'Tough year' had happy ending for O'Connor

Kerry manager Jack O'Connor ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy

Jack O’Connor has revealed how he almost stepped down as Kerry manager after last year’s All-Ireland SFC semi-final defeat to Armagh.

O’Connor also came in for fierce criticism following this summer’s heavy All-Ireland SFC round-robin series loss to Meath before turning the Kingdom’s fortunes around with three outstanding Croke Park performances against Armagh, Tyrone and Donegal that culminated in his fifth Sam Maguire success as manager.

“I found the year in general tough because you have to remember, around this time last year, we suffered a heartbreaking defeat to Armagh in a game that we appeared to be in control of,” he told reporters at the Clayton Hotel in Dublin ahead of Kerry’s victorious homecoming.

“Then I had my whole management broke up. So I had to try and put the management together while I was dealing with the personal heartbreak of losing an All-Ireland semi-final. That can be a tough lonely place to be, when you’re trying to do that.

“So right from this time last year, I found the going tough and there were times when I felt like packing it up, and whatever. I'm glad I stuck with it and saw the year out because, sure, we got the reward yesterday. But it was a tough year.”

O’Connor was delighted with Kerry’s All-Ireland final performance, adding: “What pleased me was that on the biggest day of the year, we had probably our best performance.

“And what pleased me was the way that the lads took the game to Donegal from the off. I think Gavin [White] winning the breaking ball from the throw-in, driving on, slipping it to Dylan Geaney, a young forward in his first All-Ireland, kicking a great score off his left foot, that's the start you want. You set the tone – the captain leads by example.”