Jack O'Connor admits pressure on Kerry players is suffocating

DISCOMFORTS OF HOME: Jack O'Connor with his backroom team during the clash with Cavan on Saturday. Pic: INPHO/James Lawlor

KERRY manager Jack O’Connor has admitted he feared that the suffocating pressure would get to some of his younger Kerry players as they recovered from last week’s Tullamore to book an All-Ireland quarter-final place with a win over Cavan.

As man of the match David Clifford explicitly called for Kerry supporters to back their side in big numbers next week in Croke Park, O’Connor admitted that Fitzgerald Stadium on Saturday was a difficult environment for some of his players to express themselves.

This is the price of failure in Kerry, the price for a no-show like the one against Meath, where Kerry fell to their heaviest championship defeat in 24 years.

“There was a lot of pressure on the Kerry players today from the supporters after last week. That was a difficult environment today for the lads to play football after what happened in the Meath game. There was huge pressure to perform and that can be a very difficult environment.”

He added: “Often times, it’s easier to go to Croke Park, away from home, and express yourself and play without fear and abandon. That’s what we want. It’s a great footballer’s pitch, a huge pitch, there is space there and that is why you want to play football. I just felt there were times today against Cavan when the pressure got to the lads a bit and they didn’t express themselves the way they could.” 

Clifford finished with 3-7 and was named man of the match, telling GAA Plus afterwards: “I’d like to call for our supporters to get behind us. I’m not sure they realise the impact they can have on us in Croke Park. When we hear that Kerry crowd behind you it’s worth five and six points to you in a game. So I’m asking the Kerry crowd to get behind us, it’s the game we’ve been waiting for all year so we are asking them to back us in big numbers.” 

If the form guide follows, Kerry will run up against All-Ireland champions Armagh, their first Division 1 opponent in the championship.

Said Clifford: “It’s a massive test next week, they’re the games you want to be involved in.” 

Manager O'Connor admitted that Diarmuid O'Connor's chances of playing next weekend are 'bleak' after going off in the first minute with a recurrence of a shoulder injury.

Confirming that Barry Dan O'Sullivan's season was done with a serious knee injury, the Kerry boss said Tony Brosnan suffered a hamstring strain in the Tullamore loss to Meath, the same reason Mike Breen missed out on the Cavan game today. Both have a chance for the quarter-final next week. Paul Geaney is still struggling with the shoulder problem picked up in Cork, O'Connor added.