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You are > Home > Kingdom men will ensure that Treaty’s long wait will go on
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Thursday, July 01, 2010
Kingdom men will ensure that Treaty’s long wait will go on
WHAT with all the excitement, drama and fallout of the two games against Cork in the Munster senior football championship, it may have escaped some peoples’ attention that Kerry still have a provincial final to play.
Kerry may have defeated Cork in that semifinal replay but they have won nothing yet. That shouldn’t be forgotten.
And be under no illusions that Limerick won’t just roll over in Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney this Sunday in the Munster final.
Just look at last year’s final against Cork when they ran the Rebels to just one point.
It’s interesting to note the history of the Shannon-siders. They have two All-Irelands credited to them – one in 1887 when it was 21a-side and another in 1896 when it was 17-aside.
The Treaty County has no under-21, minor or junior All-Ireland titles and no National Leagues.
They have won seven Munster senior football titles but their last title of note was the 2000 Munster under-21 championship.
Limerick have won one Munster minor football championship from 1956 and have four junior titles from 1916, 1929, 1959 and 1980. They have no football All-Star.
Also, Limerick have 18 All-Ireland titles in hurling, and the last of these was in 1973. They have 37 Munster titles, the last of which was won in 1996. You can add in 44 All-Star awards in hurling.
These stats really put into place the task facing Mickey Ned O’Sullivan and his management team.
We all know that in Liam Kearns’ time in charge, Limerick were unlucky to not have won at least one Munster title either against Cork or Kerry.
But they failed to take any of these opportunities and I don’t expect them to be offered a similar opportunity on Sunday. Kerry will be too good.
Limerick will offer resistance for a while but then I would expect their challenge to fade. The only interesting element in this year’s Munster would be the mindset of the Kerry management and any improvement they will make to the Kerry team.
It’s great to see Aidan O’Mahony back in the panel after time out from the game. He will be a big bonus to have going into the All-Ireland series.
The normal situation on the way to Croke Park is that you pick a squad for the league, the Munster championships and the All-Ireland series.
It will be interesting to see if the management makes any changes to the squad or if they are happy after the first round of the county championship and the following round, the week after the Munster final.
I expect a few changes. Maybe young Mike Moloney of Dr Crokes could be worth another look. I have often said and believe of late that we are bringing some of the young lads through too early, which I believe happened to this lad.
I believe Moloney is a better player now but that’s an issue for the management to decide. Not too many more players have excited me and, in my opinion, I haven’t seen too many that would strengthen the squad.
Also, there has been a lot of activity off the field of play with the launch of the Centre of Excellence in Kerry. It is only right that a county like Kerry would have such a facility.
Jack O’Connor becoming coaching co-ordinator for the Kerry VEC is also a positive development. This position was spoken about a few years ago.
Of course, this is very important as other codes build up their popularity among the youth of the county.
If you stand still now you will be left behind. It’s a good move even though I would have liked the role to have been open-ended towards all sports.
No doubt it may help the vocational schools even though we dismantled this area in favour of the Corn Uí Mhuirí. However, anything that will get the kids involved in games is a good thing.
Back to the county championship and Dr Crokes would definitely be the favourites if there was a continuation of the championship.
The dry ball and the sun on their backs seems to suit the Crokes lads who have just signed a new sponsorship deal with the INEC.
The O’Donoghues would be lifelong supporters of the Crokes and even though they are the main sponsors of the O’Donoghue Cup, the cup is in fact named after the late Dr Paddy O’Donoghue of High Street, Killarney, whose family would have divided loyalties between the Legion and the Crokes. However, the Gleneagle O’Donoghues are proud black and amber.
Páidí Ó Sé will be scratching his head after West Kerry’s loss to Dr Crokes but beware all you other teams out there, perhaps a different selection and placement of players will bring them to the later stages.
A lot of fellows are in the United States, emigrating for summer work and such, but realistically the county championship will be decided by teams avoiding each other in the draws.
Feale Rangers, South Kerry, Strand Road and Mid Kerry are contenders but, as I said, if Crokes keep this form they will be one to watch.
But the throws of winter could be upon us before the big guns line out again unless we slip up in August which isn’t impossible.
That’s something that we will examine as the season progresses but on Sunday I don’t expect anything less than a Kerry win.
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