Darran O’Sullivan cites contenders who can ease Peter Crowley loss to Kerry

GAP TO FILL: Peter Crowley's retirement means Kerry are on the lookout for a new centre back. Picture: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Jack Sherwood and Graham O’Sullivan are the Kerry defenders top of Darran O’Sullivan’s list to step into the void left by Peter Crowley, but the former Kingdom forward has said there isn’t a like-for-like replacement for Crowley in the Kingdom panel.

News of Crowley’s retirement from inter-county football has presented to management the challenge of finding a new face for the number six shirt who can successfully command the central channel of the Kerry defence.

O’Sullivan soldiered alongside Crowley for most of the last decade and described the latter’s retirement as a “huge loss” to the Kerry set-up. He added that because there is nobody like him in the Kerry panel at present, Crowley’s will be a “huge space to fill”.

“It is later in the year when you need that physical strength that Kerry are going to notice Peter’s loss,” O’Sullivan remarked.

Contenders for the vacant centre-back post, according to O’Sullivan, include Jack Sherwood, Graham O’Sullivan, and Pa Kilkenny. Both Kilkenny and Sherwood were recalled by Peter Keane after having been let go during Éamonn Fitzmaurice’s tenure.

“Jack Sherwood is as close to a Peter Crowley type player as I can think of. Graham is another fella with great physicality. My own clubmate Pa Kilkenny is someone I am hoping will be pushing, as well.

Defenders nowadays, especially the half-back line, most of the damage they do is going forward. It is always good to have a defender who wants to defend.

“That’ll be the big thing, finding somebody who can read the game well, spot danger, and isn’t too obsessed with having to be on the ball all the time and causing havoc going the other way. Somebody who can dictate a game without really blowing the spectator’s mind, someone you’d hardly notice during the game, but when you reflect, you realise the amount of interceptions they made.”

Is there anyone in the Kerry panel who fits, or can be made to fit, that description?

“There is no one really that jumps out. Jack Sherwood is an experienced campaigner, it might be a role he can step into.

“He has enough experience to be able to read the game. Graham O’Sullivan is a good strong physical defender, wouldn’t have a whole pile of inter-county experience, but is another who might step into that role.

“Otherwise, they could go down a totally different route. They might put somebody more nimble in there that can get around the backs that bit quicker and act as a double cover for the inside line when the ball does go over the half-back line.”

Whoever gets the nod to take up where Crowley left off, four-time All-Ireland winner O’Sullivan implored them to adopt the mindset of an all-out defender.

“We all love the swashbuckling half-back who bombs up the field, but there is a load of them around the place. I’d love to see a fella go in there and absolutely be in charge of the defence, dictate, be in control, and be there to firefight.

“We have intelligent footballers, but they are mostly used for their attacking threats. Now, it might be a case that they have to change up their game and show another side of themselves because that is what Kerry needs. Kerry needs a good strong centre-back. We have always had one over the years whenever we have been successful.”

Meanwhile, former Kerry footballer Donnchadh Walsh will be the lead physio for the Kerry hurlers during the 2021 season.

“Donnchadh will be a massive addition to our backroom team in terms of the knowledge and experience of being involved with one of the elite inter-county football teams in the country for over 15 years," said Kerry hurling manager Fintan O’Connor.

“We can learn from that level of experience.”