It has been a tough winter in the Kingdom says Kerry selector Mikey Sheehy. "There was a lot of snipers around so we were ducking and diving."
Defeat to Mayo in the All-Ireland semi-final replay ended the senior team's summer but light still shone for Kerry on All-Ireland final day as the minors won their their fourth consecutive championship.
David Clifford was the star of that Kerry side. After rejecting - at least for the moment - the opportunity to play in the AFL, Clifford has been fast-tracked into the Kerry senior set-up.
Sheehy says that the Fossa forward will definitely see some action during the Allianz Football League.
Well, I’ll tell you, he’s training away with the senior players at the moment, we’re back there just a short while and he’s looking good, he’s an exceptional player. There’s going to be awful pressure on him and we’d be hoping that we’d manage him.
Eamon Fitz, I think, is very good at doing that with players but there is ferocious expectations when you see a guy, outside of the other minor games that he played, four goals and four points in an All-Ireland minor final. That’s absolutely phenomenal. He is the most talked about young player in the country. He’s big and he’s strong, he’s still only 19, he’ll be 19 this month.
He’s still only a kid, it’s a huge step up from minor to senior. But particularly the way all teams are strength and conditioned now.
Certainly, he will get game-time during the league, there’s no doubt about that.
The eight-time All-Ireland winner believes the Kerry public's expectations for Clifford are not unrealistic.
"The Kerry public can be very critical but they’re excited about him as well," said Sheehy who was speaking at the launch of the Allianz Football League in Croke Park on Tuesday.
I know for a fact that when David will play, and I hope he plays well but if he has a poor game people will be saying ‘ I wonder is he as good as they’re saying?’
But he is, he’s an exceptional lad. He has talent and there’s no doubt about it. I use this word patience and they have to be patient with him.
Last week, it was reported that Jonathan Lyne and Michael Geaney will not be part of the Kerry panel this year. Sheehy confirmed that Lyne has left, though could at some point come back into contention for a place.
However, he denied that Geaney, a cousin of All-Star Paul Geaney, has departed the panel.
"Bryan Sheehan’s retired, Mikey Geaney is still there. That was in some paper, Mikey’s injured but he’s back rehabbing and he’s part of the squad. "
Kerry selector Mikey Sheehy in attendance at the 2018 Allianz Football League Launch at Dublin Port Authority in Dublin. Dublin face Kildare under lights in Croke Park in the opening round on January 27th at 7pm, while Allianz Football League Division 1 holders Kerry host Donegal at Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney on Sunday January 28th and Galway take on Tyrone at Pearse Stadium in Galway. For more, see: www.gaa.ie Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
