Where South Kerry can win it...
In under the radar
South Kerry are in a great position ahead of this weekend’s final. Hardly anybody expects them to triumph over the might of the Crokes. The bookies have them installed as firm outsiders at 11/2, which carries an implied probablility of about 15%. They almost certainly have a better chance of coming out on top than that.
A lot of the bookies’ and punters’ scepticism probably has to do with their slightly underwhelming performance against Kerins O’Rahillys in the semi-final. The Iveragh side ran out 0-12 to 1-8 winners at the end of a somewhat disappointing encounter (the first half was a pretty drab affair to say the least) and, yet, from our point of view that single point victory would seem to be the perfect way to enter a county final.
South Kerry carry no great hype, they carry no great burden of expectation and, yet, the fact of the matter is that South Kerry were worth much more than a single point victory over Kerins O’Rahillys. They were much, much better than the scoreboard suggested. Bryan Sheehan missed a handful of frees he’d normally put over at his ease. Overall South Kerry hit eleven wides in the game. It’s a worry for William Harmon and co that they didn’t take those chances, but it’s something to work on. There’s room to improve. South Kerry have come nowhere near their top form yet.
Had they won by four or five points (as they could have and maybe should have done) the talk about them this week would be a whole pile different. They’re where they want to be.
No fear of Crokes
South Kerry are about the only side who can go into a county final with Dr Crokes without carrying any fear of the opposition. In living memory the southern men have triumphed over the Crokes in three county finals (2005, 2006 and 2009).
It’s fair to point out that those victories came a long time ago, it’s fair to point out that there’s been a lot of changes in personnel on both sides since then, it’s fair to point out that Crokes have subsequently got one over on South Kerry (during the 2011 campaign), but still South Kerry teams carry a certain aura about them.
They’re confident in themselves, if they carry a swagger it’s a healthy one. In this clash between the reigning champions and the team they succeeded, South Kerry aren’t going to have any hang-ups. They’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain and that makes them a dangerous foe for the two in-a-row chasing champions.
Sheehan is the King of the Kingdom
What we’re about to say next is no surprise to anybody at this stage – Bryan Sheehan is the best club footballer in the county (and maybe even the country) bar none. Even carrying a knock in the semi-final with Strand Road he bestrode Fitzgerald Stadium like a collossus. The frees he missed were likely a factor of the injury he carried into the game. If South Kerry are to triumph this weekend then they’re going to have to have Sheehan in the type of form he’s capable of and if he is then the sky’s the limit.