Spring in their step: Kerry will be anxious to scratch Mayo itch

Then Mayo manager James Horan said it was “an unbelievable decision” that paved the way for Kerry to claim their last league victory over Mayo, five years ago.

Referee Maurice Deegan deemed that Rob Hennelly had felled Darran O’Sullivan in the large parallelogram. The goalkeeper felt that he had been charged by the Kerry forward. Kerry manager Jack O’Connor thought otherwise and replays indicated that both he and Deegan were right.

Five league games have passed since that late penalty goal, by Bryan Sheehan, in Castlebar, swung the game the visitors’ way. Kerry’s dominance in summer bouts with Mayo is unquestioned, but, since February, 2011, it’s been a tale of disappointment and missed opportunity for Kerry in the counties’ spring tussles.