Kerry make their point

THE first blow of the year has been struck by Kerry, the new Kerry, not afraid to get dirt under their fingernails.

Many observers have already decreed this football championship a three-horse race and by winning their first league in seven years, it gives the slightest of psychological advantages to the Kingdom over Galway and Tyrone.

Life has changed for the Kerry footballer. Croke Park, once their fortress, has become a graveyard over the past couple of years. They have digested harsh northern lessons, leading some to believe the bigger ball aristocrats were struggling to come to terms with an evolving game.

Maybe not. Jack O’Connor may have found a style that marries brain and brawn, and recognised that you have to be big and tireless to play this game. And they have learnt from their northern brethren. As Galway pressed to bring this match into extra-time, it was not unusual to see nine, 10 or 11 Kerry shirts swarming the maroon, like house-flies around a sugar bowl.

Seamus Moynihan was immense again yesterday. O’Connor afforded his talisman the freedom of the park, and the great man didn’t disappoint. “Seamus had a huge influence on the game, especially in the last ten minutes,” O’Connor said.

“There was a kick-out directly after Donnellan’s goal, and the ball broke and Seamus got a hand to it and stopped Galway as they were going on another attack.”

The only conceivable reason Moynihan wasn’t announced as man of the match is that the man himself has placed a moratorium on receiving the accolade, so cluttered has his home became with the awards. He was immense again yesterday, revelling in the freedom of his roving role. His battle with Tommy Joyce was one of the highlights of the game.

“We are delighted to have won a national title, we haven’t won one in four years, but there is still a lot of work to be done,” Moynihan said.

“We made it a bit difficult for ourselves in the final 10 minutes, and the goal seemed to give Galway confidence. I think if the game had gone on for a minute or two, it might have been a different story. But, this is an important victory for this team, not just for the league title, but because our trips up to Croke Park haven’t been too great. Again, though, there is a lot of work to do before the Clare game.”

O’Connor sat musing in a quiet corner away from the mild-mannered celebrations in the dressing-room. He surely realises the significance of the victory and its execution. “Psychologically, it was important for the team to win this match. Over the past three or four years, they have lost tight matches in Croke Park. This will breed confidence.

“We felt that we would put as much pressure as we could on Galway. We knew they would be tired after two extremely tough games and the boys stuck to that task very well. When Donnellan put in that goal, their tiredness seemed to disappear and they got a new lease of life. 1-16 would win most matches but we got a couple of our goals at vital times.”

Donnellan’s goal is evidence Kerry aren’t the finished article yet. Mike McCarthy passing across his goalmouth, with Dunmore’s deadliest finisher lurking? Not the done thing. “The lesson there is don’t pass across your own goal,” O’Connor smiled. “It is one of the first things you are told at under-12 level, but it shows we still have things to work on.”

There is no doubt this team have responded to O’Connor’s method. These was not the shrinking violets who were bullied off Croker in the past couple of years. Mike Frank Russell believes O’Connor bedded in swiftly because of under-21 successes in the past.

“Most of the team knew Jack, had played under him. He might be new to the inter-county scene but this team knew Jack and that was a major plus. We didn’t have to take time to settle into where he wanted to take the team.”

Russell echoed the sentiments of the dressing-room when he talked about the significance of this victory. “To say the league doesn’t matter is wrong. That game out there was worth five or six training sessions to us and it is games like that you need going into the championship. Beating a team like Galway breeds confidence and makes the team stronger.”

Russell was superb in the full-forward line, the way he struck the penalty exemplified a player at the top of his powers. When Pat McEnaney signaled for a penalty, there might have been a temptation in John Crowley’s mind to go for his hat-trick. Crowley seized his chance at full-forward with two smartly-taken goals, both created by Colm Cooper’s intelligent passing.

“No, there was no temptation. I haven’t taken a penalty in years. Mike takes our penalties and in fairness, I don’t think I could have finished it like he did.” Crowley was full of praise for his two partners in the full-forward line, saying his goals were just the end product of a lot of hard work from a lot of players.

Crowley, who made his case for a place in the attack where competition for places are premium value, says the competition is as healthy as it is intense. “It was good to get a run, and good to get a couple of goals. I still don’t think I am playing as well as I was a few years ago, but when you get a run in the team, you can build up a little bit of form.”

No other side can paper over slight cracks in their attack like Kerry. Only Galway and Tyrone can match them for talent. But with the Kingdom experiencing what it feels like to win on big days in Croker, it promises to be an exciting summer. “There have been a lot of bad days in this dressing-room in recent years,” Crowley surmised. “So, it is nice to come back in here after a big game, winning.”