Kerry’s survival and summer plans beginning to take shape

The clocks have yet to spring forward but around the streets of Tralee this week, the question of beating Cork is unseasonably vexed.

“We’ve no choice in the matter only to stare them down and beat them here on Sunday,” shrugged Kieran Donaghy. “Otherwise we’ll probably be playing Division Two football next season. It’s do-or-die stuff and realistically every game is a Championship game now for us for the rest of the year.”

Relegation to the second tier of the National Football League is hardly fatal for Kerry’s ambitions this season but in terms of their preparations for the 2014 Championship, it would be decidedly unhelpful.