Jack Kennedy hopes to maintain winning streak with Tipp

UCC’s Jack Kennedy has given the thumbs-up to the midweek staging of the Sigerson Cup final.

Celebrations were by no means muted among the college’s players in Portlaoise, but there was a sense among the inter-county contingent in the group that this victory would truly be toasted at a later date.

Kennedy is expected to line out with Tipperary in a vital Division 2 clash against Armagh in the Athletic Grounds on Sunday where he could again cross swords with St Mary’s College’s Jarlath Óg Burns.

He was relieved that neither the semi-final win over NUIG nor Wednesday’s final clashed with Tipperary games and prefers the two Sigerson games being spread across four days as opposed to being played over successive days as was last the case in 2017.

“A lot of us have league games at the weekend so we’ll be taking it handy,” smiled Kennedy of the celebrations.

“It’s different (playing midweek) but O’Moore Park is a fantastic stadium and I always love playing under lights. It’s a great occasion. It didn’t make too much of a difference although I enjoyed the fact that it wasn’t two games over the same weekend. Two games in two days is tough.

“This was a big one. I haven’t won much with Tipp and this is such a prestigious competition. It’s unbelievable to win. We have talked about it in the dressing room that if you go back through UCC’s history and the quality of player that has won this competition, it’s just great to be alongside those winners. It’s some achievement.”

Being managed by Billy Morgan has been another highlight for the Clonmel Commercials man. “This is my third year with Sigerson and the first year I came in I didn’t know too much about him.

“As soon as I got involved, the Cork lads were telling me how much of a legend he is. He’s a great character and a lovely man. It’s a privilege to play under him.”

Reviewing Wednesday’s win, Kennedy wouldn’t go as far as his manager in saying it was “a victory for football” but was delighted with how UCC adapted to St Mary’s style without compromising their own. “They are defensive but in fairness to them that’s been their way and it’s very effective. They’ve got some great results like beating NUIG and UCD — they are defensive but they have some serious quality and kicked some great scores.

“We were more defensive than we would be (normally) and got more players behind the ball to counter their counterattacks. Other than that, we played our normal football and thankfully it was enough in the end.”

With three wins on the trot between college and county, Kennedy now hopes to aid Tipperary in building on a fine win over Donegal last Sunday week.

“We’d a poor start with the loss to Meath and we felt we left the Fermanagh game behind us as well. There’s a lot missing with injuries but we have a lot in from the U20s and other new lads and they’re coming into their own like Darragh Brennan at centre-back.

“The Donegal win was a big result and we needed it. On three points, it could have been a relegation battle if we didn’t win it but it’s given us a lot of confidence and if we pick up another win now we could be looking at promotion so it was a big result for us.”