Kerry fail to scare Down

JACK O’CONNOR’S seeking refuge in the disallowed goal decision served a purpose he certainly hadn’t envisaged – that of highlighting just how tenuous was the thread connecting Kerry with their All-Ireland aspirations.

From the very first minute, the spectre of impending doom hung over the champions. It wasn’t just that Mark Poland picked off a goal after just 49 seconds, but the ease with which it was accomplished: and, all over the country, young followers finally found some relevance in what they had been hearing about Down’s famous swagger.

For a decade and a half, the Mourne swash had been so carefully kept under buckle and key that anyone who hasn’t reached the age of 20 viewed it as it the doting reminiscence of older folk.