O'Connor ratified as Murphy joins Kerry backroom team

Jack O'Connor has been given the go-ahead to manage the Kerry senior footballers for the next three years, following his ratification by the Kerry County Committee tonight.

This will be O'Connor's third term in charge of the Kingdom. His second spell, which spanned two years, recently ended with a shock All-Ireland SFC quarter-final defeat to Down.

The Dromid Pearses clubman guided his native county to two All-Ireland wins during his first term between 2004 and 2006, and recaptured the Sam Maguire Cup last year courtesy of a final victory over arch rivals Cork.

But Kerry's 2010 campaign was blighted by injuries, retirements, suspensions and the loss of Tadhg Kennelly and Tommy Walsh to Australian Rules Football. This is the first year since 2003 that Kerry have not featured in the All-Ireland final.

One of the players who retired this year, long-serving goalkeeper Diarmuid Murphy, has tonight be appointed as one of O'Connor's selectors for next season.

Murphy announced his retirement as a player last January, leaving what O'Connor termed 'a huge void.'

He will make a swift return to the Kerry set-up nonetheless, filling the shoes of his former All-Ireland winning team-mate Eamonn Fitzmaurice who quit as a selector in the aftermath of the Down game.

Speaking at tonight's meeting, Kerry County Board Chairman Jerome Conway thanked Fitzmaurice for his two years' work as selector with the senior panel.

Reflecting the high esteem the former defender is held in, Conway added: "I hope we will see him back shortly."

The remainder of O'Connor's backroom team is on expected lines, with Ger O'Keeffe continuing as a selector and Alan O'Sullivan remaining on board as physical trainer.

Interestingly, there is a second new addition in the form of Joe O'Connor. He assumes the role of weights and conditioning coach, following a successful 12-month stint with the Kerry senior hurlers.