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GAA

08th May 2016

Kieran O’Leary’s classy statement after being dropped from the Kerry panel is truly admirable

Conan Doherty

It’s the easiest thing in the world to sulk.

We’ve all been dropped (piss off if you haven’t). We’ve all had bad days and we’ve all thought higher of ourselves than someone else did.

You can get a little selfish when that happens. You even start to think it wouldn’t be bad if a player in your position had a bit of a stinker. You dissociate yourself from the team.

It must be harder when you’re an All-Ireland winning captain.

Kieran-Oleary

Éamonn Fitzmaurice’s decision to drop Kieran O’Leary from his championship panel caused a bit of a stir last week.

Ruthless, it was seen as in some quarters. Necessary in others. Kerry’s collapse against Dublin increased the pressure and scrutiny on the panel and the manager has begun to act in time for the summer.

It’s a cut-throat business, this inter-county world. And Kieran O’Leary’s split from the camp after over a decade of service was just as innocuously cruel as so many other careers end up and down the country.

But the Crokes man kept his class and delivered a wonderful parting shot to go hand-in-hand with a decorate stint with Kerry.

Fair play.

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