Marc Ó Sé not impressed by All-Ireland ‘B’ championship plans
Ó Sé objects to the idea of a second tier competition, which will be put to delegates in next month’s Congress in Carlow.
“I know Páidí’s name is mentioned, but I don’t know about an All-Ireland ‘B’ - I wouldn’t be for it at all,” said the defender.
“I am very lucky, I come from Kerry. We are very lucky. We win All-Irelands, we lose All-Irelands but we are in a position to win or lose All-Irelands.
“I wouldn’t like if I was playing with a so-called weaker county and I was told that you were in a ‘B’ competition.
“It’s a bit of a joke. Obviously, I agree with changing up the system. I agree with maybe changing up the provinces or something like that.”
Launching next month’s Phonewatch Comórtas Peile Páidi Ó Sé, Ó Sé questioned the logic in associating his uncle’s name with the proposed “B” championship.
“It’s a strange one.
“I suppose Páidí holds the record, along with four other fellas, of winning Sam Maguire eight times. And he is being remembered then, hypothetically, for a competition that he never even played in so that possibly doesn’t go with the territory.”
Taking an extended break, Ó Sé should be available for Kerry’s round three game away to Down on February 28.
Even turning 36 in April, there was little doubt he would return for a 15th season.
He is also just three games shy of equalling his brother Tomás’s all-time championship appearances record of 88.
“After losing the final, I didn’t feel right about the way it finished and I just wanted to finish up differently,” said Marc.
“It didn’t go according to script.”
However, he was encouraged by his form in last year’s championship, irrespective of his early black card against Tyrone and then kept in reserve in the final on foot of sickness and calf and hamstring injuries prior to the game.
“Take away the final, I was delighted with the year last year. I got great enjoyment out of it, I got great enjoyment out of the Cork game, I got great enjoyment out of the semi-final, the 14 minutes I played against Tyrone.
“I got great enjoyment out of the Kildare match, I really enjoyed it. I always remember my father saying years ago ‘there’s nothing worse than wasted talent’.
“It’d be a shame if I quit when I still feel that I have something to offer, I’d find it hard to walk away anyway. it’d be a big change when I do go.”
Speaking frankly, Ó Sé felt Kerry should have lost the final to Dublin by more than three points.
“The scoreboard was flattering enough for us.
“We probably should have lost by more.
“I don’t think we performed on the day and our ‘go to’ players didn’t play to their potential.
“There’s more in this team. We probably didn’t perform as well as we could have but that said, maybe the Dubs didn’t allow us to perform and great credit has to go to them.
“They’ve showed they’re a serious team.
“They’re very hard to beat.
“They’ve beaten us now three times in the last few games that we’ve played them so they definitely have it over us.”
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