Eamonn Fitzmaurices diary

[Mickmack]

This diary from Mondays Examiner is not online.

You might need the magnifying glass to read it but its worth it.

Also...... I am including some interesting stats from the Evening Herald

Mick

[Mickmack]

[JOAN]

eamon a true gent and a great servent to kerry!!!

[fritz]

That diary made fascinating reading; it provided a great insight into the workings of the back room team before the game. Looking forward to Part II on Saturday.

I suspect the dogs may remain under guard for a bit longer!

[martym]

Good article .Who was the major sports personality that stood them up ?

[glengael]

I too am eagerly looking forward to Saturdays paper. I was struck by the amount of time dedicated to the cause. Its lucky Eamonn is a teacher and is off for a lot of the summer because you really would have no time to do anything else with your life. More and more it reminded me of Jack's book , a full time job for the selectors, what must it be like for the players and their families all year ? Huge unseen sacrifices, miles on the road, hours in front of the old DVD.

We are so lucky to have them.

[Deleted]

The selectors are obsessed with football the way most Kerry people are. You never get away from it in Kerry.

[mossie]

Appointing Eamon as a kerry selector was seen by some as a gamble by Jack. appears to have been a shrewd move.

a sound lad Eamon. Its no coincidence that when he retired from kerry in 2007 and threw himself into club activity with Lixnaw in hurling and Feale Rangers that both ended up as county champions. and both were not fancied that year or in their respective finals.

how he is playing with Finuge these days??

[the1theyalllove]

His display and leadership for Feale Rangers in the 07 final was fantastic - what a leader and one of the all time great speeches by a caption on county final day after accepting the cup. A pure gent.

[JOAN]

Loved the peice about pauls dog!!! funny!!.

[homerj]

anybody read it yet? im off to the shop soon for it.

[fortyyards]

Sept 26, 2009 10:17:55 GMT homerj said:

anybody read it yet? im off to the shop soon for it.

Very enjoyable read,
Eamon is a fine writer and provides an insight to the extent of the preparations necessary to be successful. He puts tyo bed all the talk that went on during the summer about an unhappy camp.

[the1theyalllove]

Part I of Kerry selector, Eamonn Fitzmaurice's widely-acclaimed diary leading up to the All-Ireland SFC final against Cork. Part II will appear in the Irish Examiner on Saturday Sept 26th.




SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 12TH
WE STAYED in the Hotel Europe in Killarney last night. Most of the housekeeping has been taken care of. Tickets were given out and suits were distributed and fitted. It frees up next week to totally focus on the match. Sideshows are to be avoided at all costs at this stage. This is an experienced bunch though.

The Europe has become a luxurious refuge this summer for the occasional treat for the players. It is situated right on the lakes of Killarney. The pool facilities are among the best in the country as is the meeting room we use with the latest in audio-visual technology. It is perfect for our video analysis meetings. The clientele that frequent the hotel has no interest in football so unusually in Kerry we are left to our own devices.

The management had a very constructive meeting last night. We discussed our own team ad naseum. There is going to be a couple of very disappointed players when we eventually finalise the team early next week. That is definitely the tough part of the job. These players have given so much all year and have endured such criticism over the summer that leaving players out is so hard. Kieran Donaghy has started to move very well again which means he deservedly comes into the 30. Someone else will have to drop out. Tough stuff.

We have Cork analysed forensically. They have not got too many weak points. We will need to attack their strong points. We will have to be on top of Quirke’s kickouts and we will have to stop them building from the back. This could pan out like the hurling final. We might have to hang onto them at the start when they come at us and then go and win the game in the last 15 minutes when experience counts.

Marc O Sé tipped us all off to the footage of Tommy Walsh at the Kilkenny homecoming on YouTube. Very funny. I hope we are in a similar position Tuesday week in Glenbeigh. Funny as it was there was a comment in it that struck a chord with me. Walsh said that when Brian Cody first took over Kilkenny he told the players he wanted to create a spirit that could never be broken. We will need a similar spirit tomorrow week.

The media day was held in the stadium this afternoon. About twenty of the players and the management faced the scribes. Another job done.

