South Kerry title always on radar
HE hasn’t tasted too many disappointments yet in his young career but Conor O’Shea did feel that their loss to An Gaeltacht in the Intermediate Semi-Final back in September did serve as a wake-up call to St Marys in their successful retention of the Jack Murphy Cup.
“In truth we weren’t ready for that game but we got a kick up the backside that was needed to overcome some of the disappointment. We aim for the South Kerry Championship every year and to be part of a ‘four-in-a-row’ run means a lot to us,” the team captain said.
While the last two South Kerry titles for the club were either in the midst or in the afterglow of an All-Ireland Club success, this win was more in solitude with it being their sole aim come the end of October.
“It was a bit harder this year without a run of games like other years but beating Milltown/ Castlemaine in that Division One relegation playoff was a massive boost ahead of South Kerry (Championship) starting. I feel for Dromid, it’s another tough one for them after Knocknagree (Munster Junior Final), a game I thought they should have won only for a few decisions going against them. I’ve won with some of those players at South Kerry level and I expect them to bounce back though and be one of the teams to beat again next year,” the St Marys captain said.
On another personal level, O’Shea was delighted for the two men who stood alongside him in the half-back line in Manof-the-Match Darragh O’Sullivan and Denis Daly.
“They are great friends of mine as well as being teammates and they both had massive games today. Both of them had trouble with injuries but I’m delighted they played so well today I think the sending-off actually made up work as hard as we needed to in order to win the game,” he said.
He also agreed that Bryan Sheehan’s return to the club is something to look forward to.
“I think injuries cost him the last few years with Kerry but the professionalism he has always brought to us when he came back is something we all appreciate. He comes to all our sessions and when he can train he doesn’t let up and would always be around us working on his kicking.”