Fitzmaurice: We’re enjoying our game

ALL Éamonn Fitzmaurice could do was smile. He picked a team with seven debutants. They were playing their first championship match, in their home ground, watched by supporters growing increasingly frustrated by the dominance of Dublin. Allowing for Kerry’s superiority no matter what the selection, Clare could have been tricky here. But Fitzmaurice was daring and he was rewarded. His men kicked 32 points. And then he was asked if he was concerned about the lack of goals. It’s six and a half matches since they raised a green flag, apparently. ‘There you go,’ said Fitzmaurice with a smile to the reporter who put the question. ‘You can come into the video analysis the next day.’ He might be thankful that his demanding audience could find a ‘but’ moment after an occasion like this. He would rather that, one guesses, than the expectation that will inevitably congregate around his team ahead of the Munster final on June 23 against Cork. Kerry were sensational here, and a performance of this nature equips them well for the drawbacks that inevitably await a developing team. ‘Of course it’s exciting working with young players,’ said Fitzmaurice (below). ‘When you see them fulfilling their potential and playing well, that’s what the buzz is. That’s what the kick is, and it’s exciting with young players. ‘It’s also exciting when you see senior players playing well and fellas changing their games to suit what we’re trying to do. It’s enjoyable when you’re winning, basically.’ That last line came through a broad grin, because he knows the leaner times, too. There isn’t much in the way of understanding extended to a Kerry team or manager when they are failing. If he is sober in his public comments, Fitzmaurice understands better than anyone the potential he works with now. ‘They were ready,’ he said of the debutants, pointing out that of the seven new starters, only David Clifford hadn’t been a part of the extended squad last year. ‘They were ready to play today. They’ve been chomping at the bit, looking for a chance. ‘They have an awareness too, all you have to do is look at the experienced players that weren’t playing today, that if you don’t take your chance you mightn’t get a second one.’