Thrilled to be again within the county SFC decider for the second time in three seasons, Mid Kerry supervisor Peter O’Sullivan pinpointed their first half efficiency as being the essential think about his aspect’s snug victory over Feale Rangers on Saturday night time.
ith the wind of their favour, and decided to set down an early marker to their North Kerry opponents, who had come into the competition buoyant from eliminating the defending champions in Austin Stacks, a nine-point cushion, 0-11 to 0-2, on the interval was simply what the physician ordered for O’Sullivan.
“It in all probability panned out a bit simpler than we anticipated, we went after it within the first half with the circumstances and with the wind, so we in all probability needed to make begin. We discovered ourselves in an excellent spot at half-time and, from there on in, it was nearly controlling the sport,” he stated.
“We’ve loads to work on within the phrases of the second half efficiency, it was very sloppy, we left them again into the sport, they tagged on the final 5 – 6 scores. However total we’re joyful sufficient the place we’re at, we’re again within the closing after two years.
“We felt the beginning was an enormous factor, as a result of that they had numerous momentum behind them, when it comes to, not more than ourselves, they had been after 4 wins, however from the place they’ve come from since final 12 months, they had been on a fierce excessive.
“Even final week, I used to be at their recreation, and so they had numerous help behind them. Even tonight, popping out on the sector, they received an enormous roar. We felt it was essential to go after the sport, and take the sting out of them, and by chance it labored for us tonight. It doesn’t at all times work that means.”
Whereas that they had ultimately overcome the cussed problem of Templenoe within the quarter-final the earlier weekend, the Glenbeigh/Glencar clubman knew that his fees hadn’t carried out to one of the best of their skills, and though he noticed a sure degree of enchancment on Saturday, he is aware of that there stays an excellent stiffer mountain to climb in a fortnight’s time.
“Straight after the sport final weekend, we weren’t joyful. We had been joyful to get to the semi-final, however we weren’t proud of the way in which we performed, and the lads rectified that, to an extent, tonight. We’ve numerous work to do on that second half efficiency, however that typically occurs, the sport received damaged up with the way in which the rating was at half-time,” added O’Sullivan.
“Watching Feale Rangers, we knew how they arrange, and we simply needed to be a bit affected person. We received a couple of runs on them, and we tagged on a couple of scores in a short while, and perhaps knocked a little bit of stuffing out of them. We had been delighted with the primary half efficiency, however second half we now have numerous work on.
“They outscored us with six on the trot, which was poor from us, and numerous them got here from our poor turnovers. But it surely’s no hurt in a means, as a result of it could be no good if we got here out and dominated the primary half, and the second half. You’ll get a false sense of the place you’re at.
“No less than now, we are able to return and take a look at it, and say that this was poor and that was poor. We now have a couple of issues to work on, which is an effective factor. Irrespective of who we’re enjoying within the closing, we all know we’ll be underdogs, however that’s for an additional day. We’re within the closing, that’s the place we need to be.
“The lads will take pleasure in tonight, as a result of we had been within the closing two years in the past, and to be truthful to the gamers, they didn’t get to take pleasure in it as a result of it was throughout Covid instances. Our lads don’t get to county finals too typically, to allow them to take pleasure in it, and we’ll watch the sport tomorrow and see what that brings.”
The Mid Kerry supervisor was more than happy to see inter-county star Mike Breen navigate his means via a second successive 60 minutes, after his injury-blunted 12 months, and with Nathan Breen returning to stiffen up the full-back line, Feale Rangers had been unable to bother the winners’ defence till the sport was already finished and dusted within the final quarter.
“Nathan is an enormous participant, he’s an skilled participant, he’s communicator, he was an enormous miss during the last couple of weeks, however he’s again now. It’s nice for Mike too, even exterior of the Mid Kerry factor. He’s an incredible lad, he had a tricky 12 months with accidents, he’s two full video games performed now, so hopefully he’ll drive on for the remainder of the 12 months, and subsequent 12 months. He’s an incredible lad to work with.”
In addition to that, in a glowing ahead line show within the first half, O’Sullivan, when pressed on the affect that Eanna O’Connor has made to the aspect on this marketing campaign, was filled with reward for the management qualities delivered to the fold by the previous Kildare panellist.
“Eanna is an effective lad across the dressing-room, he’s talker. We’re comparatively younger, and possibly wouldn’t have numerous talkers within the dressing-room, so the extra guys you may get like that, the higher. He’s skilled, and he is aware of how you can play the sport.
“He performs inside and performs exterior, after we’re below a little bit of stress, he comes out and will get on a little bit of ball. He’s an distinctive free-taker, which in winter soccer, is price its weight in gold. He’s an incredible asset to us, we’re delighted to have him.”