Kerry can overcome loss of O’Donoghue

KERRY will be without Mike O’Donoghue for today’s All-Ireland JFC semi-final against Roscommon in Ennis.

The All-Ireland U21 medal winner broke his leg at work but coach Buddy O’Grady is putting a brave face on the loss.

“It’s tough on Mike but these things happen and we just have to get on with it,” said O’Grady. “I know nothing about Roscommon apart from the fact they can field their second senior team while we are confined to players from the junior and intermediate clubs. We beat them in the final two years ago at the same venue and they will be looking to avenge that. Our performance against Cork in the Munster final was very pleasing and if we can improve on that I would be confident of advancing to the final.”

Niall Fleming, Sean Óg Kirwan, Jeremy King, Andrew Garnet and John Paul Brosnan all played in the 2006 final while Paddy Curran and Alan O’Sullivan are off this year’s U21 team.

Roscommon coach Michael Jordan lost a number of the team which defeated Mayo in the opening round to the seniors, but still managed to beat Leitrim in the Connacht decider.

“Had I the team that started the season I would fancy our chances . Losing players of the calibre of Donie Shine and John Rodgers was a blow but we picked ourselves up to win the provincial title, with a team that included a number of our successful minor and U21 teams of recent years.

“Coupled with those players, former seniors John White and Frankie Dolan are eligible to play with us. Kevin Higgins, Colm Garvey and Mark Miley were on the All-Ireland minor winning team of two years ago, so we have a nice blend of youth and experience. We’ll be underdogs. Hopefully we’ll be competitive from the start and if we are, there is no knowing how the game will pan out.”

KERRY: S Óg Ó Ciardubháin; K Quirke, W Sullivan, C O’Mahony; F Griffin, P Corridan, J King; A Maher, A O’Sullivan; N Fleming. JP Brosnan, M Murphy; P Curran, A Garnet, C Daly.

ROSCOMMON: M Miley; J Whyte, R Cox, N Carty ; E Towey , J Harte, C Garvey; B Higgins , M Reynolds; K Higgins , J McKeague, D Moran; F Cregg, C McHugh, F Dolan.