FOR THE THIRD time as a manager, Eamonn Fitzmaurice saw his Kerry team fall short to Dublin in championship combat this afternoon.
This loss was all the more difficult to absorb given the level of performance Kerry produced, surpassing their meek showing in last year’s All-Ireland final with a brilliant display that nearly landed the spoils.
They were two points in arrears at the finish and a dejected Fitzmaurice hailed his players after the game.
“Tough one to take. We threw everything at it and just came up short. It was a frantic game and as I said to the lads inside, I couldn’t be prouder of them in there, they’re an incredible bunch.
“They’re so honest, we’re very proud of our football in Kerry, very proud of our jersey and those fellas really filled it with pride today. I was very pleased with them from that point of view.”
Kerry hit a purple patch before half-time as they struck 2-4 without reply to go five clear at the interval. Fitzmaurice praised Dublin for the manner in which they turned the game around after the break.
“Dublin won the second half by six points. It was a thing we knew they are brilliant at using half-time to right the ship and we had them on the ropes at half-time.
“We had rehearsed some of the kick-out scenarios alright and it came off for us and gave the lads bit of life and a bit of belief which we needed at the time because we’d started quite poorly.
“Our work-rate was excellent early on but just our skill-set was off, we were taking the wrong options, our decision-making wasn’t right.
“But to be fair to the lads, there was no panic, there was no-one getting too worried and they kept at it. When they got the goal then, it gave us great life and we drove on from there.
“As they’ve done so many times under Jim Gavin’s reign, they (Dublin) righted the ship again in the second half. We won the throw-in, looked to me like David was fouled, he didn’t get a free.
“They went down, got a point straight away, and gave them belief straight away in the first 15 or 20 seconds of the second half. As I’ve said before, you have to give them massive credit.
“We did have them on the ropes but they really showed the stuff of champions in the second half.”
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It been on for 17 days , bad form from the 42 not to have more articles regarding it , massive following here because of past Irish achievements in the completion. Rant over . Delighted for Bingham , feel sorry for Murphy . Two real genuine guys
They are to busy trying to get some BOD related story published, the snooker has been more entertaining than the “fight of the century”
Agreed the lack of coverage was pathetic. And this article not much better either.
Agreed
Great game and well done Stuart Bingham.Shaun Murphy was pure class in his speech after top man
Dreadful photo..
delighted for bingham, alot of people would have given up on the dream after 20 years as a pro. Age doesnt seem to be a factor with him as it has been with so many others.
He’s seems to have adapted his game as he’s got older. He knows he doesn’t have that burst of acceleration anymore so now he just casually walks around the table.
A game between two genuine nice guys, and great to see someone who probably would have been considered a journey man pro, win the World Title. Snooker of the highest quality as well, with most frames being won in one visit. See nice guys do win sometimes.
That 31st frame was epic, it was almost like the final frame the way it was played and it did turn out to be a very defining one
Pure shite worse than cricket