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Jack O'Shea feels conditions will be vital for Kerry success

Will Aidan O'Shea be tasked with trying to keep Kieran Donaghy under wraps again? We'll find out ...
Newstalk
Newstalk

15.55 24 Aug 2017


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Jack O'Shea feels cond...

Jack O'Shea feels conditions will be vital for Kerry success

Newstalk
Newstalk

15.55 24 Aug 2017


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Will Aidan O'Shea be tasked with trying to keep Kieran Donaghy under wraps again?

We'll find out soon enough as Kerry and Mayo's All Ireland semi final replay closes in.

Kerry legend Jack O'Shea knows a thing or two about reverting back to full back as he told Off The Ball's Oisin Langan as the ex-St Mary's clubman is inducted into the GAA Bord Gais Energy Museum Hall of Fame.

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"It all depends on the ball that's coming into Donaghy," said O'Shea, who feels the advantage often lies with a forward.

"It's not up to Aidan O'Shea really. He will contest anything that comes in because it's 50:50. But if Donaghy gets the advantage of a pass, there's nothing Aidan O'Shea can do about that. So it is a strange thing.

"It happened to me actually as well. Kerry tried to play me full back towards the end of my career when they were looking for a full back. I did it on one or two occasions. It's not an easy position to play. The forward has the advantage provided the ball coming in is right. But if there's pressure on the ball coming in and there is a chance there for the defender to win it, then you're happy enough. But more often than not, the forward has the advantage." 

But for O'Shea, if the conditions are better than last Sunday's rain-sodden clash, then Kerry will be better placed to perform on the day.

"If the conditions are dry, I think that's vital for Kerry. I think conditions play a big part for this Kerry team," he said.

"I think some of the players are much better when there's dry ball, fast ball and I think if Kerry start at a high tempo and not give Mayo the start they did last week, they could go on to dominate the game. But this is a very good Mayo team."


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