Kennedy: chance now to put the record right

KERRY coach John Kennedy has called for a massive improvement from his charges ahead of today’s All-Ireland MFC semi-final replay against Mayo at the Gaelic Grounds, Limerick.

“A repeat of last Sunday and the year will be over for us, because in truth Mayo kicked it away in the drawn game rather than we played well,” said Kennedy.

“It was a woeful display by our lads and it’s difficult to put a finger on what happened. Our form has been up and down this year. We did well against Cork in the Munster semi-final, slipped back a bit from that in the final against Tipperary, before coming good against them in the replay.

“The comprehensive win over Offaly and the way some of our players were being written up in the media within the county, increased expectations for last Sunday, and when you add in the Croke Park factor, all that contributed, in my view, to our poor performance.

“Having said that, you cannot take it from Mayo. They were written off in most quarters, but on the day they performed and we didn’t. Should we go on a beat them in the replay, they’ll have nightmares about losing the drawn match.

“I feel we didn’t have the necessary hunger last Sunday to go and win the game. Our workrate was poor, we didn’t scrap for ball and we appeared to be glued to the ground in most positions.

“Contrast that with Mayo. They were first to every ball, won primary possession, and had they their shooting boots on they’d have beaten us out the gate.

“The thought going through my mind all week is how we are still in the championship?

“Many of our players were very disappointed with their own performances, but they are now getting a second chance to put the record straight today. I sincerely hope they take it.

“It will be interesting to see if they can bounce back, because have no doubt about it, Mayo are a formidable outfit, and it’s going to be a real test of character for our side to see if they can lift their game sufficiently to win it at the second attempt.”

Mayo manager Ray Dempsey made light of his side’s failure to close out the game last Sunday when they had Kerry on the rack.

“Of course there is the thought that we may have left it behind us, but on the other hand I see no reason why we cannot repeat last Sunday’s performance and finish the job at the second attempt.

“Some of our shot selections were very disappointing, and that is the one area we’ll have to improve if we are to win the game. Poor finishing has been the bane of all Mayo teams over the years, and if we could get that right, we’d be winning All-Ireland titles on a regular basis.

“In relation to the present minor team, I would be confident that with the right coaching, we could develop sufficient forwards to kick scores.

“The lads last Sunday may have needed to be more au fait with the location. It’s a big ask going into Croke Park for the first time and expecting to play to the peak of your powers. The place takes a bit getting us to.

“If we make better decisions in front of goal today, and play as well as we did outfield in the drawn game, I would give our lads every chance of winning.”

For Kerry to win this replay, they must show a far greater urgency all round. Players cannot rely on their reputations to pull them through. The Munster champions have dug themselves out of a couple of tight corners this season, but may well have used up their quota of luck.

If the Mayo forwards can improve on their shooting, they must be fancied, but you get one chance against the traditionalists, and they may be punished for not taking it.