McKernan still up for the fight

By Niall McCoy

GAA press launches can be a mixed affair. For new kids on the block, it can be rather daunting to have a clutter of recording devises pushed in their direction.

More experienced hands may go through the motions, throwing out a few lines to keep the media happy with the intention of wrapping things up as quickly as possible.

When Kevin McKernan comes to an event to represent Down, you can guarantee that he will always have a huddle of journalists around him.

He has been on this beat long enough, this is season 14 after all, but he still brings the same energy and enthusiasm as he did in year one. His media work reflects his on-field style – a ball of energy.

Over these last few months in lockdown, when football has been on the backburner, the Burren man has had to look for other ways to direct that energy.

Not surprisingly, he has found productive opportunities.

He has opted to do a Masters in St Mary’s and has just started work on module one while recently his evenings have revolved around his ambassadorial work with Healthy Kidz – a health and activity programme aimed at primary school children.

“The last few months have allowed me to put a lot of time into my family and also some projects off the field too,” McKernan said.

“The Masters is in Primary PE in St Mary’s and I’m really looking forward to that.

“Then the opportunity came along with Healthy Kidz. I had a lot of time in the evenings so it meant that I was able to put my energy into something like that.

“It’s a meaningful initiative and it’s something I’m very passionate about, working with kids.

“They asked me on board with my background in sport and working with children through teaching, which was a nice fit for both of us.

“We have developed a summer skills camp that’s going to be applicable to a lot of clubs.

“Clubs are trying to engage their young players at home and this allows them to do that. We may not be able to coach hands-on with our children right now but this is very interactive and allows you to communicate with them.

“It’s an extensive programme and each skill is laid out clearly.

“The children are divided up and represent their adopted county, they’ll compete against their friends in teams of five or six. They’ll complete their challenges and their results will be recorded and they’ll be hoping that their team is the All-Ireland winner in the group.

“It’s a very exciting concept, we have had a lot of buy in from clubs and we have been having Zoom calls with them. We’ve a major sponsor in MFC Sports on board too so it’s coming together well.

“I have really enjoyed contributing to it in my free time recently.”

There have certainly been no idle evenings for McKernan, that’s not in his nature.

Last weekend’s announcement around a return to play protocol has left him excited, confused and determined along with a range of other emotions.

Football is back though, and that means training and playing – two things he adores. He is 32 now, but the thought of inter-county retirement hasn’t crossed his mind for a second.

McKernan recoils at the ‘indentured slaves’ (© Joe Brolly) image some have of county players. He knows that some are looking at him, wondering why he hasn’t pulled the pin yet, but he struggles to comprehend that viewpoint.

“I remember reading an article with Kevin Cassidy shortly after he retired. He said that not only was county football pulled from him, but so way his whole routine.

“It was essentially free personal training. You go there and you train hard, you were set times to be there by a motivational trainer.

“When you go now on your own it’s very hard to replicate that high level, high intensity setting. Nothing replaces training with a group of 30 lads, trying to get ahead of others.

“I love seeing the positive aspects of the game. I remember Pete McGrath saying how positive it was for a young fella to be committed to a county set-up.

“Training with friends, committing to something really purposeful and something that has a lot of meaning.

“Representing your county in front of so many people at such a high level of sport, what a privileged position to be in.”

That said, the player does have real question marks about how the picture will look in a few weeks’ time when club and county teams are eyeing up their first fixture.

“I think it’s great, but I think it leaves a lot of questions too in terms of what lies ahead, how this is going to work for a county player,” he said.

“I heard Conor McManus on The Sunday Game saying that it was going to be a massive change for county players in particular.

“How are these two teams going to train in tandem whilst giving priority to each team when needed?

“Hopefully the pandemic has made everyone realise that we do need to work together to get this thing sorted. At the end of the day everyone was crying out to get back. Now we have a condensed season and we have to make it work as best as we can without any team feeling that they can get a jump on others.

“Hopefully everyone is amicable in their dealings because I think it’s going to leave a lot of players in a difficult position.

“The clubs are getting priority and I’m delighted, absolutely delighted, but the county preparation is going to happen right in the heat of the club championship.

“It’s going to be a season like no other but it’s going to be a massive opportunity for everyone to stand up together and find a way that keeps everyone happy.”

