Kerry only have an eye for title — not records
PETER KEANE’S Kerry side are on the verge of something unprecedented as they aim to win a fifth AllIreland minor title in a row for the county in Croke Park tomorrow, but the manager insists that his young players won’t be swept up in any talk of five-in-a-row. ‘I hope not,’ Keane said. ‘I don’t think it is a big issue for them. It hasn’t thus far. It is not a big issue for any of us’ The Kingdom’s record at this grade since they ended a 20-year famine in 2014 is remarkable. Even the dropping of the grade to Under 17 has done little to their dominance. The county are now unbeaten in 29 minor championship games. And this team, captained by Paul O’Shea, cousin of David Clifford, are favourites to maintain that run against an impressive Galway side. The Tribesmen won the minor hurling title two weeks ago, so the county are looking to create their own history by doing the double and Kerry will need to shut down their lethal full-forward line that includes Eoghan Tinney, Danel Cox and Matthew Cooley, who have scored 9-32 between them in the championship so far. And their second-half performance against Meath in the semi-final, when they trailed by four points at halftime, contained some excellent football with Aidan Halloran, Paul Kelly and Cathal Sweeney all standing out in a fine team performance. Keane acknowledges that Kerry will need to neutralise the Galway attack if they are to retain the Tommy Markham Cup. ‘From what we have seen of Galway, they are very good and play very good football. I don’t see too many weak spots in their team. Their full-forward line has kicked 3-8, 3-9 and 3-15 individually. There is lethal potential inside. We are going to have a right battle on our hands.’ But there is a resilience and steel to this group of Kerry players, displayed by the way they withstood Monaghan’s brave fightback in the semifinal. If the senior final looks like being a damp squib, as everyone is fearing, the quality of the curtain-raiser may steal the show.