O'Connor's management team officially installed

The Jack O'Connor-led Kerry senior management team was officially ratified at last night's meeting of the Kerry County Committee.

It has been the worst kept secret in Kingdom circles that O'Connor, whose second spell as Kerry boss was confirmed last month, will have Ger O'Keeffe and Eamonn Fitzmaurice in place as his selectors.

The delay on the appointments was due to O'Connor's involvement with Kerins O'Rahilly's in the Kerry senior championship, which ended last Sunday when they lost their replayed final to Mid Kerry.

O'Keeffe was a selector when O'Connor managed Kerry to All-Ireland wins in 2004 and 2006 and Fitzmaurice, the recently retired defender, was part of the playing panel in both those years.

The Kerry players and officials will embark on their annual holiday on December 28. They will enjoy stints in Miami and the Bahamas before flying home on January 11.

A number of players will not be travelling for various reasons, including the O Se brothers, Darragh, Marc and Tomas, and 2008 captain Paul Galvin but young forward Tommy Walsh, who is currently on trial with Aussie Rules club St. Kilda, will be back in time to make the flight to Miami.

Meanwhile, Alan O'Sullivan, brother of Munster flanker John, has been appointed as Kerry's physical trainer for the new season.

Former Kerry trainer Pat Flanagan will maintain an involvement by heading up the squad's weights programme.

It was also confirmed at last night's County Committee meeting that Mallow clubman Pat Heffernan is to remain on as manager of the Kerry senior hurlers. JP Leahy (Causeway) and Tom O'Connell (Abbeydorney) will continue as selectors.