Galvin hopes players finish off what has been a great journey

GOING back to April this year, John Galvin didn’t think he would have much involvement in football for the rest of 2016.

Two requests from both inside and outside of Dr Crokes changed that rather quickly, however.

“Edmund O’Sullivan (Dr Crokes Minor Manager) asked me to get involved with the Minor team, something I was delighted to do because I know how much effort he puts in with them.

“Then I got the phone call from Kenmare District coming towards the start of the championship. I thought about it and it just felt like the right time to go back managing at this level especially with the players they have at the moment and the time that would be involved with them suited me personally so I decided to give it a go,” he said of how his involvement with Kenmare District came about.

This isn’t the first time John Galvin has managed a team against Dr Crokes, he faced them three times when he was over South Kerry, winning the 2009 County Final before losses in the 2010 and 2011 campaigns. He is keen to play down the personal element attached to Sunday’s encounter however.

“This isn’t about me and the Crokes, this is purely about the players from both teams and their efforts to try and win a County Championship. People can think otherwise if they want but I’m only focussed on getting the players I am in charge of ready for a County Final,” Galvin said.

Shortly after his appointment, Kenmare District began with wins over St Brendans and last year’s runners-up Legion, the latter win striking a chord with the team about their potential for later on in the year.

“When you beat last year’s runners-up in a competition you start to feel you are going somewhere but as I said before the clubs deserve huge credit for the work they have done with these players up along.

“It’s not easy for them when they don’t have them maybe all the time that they would like to but they know how to get the best out of them,” Galvin said.

He also praised the attitude of the Kenmare Shamrocks and Templenoe players prior to the resumption of the County Championship despite the pending Intermediate Club Final between the sides.

“As I said before I have never encountered any player who never wanted to win a football match when they took to the pitch. The players know they have a very unique opportunity and we’re delighted to help them try and achieve that,” the Kenmare District boss said.

The manner of the Rathmore win might raise alarm with how the East Kerry side came within an eyelash of turning a promising position for Kenmare District into a disaster but Galvin displayed a bit of a purist tone in offering his thoughts on that encounter.

“We found a way to win is the main thing I would take out of it regardless of the conclusion. I would still prefer to be involved in a 0-20 to 0-19 win as opposed to a 0-9 to 0-8 stalemate and personally it was a great feeling as a manager to be involved in an encounter like that regardless of who won or lost,” he said. What of this Sunday? “It’s been a great journey for all involved and hopefully the players can finish it off now. Crokes are here on merit, just because they haven’t been winning games with big margins like people might expect them to doesn’t mean they are any less formidable. We’re very aware of how difficult it will be on Sunday.”