Kingdom boss pleased with draw

KERRY will be on the road from the outset of the Munster SFC next year as they begin the defence of their provincial and All-Ireland crowns.

The Kingdom have been paired away to Tipperary in the opening round with a semi-final trip to the Gaelic Grounds awaiting if they progress.

Manager Jack O’Connor is more than happy with the draw.

“I think it is vital to have a first round game rather than going straight into a Munster semi-final cold. So we got what we wished for there.”

And he believes that their 2004 heroics could work against them.

“We have seen it time and again in hurling and football that being the All-Ireland champions is as much a negative as a positive. Teams playing us wouldn’t be lacking in motivation while for us getting fellows right back and fresh will be the challenge.”

Chairman Sean Walsh agrees that it will be difficult to retain the Munster title but Kerry weren’t thinking about that just now.

“We are basking in the glory of this year’s All-Ireland victory at the moment and will be for a while yet,” said Mr. Walsh. “Looking to next season I’m pleased with a first round game as it gets the players focused a lot earlier. A good run in the league up to the semi-final or final and a team is ideally prepared for the championship. Such a situation helped us a lot this year and hopefully the same will apply in 2005.”

Across the Shannon, and Clare won’t have to move out of Cusack Park next year to qualify for the Munster SFC championship final.

The draw has favoured them with a home game against Waterford in the first round with the winners to play Cork in the semi-final.

“While there is no such thing as a soft touch in the championship any more, I have to be pleased with the way the draw has fallen for us,” said manager John Kennedy.

“Having the two games at home is a big advantage for us, but that’s a long way off. We had a very good county final on Sunday which will do football in the county no harm, and there are a couple of players on both sides worth having a look at. We’ll get back to training this weekend and already the players and team management are looking forward to the new season.”

Cork coach Billy Morgan was equally pleased with the draw but would have preferred a first round match.

“I expect to be playing Clare which won’t be easy. While involved with Nemo in the provincial championship over the last couple of years, we always found it difficult to beat Clare club teams. They won a football title this year, albeit the Tommy Murphy Cup, which is always good for confidence, and we’ll be taking no chances if we are to meet them.”

Meanwhile John Corcoran is set to become a Cork senior football selector for the coming season following Carbery’s emphatic victory over Bishopstown in Sunday’s disappointing county final.

The captaincy of the team will also fall to a Carbery representative, with Eoin Sexton, as the longest serving member, the likely choice to take over from Castlehaven’s Colin Crowley.

Charlie Mulgrew, who guided Fermanagh to an All-Ireland SFC semi-final is focusing on an Ulster championship assault on Armagh.

“The plan is to build on last year. We aim to use the league to get up to the top tier of footballing counties in the country.”