Mickey Ned in good spirits ahead of All Ireland B decider

ALL IRELAND COLLEGES SENIOR B FINAL Pobalscoil Inbhear Sceine vs. Holy Trinity Cookstown or St Eunans, Letterkenny Wednesday, March 28 Abbotstown, Dublin time TBC

IT’S a bit unfortunate that after waiting three weeks to find out their opponent for the All Ireland semi-final Kenmare will have to wait a little while longer to find outwhoitwillbeasadrawinthe MacLarnon Cup Final in Ulster on Monday means that they will have to wait until Friday evening’s replay between Holy Trinity Cookstown and St Eunan’s Letterkenny to find out who their opponents will be next week in Abbotstown in the Paddy Drummond decider.

Team mentor Mickey Ned O’Sullivan agrees the situation is not ideal but sees an advantage at the same time.

“Our own wait is a bit long, but having only three days to recover for another game is not ideal either,” the former All-Ireland medal winner said.

Following retirement from teaching in Ballyvourney, Mickey Ned has gotten involved in his native town’s school side working alongside his old club-mate Tom O’Connor.

“Tom was asked to get involved with the school about 10 years ago and I think it has had a great effect on the area with some of the players who have emerged recently as well as the impact they are having on the Kerry set-up now.

“Dermot Healy the former Kenmare District Board Chairman is the principal as well and he is a big asset as well. It’s one thing I would like to see more clubs around the county do in terms of getting fully involved with the schools their players are going to and create more nurseries for football in the county beyond the established ones in Killarney and Tralee which have been there for years,” the former Kerry minor manager said.

Present Kerry Senior panellist Seán O’Shea and Shane ‘Tarmac’ O’Sullivan are others to offer assistance to the School when they can and in All-Ireland Minor All-Star Donal ‘Down’ O’Sullivan from Kilgarvan, Inbhear Sceine have a player with a pedigree of success.

“Donal has great confidence and a wonderful attitude which rubs off well on any team he plays with. The one thing the schools success has done for Kerry is given them the raw material for which to build development squad and All-Ireland minors successes on and also teaches players about the right attitude you need to have if you want to win,” Mickey Ned believes.

An ankle injury to goalkeeper Dylan Van Dale means that a change of goalkeeper is likely with Mark Looney expected to fill in between the posts but an Achilles tendon problem for Tadhg Ó Siocrú is another concern for Inbhear Sceine ahead of next week.

Along with Donal ‘Down’, Colin Crowley, younger brother of Templenoe twins Brian and Gavin Crowley and Griffin Wharton are others to look out for in the Inbhear Sceine ranks as they bid to become the first Kerry school in 17 years to reach the decider of this competition going back to the old Dingle CBS’ 2001 success.

O’Sullivan says the focus is strictly on their own house ahead of next week.

“It’s a great incentive to put in front of the players in offering them a chance to play in Croke Park but it’s all about our own performance and making sure that is right if we want to win.”

Roughty Valley eyes will on events in Derry with the replay come Friday evening.

How beneficial or detrimental the situation is for Inbhear Sceine only next Wednesday will tell, but fresher legs might be their big advantage when it comes down to the crunch.