The battle for middle earth

MICKEY Harte was quoted as saying: ‘In the modern game, midfield is less about those who play with numbers eight and nine on their back, and more about the eight or nine players who play in the middle of the field’.

His rationale was writ large in the way Tyrone secured three All-Ireland titles without an archetypal ‘fear láidir’ or even a consistent or dominant midfield pairing. The uncertainty surrounding Sunday’s quartet, highlighted by constant rotations over the past two seasons, goes a long way to proving Harte’s logic.

It is fair to say the shadow of Darragh Ó Sé and Ciaran Whelan still linger over Kerry and Dublin’s respective midfielders. Accustomed to their names on the teamsheet for over a decade, their familiarity provided a blanket of comfort and security on the terraces. For the early part of last year’s championship, Whelan was having one of his best seasons ever such was the pining for his return. Similarly, few could foresee a bright future for Kerry in the absence of Darragh’s guiding hand and Kerry’s early exit last year in his absence further elevated his importance.