Jack O'Connor makes Kerry admission after Munster final win over Clare

It might have turned out to be the most predictable of results from a Kerry perspective in Ennis, but Kingdom boss Jack O’Connor knows that there is huge room for improvement moving forward.

While the four-in-a-row Munster kingpins retained their provincial crown with seven points to spare over a gallant Clare outfit, on their home patch at Cusack Park, O’Connor wasn’t overly enthused.

The fact that the Kerry net was breached by powerful Banner defender Ikem Ugwueru in the 63rd minute annoyed the Dromid Pearses man, and that wasn’t the only goal chances for the home side.

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Indeed, recalled goalkeeper Shane Murphy made two fine saves before, foiling Dermot Coughlan in the first half, and then Brian McNamara with a stunning reflex stop at the outset of the second period.

“We came up to win the game. We were thinking we’d get a good battle from Clare because they have good lads in charge of them, they were well prepared,” he said.

“The home pitch and the home crowd was bound to be worth a few scores to them, and they gave us a right good game. For large periods there, you’d have to say that Clare played very well.

“As regards our own display, you would say we have a bit of work to do. Clare had two or three goal chances, which is a bit disappointing, and we’ll have to look at that.

“We conceded those opportunities, and that’d be something we wouldn’t be too happy about, because we’d like to be mean defensively.

“We would also like to just be a bit more ruthless up front. We had a couple of goal chances near the end which we butchered. On another day, that might be fatal.”

Kerry's Paudie Clifford lifts the cup after the game
(Image: ©INPHO/Tom Maher)

Indeed, the Kingdom could have enjoyed an easier day at the office if midfielder Joe O’Connor hadn’t been thwarted by Clare ‘keeper Stephen Ryan as early as the seventh minute.

Clare appeared to gain encouragement from that Kerry miss, and roared on by a vociferous home faithful in the crowd of 12,059, they gave as good as they got for long spells of the contest.

Level (0-3 apiece) at the end of the first quarter, the winners hit a little purple patch, hitting five of the next six points, but Clare fought back to trail by four at the half-time break (0-11 to 0-7).

On the resumption, the Banner won the throw-in, and powerhouse midfielder McNamara charged through the Kerry defence before unleashing a rocket that was touched around the post by the diving Murphy.

“Our goal probably came a bit too late. Brian had a brilliant chance straight after half-time. You just felt we were going to need one or two goals, because Kerry were tapping over points,” said Clare manager Mark Fitzgerald.

“We’re relatively happy with the performance, while still acknowledging we made some silly turnovers in the first half and we made the wrong decision at times.

“I think that happens when you’re playing a team of Kerry’s calibre. The lads gave a real robust, honest workmanlike performance, but we need more impetus off the bench, if I’m being honest.

“We need to do a bit of work on that, and probably need to do a bit of work on our turnovers. At this level, if you turn the ball over, ultimately it’s over the bar.

“It’s going to be the same against Cork in two weeks’ time. We have to dust ourselves down and get ready for that,” added the Tralee native, of their All-Ireland SFC opener against the Rebels.

With Tony Brosnan, Jason Foley and Brian Ó Beaglaoich all impressing after their call-ups to the side, Kerry recovered from the McNamara scare to pull seven clear after 45 minutes (0-16 to 0-9).

Yet, with Ugweuru shadowing Paudie Clifford, Manus Doherty doing a decent job on David Clifford, and Clare very competitive around the middle, the Banner stayed in touch.

Despite losing Gavin White to a head knock, Kerry eventually eased through the gears to take a nine-point cushion (0-20 to 0-11), but the Ugwueru goal gave the hosts late renewed belief.

Indeed, the underdogs didn’t throw in the towel.

Substitute Cormac Murray had a last-gasp goal attempt blocked by Kerry’s Diarmuid O’Connor, after Barry O’Sullivan fisted against the crossbar at the other end.

Kerry, who expect to have defender Graham O’Sullivan back in contention for the home clash with Monaghan in a fortnight, had Sean O’Shea in top shooting form, finishing with 0-9 (0-3 from play).

“Peaking is as much psychological as it is physical. The real championship starts now,” stressed O’Connor.

“You just need to get your house in order now going into the group stages and try and hit the ground running then in the quarter-finals.

“It was great to get game-time into those lads (Foley and Ó Beaglaoich), and the likes of Shane Murphy and Tony Brosnan.

“That’s a big boost for us to be getting all our players back at this time of the year.”

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