The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Champions should survive major scare from Dingle
COUNTY SFC QUARTER-FINAL
South Kerry v Dingle Saturday, October 1 Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney
PAUL Fitzmaurice tries valiantly to play the ‘beal bocht’ with regard to his team’s chances against the defending champions but the Dingle man can’t get away from the fact that his team have a great chance to dethrone South Kerry. For the first time in his reign as manager Fitzmaurice has a fully fit panel to select from - although the one fly in the ointment is Mark O’Connor’s absence due to his tour of a few AFL clubs in Australia this week and next.
When put to Fitzmaurice that while South Kerry’s last match was back in May, Dingle have the advantage of a third round game against Milltown/Castlemaine in July plus a regular supply of County League games since, Fitzmaurice tries a different approach. “The club side only has that advantage if they take that advantage, but the longer a game goes on the better South Kerry get,” he says. If that’s the case then Dingle better get off to a flying start.
Usual suspects Paul and Mikey Geaney will be heavily leaned on, but Fitzmaurice accepts that it’s the supporting cast must play a significant part too. Tom O’Sullivan, brothers Barry and Darragh O’Sullivan, Matthew Flaherty, Conor Geaney and elder statesmen Breandan Kelliher, Michael Slattery and Johnny B Brosnan will have to get the best out of themselves if they are to mix it and match a South Kerry team that will, at the very least, be well balanced, strong and motivated.
New manager William Harmon might have lost Declan O’Sullivan from last year’s winning side, but he has gained the St Michaels/ Foilmore players and a useful year’s experience in the St Marys contingent.
The champions - no less than Dingle - will hope their county men will be fresh for the fight, and Bryan Sheehan’s overall contribution will be central, in every sense, to their title defence.
Killian Young will have Mark Griffin alongside this year to keep shackles on the Geaneys, while Robert Wharton is another skilful defender, while Matthew O’Sullivan - from Ballyfilemore - will be a formidable presence alongside Sheehan in the South Kerry boiler-room.
Up front the champions will lean on Paul O’Donoghue, Aidan Walsh, Ian Galvin, Sean Cournane for scores.
Dingle, arguably, have the greater potential for goals but South Kerry, possibly, have the meaner defence, and keeping a clean sheet will be half the battle for the champions.
In what could be the game of the weekend, the smallest margins could matter, and South Kerry’s greater familiarity with Fitzgerald Stadium could be a tipping point. That and their big game experience should see them through.
VERDICT: South Kerry