‘Ridiculous’ reaction to Kerry’s league defeat bemuses Cian O’Neill
O’Neill, who was a coach/selector under Éamonn Fitzmaurice from 2013 to 2015, was taken aback by the level of criticism directed at the management and players following the loss.
“I thought it was ridiculous. Blown out of proportion.
“On any one day, a team can under-perform. We underperformed the day before and Clare performed (in the Division 3 final).
“I think the difference when you’re at the top and you’re a team like Dublin or Kerry, if you underperform on any one day... for example, Kildare last year got hit for seven goals (by Kerry).
“I know the Kerry boys, I know them well. I know Éamonn and his management team. They’re a serious operation.
“You don’t win an All-Ireland with the challenges and obstacles that were in force in 2014 without having a really committed group of players and an outstanding manager and management team.
“Kerry will just take that as a learning and they’ll go back and see where they can improve because you can be damn sure they’re going to be back at the top table in the next few months.”
O’Neill paid credit to Tommy Walsh, who left the Kerry panel last week due to a lack of game-time.
“I’m just disappointed for Tommy. I’m not part of the set-up, I wouldn’t know his thoughts, I haven’t spoken to him.
“He’s worked incredibly hard since he came home to try and get himself back in the frame. Hopefully, he’ll go back to his club and put in a huge shift there.
“The way things are, every top panel is fluid and he might need that break and come back in and play the best football of his career. Who knows?
“But he’s a top guy and a top pro. He was always there for everybody in the set-up, whether he was on the field or not last year.
“He played a real important guidance role for younger players. He was always great to work with as part of the management team.”
Dublin’s win over Kerry once more underlined their awesome credentials particularly in Leinster, where they are aiming for a sixth title this July.
O’Neill knows the gauntlet faced by Kildare and others in the province is formidable but prefers to concentrate on what he can do with his own county than yearn for what yearn for the riches of their venerable neighbours.
“They’re blazing a trail there but it’s up to the other counties, ourselves included, really to focus on what we’re doing and hope we can get better at it.
Sometimes, I feel too many people worry about what Dublin have and what they don’t. Really, they should be focused about how they can improve their own shop and house.
“Whoever plays Dublin, you know what you’re up against and in fairness it’s a credit to Jim, his management team and the players because they’ve done it consistently.
But in each sport everything goes in cycles, no more than Leicester at the moment. People were talking about five-in-a-row with Dublin a couple of years ago and they got caught on the hop by Donegal so it’s up to every other team to see if they can produce another performance like Donegal that day.”
If Kildare win through to a Leinster final, O’Neill expects the opposition will be Dublin. Should that happen, he is adamant their approach will be a positive one.
“If we do our job against a Wexford, a Westmeath, an Offaly or a Longford, we get an opportunity to play Dublin who happen to be the best team in the country.
“If we decide ‘let’s just get through this and see where we are in the last 12’, I think that would be a very negative attitude not just for the players but for the supporters and everybody who is putting effort into the county.”
O’Neill will confirm his championship panel later this week.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
