Teams are Leagues apart now
JOE KERNAN has rubbished claims that his Ireland squad lacks a vital cutting edge without any Dublin stars.
Kernan contacted 10 Dubs in total but all declined to challenge for an Ireland shirt ahead of next month’s International Rules tests in Adelaide and Perth.
It’s the first time in the 33-year history of the International Rules series that an Ireland team won’t have at least one player from the current All-ireland champions but Kernan was angered by suggestions his squad will miss their cutting edge.
He said: “Wait a second, we have boys too that will put their heads on the line and hopefully they will. Are you saying Michael Murphy doesn’t have the edge? That Aidan O’shea doesn’t have the edge? That Chris Barrett doesn’t have the edge or Zach Tuohy?
“Killian Clarke is in there at corner-back. Brendan Harrison is the best defender I’ve seen. Peter Crowley from Kerry, no edge with him?! You know what I mean.
“It would be great to have more but we don’t so we are happy with what we have. That’s it. We are looking forward to it.”
Kernan explained the approaches he made to members of Jim Gavin’s Dublin squad. AIDAN O’SHEA admits winning the National League probably won’t be a priority for Mayo in
2018 – and mightn’t even be possible.
Dublin have used League campaigns as a springboard to their Championship successes in recent seasons.
But Mayo haven’t won the NFL since 2001 and haven’t reached a final since 2012. Their cause isn’t helped by the fact that many of their players are based in Dublin colleges, making training difficult until the summer.
O’shea said: “Look, there’s a reason why Kerry won, why Dublin have won them and when Cork were consistent they were winning a lot of League titles. Is it possible for us to win a league title? I’m not quite sure with our situation.
“It might take something out of us for the Championship. It’s never something that we’ve said, ‘we want to go out and win the League, go balls out for it’.”
O’shea said it’s more about aiming for an end of summer climax.
He said: “It’s a mater of tapering it and, to be honest, staying up (in the league). You want to give boys a chance. Some guys got good exposure in the League last season.
“You’ll probably put a stake in the ground halfway through the League and say, ‘Right, where are we? Is it about trying to get to the League final?’”
MAYO GAA chiefs last night confirmed manager Stephen Rochford has been handed a two year extension until 2020.