How key was Jack to Kerry's resurgence? Massive, reckons Diarmuid O'Connor

The Kerry midfielder gets to fulfil a boyhood dream on Sunday with his Na Gaeil team-mates as they line out against Dr Crokes in a Kerry Club SFC final

Fri, 12 Sep, 2025 - 13:37

Murt Murphy

SINCE injuring his shoulder in the final minutes of Kerry’s March Allianz League clash with Armagh, Diarmuid O'Connor didn't get through 60, much less 70, minutes until lining out for Na Gaeil in their opening Kerry Club SFC win over Austin Stacks on August 15.

Since, O’Connor - along with former Kerry midfield partner Jack Barry - has steered Na Gaeil on a four game unbeaten run to a club final meeting with Dr Crokes this Sunday.

“When you miss a huge amount of football and you’re so used to playing it week in and week out, and you’ve sit on the sidelines and watch for a long spell, when you get the opportunity to play, you're gonna take it with both hands and try to make the most of it. So that was certainly an element to it, you just wanted to get back playing. Give as much as you could for as long as you could," he explains.

“I missed the end of the league and all of the Munster championship. I came back for the first round game against Roscommon, got injured again. It was a combination of things really like. I got injured again in the Cavan game. So that was the third time I got injured. It was very stop-start. I suppose that can be difficult enough.”

While admitting that getting a run in the All-Ireland final was personally satisfying, Kerry winning was more important after a couple of tough years for O’Connor.

“There's personal satisfaction yes (but) it was just about getting over the line for us as a group. It was a nice touch to get on and try and contribute something, but most of my personal satisfaction came from the 35 fellas celebrating after the game.

"We've been through a couple of tough years and I suppose getting over the line just meant so much to each and every one of us, whether we were on the field or not.”

The Na Gaeil talisman is delighted that Jack O’Connor and his management team are back again for another two year term.

“It's great to have that group back again and then have Jack at the helm. His experience was massive, had a massive impact on us this year. Especially when we were having a tough spell there, maybe after that Meath game, his experience really showed up to us that time. The rest of the management team were brilliant, they all brought bits and pieces this year. Bit of freshness and it was just great that things worked out,” O'Connor said.

When asked if he is playing in a lot pain considering he is due to have surgery to have his shoulder right for 2026, Diarmuid was giving away very little

“The older you get, the sorer you are after games anyway, that's not specific to the shoulder or anything like that. Like I mentioned earlier, when you get the chance to play after you’ve been out for so long, you’re going to take it with both hands and do whatever it takes. It's feeling grand and everything is working in fine order, looking forward to the weekend.”

O’Connor knows that part of the journey of going for club rookies to a senior club final is matching the Oakpark outfit up against elite teams like Dr Crokes.

“We've spoken about that already, this group has kind of been through the Junior, Premier, Intermediate, been through that process. And I suppose your aim is always, even when you’re junior, your aim is always just can we get to senior.

"Eventually, further down the line, tunnel vision I suppose. When you get to Intermediate you are looking at getting up to Senior, when you get to Senior, you’re looking at how we can make an impact here. How you make an impact is you try going out and win it and we’re one step away now, if we can manage it. But we will give it our best shot and see what we can do.”