Stephen O’Brien adding more than points to the Kerry arsenal

Beyond his three-point contribution and the consistency at which he punched holes in the Clare rearguard, it should not be overlooked that Stephen O’Brien was still on the field when referee Barry Cassidy blew the final whistle in Sunday’s Munster semi-final in Killarney.

Throw in the two All-Ireland semi-finals against Mayo last August and this was the third consecutive championship match where O’Brien started and finished proceedings.

For the Kenmare forward, that’s a clear sign of progress and an even greater indication of how management views him. At 27, he is slowly establishing himself as a mainstay of this Kerry team.