Follow Weeshie's latest writings on Kerry Football Wed, 01 Sep 2021 00:00:13 -0500 http://www.terracetalk.com/articles Nowadays one would risk being frowned upon if 'tradition' was used as a reason to explain why the likes of Kerry and Kilkenny are so consistently successful in their respective codes. A lot of rubbish talk permeates the airwaves and national newspapers in my view, and many of the worst culprits are the former players turned pundits rather than the journalists. It's all about defensive systems and how teams are expected to 'transition' on the field. They simply mean moving the ball from A to B, but that doesn't sound trendy enough so it's consigned to dim and distant memory. And while I'm not suggesting for a moment that tradition is the main reason for the triumphs of certain counties, it's an incredible help at the same time. That point comes shining through in 'The ... read more »]]> http://www.terracetalk.com/articles/590/Tradition-cant-be-discounted-in-the-Kerry-football-tale Tue, 27 Sep 2016 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.terracetalk.com/articles/590/Tradition-cant-be-discounted-in-the-Kerry-football-tale As Tipperary race on to the green sward of Fitzgerald Stadium next Sunday and coming off possibly one of their most comprehensive victory in Munster football following the defeat of Cork, the first time in over seventy years and the recent success of their U21s and indeed minors, it wouldn't be remiss to consider this Tipperary's greatest chance of overturning Kerry in the championship for the first time in nearly ninety years years. The huge number of Liam Kerins panel as they come through from underage, don't know what it's like to fear the green and gold. The old adage, blood is thicker than water will certainly be at the back of my mind next Sunday when the two counties come face to face in Killarney because in my situation my father and of course my grandfather were born and bred ... read more »]]> http://www.terracetalk.com/articles/587/Unique-occasion-with-Tipperary-taking-on-Kerry-in-Munster-Final Tue, 28 Jun 2016 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.terracetalk.com/articles/587/Unique-occasion-with-Tipperary-taking-on-Kerry-in-Munster-Final Over two years of patient work is finally drawing to a conclusion as the final touches are corrections to be more precise are being put to a new publication on Kerry football which I have been working on for over two years. Entitled, The Heart and Soul of Kerry Football this work records and examines many of the victories, defeats and controversies that I have witnessed since I first became obsessed with Kerry football in the fifties. The story behind the shock defeat by Waterford in 1957, the low times, the domination of Down and Galway over Kerry in the sixties and how Kerry football style had to change as Dr Eamon op Sullivan's training methods became obsolete. . The Golden Years under Mick o Dwyer as Bomber Liston, Ger o Keeffe and Mickey Ned o Sullivan bring us behind his training ... read more »]]> http://www.terracetalk.com/articles/588/My-New-Book--The-Heart-and-Soul-of-Kerry-Football Fri, 24 Jun 2016 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.terracetalk.com/articles/588/My-New-Book--The-Heart-and-Soul-of-Kerry-Football It was always going to be a very difficult task for Clare, facing Kerry in Killarney in conditions perfect for championship football. A balmy June day, the taste of championship football in the air, big colourful crowd and the home county taking the first steps on a journey that must end with an All-Ireland victory, yes expectations are that demanding. So before they'd much time to settle into the task, Clare were faced with a mountain to climb on the scale of the daunting background that was the magnificent MacGillycuddy's Reeks. They also lost one of their central forwards before half-time as well, when Podge Collins was black-carded for a kick on Tadge Morley. It was a pity to see the brilliant dual player walking discontentedly to the side line. Whatever are the rights and wrongs ... read more »]]> http://www.terracetalk.com/articles/586/Eamonn-Fitzmaurice-will-have-learned-very-little-in-win-over-Clare Tue, 21 Jun 2016 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.terracetalk.com/articles/586/Eamonn-Fitzmaurice-will-have-learned-very-little-in-win-over-Clare It's one of my favourite Mick o Dwyer stories told by the late great South Kerry football   aficionado the late Tom Keane; he summed it all up to perfection when someone once remarked to him at a function how well O'Dwyer looked. Impeccable groomed in his pin striped Sunday suit and with a quiff of dark hair that was almost as black as a ravens wing. "There is nobody in the country like him for his age" the man exclaimed to Tom, "or maybe" he added in an afterthought, "maybe not even in the whole wide world". "There isn't" says Tom, "or in the next world".  