The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Kingdom is well represented in Underdogs team
KERRY will be well-represented as The Underdogs take on National League champions Mayo in McHale Park, Castlebar, on Saturday night.
No fewer than three players from the Kingdom have been billed to start the fixture, the grand finalé of the highly popular gaelic football reality TV show.
The big match gets underway at 8pm and will be broadcast on TG4, with build-up starting at 7.40pm. Anyone who tunes in will see Annascaul’s Jason Hickson, Valentia Young Islanders’ Brendan O’Sullivan, and Rathmore’s Anthony Darmody in action.
Jason had been profiled earlier in the series, and in the final episode of the series, Brendan O’Sullivan, who has represented the Kingdom at Junior and Senior Level, was also subject to a profile. At 19, Anthony Darmody is the youngest of the Kerry triumvirate, and he told The Kerryman that this will be his first time taking on an inter-county team at any level.
The Rathmore club man suffered the heartache of losing an All-Ireland Colleges B Final by a single point with Scoil Phobail Shliabh Luachra last April.
But he has bounced back well, and after being pointed towards The Underdogs, he hasn’t looked back.
“It’s been class” he has said of the experience, which began with trials last spring. “I’ve made new friendships along the way, and because I’m one of the younger players on the team, I have been taking in a lot of tips and learning from some of the older fellas involved, and that’s been bringing me on.
“It was my father who found the application form. I filled it out, and I suppose four or five weeks later I was called up for trials.”
The IT Tralee business studies student made it through with flying colours and is named to start at wing forward on Saturday. Jason has been named at half forward, with Brendan set to start midfield.
Anthony explained that his brothers, James and David; parents, Paul and Mary; and plenty relations aside will make the trip to Castlebar, and he said he’s looking forward to having a pop at Mayo.
“I’m not very nervous,” he said, “but it might be a different story if you ask me 20 minutes before throw-in!”