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Manager Stephen Wallace (Ardfert) congratulates players and backroom staff after the final whistle of the Munster final. Photo by Dermot Crean.
A SECOND Kerry team will run out on Croke Park tomorrow in the space of six days when the Kerry juniors face Mayo in the All-Ireland Junior Football Final at 2pm.
We caught up with Kerry manager, Stephen Wallace, as he and his team were just about to depart for the capital on Friday afternoon.
This Kerry team features players who know Croke Park very well thanks to the exploits of the Kerry minors over the last couple years, but there are others where tomorrow will be the first time they tread on the hallowed turf at HQ.
“Luckily enough we have a lot of guys who came through the minors who have been lucky enough to play there. There are a few that haven’t played in Croke Park so it’s a big occasion for those guys,” said Stephen Wallace.
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“They’re a great bunch of young lads and they’re getting better with every game. Hopefully they’ll get better again tomorrow and it will be enough to bring us back down to Kerry. I’m delighted with their enthusiasm and commitment. For such a young bunch of fellas they’re great to work with.”
On their way to the final Kerry defeated, Limerick, Cork and Lancashire. and now face a Mayo side which features seven players from this year’s U21 All-Ireland winning team. On their way to face Kerry they have beaten, Sligo, Galway and Wexford. In Connacht they only inched passed Sligo and Galway, while two goals were they difference against Leinster champs Wexford.
Last year, Kerry defeated Mayo in the final by 2-18 to 0-10, but Wallace says that result will have no bearing on what happens on Saturday afternoon.
“They’re very strong and without being disrespectful to last year’s Mayo team, there is no comparison; it’s a case of Ferraris up against Ladas. These guys are stocked with seven of the U21 team that won the All-Ireland. They have three guys that have played senior-inter county football with Mayo. You couldn’t compare last year’s game or include it in the same conversation because they’re a totally different animal.”
One man who has made a bolt from the blue is Kerins O’Rahillys’ John C O’Connor. The midfielder came onto the panel for the semi-final against Lancashire, now he will start in the All-Ireland final.
“A big, tall, athletic strong young fella and delighted to have him and look, he gets a chance to play in Croke Park on Saturday. Hopefully he’ll stand up to the test. John C has had a very good county championship with Kerins O’Rahillys, he’s playing very well and learning his trade in the middle of the field playing alongside David Moran and obviously having Micheál Quirke there as manager who is there to nurture John C as well,” he said.
To bring three separate teams to three consecutive All-Ireland finals is some achievement at any level, who knows where we will see Stephen on the line next in years to come.
“We’ll get over tomorrow first! And then we’ll talk about next year. Originally it was a two year deal and I was delighted to stay on for one more year. It’s brilliant, anytime you’re going to an All-Ireland final it’s exciting and I suppose you must be doing something right.”
