Kingdom corrections to end Down dreams

THE suspensions handed down to Paul Galvin and Tomás O Sé have further stretched Kerry’s playing resources as the season enters its critical stage.

Galvin and O Sé are enormous losses given the influence they have exerted this season and accordingly, Kerry are at their most vulnerable entering the last eight.

But do Down have the wherewithal to capitalise? The Ulster side have history on their side in a flawless head-to-head championship record against Kerry, yet they need more than tradition to spook their opponents. Their form of late has been encouraging after chiselling out wins over Longford and Offaly, they walloped Sligo last week. The form of Damien Rafferty, Kalum King and Daniel Hughes are reasons for optimism, and last week illustrated that Ronan Murtagh is a serious attacking weapon in reserve. It is their glamour names of Marty Clarke and Benny Coulter that need to give big displays this afternoon.