EAMONN FITZMAURICE HAS ensured his Kerry legacy by ushering in a new generation of green and gold heroes, Cian O’Neill said.
O’Neill stood side-by-side with Fitzmaurice last month as Kerry were outplayed by Dublin in the Croke Park rain.
The defeat was his final game as Kingdom trainer before he left for his native Kildare and his first job in senior inter-county management.
With a new-look backroom, Fitzmaurice has agreed to return for a fourth year as Kerry boss and a chance to add to the All-Ireland title he masterminded in 2014.
Famously, nine of the Kerry side which started against Donegal that day were lining out in their first final as Fitzmaurice drew a line under the old order and brought in the new.
“For sustainability, it’s certainly the best thing he has done as a manager,” O’Neill said of the transition.
“In the short-term, the best thing he’s done is win an All-Ireland final against all odds and, to be honest, nobody gave us a chance last year.
“I think the key thing you need to do as a manager when you come in is ensure that you leave it in a better position when you leave than how you found it. Even if it’s been at the highest level, you need to extend that even further.
There’s no question that one of Eamonn’s greatest legacies — apart from winning the All-Ireland, and he’s going to have another go at that this year — is that he has nurtured a group of players (…) that have fitted into a system seamlessly that was occupied by some of the top players of the noughties, multiple All-Ireland winners.
“That’s a serious legacy to leave behind you but it’s not a legacy yet because he’s going after it one more time.”
O’Neill is still stumped by Kerry’s flat performance against the Dubs. Although they only lost by three points in the end, 0-12 to 0-9, Kerry were roundly criticised for failing to match the challenge of Jim Gavin’s men.
The performance wasn’t as bad as it was later made out to be, O’Neill said — not that it makes it any easier to swallow or to explain.
“(Watching it back) I felt that we were closer than I did at the time but I’m also very aware that Dublin had some clear-cut chances too, and you can’t escape that.
“But it wasn’t as bad as I thought, and it is normally the other way. That is just my perspective and obviously I am biased.
“There is no way of putting your finger on (what went wrong). I haven’t spoken to many players, I have spoken to some. I think it was just a catalogue of different things that went against us on the day.”
Conditions in Croke Park were terrible for both sides, making for one of the most forgettable finals in recent years, but O’Neill refuses to blame the weather or the slippery surface.
It wasn’t the weather. How could it be? We had beaten Cork in the replay, beaten Tyrone, and it wasn’t an issue.It wasn’t over-training. We had tapered as we did for every other match.
The mood in the camp was great the day before.
“It is just one of those mysteries of sport and I think unless you are involved in it yourself, you think, God there must have been something. Sometimes there is not something, there is just a variety of things that go against you. And that’s my best explanation of what it was.”
He added: “It certainly was devastating. When you perform and you are beaten by a better team, sometimes that can be easier to accept but when you don’t perform, that was tough to take.
“I don’t think Dublin performed particularly well either, but I think we under-performed more than they did.”
Awesome men, be unreal if they can defend their crown, national treasures.
An Irish athlete has won a gold medal in rowing, and yesterday 2 of them in swimming thats 3 gold medals for Irish athletes so far. Though 2 of them were representing GB they are still Irish, and it should be noted, not many gold medals come to these shores.
@Kingshu: awh now, We give out shit when the Brits claim ours we can’t be doing the same!
@Mike O’Loughlin: in NI the Irish and British identities are not mutually exclusive, a large number of people are both, that doesn’t make them less Irish.
@Kingshu: no gold yet in rowing
@Kingshu: but you are right all for ni are irish but we perfer when the tri colour and anthem is played
@Mike O’Loughlin: just to add Jack McMillan represented Ireland in the last Olympics.
@Square: Gold in rowing was Hannah Scott from Colraine.
@Kingshu: ya but no tri colour are anthem so she british gold
@Square: Irish athlete won a gold medal. The tri colour isnt the flag of every Irish person in Ireland. Like Jack McMillan we should be proud of another Irish person winning gold.
@Kingshu: na he is GB
@Square: did you say that when he was swimming for Ireland in last Olympics? Representing Ireland or GB he’s still Irish, and I’m proud when any Irish athlete gets a gold medal, are you not?
@Kingshu: when running for GB its different as i said we dont support GB is all im saying i know he is irish but dont support GB
@Square: So you’re letting your hate of GB trump your love for the Irish?
@Kingshu: i hate nobody are any country lets leave it now