‘Patience game’ pays dividends for the Kerry

Kerry’s tactical masterplan to counter a mass defence was again in evidence in Croke Park on Sunday. 

The new, more pragmatic Kerry footballer has been moulded by a management team that has a significant record of just one defeat in 16 championship games.

With 51 minutes and 15 seconds on the clock in Sunday’s semi-final, Fionn Fitzgerald won a turnover possession just in front of his keeper. The subsequent passage of play symbolised everything this Kerry team represents. One minute and 45 seconds of possession football followed. There were 34 passes in total by 12 different players before Ronan McNamee fouled Colm Cooper close to goal and received a black card.