‘A performance is needed’

Geaney and Shanahan to be assessed for Dublin game

MIKEY Sheehy says while Kerry will be obviously going out to beat Dublin in Sunday’s rescheduled NFL Round 5 match, a vastly improved performance from the one given against Galway will be uppermost in the Kerry’s management and players’ minds.

Sheehy told on Tuesday that the poor performance against Galway was the most disappointing element of that Round 4 defeat, but he is confident that the team will rise to the challenge of playing Dublin in Croke Park and will produce a performance to put it up to the Division 1 leaders.

“Dublin are flying and I’d say they’re playing within themselves a little bit,” Sheehy said of Sunday’s opposition, who lead the division with maximum points and a better scoring difference than second place Galway.

“Their appetite is amazing and that’s something we have to match on Sunday. It’s going to be a huge test for us, but it’s a great game for us. It’s more exposure for the young lads in Croke Park, and that’s what we want.

“We would be disappointed – the management and the players – with the performance against Galway. In fairness to Galway they were very well organised and played very well, but we’d have felt afterwards that we just didn’t perform as a team.

“That’s something we need to address for the next day. Obviously we’ll be going out to win the game against Dublin, but at the very least we must produce a positive performance. That’s the minimum requirement at this level,” Sheehy said.

Paul Geaney (concussion) and Ronan Shanahan (hamstring) will be assessed this week. Geaney has to undergo ‘return to play’ protocols after picking up concussion late in the Galway game, while Shanahan injured his hamstring and wouldn’t, according to Sheehy, have been fit to play against Dublin last weekend.

Kevin McCarthy is likely to be the only new addition to the match-day squad for this weekend. Sunday’s game throws in at 4pm and will be broadcast live on eirSport.