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Gavin O’Connor looks at some of the talking points from yesterday’s match, plus some of our action photos from the game…
1. Appetite for football is massive among Kerry fans
Despite the absence of traditional rivals Cork, Kerry fans were not deterred from travelling for another sunny Munster Final in Killarney.
Some 21,000, mostly Kerry supporters, paid in to watch what was unfortunately a bit of a damp squib of a final. You just got to wonder if a restructured championship with more competitive opposition visiting Killarney in the summer would be huge hit with a public clearly mad for big football days.
There was a big crowd at the matches yesterday.
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2. Time for Eamonn to give youth its fling
It was noticeable yesterday when Brian Ó Beaglaoich (19) and Tadhg Morley (22) burst into attack to set up Paul Geaney’s first goal.
One thing that has not been a hallmark of Fitzy’s time in charge is young talent coming through the ranks. With all the talk of the Finuge man’s ruthlessness at the beginning of his tenure, he has remained loyal to the players he once soldiered with.
If Kerry are to go all the way this year they need to bring something different to the table, an injection of young blood must be a contributing element of that difference.
Brian Ó Beaglaoich in the build up for Kerry’s first goal. Photo by Dermot Crean.
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3. Gooch in the half-forward line?
Without writing the Gooch off, before he injured his shoulder yesterday, he looked sluggish and off the tempo. Kerry’s main weakness is a lack of pace. It’s difficult to say, but you just feel that if Kerry are to face better opposition this year Cooper could be a bit of a passenger in the half-forward line.
Except for the odd bit of Gooch magic, that’s the way it has panned out the last two times the side has faced Dublin. Is Eamonn Fitzmaurice willing to gamble on this happening again?
After coming on, his replacement, Mikey Geaney, looked like an instant upgrade when he linked up with his cousin Paul’s first goal of the match. It’s sad to say that in the modern game, legs and industry seem to count more than genius.
Mikey Geaney comes under pressure. Photo by Dermot Crean.
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4. The two Pauls look the best
Yesterday, Paul Geaney and Paul Murphy finished with a tally of 3-4, all from play. Murphy is fast becoming the side’s stand out performer. The experiment to play the Rathmore man in the forward line paid off after he superbly netted for the second time in his Kerry career.
Murphy bucks the modern consensus of brawn over ability, you get the feeling he could win an All-Star in every one of the lines of defence and attack.
Now injury-free, Paul Geaney was Kerry’s outstanding attacker, he possesses a match-winning ruthlessness in front of goal that would give you hope of winning an All-Ireland.
Paul Geaney bears down for his first goal against Tipperary. Photo by Dermot Crean.
5. Injury and game time an issue heading into quarters
Colm Cooper is the latest player to deal with injury setback when he went off early with a shoulder injury yesterday. David Moran, Anthony Maher, Paul Geaney, Mikey Geaney, Donnchadh Walsh, Peter Crowley and James O’Donoghue are all key men who have spent time on the sidelines this year.
Kerry now face one month layoff with a substantial number of the starting team begging for game time. The qualifier sides that Kerry could face in Croke Park on August bank holiday weekend include: Sligo, Clare/Laois, Derry/Meath and Cavan/Carlow.
The intensity of the upcoming county championship is welcome this coming weekend, while the games during Kerry training sessions will be interesting over the next few weeks.
Paul Murphy on his way to scoring Kerry’s first goal. Photo by Dermot Crean.
Bryan Sheehan bats down a kick out. Photo by Dermot Crean.
Paul Murphy shoots for a point. Photo by Dermot Crean.
Barry John Keane heads off towards goal. Photo by Dermot Crean.
James O’Donoghue scored 0-4 after coming on. Photo by Dermot Crean.
Paul Geaney nets his second of the afternoon. Photo by Dermot Crean.
Stephen O’Brien shrugs off Tipp’s Robbie Kiely. Photo by Dermot Crean.
Killian Young fires over his point in the first half. Photo by Dermot Crean.
