Kingdom should have too much for O’Sullivan’s men
MUNSTER UNDER 20 FC SEMI-FINAL
Limerick v Kerry
Wednesday, February 26 The Gaelic Grounds, 7pm
SO here we are at the moment for truth, or, if not at the precise moment of truth then certainly at the cusp of it.
It’s the time when the rubber hits the road and we’ll get to learn what this Kerry Under 20 side is all about. We got clues along the way in the McGrath Cup and in the Kerins Cup in January. There were encouraging signs even in the defeat against Cork in Austin Stack Park.
The thing about those games was, however, that they weren’t the real deal. They were competitive and hard-fought, but at the end of the day they were still no more than challenge matches. The teams which lined out in individual days were as much about development – the Kerins Cup is a development league after all – as anything else.
Team selection for tonight’s [Wednesday] game with Limerick is the first concrete sign of the likely shape of Kerry’s challenge and on that basis it’s encouraging. It’s a good side. A strong side and that’s even without Dónal O’Sullivan and Darragh Rahilly who would appear to be on the injured list.
Glenflesk’s Marc Kelliher edges out the AFL-bound Deividas Uosis for the goalkeeper’s jersey. The defence looks very strong, particularly the fullback line which includes Owen Fitzgerald and Kenmare pair James and Dan McCarthy (who have both impressed at times this year).
The half-back line is strong looking too. Even if we might have expected Cordal’s Seán O’Connell to make the side, all three selected there are fine footballers. The midfield sees Darragh Lyne line out alongside Michael O’Gara.
Up front the Kingdom, even without O’Sullivan, has oodles of talent at its disposal with Paul Walsh, Patrick D’Arcy and Killian Falvey on the half-forward line with captain Paul O’Shea ( right), Ruaidhrí Ó Beaglaoich and Seán Keane inside.
To our mind that’s a nicely balanced side and there’s also a lot of talent on the bench too for if and when it’s required to come in. Alan Dineen can’t have been far off making the side. Attacking replacements Dylan Geaney, Seán Quilter, Eddie Horan and Jack O’Connor are all likely unlucky to have missed out as well, which speaks to the quality of this squad.
They’re up against a Limerick side managed by Firies man Jerry O’Sullivan and as astute as we know O’Sullivan
THERE will be a familiar face to a lot of the Kerry players in the opposition dug-out in the Gaelic Grounds tonight [Wednesday] in the form of Firies man Jerry O’Sullivan. O’Sullivan is best known in these parts for his role in leading East Kerry to the promised land with victory over Dr Crokes in the County Championship Final last October, but he has also been a key part of East Kerry’s underage dominance in the last couple of seasons.
Several of the Kerry players would have gone through his hands – Marc Kelliher, Owen Fitzgerald, Patrick D’Arcy to name a few – but nearly all of them would be known to the Limerick boss from his involvement in the County Under 21 championship.
“I’d know those guys and they’re all, in their own right, good footballers. They wouldn’t be wearing the county jersey unless they were to be fair,” O’Sullivan says.
“I know John Sugrue’s a very astute manager and their backroom team. I’m sure that he’s not going to leave any stone unturned the way I’m not going to leave any stone unturned, but yeah they’re a good bunch of fellas and will want to win and to progress, but unfortunately I’m on the other side of the fence to those guys and I’ll be doing my best to get my guys over the line.”
Even for a man with a background on Shannonside – he was born and grew up for a time in Limerick before moving to Kerry a few years later – it must be a strange sort of experience going up against your own county and your own people. It’s not O’Sullivan’s first time doing so, however, as he led Limerick into battle against the Kingdom in last year’s Munster championship in Austin Stack Park against Jack O’Connor’s men.
“Last year was [interesting] and it was great to beat Tipperary above in Thurles having been seven or eight to be, it’s hard to see how he can have fashioned a side strong enough to see off John Sugure’s men.
That’s not to say that they won’t cause Kerry problems. They will. They’re not inexperienced. Six of the side from last year’s semi-final are back again this year – Barry Coleman, John Hayes, James Molyneaux, James Cummins, Brian Foley and Adam Shanagher – which is a boost.
It’s also a boost that the
Shannonsiders have a win under their belts from last week. The scoreline mightn’t have looked hugely impressive or intimidating from Kerry’s point of view, but given the conditions a seven points to six win isn’t at all unimpressive. O’Sullivan will likely have a greater insight into this Kerry side as Kerry will have into his Limerick side, which could be another little advantage for the home side this evening.
The bookies have the Kingdom installed as prohibitive favourites (1/66). It’ll be a bit more competitive than that as Kerry shake out some cobwebs, it might even take them until the second half to really put this one to be.
Nevertheless it would be a big surprise if the bookies lost money on this one.
Kerry
Verdict: