Kerry put it up to Dublin and then some. Jim Gavin salvaged a draw by bringing his big-hitters off the bench but The Kingdom landed some blows of their own.
Eamon Fitzmaurice had his side prepped and ready to tear into Dublin from the start, last Saturday, and the high tempo tactics almost paid off with a victory.
Paul Geaney proved to be a real frontline leader for Kerry as they put pressure on Stephen Cluxton for every possible kick-out they could. It was a shame, then, that Geaney missed a free when Kerry were four points up and looking to put the Dubs out of sight.
Gavin brought on the likes of Paul Mannion, Cian O’Sullivan and Kevin McManamon and Dublin edged back into a fantastic Allianz Leagues tie to eventually draw 0-13 apiece.
Speaking on The GAA Hour Football Show, Kerry legend Tomás Ó Sé was anything but disheartened by the result. Ó Sé believes The Kingdom have a genuine star in Jack Barry and his comments on the midfielder must have fans genuinely excited for the months ahead.
Ó Sé has nothing but praise for Dublin midfielder Brian Fenton but he was delighted to see David Moran and Barry making him as uncomfortable as possible. Indeed, in a game that had 11 yellow cards brandished eight were for the hosts.
Ó Sé believes there is often a fine line between conceding a free and letting your man know what you are about. Barry, he felt, tread that line well. He said:
“I was watching Jack closely with Brian Fenton. He wasn’t doing anything that would even merit a yellow card but what he was doing was just hopping off him, banging off him and trying to disrupt him.
“When you look at it, Fenton didn’t have the same authority on the game and he wasn’t dictating the game like he often does… But look, the Dubs are well able to give it out too and they were getting stuck in. It was massive to watch.”
The Kerry midfielder was also tasked with shadowing Michael Darragh McAuley for long periods and did it well but he also hounded Fenton.
It was hardly a coincidence, Ó Sé notes, that Barry’s substitution after 55 minutes was followed by a strong Dublin finish as they took a vice-like hold of affairs around midfield and Kerry’s half back line. He said:
“The one thing a lot of people would have said was that Kerry were missing that bit of pace around the middle third. Fenton and MacAuley will drive at you a lot… but, definitely, Jack Barry is a guy who can add a bit of pace and a bit of divilment around midfield for Kerry this summer.
“I’ve no doubt that he’ll get a good run this year if he stays injury free. It will be a tough decision in terms of Jack, David Moran and Anthony Maher and Jason Foley and Tom Sullivan coming in from the Under 21s. You know, I think Kerry will improve.”
Barry was a genuine star on the minor and U21 scene and it is positive to see him take, and impose, his game at senior level.
With Barry coming to the fore, Colm Cooper and Kieran Donaghy eager for another championship spin and a few U21 players added to the mix, Kerry are poised to put it up to Dublin… again.
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