Gooch break ‘a good move’

Former Dr Crokes manager and current Kerry U21 football selector Harry O’Neill believes it is ‘a good move’ for Kerry captain Colm Cooper to take a break from the game.

“It’s a good move for Colm and for Kerry. We’ve been on the go as a club for two years non stop. You have to put the Kerry factor into that as well and Colm was also thecaptain of the Kerry team last year. That brings its own pressures and there was huge disappointment when Kerry lost that final to Dublin last September. He had no chance to get over that. He took a few days off with Kieran O’Leary, Eoin Brosnan and Darran O’Sullivan — they went off to Spain after the All-Ireland final but he was back in with us for the county championship soon after that. His job position has also changed with travel involved and I believe he is now being based a bit in Dublin. I think he now needs to get the batteries recharged and get himself sorted.”