How many times are we going to be guilty of thinking Kerry were headed in the wrong direction when they go and spring a couple of new gems on the country?
The big debate of modern football has centred on Dublin’s dominance and the idea that it won’t come in a cycle this time, that they’ll stay there forever. But here’s the Kingdom, the most successful side in Ireland, the most consistent side in Ireland and they’re still producing.
Successive minor titles is only the tip of the ice berg for the island’s proudest footballers who like to scare and warn the rest of us every so often with the unleashing of new talent as if they’ve plucked them from nowhere.
Young men like Jack Barry.
You’d be forgiven for thinking Barry has been there and done it all before.
Thrown in alongside the most accomplished midfielder in the game, the youngster is flourishing alongside David Moran. He’s running with him stride for stride, he’s jumping with the best of them inch for inch, and he’s filling the commanding Kerry jersey with pure confidence and heart.
Suddenly, the power balance has completely shifted. Whereas Dublin were flooring all before them in the middle third, where Brian Fenton has been literally unstoppable, Jack Barry has come in and started picking up the dynamic opposition and, more than that, he’s bloody rattling them.
On Monday’s GAA Hour football show, David Moran paid tribute to the impact of Barry.
“Jack [Barry] has been a huge find for us this year,” the man of the match from the league final bellied.
“He has massive legs, he has huge bursts of pace and is strong and he’s a fabulous runner.
“It’s probably something we needed, a guy with massive legs around the middle.”
Those feelings were definitely agreed with on the show when Meath great Cian Ward compared the effect of Barry with the man he’s replaced in the Kerry engine room, Anthony Maher.
“You see the value of Jack Barry in terms of his fitness and his athleticism and his pace,” Ward said.
“When Anthony Maher came on, he was a fresh man on for Jack Barry and the first kickout was just tapped for Fenton out in front.
“I was thinking to myself, ‘Jesus Christ, it’s obvious why Jack Barry gets on ahead of you.’
“You’re just on the pitch, there’s no excuse for allowing that to happen. He should’ve been all over Fenton and he should’ve not let him get the ball. That, to me, is the difference.
“Kerry have added a quality player in Jack Barry who has legs. He has shown that throughout the league campaign and he’s been crucial for them in the big games.”
Listen to the whole Jack Barry chat below from 29:40. The David Moran interview is from 12:10.
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