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After their great win over Laois last weekend, Mike O’Halloran looks forward to Kerry’s encounter with Limerick at Fitzgerald Stadium on Sunday at 2pm…
Colum Harty in action for Kerry last weekend. Photo by Mike O’Halloran
Following their win in Portlaoise last Sunday, the Kerry hurlers have a home game in Killarney next Sunday against Limerick.
I overheard a fan last Sunday say “we have another away game next week” when her friend corrected her she said “that game should be in O’Dorney”.
She has a point I suppose, given that the Fitzgerald Stadium for all its great attributes is not a place that Kerry hurling fans have ever embraced in any great numbers.
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There is very little chance that the atmosphere created by the travelling fans in Portlaoise last Sunday can be recreated in the vast expanse of “The Park”.
Players I have spoken to during the week would have loved to play in Abbeydorney, but they do not fear playing anybody, anywhere, anytime such is the confidence and ambition of this particular crop.
Last Sunday was a great day out for the team for their families and for the fans. The coverage that followed in the media has given Kerry hurling a new profile, let’s hope that the coverage is not going to be one-eyed.
Last Sunday was a first step in the journey to get Kerry hurlers to play at the highest level consistently.
I can only hope that the positive coverage given to the hurlers (by people, who in some cases have seldom seen Kerry play) continues and that they will comment on the hurling with both eyes, because there are one or two difficult days ahead as well as great days like last Sunday.
When the difficult days come I hope that commentators bear in mind that this is a league and a win or two will keep Kerry in the second tier for another year and if Kerry can play for a few years in Division 1B, they will certainly progress to the next level given the youth and ambition of this team and the quality of young players coming through.
As for the game next Sunday, Kerry will face a Limerick team that defeated them in the Munster Hurling League in the Gaelic Grounds a few weeks ago.
At that time, the line in Limerick was that they were very understrength but as far as I can figure out twelve of that team hammered Wexford last Saturday night.
Kerry have strengthened their team since then and have had a few more games under their belt and for the most part improved with every outing.
Kerry will line out as they did last Sunday with those carrying injuries full fit again for the fray against the boys in green and white.
If there were scouts at that game from Wexford, Limerick, Offaly or Clare they will have spent the week planning how they are going to cope with Patrick Kelly and Thomas Casey at midfield the hands of Michael O’Leary and Michael Boyle the tireless work, speed and audacity of Jack Goulding, never mind the brain and guile of John Egan and the accuracy of Shane Nolan (who was firing on all cylinders for IT Tralee during the week) or the supersonic Colum Harty.
At the back Limerick will have to contend with the same six that shut out any Laois attack that dared come within thirty metres of Martin Stackpoole’s goal.
There was a doubt about Darren Dineen who carried an injury into the Laois game as did Daniel Collins.
It is perceived that Limerick will provide a bigger test than Laois and so they might, but if Kerry do not win this game, they can gain valuable experience for the games against Offaly and Wexford which are games that definitely can be won.
A win in either of these games will guarantee survival in Division 1B.
It also time now for the Kerry public to come out and support the team. There isn’t much point in wishing the team well from the fireside as every extra voice on the terrace could be the difference between winning and losing.
Remember there are only two home games for the lads, the game next Sunday and the game against Wexford in Tralee in March.
• The team captained by Daniel Collins of Kilmoyley lines out as follows:
1 Martin Stackpoole Lixnaw
2 Sean Weir Crotta O’Neills
3 Bryan Murphy Causeway
4 Keith Carmody Causeway
5 Daniel Collins (C) Kilmoyley
6 Darren Dineen St Brendans
7 Tom Murnane Kilmoyley
8 Patrick Kelly Clarecastle
9 Tommy Casey Causeway
10 Shane Nolan Crotta O’Neills
11 Michael O’Leary Abbeydorney
12 Colum Harty Causeway
13 John Egan St Brendans
14 Mikey Boyle Ballyduff
15 Jack Goulding Ballyduff
Fir Ionaid:
16 Aidan McCabe Kilmoyley
17 Brendan Brosnan Lixnaw
18 John Buckley Lixnaw
19 Mike Milner Dr Crokes
20 Jordan Conway Crotta O’Neills
21 Jason Diggins Causeway
22 Dougie Fitzelle Kilmoyley
23 John Griffin Lixnaw
24 Philip Lucid Ballyheigue
25 James O’Connor Abbeydorney
26 Brendan O’Leary Abbeydorney
