope without players like that. The remaining players have to take on the responsibility. It’d still be great to have them playing though!”

O’Shea acknowledges Mayo’s optimism, but is still confident.

“Kieran McDonald is a threat, but Eamon Fitzmaurice is up to the challenge. Inside them the two Mortimers are another danger, but Aidan O’Mahony, Marc Ó Sé and Tom O’Sullivan have been a revelation. It should be a good tussle.”