Familiar with the big occasion, Tansley targets more success

Kerry captain and goalkeeper Michael Tansley celebrates with his team. Pic: James Crombie/Inpho

For Kerry U20 captain Michael Tansley, this was a sweet Munster success.

The Kingdom ran out 2-15 to 1-10 winners over Cork to complete four in a row for the first time since their manager Tomás Ó Sé was playing the grade in the late nineties.

His goalkeeper has now matched that personal achievement of three consecutive Munster medals since graduating from minor.

Next up is the matter of equalling Ó Sé’s All-Ireland title from 1998. Indeed, the Tim Clarke Cup has only travelled back to Kerry once since then, in 2008.

“It's your first one, good. If it's your second one, even better. And if it's your third one, how bad?” said Tansley after lifting the provincial silverware.

“But look, we will go up to whoever it is, Donegal or Tyrone are going to be a tough opposition, so we're going to have to do our homework on them, and we'll take it from there.” 

Tansley has plenty of experience with big occasions. 

He was on the first Mercy Mounthawk team to win the Corn Uí Mhuirí and contested the subsequent Hogan Cup final at Croke Park. And he was minding the net for Austin Stacks’ run to Kerry and Munster Intermediate titles last winter.

He performed his captain’s duties with aplomb, sending the lid of the Noel Walsh Cup flying over his head in the trophy lift before delivering his speech entirely as Gaeilge.

“It's a great feeling, a great honour. We've lots of leaders so it's not too much of a pressure on me but I'm happy to try and lead the group forward,” said Tansley.

One of those leaders has been absent in high-scoring attacker Cormac Dillon, due to a hamstring injury.

“We're not sure where he's standing but we'd love to have him back,” Tansley added. “He's a serious footballer so hopefully we can have him for the next game.

“Even if he can only give us 10 or 15 minutes, it would be brilliant. But we'll see where he lies now in a couple of weeks.” 

From Tansley’s point of view, Kerry showed up strong on kick-outs and in containing Cork’s returning star forwards, until a late rally trimmed the final margin from 15 to eight.

“We knew the likes of Sheedy, Myers, and Hayes are serious players so we knew we had to pin in on them, especially, and that we couldn’t let go of anyone else.

“They gave us a good doing in midfield the last time we played them so it was good to get on a lot of breaks, win a lot of kick-outs, and credit to all the half-forward line and half-back line for getting in around the big boys in the middle.”