Keane wary of Farney army’s influence

Jason O’Connor spoke to Minor team manager Peter Keane ahead of Sunday’s All-Ireland semi-final against Monaghan in Croke Park

EVEN though it’s only a week earlier than when it was played in 2017, All-Ireland Minor Semi-finals seem to be drawing closer and closer for Peter Keane going back to 2016 when he had his first one against Kildare on the last weekend in August. His rates this one on the second Sunday in August as being the toughest one yet though with Monaghan having some outside factors in their favour with the way matters turned out at senior level.

“The fact it is the Sunday as opposed to the Saturday is not a major issue but it would be better if we were the curtain-raiser to a Kerry versus Dublin semi-final when there would be more Kerry fans there. That’s not to say we haven’t had a good following at our games so far, we have, but Monaghan are going to be there with their seniors now and we’re looking at a crowd of at least 20-25,000 from there. From that perspective it is a disadvantage to us,” the Kerry Minor boss said. One thing that has stood out about the Farney men for Keane is how physically well-developed they are for 17-year olds as he looks to rectify issues that came up in the win over Roscommon in Limerick fairly quickly.

“I just felt that we were too casual against Roscommon. I don’t know whether that was down to the five week lay-off or not as physically this is probably similar to the challenge we faced against Cork in the Munster Semi-final back in May,” the Cahersiveen native feels. Former Monaghan Senior manager Seamus McEnaney has returned to management with the Minors in the Ulster County after spells with the Meath and Wexford senior sides. Keane isn’t viewing Monaghan’s tendency for slow starts and massive comebacks as being a big factor in Kerry’s preparation for Sunday.

“You have to keep going for 60 minutes no matter what. You need only look at some of the games at senior level in both Football and Hurling to see how quickly things change over a period of time from where they were after the start. I think of all the teams I have prepared Minor sides for over the last three years I feel this is toughest one we are encountering in this Monaghan side,” the double All-Ireland Minor winning manager said. The competitive nature of the province in Ulster has led some to wonder whether it takes too much out of the sides that come through to All-Ireland level subsequently. For Keane it’s more a factor at senior level.

“Minor teams tend to only care about themselves and what they want to do in a given year. There aren’t too interested in history and our team is the same in that what has happened over the last four years doesn’t affect them, they only want to focus on their own year and getting it done in that year,” he believes. One advantage that Kerry don’t have this year is players with previous experience of playing Croke Park compared to last year at this stage against Monaghan’s neighbours Cavan where nearly two-thirds of the starting team had played there either the year before or in a Ho-

gan Cup Final with St Brendans College, Killarney.

“That’s something new we are having to deal with (no previous experience of Croke Park) and it’s something we are trying to prepare the lads for as best we can,” Keane said of the Croke Park factor coming into the game. Working with the group this year the Kerry boss has found them to be very honest in their effort. “The one thing I have found is that they are very quick to take things on in terms of how you prepare them for eventualities in games and trying to deal with them. We want them to be able to know what to do when things aren’t going their way in a game an how to be able to think on their feet. They are all contributing but we aren’t too worried if one player is contributing more than others,” the Minor boss said.

With Monaghan unlikely to have their side set up in an orthodox way and their players likely to adapt to the position they are in on the pitch at a given time Keane says I will be something that Kerry will have to be prepared for once the ball is thrown-in. “You only want the players to give a performance and play to the best of their ability regardless of whether it wins you the game or not. Once they leave it all out there we are happy with that. We set up the systems as to what to do so that the players don’t get nervous and it’s something I follow myself in not getting too upset about what is happening at any given time in a match.”