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Barry O’Shea played for Kerry in 1998 when the Lilywhites got the better of us, but he reckons Sunday will have an altogether different outcome…
BACK in 1998, I was played in an All-Ireland semi-final against Kildare, my cousin Karl and his father Micko, were also involved that day, though on the other side of the divide.
It was a strange experience, I lived next door to Karl growing up in Waterville and we were meant to mark each other in Croke Park, a long way from the pitches we played in as youngsters. But there was a switch, so Eamonn Fitzmaurice, ended up on the cousin instead.
Denis O’Dwyer had a goal disallowed that day which I still think was a goal, but that’s the way it goes. It was one of the All-Irelands we felt slipped away.
Led by Micko, Kildare were one of the top teams at the time, they have dropped down the pack since, but they’re still going to require a lot of respect.
Kildare probably realise what their best team is now at this stage. They know what way they’re playing, they’ve been playing week after week so they’re going to be bouncing into Croke Park to have a crack at Kerry.
Ordinarily it might be a tricky one for us, but I think because of the fact the Munster Final went to a replay it will be a huge bonus for Kerry. For Eamonn Fitzmaurice, to have an extra game where he was able to iron out a few things. In the drawn match a lot of issues came up that were straightened out the second day.
With Stephen O’Brien coming in for Johnny Buckley being the only change in the side, Fitzmaurice must feel he’s found his best starting 15.
A lot of guys were in contention for that spot vacated by Buckley. Giving it to O’Brien may surprise people, but obviously he’s got a role to play and a job to do for the team.
Midfield as always, will dictate how this game is won. Kildare’s Tommy Moolick and Paul Cribbon will be coming into the game with confidence, but they haven’t as yet faced a pairing as good as David Moran and Anthony Maher since the day they played Dublin.
When I look at Kildare, it was only three weeks ago they got over the line against Offaly by two points and they have been relegated two years in a row. So does a team become brilliant overnight?
I never thought Kildare were as bad as they were made out to be, but maybe they’re not as good as they are being talked about this week either.
I just think that, you got to take into account the opposition they have played. That Cork team they played was not the same side that played Kerry.
Alan O’Connor going off in the first half left them playing with a second rate midfield, so Kildare were able to run riot. The Cork morale was low. You see it in football, if you go out in a game just a little bit below par, you will be punished.
The game will be a much better test than Dublin will get against Fermanagh. I’d say Fitzmaurice will be hoping Kerry get a good test and I don’t expect Kerry to go out and destroy them.
Though Kerry have only lost two out of 14 quarter finals, the quality of the performances in the vast amount of those matches hasn’t been brilliant.
Kerry seem to win their quarter-finals without being overly impressive, but that’s fine as well. There’s still a long year there yet, hopefully, to pull out the performances. A tough tight game for the majority of the game would be a huge benefit for the team.
We’ve had two tough outings against Cork, another one this weekend followed by a win, then the gap to the semi-final is three weeks which is ideal from a management and player point of view.
There’s a week to get over any knocks, then two weeks to build for a game.
It will probably be Kerry by five points, but we need to be on our toes and be very aware that Kildare are fit battled hardened and riding on wave confidence wise at the moment.
