Kerry still playing conditioning catch-up, says Sheehy

Kerry selector Mikey Sheehy believes the team are still trying to catch up with the likes of Dublin and Mayo in the strength and conditioning stakes.

However, he has been buoyed by the advances coach Cian O’Neill has made with the players in that area since coming on board at the end of 2012.

Ahead of Sunday’s McGrath Cup final with Cork, the Kerry legend said: “If you look at Dublin, Mayo and Donegal, they are the barometer. Janey Mack, the physicality of those players. You see some of the Dublin guys with the jerseys off after the games in Croke Park last year and you can see they’re all a step ahead. Mayo are the same and Cian would have had an influence on that when he was there.

“It’s become such an important part of the game knowing in the last 10 to 15 minutes of tight games that you have the bodies capable of pushing it on. It can have a huge influence in games.”

Eamonn Fitzmaurice’s side won last year’s McGrath Cup with relative ease only to then lose their first four games in Division 1 and rely on Dublin to draw with Donegal in the final round to save them from relegation.

Two weeks out from the opener against Dublin tomorrow, Sheehy is more than pleased with the progression of the panel.

“Last year we were only just in. Diarmuid (Murphy) had been aselector before but it was a new scenario for Eamonn as manager, myself as a selector and Cian with Kerry.

“We’re now a year further down the road and we’re happier with the preparation and development of players. Cian has done a fantastic job in getting the lads’ strength and conditioning work done.

“This time last year, it was a bit like going into the unknown. As most people know, we’ll be down a number of bodies for the start of the league, but we’re trying to add to the squad and I’d say we’re in a more positive situation at this time of year.”

Sheehy is enthused by the potential of the black card, providing it is issued consistently across the board.

“If it is carried out competently it could be a great thing for football. To be fair now, it’s a desperate hard job to be a referee. They go out to their best but just like us on the line and players they make mistakes.

“This black card is defined and it just needs to be consistently used now. In our first McGrath Cup game against IT Tralee, Steven O’Brien picked up one and to be fair to the boy he’s not that type of player. But then in the second-half Jonathan Lyne was rugby-tackled and there was no black card. That’s fine in a McGrath Cup game but I wouldn’t like to see it in a league or championship game.

“Another thing with the black card is are referees going to be controlling the game too much? Pat McEnaney is a good operator and I would hope the media, players, managers and the GAA just stick with it. I hope there won’t be a circus next month, but there will be controversy early on. Things will eventually calm down and that has to be kept in mind.”