Maurice Fitzgerald refocuses for Carrigaline challenge
The Caherciveen club’s county win and subsequent provincial success, allied to the South Kerry divisional side’s win in the county senior final has meant little time for rest and recuperation.
For Bryan Sheehan, Aidan Walsh, Paulie O’Donoghue, Denis Daly, Daniel Daly, Conor O’Shea and Conor Quirke, each weekend since the end of September has been occupied with either club or divisional commitments. However, Mary’s coach Maurice Fitzgerald believes that any physical rigours are offset by the confidence gained in winning. South Kerry overcame Legion in the replayed senior decider last week and the Kingdom legend is keen to “piggy-back” on the feelgood factor.
“It should give the lads a great boost to their energy levels,” he says.
“They are tired, there is no point in saying otherwise, but the psychological boost and the elation that was there at the final whistle on Sunday evening, when South Kerry won, coupled with that warm feeling as they savour being county champions this week, will help us.
“I think we will be able to piggy-back on that winning feeling and take strength from it. To be fair to the other lads [not involved with South Kerry], they were all up on Sunday supporting South Kerry, and we are all on a bit of a high down south this week.
“We have to settle down now, we will just have to refocus. This is a new challenge, an entirely different type of challenge now, and one that we are relishing.
“They are a great bunch of lads to work with, they absolutely love their football. I am blessed and privileged to be involved with such a squad. I know that, come Saturday, their desire will take over from any tiredness that is there.”
The St Mary’s talisman is Kerry star Sheehan, who captained South Kerry to victory last week. Fitzgerald makes no bones about his importance to the side.
“I am in a better position to judge Bryan Sheehan’s greatness than most, given that I have played with him at St Mary’s and he is playing under my management now at the moment,” he says.
“I would have said it last week, before the South Kerry-Legion replay and I will say again now — bar none, Bryan is the best we have seen. The maturity, and in fairness, the appetite he has for the game presently is just fantastic, and I think for sure he is and has been the most singularly outstanding club player, for the last 10 years, all over the county.
“He is in a great place and we are so fortunate to have him, on our side and with South Kerry on Sunday, he was just awesome. It was fantastic that he was captain and was able to get that performance out of himself and it was fitting that he got the man-of-the-match award.
“I just felt that his kicking display on the day and his desire to get the team over the line was tremendous. He is also giving us tremendous leadership qualities in Mary’s at the moment. I think anybody would like to have him on their side.”
That today’s game is in Fitzgerald Stadium, where South Kerry were successful last week and where St Mary’s beat Spa in the intermediate decider in October, is an added bonus in Fitzgerald’s view.
“I was happy to hear that the venue was Killarney and I am so happy to be involved that, to tell you the truth, I would have travelled to Limerick to play it,” he says.
“There is no doubt but that Killarney has been a good hunting ground recently and I am sure that the lads will be quite happy going back up to Killarney as the venue for the Munster final.”
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