Kerry boss Jack O’Connor says ‘you wouldn’t be clapping yourself on the back too hard’ after last gasp win over Mayo

Jack O’Connor was understandably pleased to pick up a second consecutive brace of National League points after a hard-fought tussle with Mayo at Austin Stack Park, but as he caught his breath after a frantic finale, the Kerry manager wasn’t overly satisfied with the overall display.

Indeed, with a three-point cushion, and a numerical advantage after the Connacht side were reduced to 14 men following Sam Callinan’s dismissal in the 60th minute, the Dromid Pearses man knew that the Kingdom shouldn’t have had to depend on a last-gasp David Clifford wonder score.

“You wouldn’t be clapping yourself on the back too hard. I thought we missed a lot of chances, particularly in the first half. The lads were very enthusiastic, and mad for work, but they were just lacking a bit of composure in the first half,” he said.

“I thought in the first half we should have been up at least three or four more points, and that would have made things a bit easier in the second half. The part I was pleased about was the last play, where we showed that we learned a bit from the Derry game.

“We showed that bit of composure, and we got the ball into the hands of our main men, like Seanie (O’Shea) and David (Clifford). Obviously it was a great score in the end by David,” he added.

From a position where Kerry led by 0-15 to 0-12 in the 64th minute, Mayo managed to fire over three unanswered points – courtesy of Ryan O’Donoghue (2) and Fergal Boland – before the home team snatched victory at the end through the younger Clifford brother.

“I thought, in general, we did well (at the back), but we turned over a bit of ball in the second half up the other end. Mayo are a counter-attacking team, and they’re a kind of team where you have to mind the ball, and be good on the ball, and kill it, and put a bit of heat on their kick-out then.

“I thought we kept them in the game near the end, we should have been a bit more comfortable. We were a man up with ten minutes to go and yet we’re not getting our kick-outs off as easy as we should have been.

“Maybe that was down to pressure from Mayo, but we’ve a bit of improving to do now. I wouldn’t be overly happy with the display, maximum six out of ten.

“I thought Mayo got some great scores in the second half. The goalie kicked a screamer from out on the right hand side, Diarmuid O’Connor kicked one with the outside of the foot from outside the ’45, Fergal Boland got one from way out.

“Ryan O’Donoghue had a good second half, so they came well into it. They’ve a lot of good players, they’re in great physical shape. To sum it up, delighted with the result, bit of improving to do now with the display, particularly in front of goal.

“The part that disappointed me most (in the last ten minutes) is that with an extra man, we should have been a bit more comfortable in getting our restarts. Like I said earlier on, there are a lot of things to tidy up on, but I’m obviously delighted with the win.”

In a positive sense, the likes of Dylan Casey, Joe O’Connor, Dylan Geaney and Cillian Burke got further starts under the belt, against such serious opposition as what Mayo provided. And, of course, the Clifford brothers notching 0-9 from play between them summed up their influence on the night.

“I wasn’t even aware of that, to be honest with you, but that’s savage. Remember that’s their first start, so they will improve from that, and it was Tadhg Morley’s first start as well, so I think the three of them will be the better of the run-out,” stressed O’Connor.

“Cillian Burke, I thought, had a tremendous game. It’s a pity he didn’t get a point or two, but his overall energy, and contribution, was tremendous. Obviously, Seanie (O’Shea) was very good again, but we’d just like to see him a bit closer to goal.

“I thought he was dragged out the field a lot, particularly in the first half. We tried to address that at half-time, and just work on keeping him closer to goal, in an effort to keep a bit of the heat off David (Clifford).”

Next up for Kerry in round four is a repeat of last July’s All-Ireland final, with a Saturday night meeting, under lights, at Croke Park on the agenda next weekend. An early-season clash with Dublin is another mouth-watering contest to look forward to.

“We’re delighted to be playing in Croke Park any day, particularly now that we’ve got the win tonight. It will put a bit of a spring in our step but, be under no illusions, we’ve a lot of improvement to do,” added the Kerry boss.

“There may be (additions to the panel), there were six or seven lads that trained this morning over in Currans, and you may see one or two returning to the squad next week. We just have to look at them in training during the week, and take it from there.”

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