BIG MATCH COUNTDOWN
DESPITE his roots, Legion boss Peter Keane won’t have any divided loyalties going into this Sunday’s Kerry senior football championship final against his native South Kerry.
And even though he played with St Mary’s of Caherciveen and the divisional side for many years, his sole focus now is to mastermind the Killarney club’s first SFC title since 1946.
But the astute Peter isn’t the only Caherciveeen man that will have conflicting emotions at Fitzgerald Stadium tomorrow afternoon.
Paudie Sheahan is one of living legends of the St Mary’s club and he went on to captain a star-studded South Kerry to the 1981 senior championship title against Austin Stacks.
His team-mates in that glorious campaign included household names like Jack O’Shea, John Egan, Ger Lynch, Brendie Murphy, Ger O’Driscoll and Patie Mahony.
The teak-tough divisional side retained their SFC crown the following year after a showdown with a Feale Rangers outfit that featured Tim Kennelly, Johnny Mulvihill and Sean Walsh who went on to become chairman of the Kerry County Board.
But Paudie, a construction company director, also had the opportunity to line out with Killarney Legion for a season when he moved to live in Killarney and he is remembered as a skilful, uncompromising, no-nonsense performer by his team-mates of that time.
Looking forward to tomorrow’s big showdown in the town he has called home for many years, Paudie believes a classic game could be in store and he finds it very hard to call it.
“They are two very good, tough teams and it could go down to the last kick of the game,” he told KillarneyToday.
“Legion are the flair team and they have more firepower up front but South Kerry have a very good defence.
“I think Legion seem to be a little big excitable but South Kerry have a few older heads and seem more relaxed,” said Paudie who played with Kerry at minor, under 21 and junior championship level.
He believes South Kerry are in with a great chance if they can contain James O’Donoghue and Conor Keane but, if not, there could well be Legion ribbons on the Bishop Moynihan cup shortly after 4 o’clock on Sunday..
And who will he be cheering for?
“I’m from Caherciveen. I was born and reared there and I’m still more of a South Kerry man than a Legion man but I’m just hoping for a great game,” he said.
