O’Sullivan: we laugh off rumours

KERRY captain Darran O’Sullivan last night revealed that their squad have ‘had a laugh’ over the rumours circulating about the Kingdom’s footballers in recent weeks and described it as ‘sad that people have been making up stories’.

Kerry have come through a turbulent few weeks of qualifier action with star players Tomás O Sé and Colm Cooper dropped from the starting 15 for an alleged breach of discipline for Sunday’s All-Ireland Qualifier Round 3 victory over Antrim. But O’Sullivan insists that their camp is firmly united ahead of next Monday’s crunch All-Ireland SFC quarter-final tie against Dublin in Croke Park.

“You know the way things are with rumours. They always seem to grow legs as one fella likes to add his own bit. Working inside in Ulster Bank, I was getting stories every day from customers and I was laughing over them. You’re reading and hearing this stuff but when you go into the dressing-room, you’re having a laugh over it.

“I wouldn’t say it hurt us. If anything it brings a team closer together. When Kerry aren’t hitting top form, there’s always going to be rumours. It never seems to be that fella’s are going through a dip in form, it has to be something outside of football. It’s sad that people have to make up stories and rumours. But it’s a very united camp. We’re all pushing in the same direction like every other team.”

O’Sullivan, who was speaking last night in Killarney at the Newstalk Off The Ball Ulster Bank Roadshow, believes it was inevitable that Kerry would have a dip in form after their prolonged championship runs in recent years and focusing on Kerry’s displays does a disservice to their qualifier opposition.

“The team went through a dip in form but the qualifiers are about getting through them rather than hitting any top form. I think sometimes people forget how long we’ve been on the road. We’re going for our sixth All-Ireland final in a row, something which has never been done. We were bound to hit a dip in form at some stage. But I think we finished very strongly against Antrim which proved we still have the legs for it. The three teams we’ve played have really put it up to us. For those teams it was like an All-Ireland final playing against Kerry. But the gap is narrowing all the time in inter-county football. Antrim are a hugely improved team, they’re tough defenders and play a good brand of football.”

O’Sullivan also reckons that Kerry will benefit in the long-term from their recent testing clashes.

“You learn nothing from hammering teams. In our games to date, we haven’t been able to take the foot off the pedal with 15 minutes to go, it’s been a case of going all the way for the 70 minutes. That will stand to us now going forward. We were hurt after being beaten so easily against Cork. Normally I wouldn’t be a fan of going through the qualifiers. But I think this year it’s been vital for us in helping sort out a few kinks in our game.”

O’Sullivan admits next weekend’s glamour clash with Dublin is one the entire Kerry squad is eagerly awaiting.

“As a Kerry footballer it’s the one game you want to play in. You’ve been hearing about Kerry-Dublin matches for years. Dublin have come on a lot this year. They’ve beaten a Kildare team that have improved immensely, but Dublin showed their fitness and class to win with 14 men. After that game I think they’ll go in as favourites. But it should be a great occasion, especially in front of a packed Croke Park.”

Meanwhile Meath GAA chiefs have sent a letter to Croke Park protesting at Páirc Tailteann in Navan being overlooked for next Saturday’s All-Ireland minor football quarter-final double-header between Dublin and Down, and Armagh and Kildare. The two games have instead been fixed for Cavan’s Kingspan Breffni Park and Meath board officers have also criticised the €25 admission price to the Páirc Tailteann stand for last Saturday’s All-Ireland qualifier against Roscommon. The charge was not reduced despite a complaint to GAA headquarters and gatemen at the Navan venue received verbal abuse from angry supporters.

Meanwhile tickets for next Sunday’s All-Ireland quarter-final between Cork and Donegal go on public sale at Páirc Uí Rinn tomorrow night from 6.30-8.30pm. Tickets are priced at €35 for stand and family tickets are €35 per adult and €5 per child.