The rocky road to redemption

THERE’S more than a few Kerry footballers partial to piseogs, but few were brave enough to discuss them within earshot of team management on the Kingdom’s trip north to Longford last night.

Kieran Donaghy’s return to arms for tonight’s second round football championship qualifier (5pm, TV3) brings the defeat of Longford three years ago conveniently to mind, but Jack O’Connor still likes to use his debut as Kerry coach two and a half years earlier as a valued point of reference.

An injury time goal from Granard’s Stephen Lynch gave Longford an unlikely 3-7 to 1-12 victory over Kerry in the first round of the National League in 2004, nourishing those in the south west with a pre-disposed antipathy to the idea of a medal-less Glen man coaching the Kingdom. That season O’Connor trusted his own instincts, and little else, en route to an All-Ireland success in September.