Picture: Konrad Paprocki
Kerry 7-16 Kildare 0-10
HE’S back. With a bang.
And spare a thought for anybody that stands between him and his heart’s desire from now to September.
One of the greatest players the game has ever known – perhaps the greatest – is back on the rostrum conducting the orchestra and, from a Kerry perspective, the world suddenly seems a better and brighter place.
For a glorious hour this afternoon, Colm Cooper was back where he belongs, playing the tune to which Kerry danced as they glided into an All-Ireland semi-final with almost ridiculous ease.
It doesn’t really wash that opponents Kildare ply their trade at a lower level for when it comes to the white heat of the championship, anything can happen – and it usually does. Ask Brian Cuthbert.
The fact of the matter is that Colm Cooper and co were in such control of their own destiny that Kildare were made to look a lot less ordinary than they actually are.
The Lilywhites were completely outclassed, outsmarted and, frankly, brutally steamrolled into the Croker turf by a slick, smart and utterly cohesive footballing superpower that will have every reason to feel confident of adding to the county’s silverware on September 20.
One of the big talking points in the build-up to today’s game had been the absence of a Dr Crokes’ player from the selected starting line-up for the first time in a championship game in Croke Park since 2001.
Fate, as it happens, put paid to such chat as Colm Cooper got the late nod to spearhead the attack in the enforced absence of Kieran Donaghy who suffered a slight groin strain at training on Thursday night.
And Cooper showed us all just what we were missing with a master class that illuminated this year’s championship and proved beyond all doubt that, even after a year out, the magic dust is still liberally sprinkled on his boots.
Forget that he scored two of Kerry’s seven goals. Ignore the fact that he chipped in with three of his side’s 16 points. Just reflect, for a moment, on the incredible impact he had on proceedings, pulling all the strings, filling all the gaps, pointing out all the directions to take and managing proceedings with all the authority of a player at the very pinnacle of his game.
If Cooper was the assassin then the power-packed David Moran was the enforcer as he produced what was surely the most polished midfield performance of this year’s championship campaign.
Moran was the filter for this splendid Kerry performance, turning half chances into glorious opportunities as he fielded majestically and distributed perfectly for much of the hour. The partnership he has forged with big Anthony Maher has developed into the most finely-tuned engine room in Gaelic football and of that there is no doubt.
The story of the game is really best summed up in a scoreline that warrants a second take on a day on which Kerry had many heroes, with the back-with-a-vengeance Darran O’Sullivan showing just what we were missing, Stephen O’Brien turning in his best ever display in a green and gold jersey and the Kingdom defence perfecting the type of stubborn lockout for which they have become renowned.
And if any further evidence of Kerry’s sheer strength in depth is required, just consider the impact of the swashbuckling Tommy Walsh who leapt from the bench in the closing stages of the game and pulled two balls from the clouds with the type of conviction, authority and ease that would surely see him walk on to any other county team in the country.
Kerry’s second half goal fest – one of the most bizarre outcomes witnessed for quite some time – will surely give the sporting historians cause to sharpen their pencils and if they have any lead left at the end of that exercise, it can be filed away in a folder marked ‘magnificent seven.’
Tyrone or Monaghan now stand between Eamonn Fitzmaurice’s men and another All-Ireland final day at headquarters and all Kerry fingers will remain crossed in the hope that James O’Donoghue will recover from today’s injury in plenty of time to take his place against Ulster’s finest on August 23.
In a proud and success hungry county, one genius will never suffice.
Kerry scorers: Colm Cooper 2-3; Darran O’Sullivan 2-1; Stephen O’Brien 1-4; Barry John Keane 1-3; Donnchadh Walsh 1-0; James O’Donoghue 0-3; Paul Geaney 0-2.
Kerry: Brendan Kealy, Marc Ó Sé, Aidan O’Mahony, Shane Enright, Jonathan Lyne, Killian Young, Paul Murphy, Anthony Maher, David Moran, Stephen O’Brien, Bryan Sheehan, Donnchada Walsh, Paul Geaney, Colm Cooper, James O’Donoghue.
Subs: Barry John Keane for O’Donoghue (inj); Darran O’Sullivan for P Geaney; Peter Crowley for Ó Sé; Paul Galvin for D Walsh; Johnny Buckley for Sheehan; Tommy Walsh for Maher.
