Kerin already a cult hero for Tribesmen

AS painful as it was from a Kerry perspective, the corner-back in me loved watching Eoghan Kerin live and dangerous last Sunday.

If any player is the poster boy for how Galway morphed from being easy on the eye to hard on the opposition, Kerin (below) is that player. He bristles with menace, plays right on the edge and is the kind of player who earns cult status among his own and whose image is likely to be used as a dartboard by opposing fans.

He is one of several reasons why Galway now demand to be seen as front-line contenders and I really believe the confidence they will take from not just beating Kerry but actually humbling them will serve them really well from here.

They look like a team set for the All-Ireland final as they seem to have the same faith in their structure as Dublin has in their processes.

Damien Comer really impressed me last Sunday because he had a really difficult day on Jason Foley, but he was so mature about it.

Apart from one wild pot-shot, he kept doing the right thing, making a run here, a pass there, often the most challenging role for any star player to play. Newbridge will be difficult today but they won’t be fazed by its hot-house atmosphere or tight pitch. They are set up to play in such an arena and I expect them to curse to a comfortable win over Kildare to confirm their status as finalists in waiting.