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Article January Week 4   2005
Will Kerry Retain the All Ireland Title

And so the season has started for Kerry, one early game in the Munster McGrath cup which saw them beaten by Tipperary away in Clonmel. I was at that game and really it is in indication of what lies in store, Kerry had only one of their winning side in action for the tie and with all new men in action Tipp led by the superb Declan Brown at corner forward were too good.


Now the national league is about to begin and Cork away under lights will be a stern test. This time last year Kerry had a lot of training done including a two week training stint in Spain, now however they are far behind that schedule, they were away in Los Angeles on holidays and then went on to Mexico, a long haul, so we can expect the selectors to rest a number of players, Declan o Sullivan is having a cartilage operation, Mike Frank Russell is having a rest ' We hope not for too long, and some players have not reported back for training so we can expect lots of new faces for the league.


On the plus side a rest will do the panel the world of good and at the end of the day it's the championship that matters in Kerry nothing else, so the selectors, jack o Connor, Johnny Culloty and ger o Keeffe will be well aware of this. And then we have our exemplary trainer Pat Flanagan, he said last year that players would be stronger this year as the did not have the required strength levels build up under him in his first year as trainer. Jack o Connor has told Me that 'I think we have the personnel to do it but only if we have the required hunger which at the end of the day is the key element'.
All the players with one or two exceptions are young enough, I can tell you that some long serving players will be dropped from the panel however Seamus Moynihan and Darragh o Se who missed out last year in the final are mad for road and in a trial at the end of January against the Kerry under 21'S seamus was flying at mid field, could we see him moved out to this position, I always felt and said that this was easily his best position having watched him since his juvenile days. So as the fellow said, 'another year on the rig', let the serious football begin and Terrace Talk will be there to bring you all the up dates, especially our news editor Margaret who continues to do a great job, keep logging on for all the big news.


Now did you know that 50 years ago this year Kerry selector Johnny Culloty played at right corner forward as Kerry beat the great Dublin machine in the final, he got injured shortly after and then moved into goal where he won four more All Irelands, 50 years of dedicated service to his county and still serving as great as ever, was there ever as loyal a servant to Kerry, and as well he first dinned the Green and Gold as a Kerry Minor in goal for the county hurlers when just 14 years of age in 1951, what a record, can anyone beat this, e-mail us herewith your views, so for now all the best.