O’Connor shows no sign of losing Midas touch

JACK O’CONNOR shows no sign of losing his Midas management touch.

Twenty-four hours after his Kerry side received their All-Ireland SFC and NFL medals, O'Connor lead home club Dromid Pearses to their first South Kerry senior football championship.

Typically, he played down his achievements, saying: "it was just one of those years when things fell into place for us.

"It was a fantastic year for Declan O'Sullivan (Kerry's new captain). He won all five competitions that he entered.''

While there has been speculation that O'Sullivan could miss the opening rounds of the National League by having to undergo surgery on his knee, the Kerry boss is optimistic that such a drastic option wouldn't be necessary.

"The idea now is that he will rest it and very often that can make the difference.

"The hope is that he will not need to have it operated on.''

He has no doubt that O'Sullivan can be as successful a leader as Dara

Ó Cinnéide. "We had him as captain of the school team (in Coláiste na Sceilge) for two years. We won the Corn Uí Mhuirí Cup both years and we were a bit unlucky not to go all the way and win the Hogan Cup,'' he said.

"He has all the credentials. He commands the respect of the players by the way he plays on the field.''

The management have an open mind about their policy for the opening games in the League and will not finalise their plans until they return from their holiday to Mexico and Las Vegas in mid-January.

"We will have about three weeks to prepare for our first game and we will see what players are in shape.That's the criteria that we will apply. It will be a great incentive for the 'fringe' players to try and stake a place in the team. After that, it will depend on how players are feeling and on results.''

Asked about John Crowley's future with the team, he said the Glenflesk man was not yet "too old" for inter-county football.

"We never like to see players giving up, but we appreciate that with a young family and living in Cork makes it harder for him to give the commitment. It will be his decision what to do.''

Meanwhile, Gerard Cavlan has left the Tyrone squad and may not play this season. The classy attacker has told manager Mickey Harte that he doesn't feel he has the commitment required for the county's bid to return to supremacy in 2005.

The absence of the Dungannon Clarkes man comes as a major blow to the Red Hand cause and follows the decision of fellow half-forward Brian McGuigan to travel to Australia next month. Midfielder Kevin Hughes is also bound for the southern hemisphere and will miss the entire season.

"He's not sure himself, and when he has doubts about committing to the cause, it's best that he's not there at all," Harte said of Cavlan's decision not to return to the squad for the start of the season, which gets underway with a Dr McKenna Cup visit to Cavan on Sunday week.

While McGuigan has open-ended plans for his trip to Australia, Harte remains hopeful that he could be back in time for the Ulster Championship and is heartened by the Ardboe man's participation in pre-season trials. "He attended the trials and is available for the McKenna Cup, so he's keen to be around the squad."

*A special presentation was made at the function to Maria Daly from Ballymacelligott, the first Kerry lady to win an All-Ireland senior (40 x 20) handball title. She will be competing in the US trials on December 26.