Two weeks ago his beloved Waterville pulled out all the stops to honour their greatest ever son as he celebrated his 80th birthday and boy did they surpass themselves as GAA personalities came from far and wide in ... read more »]]> http://www.terracetalk.com/articles/589/Mick-o-Dwyer-At-80--The-Muhammad-Ali-of-Gaelic-Football- Tue, 14 Jun 2016 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.terracetalk.com/articles/589/Mick-o-Dwyer-At-80--The-Muhammad-Ali-of-Gaelic-Football- And so we begin yet another jaded, unfair and uneven Munster football championship, unknown to ourselves we have become accustomed to the same old story in this province, easy wins for Kerry and Cork in the opening rounds, often much more than just easy, sometimes humiliation for the so called weaker teams. And still year after year the powers that be continue to accept this lop sided championship. Yes of course very occasionally we do have some close calls for Kerry and Cork in Munster as they qualify to meet each other year after year, but this is as rare as hen's teeth. How often have we heard managers of Kerry and Cork remark after a Munster final, "our warm up game in the first round was a great help". Because sad to say that is what these games are to Kerry and Cork, quite simply ... read more »]]> http://www.terracetalk.com/articles/585/Change-of-minds-badly-needed-for-jaded-provincial-championships Tue, 07 Jun 2016 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.terracetalk.com/articles/585/Change-of-minds-badly-needed-for-jaded-provincial-championships The big news all last week was the saga of the Jose Mourinho appointment as Manchester United manager as he eventually replaces Luis Van Gaal, who was sacked on last Monday week despite winning the FA Cup - United's first piece of silverware post-Sir Alex Ferguson ere. The Dutchman's failure to secure a top four finish ultimately cost him his job. However I wonder who was after whom? Were United after Mourinho or was Mourinho after United? He had always dropped the hints here and there that he would one day like to manage the Manchester giants. It would have been very interesting to see what would have happened if Van Gall had steered United to a 4th place in the Premiership and secured a place in Europe. However I don't believe that this would even have secured his job. With Pep ... read more »]]> http://www.terracetalk.com/articles/583/The-Special-One-is-not-my-cup-of-tea Tue, 31 May 2016 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.terracetalk.com/articles/583/The-Special-One-is-not-my-cup-of-tea  Anthony Morris is one of the most passionate Kerry football men you would meet in a day's march, the Spa club man exudes in the greatest possible manner all the passion, pride and hunger which epitomizes all that is great and good in Kingdom GAA people. To spend time in his company and talk football is a wonderful and enriching experience. As a young boy he constantly viewed the The Golden Years DVD of Mick o Dwyer's magnificent Kerry All Ireland winning teams. "Watching it inspired me and literally drove me on to pursue my ambition of wearing the green and gold", he told me when I visited him at his home in Glenflesk last Monday week.   He certainly achieved his boyhood dreams representing his county at minor, under 21 and junior level, he won his All Ireland with the Kerry ... read more »]]> http://www.terracetalk.com/articles/582/Help-Anthony-Morris-fight-Lyme-Disease Tue, 24 May 2016 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.terracetalk.com/articles/582/Help-Anthony-Morris-fight-Lyme-Disease 1959 was a marvellous summer, marvellous in weather, but also because Kerry had qualified for the All Ireland, beating Dublin by 2 points in the semi-final. Galway would be their opponents having beaten an up and coming Down team in the other semi-final. There was great anticipation leading up to the match as two of the Galway team, Jack Mahon and Jack Kissane had Tarbert and North Kerry connections. Jack Kissane was from Ballydonoghue, an army captain stationed in Galway and Jack Mahon, playing at centre half back, was the brother of Mrs. Eithne Creedon, our chemist since 11th October 1946, and Jack Mahon had on occasion donned the Tarbert jersey. In the lead up to the game, the clash between the Kerry captain Mick O' Connell and Frank Evers was very much debated, as was the threat ... read more »]]> http://www.terracetalk.com/articles/584/Recollections-of-the-1959-All-Ireland-Final Thu, 19 May 2016 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.terracetalk.com/articles/584/Recollections-of-the-1959-All-Ireland-Final And so the race for the Bishop Moynihan Cup commences next weekend, who will be the new Kerry county champions, who will succeed Brian Sheehan as captain? And indeed congratulations to Brian and his new bride on their recent marriage, no doubt the towering mid fielder one of the great county championship performers in recent years will have a big say in the title ambitions of the holders South Kerry. While the real drama and excitement will not materialise until the knock out stages are reached this championship second only to Kerry's involvement in the All-Ireland series provokes all sorts of reminiscences, questions, queries and  memories of great games, great players and titles won and lost. No doubt the great John Mitchels club of Tralee will have a special county championship ... read more »]]> http://www.terracetalk.com/articles/581/The-County-Championship-shapes-and-moulds-great-Kerry-footballers Tue, 10 May 2016 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.terracetalk.com/articles/581/The-County-Championship-shapes-and-moulds-great-Kerry-footballers