The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Desmonds are equipped to take final step at their third attempt
Sunday, September 25 Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney at 2.00
ALMOST a year to the same Sunday they lost that absolute classic of a semi-final to St Marys, Castleisland Desmonds return to Fitzgerald Stadium looking for redemption at the third time of asking after also losing to Ardfert in the 2014 semi-final.
Considering both Ardfert and St Marys went on to All-Ireland successes afterwards made it all the more harder for Desmonds but manager John McGaley says the hurt of those defeats is what is driving the team to get it right once and for all this year.
“We have a number of injuries and a lot of the decisions on players will have to be made on the day but the commitment the players are putting in to try and be ready for Sunday is testament to the desire to finally get it right at this grade.
“Although we beat Kenmare in the County League earlier on in the year we wouldn’t really put a whole lot of store in it because they were missing a few and they are a great example to me of a club that suffers when they are missing their inter-county contingent. We are expecting a much tougher examination from them on Sunday when they have everyone back,” the Desmonds boss said.
Victories over fellow St Kierans clubs Brosna and Currow have brought them to a third consecutive Intermediate semi-final although Thomas Hickey is a big concern in terms of injury with his chances of playing rated at somewhere between 60% and 70% by McGaley. Eoin Murphy and Cian O’Connor are also in a race to be fit for Sunday with Pa Hickey and Pat Fitzgerald also recovering from recent injuries. Ciaran O’Callaghan has departed from last year’s side with Mike Brosnan unavailable due to work commitments.
Kenmare Shamrocks have no injury concerns ahead of Sunday as the club emerges from the glow of celebration following Kerry captain Sean O’Shea’s exploits with the All-Ireland winning Minors.
One of the 2015 winning Minors is a possible contender for selection however with Kilgarvan’s John Mark Foley playing for the town side this year in the absence of a senior football team by his native club.
It was a disappointing County League campaign overall however for Kenmare as after 26 years of waiting to get back into the top flight they went straight back down but manager John O’Sullivan says the club are grateful to have made this stage of the competition to focus on now.
“It would have been a very long summer otherwise because we were disappointed with the County League and going straight back down. It was the three games we lost by two points that cost us ultimately but we still knew we had this as an opportunity to make amends.
“We lost to Spa in the quarter-finals after a replay last year and as fate would have it we played them at the same stage again this year.
“I don’t think without the experience of last year we would have won this year being honest and we know after Desmonds losing to the last two All-Ireland champions in this competition that they will be up for this. We’re only focussing on ourselves though, we’re happy with how training is going and we hope that our best will be good enough on the day,” O’Sullivan said.
O’Shea adds an extra dimension to the Kenmare forward line already bolstered by Paul O’Connor and Stephen O’Brien as Tommy and Kevin O’Sullivan are other key players for the Kenmare District side.
Going to Fitzgerald Stadium will evoke good memories for them as they played there on a number of occasions in their Kerry and Munster Junior Championship winning campaign of 2012.
One feels a lot will hinge on Thomas Hickey’s fitness for Desmonds, he is their most consistent forward and the one man likely to help them end their heartache if he can get the right supply of ball. Kieran Brennan and Maurice Hickey also provide Desmonds with some good experience as well but you feel a lot will come down to whether or not they can channel the hurt of the last two years into a match winning performance.
If they manage that they might just have enough to overcome what looks to be a strong Kenmare forward line.
VERDICT: Desmonds