Parkinson hails return of Kingston
The Newstalk pundit has been a critic of Laois boss Justin McNulty’s but welcomed his decision to convince Kingston to rejoin the squad this year, comparing Kingston to talented Galway star Murphy. Kingston starts at centre-forward against Louth on Sunday and Parkinson stresses the importance of his presence in the attack — an area he feels McNulty has neglected in coaching in two years in charge.
However, he was shocked by his Portlaoise team-mate and dual player Cahir Healy’s decision to opt away from the panel this year.
“I was disappointed with Cahir and I told him that myself. Hurling is his first love so there is no controversy there at all. He hadn’t been playing well at the start of the league, so it was to do with football. There was no problem with McNulty. He actually got sent off in the Galway game I was at, which is not his form. It was two lazy tackles. He said his heart wasn’t in it and Cahir would be a very honest sort of a fella.
“With Kingston, I don’t know what was going on there. He was getting frustrated. Kingston has to play on the Laois team. He’s our Michael Murphy. He’s our main man. You have to ‘plamás’ him, you have to get on his side, you have to man-manage him.
“That’s why I think he should have played every league game this year. He wasn’t there last summer when they needed him. He came back this year and he played well with UCD.
“At least now he’s back in the team. McNulty hasn’t left him on the bench or punished him or whatever.
“I don’t think it was McNulty’s fault with Healy. I think he could have managed Kingston a bit better.”
Parkinson has high hopes for his county. “Laois could go well. They have Colm Kelly picked in the full-forward line. He’s a good player. Gary Walsh is a scorer. Kingston’s in there, (Ross) Munnelly is playing well.”
He predicts a tight encounter between McNulty’s charges and those of the Laois manager’s former Armagh team-mate Aidan O’Rourke.
“It’s going to be very close. Louth are decent under O’Rourke. But I think Laois will be too strong for them. I would be disappointed if Laois don’t get to a Leinster final.”
