A tricky Whit Sunday beckons for Kerry.
They might not have erected a neon sign reading Nothing To See Here, Folks outside Thurles, where they play on Sunday lunchtime. But they could probably do without as much early season fuss and attention.
But when the All-Ireland champions are rolling into town, they have no choice. It’s Dublin versus Kerry, the fixture that takes on a life of its own.
It is Gaelic football’s most celebrated rivalry; the contest in which the two counties love to measure themselves and the occasion which the rest of the country is encouraged to love.
Thirty-four league titles between them and 67 All-Ireland titles: together, these two counties have dominated and oppressed the rest.
Still, there is an abiding belief that as long as Dublin and Kerry are thriving, then the game is in good health. And that is why the football physicians will be keeping a close eye on this one.
Nothing that happened last winter suggested Dublin are becoming bored by the effort of winning All-Irelands. This summer, they go for their seventh All-Ireland title in a row.
In 2019, Kerry took the resident champions to the brink in a thrilling All-Ireland final that went to a replay. But last year, they were sunk by an audacious injury-time goal by Cork in the knockout Munster semi-final. Tipperary eventually conquered the summit in the province.
The general assessment was that Kerry were preparing for a game that they never got to play. And they copped hell for it. A long lockdown winter was their fate; time to ruminate and fester and have a late night dram and dust down the Golden Years video cassette and, mostly, to wait until next year.
Now, next year has arrived. All of Kerry’s angst flowed through their opening day performance, when they posted a frankly indecent 4-21 against Galway. Three of the goals came from David Clifford. Across the majestic county, the blood stirred. They were excited by what they saw.
Afterwards, Kerry manager Peter Keane was eager to put what the world straight on what they had just witnessed.
“It is like a challenge game,” he emphasised.
“In normal circumstances we would be doing this away behind closed doors, away from everybody; two counties coming together and see how we are going.”
Cunning plan
Now, you don’t get to be Kerry manager without having a cunning plan and Keane’s downplaying was quickly interpreted as Kerry cuteness.
But his observations were on the money. This isn’t a ‘real’ league. It’s shortened and played behind closed doors and teams have no choice but to use it as championship preparation. Both Kerry and Dublin are likely to rotate their teams for the game.
Kerry know what it is like to taste victory over Dublin, having edged them out in a full-blooded league encounter in Tralee two years ago. Last year, the teams engaged in a terrific January drawn game. It didn’t change anything.
Whatever Kerry are planning for Dublin won’t be in evidence today. Both teams will be going after the win while revealing as little as possible. Because of that, an old-fashioned game of anything-happens football might just break out.
It has been a week for the GAA’s nostalgia factory. The teams are meeting in Thurles because Dublin relinquished home advantage as a punishment for breaking the Covid training ban.
The venue evoked immediate memories of the famous championship meeting between the counties 20 short summers ago. That was a turbulent, untidy game elevated into the ranks of a classic by the late sideline point kicked by Maurice Fitzgerald as pandemonium reigned
Fitzgerald is back on the sidelines as a selector now. Dublin took up where they left off last year, smoothly defeating Roscommon as Cormac Costello posted 1-13 of their total score of 1-22.
Here was all we needed to know: a prolific attacking talent and seven-time All-Ireland winner, Costello has had to be content with impact substitute roles for many seasons. But here he was, seizing a chance, eager to impress, brimming with the right attitude. It was a clear signal that nothing has changed.
A 1.45 start is hardly a box-office throw-in time but on these cold damp weekends of early summer, it’s a diversion. Chances are that’s how Kerry and Dublin see this too. A quick hello and see you later.
