Kerins O'Rahilly's boss Harmon delighted with reaction to red for 'leader' Moran

Harmon also confirmed that Jack Savage, Cormac Coffey, and Gavin O’Brien - who flew home from Dubai and New York respectively - will do the same for the Munster final on December 10.

DISMISSAL: David Moran of Kerins O'Rahilly's is shown a red card by referee Sean Lonergan. Pic: Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile

William Harmon didn’t want to get bogged down in the rights and wrongs of David Moran’s sending off. 

For the record, the Rahilly’s manager didn’t agree with the second yellow card issued to his midfield totem. Harmon wanted to focus, instead, on how Moran’s teammates responded after their “leader” left the field.

Kerins O’Rahilly’s led by two when Moran walked on 22 minutes. Strand Road’s response was to kick four of the game’s next five points to hold a five-point lead five minutes into the second period.

And even when that lead began to contract as the half wore on, 14-man Kerins O Rahilly’s never allowed their numerically advantaged opponents draw level. Their defiance stood out a mile.

“This time last year in the county final, we lost our leader, David Moran, to different circumstances (injury). Last year when David wasn’t on the field, we maybe went into our shells a small bit. But the way the lads responded with not having one of our leaders on the field was unreal,” said Harmon.

“The experience from last year’s county final probably helped us in terms of knowing to keep doing what we’re doing, and we’ll be okay here. The character by the group to keep ploughing on, keep tapping over scores, and keep Éire Óg at arm’s length until the last five or 10 minutes was excellent. To be down a man and to win it by a point, I’ll take that every day.” 

It was a response made all the more impressive by the fact that Sunday was Kerins O’Rahilly’s first competitive outing in five weeks and only their second competitive outing since the group stages of the Kerry county championship wrapped up nine weeks ago.

“A result and performance like that is huge because we haven’t played a competitive game in five weeks. So, you probably saw a small bit of rustiness there today from us. That performance will bring us on a pile.

“To win a tough battle like that, a real tight game, the opposition crowd roaring, and they coming at us in droves; to get over that is huge for the group.” 

Kerins O’Rahillys’ 1-9 total was supplied by four players. Three of them - Jack Savage, Cormac Coffey, and Gavin O’Brien - flew home from Dubai and New York respectively to be present at Austin Stack Park.

Harmon confirmed afterwards, not that it needed confirming given where they now stand, that the trio will be home again for the Munster final on December 10.

“The lads are doing their work when they are away, which is fantastic. There is no way we get through these games if we don’t have everybody available. We need everyone.”