Kingdom ‘enjoying’ final build-up

TWELVE months ago, he talked about the ‘big imponderable’ for Kerry in advance of their All-Ireland football final meeting and whether their freshness or Tyrone’s battle-hardened build-up would be decisive.

The answer was fairly obvious before the final whistle. Yesterday, manager Jack O’Connor acknowledged that his team’s preparations for Sunday’s decider against Mayo have been ideal by comparison.

In effect, their season only really ‘got going’ about eight weeks ago, he pointed out — the day they played Longford in the qualifier series in Killarney.