O’Connor at home on front line of rivalry

Cork has hosted its share of Cork/Kerry games over the years, as has Killarney and Tralee, where, this Sunday, in a round six Allianz Football League tie, the old Munster rivals meet again.

It’s safe to say, however, nowhere has hosted as many clashes as the village of Ballydesmond, straddling the border between the two counties.

“There’s no off-season around here,” says Noel Moynihan, who has refereed many an encounter from his spot behind the counter in Bob’s Bar. “It goes on week after week but really builds up in the month or so before a championship game. The league games are big enough but the Munster championship, the final especially, that’s always the big one around here. The rivalry can get pretty intense on those days but it’s always a factor and mostly friendly — mostly!”