O’Shea feels Junior grade must be retained in some form after latest success for Kingdom
A CONSTANT presence around the Junior set-up for many years now, County Board Vice-Chairman and Team Liaison Officer Diarmuid Ó Sé has seen a fair bit of the success that has come for the set-up this decade and in particular the recent four-in-a-row that has seen the emphasis on young players under both Stephen Wallace and Jimmy Keane such success.
“I don’t think people realise the work that has gone in to bring the set-up to the level that it is at especially this year when the new format for the Club Championships meant that we really couldn’t get going until the middle of May.
“Only having the guarantee of one match with the Munster Final was another problem, but I must complement the Under 20s who were very good to us in being willing to play challenge matches that brought the team on a lot,” Ó Sé said.
The Dromid Pearses clubman also believes that is a strong traditional element to the way the juniors play.
“I think anyone that came here today to see the match would have been delighted to see an old-fashioned style of play with players going up and down the pitch, not across it, and being willing to express themselves in how they played.
“I remember what my clubmate from Dromid Pearses Declan O’Sullivan said about taking the chance at a Kerry jersey at any level when it is given to you and how much of an honour it is to get it.
“We’re delighted to have seen players like Tadhg Morley, Shane Murphy, Killian and Adrian Spillane along with Brendan O’Sullivan come through our ranks in recent years and make an impression at senior level,” the Team Liaison Officer said.
The competition’s future will come back into the spotlight again after another year of low entry. The county is already on record as saying it would like to see it replaced with an Under 23 grade.
Regardless of what happens, Ó Sé is anxious for the competition to be retained in some form.
“Our dominance might be pointed out by its detractors, but you have to remember Limerick were very close to beating us the first day two years ago while we went to extra-time with Cork last year and they nearly beating us. We were behind in this year’s final as well before we won.
“I have no issue with it being made an Under 23 event, but the important thing is that it doesn’t fall by the wayside and I would encourage other counties to enter and try and get the benefit out of the set-up that we have managed to get.”