Keane’s young Legion on the march

The hum of excited voices swirling in the background leaves little to the imagination as to Peter Keane’s whereabouts.

“I’m at an U14 game,” explains the Legion football boss. “West Kerry versus Castleisland District in the county championship semi-final.”

Proceedings in Blennerville are just under way and with his son lining out for the latter, a later time is agreed upon and our conversation swiftly ended.

Castleisland comfortably claimed the spoils on Wednesday evening and Keane, a native of Cahersiveen, is hoping to catch out another divisional outfit in tonight’s Kerry senior championship opener. Strange though it may seem, you will find the majority of clubs hold deep reservations when the words ‘outside manager’ are raised at an AGM when vacancies require filling. Keane, however, boasted a CV to suggest he was worth a punt.

Kerry U21 captain in the early nineties, Keane guided his home club to All-Ireland JFC glory in 2011 and served as Mickey ‘Ned’ O’Sullivan’s right hand man in the Kerry minor set-up for the past two years.

“The club officials approached me at the end of last year, we had a chat and I decided to come on board. I didn’t know a whole pile about them, but there is certainly potential.”

His remit? To significantly improve the team’s standing on Kerry’s football ladder.

The potential and talent is there, with former All-Ireland Kerry winner Sean O’Sullivan this week singling out Legion as the dark horses for the summer ahead. Mind you, not an entirely unfounded assertion.

Successive U21 championship triumphs in 2011 and 2012 provide a most encouraging conveyor belt of talent – James O’Donoghue and Jonathan Lyne the marquee names — while their spring form suggests the Killarney outfit can at least break their third round duck, having failed to make the last eight since returning to the top table in 2006.

“History wouldn’t indicate that we are seen as a top tier side. If you want to be considered a top tier team history must indicate you have been knocking around.

“The U21 successes were important wins in the development and progression of the club and it is our job to ensure the lads come through and continue to senior. We have a relatively young team and it is not that there has been a fall-off but these players that were involved in the U21 wins are still coming through. They are young and need time.”

A team in transition then? “Transition would indicate you were very successful and are now going through a barren spell, but you are on the way back. I don’t know would you apply that to us. We have a share of talent and we are trying to build on it,” he added.

Five wins from five in Division 2 of the league, added to their senior club final run has built up quite a head of steam entering the county championship proper.

Keane, however, is understandably wary of Davy O’Donoghue’s East Kerry side.

“Never mind the players they have, you are up against a team that comprises of three Division 2 teams and a Division 3 team that should be in two. We had difficulty in beating one of their teams that are in Division 2 earlier on in the year – Glenflesk. The other three teams then would be Listry, Spa and Gneeveguilla. We are not even worried about specific players. It goes without saying if you take the best three players from each of these teams you are not going to have a bad team. The majority of our lads would have played with the East Kerry boys at underage. There is a strong degree of familiarity and this is very much a derby.”

He added: “We got over the line in a real battle against Rathmore in the club championship semi-final last weekend and for morale going into the championship proper it was the ideal boost. It sets the lads up nicely. We do take that competition very serious and we were delighted to get the win. It takes second preference with a lot of clubs, but it is championship and you are always going to be tested at the semi-final stage of any competition you are in and thankfully we came through that test.”