Eamonn Fitzmaurice: Pain of Tralee setback prompted reaction

The sting of last year’s defeat in Austin Stack Park was a major catalyst for Kerry in seeing off Monaghan yesterday according to Eamonn Fitzmaurice.

“We were probably smarting a bit from last year from the defeat in Tralee. We were very disappointed with ourselves. I was disappointed with the players and I was disappointed with my own performance that day.

“I felt we didn’t bring our A game and Monaghan beat us comprehensively. We knew the extent of the challenge (this weekend) but we knew as well that we were going well and if we kept playing that there was a big performance and thankfully that’s the way it worked out.”

Barring a freak set of results including an avalanche defeat to Cork in Tralee next Sunday, Kerry are in the Division 1 semi-finals for the first time since 2012, which Fitzmaurice had estimated this fourth consecutive win would do.

“It’s great to have won again to keep the winning run going. Four in a row we haven’t done that in a while and particularly when three of those games have been on the road. It’s been a great testament to the lads, they’ve worked very hard and we’ve pulled a couple of big results out now which is great.

“Every year we’ve tried to look to the league semi-finals. The first year I was in charge, we didn’t plan on losing four in a row and to be scrapping to barely stay up. We were very close last year; if we had a point more in Omagh we were in the semi-finals whereas a point less and we could have been relegated. That’s how tight it was. We’ve always looked to try to win the games and get there.”

Fitzmaurice, who explained Tommy Walsh was released to Kerins O’Rahillys as he would benefit from more game-time in Saturday’s county league game than the trip to Clones, hailed Kieran Donaghy’s midfield display.

“Kieran worked very hard during the winter time. He was determined that if he was going to come back and have another cut at it then he was going to be in the shape of his life. Because of the physical shape he is in, he’s playing outstanding football.”

Malachy O’Rourke knows relegation is a threat for Monaghan after a fourth loss on the bounce. Defeat to Donegal next weekend will see them join Down in Division 2.

“We know at this stage that relegation is a distinct possibility unless we improve our performance. That’s all we’re really worried about – getting our performance levels up because we want to stay in the first division.”

After losing the last two league meetings to Cork, Fitzmaurice won’t be asking his players to take it lightly in six days’ time: “We’ll be treating it the same as we have every game. It’s our final league game and it’s in Austin Stack Park and it’s a game we’ll want to win.”