Kerry manager Jack O’Connor warns fans to not expect pretty football vs Armagh

JACK O’CONNOR has warned he does not expect his Kerry side to play ‘barnstorming football’ against Armagh this weekend.

The Kingdom will take on the Orchard at Croke Park on Saturday evening after dismissing Derry 0-15 to 0-10 in the last eight.

But O’Connor reckons those expecting a swashbuckling display from his side are not living in the ‘real world’.

He said: “My abiding feeling is that Kerry supporters and observers in general believe that Kerry or any team can come out of the blocks and play barn-storming football and blow opposition away.

“That’s absolutely not the real world with the way that teams are setting up at the moment.

“It requires ferocious patience.

“When our forwards are getting that much attention, and there are that many bodies back knocking around them, nobody is going to cut loose.

“It’s going to be an arm wrestle, and you’re hoping in the last 15 or 20 minutes that the game opens up a bit and you have boys who can do a bit of damage.”

In Kerry’s quarter-final triumph over Derry, David Clifford scored just once from play with his three-point haul.

Seánie O’Shea did the same as the Kingdom  failed to catch fire at HQ.

But O’Connor said: “I’m a bit surprised that people are even expecting Kerry to cut loose, given the way teams are setting up against us and I’m not being a bit defensive.

“I’m just saying this is the reality and I see it in front of me.

“I was involved in an All-Ireland final in 2006 where the score after ten minutes was 2-5 to a point.

Do you think that’s ever again going to happen? Not in my lifetime.”

O’Connor also revealed his squad is free of injury for Saturday’s clash after Graham O’Sullivan returned.

But Kerry are likely to provide Armagh with few surprises on Saturday.

Former Kingdom forward Kieran Donaghy is involved with the Orchard’s backroom team and will renew acquaintances with his native county this weekend.

And O’Connor said: “I’m sure he knows the Kerry lads pretty well.

“But every team knows each other now, every game that everyone plays now is up on a system where you can bisect it and dissect it.

“I don’t think there are any state secrets anymore. 

“We chat away when we meet.

“Kieran was a good man for me when I was in there myself and rescued our season in 2006.

“He left a huge imprint on Kerry football no question.

“He had some very good ideas and he was never shy about sharing them as well.

“He has a good head for the game, and obviously his basketball background as well would be a help.

“You’d know he’d be one of the lads that would come to the fore.”

LEGEND

Gaffer O’Connor also paid tribute to departing Derry boss Mickey Harte.

Harte left his role as Oak Leaf chief yesterday after exiting the All-Ireland SFC against Kerry.

But he exits the stage having led Derry to their first NFL Division 1 crown since 2008 earlier this year.

And O’Connor said: “He carries a pile of weight and respect from everyone and I am sure he will resurface again.

“He is too good a manager not to surface again.

“It did not work out fully for him in Derry because there is a lot of rivalry between the two counties.

“Maybe there was a bit of residual stuff in that but I wish him well.

“He has achieved an awful lot in the game.”