Sheehan: We needed ‘physical’ Mayo test

IT’S hard to imagine Kerry beating either Dublin or Donegal by nine points next month but Bryan Sheehan insists Sunday’s semi-final against Mayo has served the Kingdom well after a less than strenuous summer.

James Horan’s side differed from those sent out by the county in years past in the greater emphasis they placed on defence and physicality and Kerry will be facing a similar challenge in September regardless of whotriumphs next weekend.

“We needed that,” said Sheehan, “to be stretched. We were hoping for more of a test against Limerick (in thequarter-final) but maybe things just didn’t go their way on the day. We needed that test and we knew Mayo would provide it after watching their game against Cork.