Blow for Kerry as Jack Savage heads for Dubai
SQUAD BLOW: Jack Savage. Photo: Domnick Walsh © Eye Focus LTD .
Kerry manager Jack O’Connor is set to be without Jack Savage next season as he is emigrating to Dubai.
The 27-year-old had been expected to fly out to the Middle East tomorrow after scoring 1-5 for Kerins O’Rahillys in their senior club championship semi-final win over Spa after extra-time this past weekend.
Savage could return for the final against Templenoe later in the year but he will be unavailable for Kerry in their defence of the Division 1, Munster and All-Ireland crowns in 2023.
Savage follows Cormac Coffey who missed the Spa game having already headed to Dubai. “Cormac is gone abroad which is unfortunate. Jack is going as well on Wednesday,” Kerins O’Rahillys manager William Harmon told “The Kerryman”.
O’Connor recalled Savage to the Kerry panel at the end of last year and he made his first season appearance in four years as a substitute in the Division 1 opener against Kildare in Newbridge in January. He saw action in all seven rounds of the competition as well as the final victory over Mayo and made three starts, scoring four points, two from play, against Armagh in the Athletic Grounds.
His only appearance in the championship came as a four-minute blood substitute for Paudie Clifford in the first half of last month’s All-Ireland final victory over Galway.
Kerins O’Rahillys, last year’s SFC runners-up, face East Kerry in their Group 2 opener the weekend after next. Dingle and Spa make up the rest of the group.
Meanwhile, champions Kerry are expected to feature prominently when the PwC All-Star nominations are announced next week. The Kingdom had 12 nominees when they finished runners-up to Dublin in 2019 and 11 after claiming the Sam Maguire Cup in 2014.
In a change from previous years, the age threshold for young footballer and hurler of the year awards will now rise to U22 from U21. The shortlists for the young and senior individual accolades will be compiled by the selection committees with the GPA membership choosing from them on a proportional representation basis.
Footballers who played in the Tailteann Cup will not be considered for All-Stars as a separate awards scheme has been established for them as is the case for hurlers participating in the Joe McDonagh, Christy Ring, Nicky Rackard and Lory Meagher Cups.
The All-Stars banquet, the first in three years due to pandemic restrictions, is scheduled to take place in Dublin on Friday, October 28.
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