PHYSICAL trainer to the Kerry senior football team, John Sugrue, believes that the county’s finest are in great shape as they prepare for the biggest game of the season - Sunday’s All-Ireland football final against Cork.
The Renard man, a star for both club and reigning county champions, South Kerry, is revelling in his first season involved in the inter-county set-up, though he admits that it has been tough at times.
“It’s definitely been a challenge for me this year but it’s one that I have really enjoyed,” Sugrue told The Kingdom.
“It’s been a great experience for me to be able to work with such driven athletes who are very, very motivated. I have been busy all the time but that’s the way I like it.
“There have been tough moments but that’s to be expected. When you’re working at the highest level in gaelic football, it’s not all fun and games,” he added.
The tall midfielder, who returned to competitive football this season after he recovered from a shoulder injury, is confident that Pat O’Shea’s men will be in tip-top shape for Sunday’s huge Croker match.
He also feels that Kerry are reaping the benefits of their six-week lay-off between the Munster final and the All-Ireland quarter-final against Monaghan.
“Training has been going really well and the lads are looking really strong,” Sugrue said.
“Obviously, there was a lot of talk when we had that big six-week gap between games but we used that time to get a lot of the physical conditioning done. We got the bulk of that work out of the way then.
“We also had to find the balance between training and ball work, which is very important.
“At this stage now, all the hard work is behind us. We had all that done before the Monaghan game. Now, it’s all about keeping the lads fresh for Sunday. That’s the main aim at the moment,” he added.
As Kerry look forward to their fourth All-Ireland appearance on the trot as well their sixth of this decade, Sugrue explains why the six-week break, while much was made of it at the time, has actually worked out in Kerry’s favour.
“When you are working with a seasoned bunch of campaigners, like the Kerry football team, it’s important to keep things fresh and to avoid burn-
***8out,” the South Kerry man stressed. “That’s why it was important for us to avoid losing the Munster final and face into the All-Ireland qualifiers because those extra game would have taken their toll on us. Every game drains players, physically and mentally.
“The fact that we had six weeks off allowed us to concentrate on conditioning. We might have been off-key against Monaghan but I think we are seeing the benefits of that break now.
“All the lads are looking fresh and hungry, and that can only be a good thing for Sunday,” he added.
Looking forward to the game, Sugrue is confident of a Kerry win, and considering that fine physical condition that the players are in at the moment, it looks like a good bet.
