Jack O'Connor gives thanks for Kerry cocktail of experience and luck 

Though the Kingdom wasn't entertaining the idea that their penalty was 'soft'.

Kerry manager Jack O'Connor after the game. Pic: ©INPHO/Tom O’Hanlon

Jack O’Connor pointed to luck and experience as the main reasons for Kerry’s All-Ireland semi-final defeat of Dublin on Sunday evening.

In no particular order.

The Kingdom came through with four points to spare to set up a decider with Mayo later this month and Dublin boss Ger Brennan took umbrage with some of the decisions that went against his men on the day.

“Semi-finals are about getting over the line and getting to a final,” said O’Connor. “We lived on a knife edge there at times. Dublin came with everything there at times in the second-half and a combination of brave defending and a bit of luck – that was true in the end.” 

One of the sliding doors moments that didn’t find favour with Brennan was the penalty awarded for Peadar O Cofaigh Byrne’s challenge on Joe O’Connor in the third minute. O’Connor’s take was succinct and didn’t broach argument after the word ‘soft’ was used.

“How do you think it was soft? From where I was, it was a frontal tackle. And a frontal tackle is a free anywhere.” 

Kerry, though with the wind at their back on the restart, looked to be in trouble when Dublin landed the first three points of the second-half but they responded with a burst of 1-7 to 0-2 that proved crucial to the end tallies.

Even then it wasn’t simple.

David Clifford raced away to land two vital points on the break as the Dubs closed in towards the end but this is a seasoned Kerry side looking to retain its title and O’Connor felt those miles on the clock stood to them.

“We certainly got a bit of luck at times, no question about it. A bit of experience. That Dublin team … I mean, look at the teams they've beaten in the last couple of games. If you said six weeks ago, any team that would beat Donegal, you'd say they'd win an All-Ireland. So, Dublin have come good at the right time.

“You have to put in the Hill factor. I mean, that's a significant factor. They won the toss and played into the Hill in the second-half, and that's an intimidating sight for any team to be facing that. So, I thought our fellas were awful brave near the end, throwing their bodies on ball.

“Definitely got a bit of luck. And, em, got a few scores on the break. It took a bit of experience as well. I think at times, we held on to the ball for periods when we wanted to just kill a bit of the Dublin momentum. That comes with experience and it comes from being here before.” 

That’s two edgy, imperfect wins for the Kingdom since their demolition job on Armagh in Killarney but O’Connor is certain that there is more in a team that has had to cope with its fair share of injuries in the last seven months, He name-checked Gavin White, who didn’t kick a football from the end of November until the start of June, and Sean O’Shea who he felt was remarkable here for a man still rediscovering his feet after an absence.

Kerry manager Jack O'Connor during the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship semi-final match between Dublin and Kerry at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

And there was some of that old cuteness in framing the task ahead against a Mayo team that was dead and buried after being pummelled by Roscommon in Connacht only a few short months ago.

“So, we're just hoping this brings us on another little bit because we'll have to come on. If you're judging the two teams, Mayo were probably more impressive than we were this weekend.

“So, we'll have our hands full with that elusive forward line they have with those young lads, Beirne and Kobe, and obviously they’ve got a serious scoring threat and Ryan O’Donoghue was sensational yesterday. So we’ve a lot of improving to do.”