Ger O'Keeffe enjoys the press day. The man's energy is boundless. Ger is a details guy and he enjoys getting the logistics spot on. He is known for this. However, what is not appreciated is his knowledge of football. He is very sharp and is especially good at reading people and their focus coming into games. I have roomed with him all year and as the year has progressed we have formed a strong bond. I have even learned to deal with his incredibly loud snoring.

I watched the Irish Derby tonight. The McKennas from Lixnaw had a dog running. College Causeway started as favourite and despite a less than ideal start won the race and the cheque for €175000. Significantly a Cork dog was beaten in the race.



SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 13TH

A RARE sleep in this morning. Watched Cork and Tyrone again. The more I see of Cork the more important I realise Patrick Kelly is to them. He gives them a serious link and his energy knows no bounds. He makes them tick. He will have to be man marked. We will have to deny him possession. Killian Young will be the man for that job.

Took it easy for the afternoon. Went to Fenit with Tina and my dog Roo. We went for a very long walk and enjoyed the fine day. It is hard to switch off at this stage but it is important to get away from the hoopla occasionally.

I am a small bit worried about Tadghie (Kennelly). There are a lot of demands being put on him. It is important for him to get away from it all and to be ready to explode onto the pitch on Sunday. He is very experienced from his time in Australia. But the big difference between a Grand Final and an All Ireland final is that the Grand Final comes a week after the semi final. The build up starts midweek and the game is upon the players before they know it. They are also shielded by the club. We have a three-week gap to the final with a serious build up for a week. Tadgh is mentally tough though.

Ger, Alan O'Sullivan and I played golf in Barrow this evening. We decided to have an outdoor meeting rather than be cooked up inside on a beautiful day.

Alan has been a revelation as the physical trainer. I have done a lot of the training and have thoroughly enjoyed it. He has brought great ideas from his rugby background. His work ethic is unbelievable. He has been on call all day every day. He has taken one on one sessions at 7am and at 9pm. He has nursed Donaghy back to health. Twice. Donaghy has shown serious mental strength to put himself back in the frame. He deserves a lot of credit for his attitude and especially for the way he responded to the second setback.

I watched the Sunday Game preview tonight. Was shocked to see myself on it. Did a piece for Six One and it appeared here. I said “If we have all our panel playing as well as they can we will be well there.” I hope my words will not be misconstrued as over-confidence anywhere. Tina assures me I'm being paranoid.

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 14TH

AWAKE early this morning. The sun is shining and my brain is whirring. The dog gets aroused from her slumber earlier than usual and we go for a pre school walk to clear my head. I hope this time next week I am happy. I want that content Monday morning feeling that winning an All Ireland brings.

Teaching is a welcome distraction at times from the upcoming game. It took a week to get up to speed. I am back in routine now and am enjoying school. The match is still not far from my mind. Mike Mac has been a revelation for us since he came back. There was a bit of disquiet in the county initially with certain pundits wondering why youth was not given a chance. Mike Mac is one of the best 32 footballers in the county (which is the basic criteria to be on any panel) so I don’t think we have any apologies to make. I think Mac will have a different role on Sunday. He has enjoyed the freedom of the half back line so far but for the final, he may have to curb his attacking instincts. Pierce O Neill is a very important figure for Cork. He is their leader upfront. He is an option for kick outs particularly from the 20 metre line and if he gets a run on you, you are dead. Mac will have to stick onto O'Neill and stop his runs at source. I feel that if he is stopped as he gathers possession he might not be as effective. Mac will still get a chance to play a bit of ball when we are in possession. His defensive duties will come first this time though.

I became a member of Ballybunion Golf Club earlier this year. I have played a nice bit of golf over the summer. I find it a great place to get away from it all and along with walking the dog I find it is where I get my best brainwaves. Played there with my Dad and brother Ciarán this evening. Back in Tralee for 9pm for an impromptu meeting with Jack and Ger. We are still mulling the make up of our forwards. We have two options that are causing us a lot of consternation. We agree to sleep on it.