As is stands, McKernan looks set to play club championship with Burren right up to, he hopes anyway, mid October. By that stage county teams should be back in training with the Mourne county set to face Fermanagh in the Ulster Championship.

Although not confirmed, a knock-out provincial tournament appears a certainty, and Down are on what appears to be the easier side of the draw with Antrim, Cavan and Monaghan their possible opponents if they get past the Erne county.

Even at this late stage of his career, McKernan is keeping the faith that he can experience an Ulster success.

It’s now 26 years since the Anglo Celt arrived in the Mourne county. From their first title in 1959 to their last in 1994, their longest wait had been 10 years. It’s a famine currently.

McKernan has tasted glory with current manager Paddy Tally in the form of a 2017 Sigerson Cup, and he is hopeful that they can share some silverware in the future too.

“Listen, I’ve had 13, 14 years of the Ulster Championship and nothing changes,” he said.

“You go in every year thinking that if you take out one team then it really opens up.

“In 2010 we took out Donegal, in 2012 we had a big win over Monaghan and likewise in 2017.

“One win and you’re usually in a semi-final, anything can happen. Monaghan got caught one year there with a fisted goal from Fermanagh and they went onto the Ulster final.

“People will laugh because we haven’t won one since ’94, and a lot of teams will have a similar thought process. I’ll tell you now, you go around most counties in Ulster and when they’re planning their year they’ll be saying ‘ if we can just win that match, we have a chance.’

“You wouldn’t play if you didn’t think you’d have that opportunity.

“This year will be no different. Fermanagh will be looking at us and seeing a Down team that can be picked off and we will be thinking the same about them.

“Whoever wins that is into a semi-final and then you never know from there.”

McKernan knows that the ability is in this current squad too, and he knows that there is something special about Down when they get on a charge.

The Burren man experienced that in 2010 as he played a key role in their unexpected march to the All-Ireland final.

After uninspiring Qualifier wins over Longford and Offally, the side hit 3-20 in a trouncing of Sligo. It didn’t do much more than raise eyebrows, but from there on they went on a real adventure.

Firstly they completely out-played Kerry in possibly the county’s best performance since 1994 and then they won a roller-coaster semi-final against Kildare. Cork would pip them in the final by a single point, but it was a terrific campaign.

They were viewed as a surprise packet, but through the benefit of time we can see just how talented that squad was, and McKernan was disappointed that they didn’t get their hands on trophies in the years that followed.

“It’s hard to believe it’s been 10 years, it’s gone so quickly,” he said.

“People always tell you how fast it goes when you’re starting out, but I suppose you don’t realise it until it happens.

“That run in 2010 was fantastic. Wicklow knocked us out in the Qualifiers the year before so to turn that around and put in a four-month period like that in the summer was incredible.

“There was something special about that team. Conor Laverty was speaking to me recently about the quality of the men you had on the bench. You had Conor himself, Rony Murtagh, Rony Sexton, Darren O’Hagan, Conor Maginn – serious options.

“It can develop very quickly and things can move fast if you have a certain group of players, it’s just a disappointment that we didn’t knock it on further.

“Sometimes things change. You look at Cavan this year who were decimated with players leaving. We felt that in the period from 2012 to 2015.

“There was a massive turnover in experienced players and we had to pick up the pieces from that.”

McKernan was up for the fight though, as he is now. Given that his father Brendan was one of the stars of the 1991 team, it’s no surprise that his son followed in his footsteps.

McKernan said that it was always something he wanted to do, even if Brendan didn’t put any pressure on him to follow his lead.

“With no pushing of the issue, it was something huge in the family.

‘The pictures were on the walls, they weren’t out in the hall but they were in the living room you were always in.

“You couldn’t help look at it and say ‘I’d love a piece of that.’

“I spoke to Conor Laverty recently about having to coach your own family. My dad has never managed me once.

“Conor said the same, that he’d find it hard to manage his young fellas when they grow up although he is doing it now when they’re young.

“My dad never pushed us towards anything, he just let us find our own path.

“When you see and hear stories about dad, you want to emulate him at club and county. Thankfully I’ve managed to live out that dream in some capacity.”

Success has arrived at school level with a Hogan Cup medal. There was that Sigerson win with St Mary’s and McKernan also has three county medals in his back pocket with the club.

He needs success with Down to complete the set, and he still has the time to experience some of what his father did in the red and black.

n.mccoy@gaeliclife.com