Honour Intact

Date Published: 12-Aug-2008

NO loss of honour, no shortage of spirit, no room for recrimination but alas no place either for Galway footballers in the final fourball of the 2008 All-Ireland series as Kerry’s mix of physicality, athleticism and sheer footballing power kept them on course for the three-in-arow.

It was an occasion to remember in Croke Park for many reasons. Earlier in the day, Wexford had produced one of the inspirational displays of the ’08 series, later Croke Park endured a deluge straight from monsoon latitudes but there are always some constants that survive, and one of them is that Kerry tend to win big football matches.

Galway showed plenty of resolve and grit to stay in contention in the first half, they delivered the early second half scores which had the Munster runners-up trailing and in some distress, but this Kerry team, as well as being flush with talent, are also relentless and psychotically focused on another All- Ireland success.

In the end it all came down to a numbers game. Liam Sammon, after a very fruitful first year in charge of Galway, has at this point — and with all being fit — maybe close to a dozen players with that elusive mix of skill, physicality, mental toughness and mobility necessary to win an All-Ireland title. By contrast Kerry…