A FAMILIAR SCENARIO for Jack O’Connor to face in victory.
Kerry’s collective progression assured in Croke Park and yet an All-Ireland semi-final outcome that was shaped by his captain’s performance more than anyone else.
David Clifford finished top scorer and departed with the man-of-the-match crystal in his hand. Five points before half-time, four points afterwards.
Another afternoon where the Fossa man illuminated the biggest stage.
“An incredible performance, particularly in the second half,” remarked O’Connor.
“It was like he was willing the team. The way he played in the second half that he was willing the team to get over the line. I thought it was an incredible second half performance.
“This is a man that’s playing under pressure with all the expectation on him – double, triple marked and he still finds a way, so hats off to him, what a great performance.
“It was just the fact that he came out the field (in) the last quarter of an hour and he was back in his own full-back line and he was just doing things that I’d never seen him doing before – winning ball inside in his own square and stuff like that.
“It was almost like he said ‘whatever happens, we are not going to be beaten today’.”
Kerry needed the input of their brightest star. This was a game that tested them in a multitude of ways.
“It wasn’t a great game for the heart,” reckoned O’Connor.
“But the way the crowd got into it there in the last quarter of an hour, it felt like it was a great battle.
“Any questions that were asked of our fellas you know, had we the bottle for it? Had we the heart for it? That’s what that game turned into in the end.
“There were huge mistakes but by God was there some honesty in that and some honesty by the players, honesty of effort was incredible.”
The struggles Kerry endured were rooted in the questions that Derry posed.
“I mean you’d have to take your hats off to Derry. They played some football out there. They didn’t lie down. They were a serious team today.
“Derry are a tough nut to crack. They are not easily penetrated. They have that structured set defence, they have it fairly down to a tee. We had to be incredibly patient.
“We were expecting that they’d try and get goals because a big part of their gameplan is to try and get ahead of you and play you on the break a bit. They’ve an awful lot of good footballers. I’ve been saying that consistently for the last while. They have a defensive system that is extremely difficult to break down. They were as good if not better than we expected.
“We had nothing to lose at half-time. We felt we weren’t going after the game in the first half. We took a few chances in the second-half. There was no such thing as a sweeper. There was no such thing as extra men back. It was man on man. We put a bit more pressure on Derry in the middle third of the pitch. That was key.
“So hats off to our fellas, they found a way. They made mistakes, but they kept at it and they found a way.”
The reward is a final date then with Dublin. The Kerry manager is bracing himself for a furious contest.
How much improvement will Kerry require for the 30 July showdown?
“I’m not too sure now, I haven’t reflected on it or I haven’t seen it back obviously, but we made a lot of mistakes. I feel the game will bring us on. It was a very intense game. I feel the fact that our panel contributed will help training and will put a spark in training the next couple of weeks. But I do feel we need to improve.
“I mean, ‘tis very obvious that that Dublin team have been gearing up for two weeks’ time – from well back. They’ve brought back the cavalry; they’ve even brought back Pat Gilroy. They didn’t bring those fellas back for the craic.”
Brilliant to see lads coming through there own system. Should be a cracker the weekend.
@mrbryanrussell: to be fair, he moved from Leinster about 1 year ago. He’s not exactly from Connacht’s system.
@Leinster: Indeed. I always hold my tongue with that until someone graduates from an academy. The true barometer in my opinion of where a player (in a rugby sense) is from/developed. Up to that point a player’s club (or provincial sub-academy) still holds the most significance.
@Havid Dickey: Some Irish fans are a bit too obsessed with the provenance of players to use as a stick to beat their rivals with. Dean wasn’t wanted by Leinster so he moved to Connacht. If he makes the breakthrough and ends up in the Connacht team then he’s a Connacht player.
He had a nightmare from the tee but a massive learning experience
Thats 7 players Connacht have given a debut to this season, Ulster have given 10. Would be intrested in how Leinster and Munster have done?
@Kingshu: You wouldn’t want numbers of debutants that high EVERY season as it would indicate lots of turnover and/or players being tried and then quickly discarded. (I don’t know what the numbers are for Leinster and Munster but Leinster are well known for introducing lots of young players over the last few years; while for Munster debutants would include signings from elsewhere – Joey, Tadgh, Alby, Arno – which would give you a different view that debuts for academy players
I’d say Connacht are absolutely sickened they backed out of the Reece deal over a simple misdemeoner, now he’s in line to be an All black. Hardly as bad as signing a steroid cheat after a 2 year ban.
@Baz Dunne: Must try harder
@Baz Dunne: I think Connacht and the IRFU were too quick to dismiss Reece, he recieved a discharge without conviction, as a conviction would have ended the Connacht contract and the judge thought that to severe and a conviction would be disproportionate to the offending. The judge even noted ‘An Irish contract would help Reece provide for his family’ and left it open for the mive to Connacht. The IRFU have decided they are better than NZ law and terminated the contact anyway, it leaves it that any Irish player in future that makes a mistake will have to leave Ireland the IRFU cant have it both ways.
@Kingshu: I think it had a lot to do with the hairy metoo feminist rubbish too over Jackson and Olding. The irfu had to be seen to be taking a hard line stance on anything to do with possible criminal activity of any kind, even though he didn’t get convicted. If it hadn’t been for that stuff that happened then I totally believe Reece would have joined Connacht.
@Kevin Ryan: kiss my hole
@Baz Dunne: @Baz Dunne: it means that if a player gets something like a drink driving coviction ( like Wilson did and the IRFU said nothing) they now have to be released from their contact and move over seas, after all an actual conviction is worst than a discharge without conviction. The IRFU have kinda painted themselves into a corner over this and would have been better backing what the court decided.
@Kingshu: He didn’t get a conviction though dud he?
@Baz Dunne: Jackson or Olding were not convicted either. The nature of their alleged offence and Reece’s alleged offence demand a significantly harder line imo and the IRFU are entitled to act accordingly.
@AmbroseHoulihan: @Baz Dunne: Wilson was convicted twice of drink drinking (think first time he was at Saints i think) yet no action from the IRFU. The others were not convicted yet were released from their contacts. Since his was before all this it will be intresting to see what happens when the next Irish player makes a mistake. Being actually convicted of drink driving (where someone could have been killed) is worse than not being convicted of an alleged offence. The IRFU will have to take a harder line on convictions in future unless allegations are worse than actual convictions?
@Kingshu: Fairly sure Ashton and other English players were fined for failing the professional standards of the RFU at RWC 2011, despite the accusations against them being proven false and malicious.
@Baz Dunne: Jesus man. Ya, he didn’t get convicted. But he pleaded guilty to assualting his Mrs. The judge said the only reason he wasn’t being convicted was because he had a Connacht. Again, he openly admitted battering his Mrs. He chased down a street screaming he was going to hurt her. Got her, gave her a box, then slammed her on the ground. Can you not see how people might not be able to look past that?
@Havid Dickey: From reports about court case, “Reece yelled at his partner to “shut up, in much more colourful language than that”, and chased her down the street, dragging her to the ground.” No mention of shouting he was going to hurt her, slamming to ground or giving her a box. While not acceptable, you could as least get things right, or at least not exaggerate them.
@Kingshu: the fact that she was running down the street away from him & he chasing her, kind of gives the impression he was going to hurt her though. Id guess she was scared for a reason unless she’s a very nervous type
@Kingshu: You criticise me for exaggerating (got it verbatum from a NZ site) yet you leave out her black eyes noted in the report.