Jack O’Connor: Here’s what happens when young lads get overplayed...

The failure of Kerry top-brass to complete the 2015 club season within the calendar year has robbed the Kingdom’s U21 footballers of seven of their leading players, according to manager Jack O’Connor.

Absent for this evening’s Munster Championship clash with provincial champions Tipperary are 2015 minor captain Marc O’Connor, Conor Keane — the provider of 1-7 in last year’s semi-final defeat to Cork — and five members of the 2014 All-Ireland minor winning side — Matthew Flaherty, Shane Ryan, Liam Carey, Cormac Coffey, and Liam Kearney.

O’Connor has cited the lack of a closed season, coupled with the number of fixtures from last year’s programme which spilled into 2016, as the chief contributing factor to the extensive injury list ravaging his squad.