Kerry’s march to Sam should evoke a collective rethink among chasing pack

By Michael McMullan

WHEN Gavin White swept onto the scraps of Sunday’s All-Ireland final throw-in, Jack O’Connor’s message would’ve been fresh in the mind.

The finishing touches to the Kingdom’s 39th All-Ireland title was about playing on their terms. Not Donegal’s.

Before they got on the bus for Croke Park, O’Connor laid out a message that would’ve been repeated in the huddles and in the dressing. Attack the game.

As White soared into the heart of Donegal’s defence, Dylan Geaney peeled off. The Kerry skipper gave the pass. Geaney took on the shot, kicking across his body. Eleven seconds. Over the bar. Strike one.

The noise that greeted the score was as deafening as Kerry’s first quarter was on point.

They gave Shane Ryan kick-out options and closed down those in Patton’s radar to ones they could hammer.

David Clifford kicked nine points, was ruthless with what came his way, yet his brother Paudie and Gavin White were well in the man of the match conversation. For me, it was White.

Despite looking laboured, Seán O’Shea handled the ball over 50 times. He kicked six points and still had time to tag Michael Murphy on occasions on the cusp of Donegal’s two-point hotspot. Somewhere they never looked like impinging.

Going into Sunday’s final, Donegal needed to get a handle on the Cliffords and O’Shea. In the case of David, it was always going to be a damage limitation exercise.

That would be a passport to the stretch, the final quarter, where Donegal wanted to pull away from. Kerry tore that passport up.

On the flipside, Donegal’s spread of scorers needed to kick in again. Of their top ten scorers this season, nine kicked more than 0-20. Paudie Clifford became Kerry’s fifth on Sunday. Nearly half.

With Conor O’Donnell, Michael Murphy and Oisín Gallen kicking all but four of their 0-19 tally on Sunday, this is where Donegal’s title hopes ended.

Not getting enough primary ball was one part. The other – their running men spent too much time twisting and turning against Kerry players who have the balance to kick off either foot, including goalkeeper Shane Ryan.

The last thing on their mind getting on the overlaps that left them cutting through the teams they stretched all summer.

That’s why Dylan Geaney’s point after 11 seconds was so important. Kerry’s message was clear. Hello world, we’re coming for the big prize again.

The new rules fit Kerry hands like a glove. Two pointers and more space. Sunday’s final, like their win over Tyrone and Armagh, should be sounding an alarm to everybody else.

There are two times to plant a tree. 20 years ago and now. If you haven’t planted it 20 years ago, there no point in crying about it. You’d be better taking out a spade and plant one now.

The same can be said for coaching forward play, the basics, using both sides and bringing back one on one defending.

You might say the rules suit Kerry. The game suited them 38 other times before Sunday. They fit better now because they’ve traditionally been a kicking team. Now, they can do it properly, without having men hanging out of them.

That said, they are well able to mind the ball with a short passing game as well.

Unless the FRC make a u-turn, which they won’t, that’s the way the game is going. Everyone else must to go back to basics.

Every underage coach across the land should be taking a deep dive at their practice sessions this week. The same can be said for their families at home.

How much time is devoted to kicking versus the other skills? To using both feet. Kicking scores. Taking on a player. The bounce dummy to buy a split second. Counting a forward’s steps to four before getting the positioning correct to flick it away.

What does the end of session game look like? Is there a two-touch condition to prompt players to lift the head and see what’s on? To promote team play. Decision making won’t come by chance.

Is there small sided game option? Or is it always as many per team that fits the attendance, with far too many doing far too little?

The logistical spine behind coaching structures has never been better. Courses and knowledge. The building blocks are there.

I just feel Kerry on Sunday have laid down the gauntlet to everyone else. It’s no longer a case of limiting their 1-26 tally down to something like 1-15. You can’t. There’s too much space.

Without having watched it back yet, I can’t remember a Kerry attack on Sunday that didn’t result in a shot.

Starting with the very youngest age groups, the way forward has to be about getting players to perfect the kick, the pass, the score and to bring it all into decision making during a game.

Armagh coach Ciaran McKeever has developed a three-on-three game for primary schools. It’s what it says on the tin. Three players versus three players. Multiple teams. The team who uses their three ballers best will win.

Imagine that being a model rolled out everywhere. Think of the number of touches, decisions and changes of direction. Just like Dylan Geaney peeling around Gavin White’s run in the opening seconds on the biggest stage. Sunday in Croker.

The new rule enhancements have had their first test. A full league and championship season. There have been mistakes and tweaks.

It has led to a more open product but, the more things change, the more they say the same. Sam Maguire will winter in the Kingdom.

Football will always be about systems to a degree. And so it should. Structure has a place when a team needs a breather, with a slow attack. Teams will continue to mix zonal defending with man on man.

But, what does the plan look like that will down Kerry next year? It’s hard to make a case for it being a damage limitation one because it won’t work. Or probably won’t. Long-term plans can’t be built on a probably.

It will have to be a “if you score 20, we’ll score 22 or 23” approach. How do you perfect that in 12 months? An interesting question.

A better idea would be to take out a spade, dig a hole and plant the tree. Don’t wait another 20 years.

McKeever’s three v three games might just be where the next generation of flair comes from. When the school year returns, I must get along to have a look.

A need for greater forward play has been a drum I’ve beat a few times. Maybe that’s the Derry man in me and wondering why we’ve not had more than a handful marquee of inside men ever.

I still like the new rules. Kerry’s performance brought it out once again. It’s alright having people to carry the piano. There always needs to be someone to play it. Kerry always have a pianist.

Monday’s review podcast, looking back at Sunday’s All-Ireland final.