IN A YEAR that ultimately concluded with bitter disappointment, one delight for Kerry in 2021 was the emergence of wing-back Mike Breen. In 2022, roles reversed. 

Kerry’s campaign finished glittered in gold. Breen spent it on the sidelines after a serious hamstring injury earlier in the year.

“I played one McGrath Cup game against Limerick. No national league, no championship. I played the first full game, got injured then in the second game,” the Mid Kerry captain explains.

“I played one Sigerson game as well in Tralee against UCD. It was in Kerry training in Fitzgerald Stadium in early January.

“I was just walking around a few days after, kind of dragging the leg around after me and it went black then after a few days.

“I knew then that something bad was after happening then when it started bruising. I went up to the consultant in Cork and he got the surgeon to have a look at it and they said it was probably suited to have surgery on it.

“It wasn’t actually off the bone. It was actually the middle of the hamstring was completely torn apart. You’d say the hamstring was a rope and you’d cut the middle of it, it was just completely torn.

“In the surgery then he had to pull it back together and sew it up. I suppose that’s why it took a long time to heal as well.”

James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Breen returned to training in the weeks before the final against Galway, filling in as an extra man. The Beaufort clubman was fit again by the time the Kerry SFC kicked off and will line out for Peter O’Sullivan’s Mid Kerry against East Kerry on Sunday in the final.  

He was a member of Jack O’Connor’s minor side in 2015 when they won the All-Ireland and made his senior breakthrough under Peter Keane. Watching on in 2022 was difficult.  

“The first few games in the league I found nearly as tough as watching the All Ireland final. Just missing out, thinking about it and then you kind of get used to it after a bit.

“I went in then after I came off the crutches and I was doing my rehab inside with them. I just felt part of it then again. I was delighted for them when they won.

“It was my first full year last year so at the start of the year I was thinking if I made a panel I’d be happy enough. A league panel even, never mind the championship.

“I got kind of lucky in that we got an injury or two and I got a step at the start and it just kind of went from there. Peter [Keane] stuck with me then. It was dream stuff really starting in your first year inside there.

“Even at the moment I’m just delighted to be back out on the field playing. Next year I’ll have a bit more motivation to try and help Kerry get a bit further again.”

This final is a repeat of the 2020 tie that saw East Kerry win 2-15 to 0-9. Will it have any relevance on Sunday? The circumstances are undoutably different.  

“We’ve more experience. We were young enough you could say back in 2020. You’re bound to get stronger physically and mentally as well.

“There was a bit of build-up alright, but it didn’t feel like a final either with 200 people in the stand. It was very quiet. I remember it was a nice evening alright, it was September. I think there was no marching band or anything like that, so it didn’t really feel like a final in a way.

“East Kerry were a good bit ahead of us, so it didn’t turn out too well. Obviously the players they have are insane.

“We’ll work on our own game. We’re playing nice football, I think.”