The Kerry team line-up for the national anthem at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick for the semi-final replay against Mayo. Photo by Dermot Crean
By Gavin O’Connor
A KERRY final defeat can live long in the memory, but their path to a final can be often thrown to one side.
Whatever happens this Sunday, 2014 will be a year that won’t be easily forgotten.
Back in February, Kerry’s odds of winning the All-Ireland went from 6/1 to 9/1 overnight.
As soon as Colm Cooper heard a snap and fell to the ground playing for Dr Crokes in the All-Ireland Club semi-final, he knew he was in trouble, but hoped for the best.
Worst fears were compounded later that evening when word leaked through that he had sustained an anterior cruciate ligament and would certainly be out for the season.
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This is how our football year began. We would be without the man our team was built around. In the fallout, almost every single Kerry follower conceded the All-Ireland. But in all the anguish, there was one thing on our side – time.
Time to plan without the services of the greatest gaelic footballer of his generation.
Kerry were beaten in their first three league games. If things looked bad when Gooch went, the third loss of the campaign away to Mayo provoked many a pundit to say Kerry were about to experience a ‘famine mk. 2’.
Later in the championship, Kerry took the field against Clare in Ennis in a tight pitch and came out with a win, but not without a few scares. This left the contingent travelling for the Munster Final against Cork going more in hope than in expectation.
The turning point arrived.
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The first surprise of the season arrived when Kerry put up a massive score against Cork in their last outing at Pairc Ui Chaoimh. The football that was played that day made us all dream, maybe we’re not finished after all?
Galway were next and conquered in the quarter final. The semi-final came and our biggest test against Mayo. After Dublin destroyed Monaghan in their quarter-final, Kerry’s odds, pushed out even further to 10/1 . This was the time to get the money down.
Against Mayo, all seemed lost in the closing exchanges of the drawn game. “We don’t come back in these games” was the thought that rattled around Kerry minds, but we did and we battled back again numerous times in Limerick.
A steeliness not seen in a long time had been forged. A team of players had stepped up when required. Over the two games against Mayo every single one of our players had been used except Brendan Kealy.
Jonathan Lyne’s two points in extra-time typified what this team was about – not one player hid from responsibility.
Looking at the final, I feel more confident than I was before the Cork game and both Mayo games. The saga with the men from the west will stand to us better than Donegal’s unexpected win over Dublin.
There’s also this; Kerry’s much greater spread of scorers than Donegal could be the difference, but unlike Dublin in the semi-final Kerry must remain patient with shot selection. When Mayo put up the barricades in the first half of the drawn game Kerry showed patience to try and break them down.
Donegal will be happy to soak up pressure and hit on the counter as they did against Dublin. They sucker punched the Dubs in that semi-final with goals.
Dublin were incredibly naive to not drop players back to cover space so expect Peter Crowley to be that man for us as he was in the Mayo games.
We also have a variation of attack. Speed with O’Brien and O’Donoghue and the long ball option to Donaghy. Donegal will have a dilemma of who they will double mark.
In a tight contest, any one of our three full forwards would have the winning of the game if left free. I’ve been waiting all summer for Paul Geaney to shoot the lights out.
Sunday could be that day.
I’m feeling confident because this year we can match anyone for grit and Sunday will be all about grinding it out.
Verdict: 3 point Kerry win.
