McHugh best to stay out of Killarney, warns Jack

Former All-Ireland winning manager Jack O’Connor reckons Martin McHugh should steer clear of Killarney following his description of Colm Cooper as a "two-trick pony".

McHugh made the comment on The Sunday Game when comparing the attacking qualities of Cooper to Kerry forward James O’Donoghue who starred in the All-Ireland quarter-final win over Galway.

“He wouldn’t want to show up in Tatler Jack’s pub in Killarney for a while,” said O’Connor of McHugh.

McHugh yesterday retracted his “clumsy” remark.

“Looking for a comparison [to James O’Donoghue], I brought up Cooper but made a mistake by using the phrase ‘two-trick pony’ to describe the Dr Crokes man. It’s a clumsy phrase, and one that doesn’t stand up,” he wrote in the Irish Daily Star.

“Live television is unforgiving. You say something and it’s out there.”

O’Connor was impressed by Kerry’s showing on Sunday, but accepted far greater tests lie ahead.

“They did what they had to do. There were times when Galway came back into it, but Kerry were able to move through the gears when they needed to. It was a reasonable test, but Galway aren’t at that level really.”

Galway officials want Alan Mulholland to stay in charge for at least another year and build on the progress made so far.

Mulholland’s three-year term came to an end with Sunday’s 1-20 to 2-10 loss to Kerry and he was non-committal on his future after the game.

But yesterday the chairman of Galway football committee, Tadhg Ó Conghaile, said the job was Mulholland’s for another year if he wanted it.

“That review will take place in the next few weeks. Of course everyone is disappointed with the way it ended last Sunday. We have made progress but there is still a good way to go before we are up there with the likes of Kerry, Dublin and Mayo.

“But when Alan was reappointed a year ago it was decided to extend to next year with a review at the end of this year’s championship. We are quite happy with Alan. He and the rest of the management team have put in a huge effort all year.

“He knows the players well and we all hope there is more in this squad while we also need to bring in a few more and strengthen it. A few were blooded this year, the likes of Shane Walsh and Michael Lundy had great years, but we need more strength in depth.”

Meanwhile, Kerry have made just one change for Saturday’s All-Ireland JFC semi-final clash with Sligo at Cusack Park in Ennis (throw-in 3pm).

Waterville’s Fionán Clifford is named at right corner-back in place of Shane Lynch (Spa). Kieran Hurley, who came on as a sub in that game, had been ruled out with a groin injury and Pádraig Ó Sé is named on the bench instead.

KERRY (JF v Sligo): S Murphy (Kilcummin); F Clifford (Waterville), K O’Dwyer (do.), D Wrenn (Tarbert); G Gibson (Waterville), D Daly (St Mary’s), G Crowley (Templenoe); A Garnett (Spa), B O’Sullivan (Valentia); P O’Connor (Cordal), C Keating (Skellig Rangers), B Crowley (Templenoe); G O’Grady (Glenbeigh/Glencar), P Kennelly (Ballydonoghue), T Hickey (Castleisland Desmonds). Subs: S Óg Ó Ciardubháin (Cordal), A O’Donoghue (John Mitchels), S Lynch (Spa), M Brennan (Churchill), S Moloney (John Mitchels), E Walsh (Knocknagoshel), D Roche (Glenflesk), J O’Donoghue (Glenflesk), P Ó Sé (An Ghaeltacht).