O’Neill hails ‘real heroes’

PRESS Harry O’Neill on who has been the driving force behind Dr Crokes march to a second successive Kerry senior decider and the manager doesn’t name anyone of his galaxy of intercounty stars.

Instead it is the small cohort who soldiered during the summer months of inactivity that have been the hub of the 2011 effort that has propelled them to next Sunday’s county final against Mid Kerry.

“Credit has to be given to those nine or ten guys that were with us during the summer being put through their paces. It wasn’t easy for them as there were guys away in America for the summer and others with Kerry. But there is fantastic credit due to them, they’re the real heroes. If they had wilted and broke rank, we wouldn’t be in a county final next Sunday.”

For any champions, the challenge to re-ignite their season again the following year is great. For Dr Crokes, shorn of defensive stars and with more of their players recruited to the Kerry senior setup, it was greater again.

“We knew it was going to be a difficult year,” says O’Neill. “Our goalkeeper Kieran Cremin opted out due to family commitments. Then defenders Mike Moloney and Shane Doolan went to London for work. You have to respect that. Trying to keep the whole show ticking over and get to the end of the year has been challenging.”

If any game stood out as evidence that the Dr Crokes camp were tuned in for another title assault, it was their mid-summer battle with South Kerry in Caherciveen.

“We needed a challenge for our bunch of players this year,” remarks O’Neill. “If we had drawn a perceived weaker team this year, we could have slipped up because we hadn’t been together much. But, in fairness, the lads were very focused heading down that day in July to play South Kerry. Going down to their backyard got our minds right.

“It was a perfect day for a game of football and there was a great championship atmosphere. To win gave us tremendous satisfaction as they were the team that had been on the top of the county over the last few years. But you have to say that they were in transition as well and it was probably a right time to get them.”

Now it is Mid Kerry who stand between Dr Crokes and the retention of the Bishop Moynihan Cup. O’Neill has observed the progress of the divisional outfit this year and the displays of Glenbeigh-Glencar duo Pa Kilkenny and Gavan O’Grady have been notable with his role as a Kerry U21 selector next year in mind.

“Hopefully, if these guys keep showing the form that they are then we’ll get a chance to work with them. I’m really looking forward to going in working with Eamonn Fitz, Darragh and the rest of the U21 team. It’s great from our point of view to see guys popping up in the county senior championship and doing well. But I’ll start thinking about that later in the year, for now the focus is on Crokes.”

* THE Cork JHC final replay between Mayfield and Charleville takes place next Sunday in Páirc Uí Rinn at 3pm.

As a result of that replay, the Munster IHC quarter-final between Cork champions Courcey Rovers and Kerry representatives Ballyduff has been switched to Cloughduv, throw-in 2pm.