Fitzmaurice: injured stars need to train before consideration

By John Fallon

Kerry manager Eamon Fitzmaurice says that injured stars James O’Donoghue and Johny Buckley will need to get a few training sessions under their belts if they are to be consider for the Munster final against Cork.

But the Kerry boss is confident that the pair will recover and increase his selection options for the showdown with the old enemy on Sunday weeke.

“We’re hopeful on both counts,” said Fitzmaurice after their hard-earned 1-17 to 1-13 win over Clare at Cusack Park in Ennis.

“We’ll have to wait and see. Neither of them were ready for today. If they are to be contenders for the Munster championship they will have to get a couple of good training sessions under their belts in the next two weeks. We’ll have to wait and see but hopefully one or both will be available,” he said.

Fitzmaurice, whose team was the final one to enter this year’s championship, said they would need to improve significantly for the meeting with their arch rivals.

“It’s great to have a game under the belt but we will have to improve big time. Cork got a similar fright last night and they’ll have a game under the belt and have a bit of thinking to do like ourselves. We’ll train well and head to Pairc Ui Chaoimh and have a right go at it," added Fitzmaurice.