Jack O’Connor’s delight as Kerry's Joe O'Connor returns after 15-month ACL nightmare

DELIGHTED: Kerry manager Jack O'Connor is interviewed by the Irish Examiner's Tony Leen after the McGrath Cup win over Tipperary at Austin Stack Park. 

The earliest buds of January bring promise. For Kerry manager Jack O’Connor, starting seven freshmen against Tipperary was early encouragement for the 2024 campaign – as was the return of the Austin Stacks midfielder Joe O’Connor, out for over a year with an ACL rupture.

“Nearly half the lads starting tonight were playing their first game with Kerry, and that’s always a big occasion in a young man’s career,” O’Connor said after Kerry’s 19-point defeat of Tipperary. 

“The main purpose of the McGrath Cup is to strengthen the panel, to bring that youth and enthusiasm and some legs into the set up. I thought all of the young lads acquitted themselves well.” 

A share of the Kingdom rookies were county Under 20 last season, but for corner back Damien Bourke, it was a first appearance at any grade with Kerry. “He’s a good, tenacious, tight-marking corner back and you always need them,” O’Connor explained.

“He’s been really good for Na Gaeil, a club that has produced a lot of young players. It was also good to see his club-mate Stefan Okunbor back playing county football too.” 

The return of Joe O’Connor, however, was especially pleasing not just for O’Connor but for everyone in the set-up. The giant midfielder was a big miss for Kerry in 2023, having done his cruciate in a county championship game on the same pitch well over a year ago. Jack O’Connor was there on the fateful night in question and was able to point to the spot on the field where it happened as he reflected on the player’s return.

“Joe really is a great influence around the place, he is full of beans and enthusiasm, and even tonight in his comeback he was very strong in the air. He got a good forth-odd minutes under his belt there. He has a pile of work done at this stage. It was a tough old blow he got, it was a right bad injury, I remember it happening, but he’s in a good place now.” 

Kerry head to Rathkeale Saturday to face Limerick, and will mix and match their 28-man squad again, with the emphasis on youth. “It is nice to be giving the young fellas the start, and allow some of the more established lads to be coming on. But the ultimate goal from these games is game time, getting some mileage into them all.”