I suppose it would be fair to say when the news broke last week that Tommy Walsh was opting out of the Kerry panel following that latest defeat to Dublin it was not a complete shock as the big Kerins o Rahillys man had slipped well down the rankings in the Kerry panel and while not getting a run in last years All Ireland final was bad enough being completely overlooked again in the league defeat to Dublin was literally the very last straw. It must have been very evident to him that the selectors did not have him high in their plans for the coming championship so he is in my opinion perfectly correct and has made the right decision to step away for the time being. Now I have deliberately said, for the time being; because I see no reason why Tommy cannot regain much of the form he showed ... read more »]]> http://www.terracetalk.com/articles/580/Tommy-Walsh--too-good-too-young-and-too-passionate-about-Kerry-football-to-finish-his-inter-county-career-like-this Tue, 03 May 2016 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.terracetalk.com/articles/580/Tommy-Walsh--too-good-too-young-and-too-passionate-about-Kerry-football-to-finish-his-inter-county-career-like-this The one and only crumb of consolation for Kerry supporters and players leaving Croke Park last Sunday was the fact that , "it was only the league", and the championship is yet to come, and as every football supporter knows Kerry and their side line men are always and will be always be finally judged on their championship performance. However following this eleven point drubbing it's difficult to be very optimistic as the championship begins and Dublin, if form goes as expected will once again await Kerry in the All Ireland semi-final. For me the biggest disappointment was the fact that there was a genuine expectancy by many Kerry followers, myself included, that Kerry in the middle of a great league run would really put it up to the Dubs this time around and if thing went well ... read more »]]> http://www.terracetalk.com/articles/577/Groundhog-Day-for-Kerry-in-Croke-Park Tue, 26 Apr 2016 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.terracetalk.com/articles/577/Groundhog-Day-for-Kerry-in-Croke-Park As we look back on 2015, I begin to count. 60 years since my first football final in 1955, sitting with my mother in the Cusack Stand.  Four finals missed in the intervening years; but four replays attended, therefore I had completed 60 finals and 2015 was my 61st. Kerry played in a remarkable 34 of those, the results dividing as follows – 20 won, 12 lost, 2 drawn. For most, I was based in Dublin but for the last three, I've been able to spend some of the preceding week in Kerry. A few days at Listowel Races, talk about tips, winners, losers but the match never far away in any conversation. And so, in 2011, '14 and '15, I've been a supporter travelling from Kerry, literally up for the match on the Saturday. An afternoon drive, listening to predictions from the so-called ... read more »]]> http://www.terracetalk.com/articles/579/2015--Kerry-vs-Dublin--My-61st-Final Fri, 22 Apr 2016 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.terracetalk.com/articles/579/2015--Kerry-vs-Dublin--My-61st-Final This was one of the most famous finals of all. It was the classic city against country clash, the jackeens versus the culchies. Although they had contested the previous two finals, winning one, losing one, Kerry were complete outsiders. Dublin hadn't played in a final for thirteen years but their new policy of selecting native Dubs only seemed successful. Dublin were seen as a machine. They were National League and Leinster champions, overwhelming All-Ireland winners Meath in both finals. Their outstanding and unorthodox full forward Kevin Heffernan roved out the field and terrorised opposing defences. Kerry were the team with tradition. They had won seventeen All-Irelands, an average of one in every three years since their first victory in 1903. But many felt that their ... read more »]]> http://www.terracetalk.com/articles/578/1955--Kerry-vs-Dublin--My-First-Final Wed, 20 Apr 2016 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.terracetalk.com/articles/578/1955--Kerry-vs-Dublin--My-First-Final It's amazing to realise as Kerry approach their big clash with Dublin in next Sundays National League final that in what was one of the greatest ever league finals just a few thousand Kerry fans were present to see them win and only a handful actually left their homes in Kerry to see the game. I refer here, and most readers will be unaware of this to the long forgotten league final of 1969 played in Gaelic Park New York city, a final that went to a draw and re-play. It was a historic and memorable occasion, a game in which both teams were captained by Kerrymen which is greatly historic in itself. Unfortunately league finals unlike All Ireland finals are quickly forgotten and are rarely if ever brought up in conversation despite the fact in my experience they have provided some ... read more »]]> http://www.terracetalk.com/articles/576/Fitzmaurices-men-to-avenge-recent-defeats-to-the-Dubs-in-League-Final Tue, 19 Apr 2016 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.terracetalk.com/articles/576/Fitzmaurices-men-to-avenge-recent-defeats-to-the-Dubs-in-League-Final