Nearly a decade after Kerry debut, Barry Dan O'Sullivan finds game that suits him

Barry Dan O'Sullivan made his Kerry debut during the 2016 National League but only got his first championship in this year's Munster semi-final against Cork. 

Kerry manager Jack O'Connor believes Gaelic football's new rules suit Barry Dan O'Sullivan. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Patience and Barry Dan O’Sullivan are long acquainted. Perseverance and Barry Dan are equally familiar bedfellows. But it is only in the past month where this pair of attributes, on display by the 29-year-old midfielder for almost a decade now, have finally begun to receive payment.

Mike Quirke, to give him his credit, was first to advocate for Kerry’s current middle-third arrangement and how effective it could be. Quirke, a selector in recent campaigns, was a guest on the Irish Examiner Gaelic football podcast the Monday after the League’s third round when he championed the approach first adopted by management in Round 6 and repeated for the first time in championship during the victory over Roscommon a fortnight ago.