Kldare boss first to spot Cooper

PÁIDÍ Ó SÉ has former mentor Mick O’Dwyer to thank for first alerting him to the potential of Colm Cooper, the acknowledged young ‘footballer of the year’ and Kerry’s man-of-the-match in Sunday’s comprehensive win over Cork in the first of the Bank of Ireland championship semi-finals.

"Micko was the first person to tell me about him. I didn't really take any notice of him until he had a word in my ear a long time ago," Ó Sé said yesterday. "After that I kept a close eye on him. What really brought it home to me was his display in the Munster Under 21 final in Ennis."

Nevertheless, while acknowledging that Cooper's temperament complements his skill and mobility, he says he is "very conscious" of the need to protect him from the media spotlight. "He is still very young and has a long career ahead of him. But he is a player who has to be minded. We'll have to protect him from all of the angles.