O’Shea boost ahead of big test

AHEAD of one of the most anticipated Munster Junior Club Football Finals in recent years, Dromid Pearses have received a major boost with the straight red card handed out to Niall O’Shea in their Munster Semi-Final win over Galtee Gaels after extra-time rescinded by the Munster Council after an appeal.

The South Kerry Club sought a personal hearing for O’Shea on the matter and used video evidence in their case to the Council with O’Shea’s suspension for ‘striking an opponent’ subsequently revoked freeing him up to play in Mallow on Sunday afternoon.

Dromid Pearses manager Declan O’Sullivan expressed his delight at the success of the appeal as following a work trip abroad last week, the Dromid boss can now focus on the club’s quest for a second Munster Junior club title.

Like their 2011 success, the Cork opposition Dromid are facing are from the Duhallow region of Cork and like Kanturk were that year. Knocknagree are similarly highly regarded, managed coincidental enough by the manager who led Milltown / Castlemaine to their Munster Intermediate success parallel to Dromid’s Junior triumph that year in John Fintan Daly.

While Mallow has traditionally been the venue for this final over the last decade, Knocknagree’s proximity to the town coupled with the fact they have played their two games in Munster there already has led to some questions about its suitability for staging this year’s decider.

The Dromid boss doesn’t believe Mallow is the right venue in such circumstances.

“Essentially this is a home game for Knocknagree, there’s nothing we can do about it at this stage but my own view is no venue for a final should be decided until the two teams that are in the final are known.

“I don’t think this should be allowed in the interests of fairness especially when Knocknagree have played there twice already.”

Dromid do have the benefit of a weekend off from competitive action with their South Kerry semi-final with Waterville put back until next weekend something O’Sullivan appreciates.

“After playing two games that went to extra-time [Firies and Galtee] and a six hour round trip to Clare there’s a lot of tiredness that can build up, so physically as well as mentally the players needed a weekend off from playing,” the Dromid boss said.

Dromid have no major injury concerns but whether Denis ‘Shine’ O’Sullivan can get back to full fitness after not starting against Galtee remains to be seen.

Although Knocknagree did not win the Duhallow Championship in Cork this year, they were still eligible to compete at Cork level afterwards and a victory over Erins Own in the Rebel Junior A decider sent them in Munster where wins over Tipperary and Waterford opposition have brought them to this point.

O’Sullivan agrees that the club proximity to Rathmore and Gneeveguilla will give them a good understanding of Kerry opposition.

“I know John Fintan [Daly] will probably have some good contacts in the county, but they are a spirited club and have a great pride about them and they have put up some big scores to get to the final,” he said about Knocknagree.

There was a sense that Dromid were a bit wasteful in the semi-final with some of the chances they left after them, but O’Sullivan is happy with how the team’s forwards are doing in general.

“There are days when not every chance you get will go over, but we are very happy with how the lads are reacting to some of the tight situations that they have been in recently in pulling us out.

“Finals have an ability to take on a life of their own and we’re hopeful if the lads stay as determined as they have been that we will be in with a great chance.”

Should the South Kerry side decide to take the N72 to Sunday’s venue they will pass through Knocknagree itself and see a sea of blue and white on their way, but Declan is hopeful that a large crowd from South Kerry will travel to Sunday’s venue to cheer on Dromid.

“This is a great day out for our supporters after a lot of the hard work that has gone on in the background to help us get to this point. We hope some of the other South Kerry clubs might travel to support us on the day itself,” the Dromid boss said.

Finally what of extending this 10 year streak for Kerry sides in this competition of 25 successive match wins in the competition, of which Dromid have contributed five successes themselves, stretching back to 2008?

“The Kerry record is something we haven’t discussed or mentioned.

“The focus is solely on ourselves and our ambitions on Sunday because that is the only think we can control.”

Not since Canovee beat Keel in 2007 has a Kerry side been beaten in this competition, but this looks to be the biggest threat to that run with Anthony O’Connor (if fit) likely to give the Dromid defence plenty to think about on Sunday.

O’Shea’s availability is crucial to their hopes but not even another strong display from Graham O’Sullivan might be enough to stop the momentum that Knocknagree have built up especially with where Sunday’s contest is taking place.

It could well be an epic and momentous encounter with what’s at stake!

This is a great day out for our supporters after a lot of work that has gone on in the background – Declan O’Sullivan