Diarmuid Murphy: It pays for keepers to go long

It was just last month that Ciaran Whelan highlighted the ‘new’ kick-out phenomenon. Well, not all that new.

“I think we’re seeing a lot more long kick-outs,” he said. “If you were to analyse this year’s championship to last year and weigh up the stats, we’re seeing a lot more long kick-outs. Primarily, because it’s one way of taking four or five players out of it and beating the blanket defence.

“You see teams will step off, they’ll concede the short kick-out and they’ll retreat back. Whereas if you have a long kick-out and you win that breaking ball, and you’re in an attacking position you have less defenders. The long kick-out has become more effective. (Paul) Durcan shows Donegal are very, very good and very effective at booming it beyond midfield. (Stephen) Cluxton can do it, saw him doing it against Mayo in the All-Ireland. He can boom it.”

Whether it be Brendan Kealy or Brian Kelly, Kerry have goalkeepers who thump the paint off a ball too, which is just as well because goal-keeping coach and selector Diarmuid Murphy agrees entirely with Whelan.

“You’re trying to turn over the team as they work the ball up. If you can win possession, especially on your own kick-outs, as far away from goal as possible, that’s the ideal. Making it a reality isn’t always the easiest.

“You’d see some games where teams can struggle to find short kick-outs, other times when it’s very easy. It’ll depend on the opposition and how they set up, but sometimes a 10-yard kick to a corner-back might be great to boost your kick-out figures, but it won’t be ideal for how you want to go on and win the game. Really, you focus on your strengths and if you have guys like that out there you should use them.

“It’s more a response to defensive systems really that teams are implementing. The aim now for teams on their own kick-out is to win it as far away from their own goal as possible because it gives you a better chance of attacking the opposition then whereas sometimes with shorter kick-outs, it can allow the other team get set at the back.

“Plus I’ve been looking at national League games this year and the standard of kick-outs from goalkeepers is outstanding. The accuracy from the kick-outs is phenomenal. I enjoy watching it anyway and think it’s a good spectacle for the punter.” In the likes of Anthony Maher, David Moran, Bryan Sheehan, Johnny Buckley and Tommy Walsh, Kerry are blessed with their number of competent orthodox midfield options. Apart from adding much-needed physicality around the middle, this return to the long kick-out may have been provoked by this return to long kick-outs.

According to Murphy, the conventional fear láidir never fell out of style. “I think if you’ve a midfielder who can catch kick-outs and contest kick-outs, break it and win it cleanly, they’ve never really gone out of fashion. You’ve got to cut your cloth to suit it. If you’ve guys out there who can catch a ball, you’ll kick it out to them. It depends on your personality.”

Walsh’s arrival back from Australia brings more choice and variety although Murphy considers he will be a better player next season. “Tommy is improving all the time and it’s games he needed and he got that with the club, as well as in our training camp in Portugal. He’s managed to steer clear of injuries and we’ll see what he can bring to the table.

“Maybe that might the case (being a better option in 2016), but from a selfish point of view we want to see what he’ll give us now like. Of course it’s a huge transition for him to come in from a completely different code. People were comparing him to Tadhg Kennelly but he used to come home for a month every Christmas and play six or seven North Kerry championship games, which were serious preparation.

“He never had that, I know he was kicking a ball down in Australia, but it’s a huge change to come back in, especially to the level of football inter-county is at the moment. Still, we’d be happy with where he is right now.”