Donaghy: Kerry in ‘next pack down’ as regards All-Ireland

They remain many people’s championship favourites but Kieran Donaghy insists Kerry are in “the next pack down” to the real title contenders.

In most counties, an All-Ireland final defeat and two quarter-final setbacks since their last title in 2009 would stack up pretty favourably. But for a player with multiple All-Ireland medals, All Stars and who was once Footballer of the Year, their recent record is a depressing one and highlights how they’ve slipped back.

The bookmakers aren’t convinced as even under a rookie manager, Eamon Fitzmaurice, and having only narrowly avoided relegation in the Allianz Football League they are second favourites behind Dublin. But many pundits have been playing up Dublin and Donegal as the teams to beat and Donaghy accepts their logic.

“It gives us an extra incentive but I think it is fair,” said Donaghy. “The reality is that we’ve been beaten in two quarter-finals and a final in the last three years in Croke Park. We’ve lost a lot of experienced guys too so I think it is a fair reflection on the way it’s gone.

“Mayo proved that they have to be real [contenders]. You know, I don’t think they got a whole lot of credit last year for losing that final to a very good Donegal team.

“People were saying it was the same old Mayo again but I think James Horan has done an unbelievable job with them.

“And I think they proved again on Sunday [against Galway] that they’re a force to be reckoned with.

“You’ve got your Dublins and Donegals and Tyrones. We’re probably in the next pack down. That’s the way the lie of the land is now.”

Donaghy will inevitably be accused of typical Kerry cuteness on the eve of their championship campaign though he pointed out they were lucky to avoid relegation to Division 2 during spring.

Fitzmaurice’s tenure began in disastrous fashion with four straight defeats though the return of key players including Donaghy himself, Colm Cooper, Declan O’Sullivan and Paul Galvin ensured they just about avoided the drop.

“We were probably lucky not to be relegated in the end,” he said.

“We circled the wagons well and we got the results we needed and the Dubs did us a favour in Ballybofey. So we have Division 1 football next year which is very important.”

If Kingdom fans are wondering which was the real Kerry, the one that began the league or the one that finished it, their questions won’t be answered at training.

Fitzmaurice took the decision to bar the public from sessions.

“I think there’s probably a big deal being made of it,” said Donaghy. “There’s still going to be sessions open to the people to come in and watch us but I think our practice games and them kind of important tactical sessions will be behind closed doors.

“There’s been, I’m sure, the odd tactical scout that has come down to Killarney the Friday night before a game.”