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 15TH

SPOKE to Jack on way to school this morning. We thrash everything out one more time and agree to resume at 5pm in The Park Hotel in Killarney – our usual stomping ground for finalising the team. Donnacha Walsh is going to be the odd man out. I feel very bad for him. He epitomises everything a management want in a player. He is completely honest and thinks only of the team never putting his own ego first. He has been consistently good all year and has been going very well in training. It is a tough, tough decision and it is hard on Donnacha. Jack is going to meet him after training and explain our thinking to him. He will still have a huge role to play when introduced.

Jack is in great form. This is transmitting itself to the lads and there is a relaxed and concentrated feeling to training. The session went well. It was very light. Short and snappy and the lads are off the field again after 45 minutes. We did a light warm up, did a few football drills and played a very handy conditioned game. The lads are hopping off the ground. Everyone looks very sharp. The graph has been steadily rising since the one bad session we had after the Meath semi-final. We are just where we need to be. I spoke to Diarmuid, Darragh and Seamus after the session briefly about our kickout strategy. The lads are all happy the direction we are going and are well focused. Darragh is relaxed and seriously tuned in. He is going to have a huge game on Sunday. I can feel it off him. It may or may not be his last game for Kerry but he ain’t going to leave the side down.

An avalanche of gear has landed and is given out to the lads. They * about the gear when it's not arriving but when it comes they hardly look at it!

I can’t get Donnacha out of my head on way home from training. I feel I have to touch base with him. Of course he was bitterly disappointed but he understood where we were coming from. I remind him of the serious impact he made as a sub in the Antrim game. More of the same will be needed on Sunday. He said he will be ready and he will do whatever job we ask of him. Typical Donnacha.

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 16TH

EN ROUTE to Dingle my thoughts wander to the aftermath. Alan Quirke is getting married the Saturday after the All Ireland. We are good mates from our UCC days. Tina and I will be attending. Quirke and Anthony Lynch, to their eternal credit, came to my wedding less than a month after the 2007 final and it must have been very tough for them. One more reason to prevail. If Cork get the upper hand that will be a tough station.

When I got home from school I watched Cork and Limerick. Again. Conked on the couch. I woke to the sight of Canty driving forward and putting in the ball for Goulding’s decisive goal. We have to, have to, put Canty on the back foot. We have to make him defend. If we take that away from Cork it is a huge part of their game plan.

Went for a long walk with the dog this evening. While I’m walking I try to envisage what is going on in Counihan’s head this week. He is a cool customer but this is his first All-Ireland as manager. It's ten years since he was last at his stage under Tompkins' watch. Cork have not won an All Ireland since 1990. He must feel some pressure.

I called to Paul (Galvin) this evening. He is in great form. I have never seen him so relaxed. He has really enjoyed the season, with his harsh dismissal in Pairc Uí Chaoimh the only real downer. He is in the form of his life. His stomach muscle is still a small bit sore but he will be fine for Sunday. He will have a massive game. I can see it in him. When I’m walking up home I reflect on how different this year is for him.

We got some disappointing news this evening. We had lined up a prominent sports personality to speak to the lads on Thursday evening. He has pulled out at the last minute. Apparently he has been advised not to do it – whatever that means. The players are not aware of our plans so any potential damage has been limited. We are bound to have some setback this week - if this is the biggest one, I'll take it.

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 17TH

TONIGHT is our last get together before the weekend. We again head for the Hotel Europe. A swim, food and the make-or-break meeting. Jack, Ger and I meet early. We run through all the video footage. Jack is cranky. Ger knows Jack as well as anyone. He knows when to push and he knows when to stay quiet. He gives me a knowing wink this evening. Don’t rock the boat. We look through all the video clips and discuss them as we go. We thrash out Seamus Scanlon’s role. He has been performing excellently as a soccer-style holding midfielder. He won’t be going back as far as he normally does on Sunday. Cork don’t go long. We are going to employ him behind midfield as a safety. If any of the Cork runners breach our initial line, Scanlon will be there to engage and tackle them. I can see this working very well. If Cork do decide to go long it will be easy enough for him to drop a little deeper.

We meet the lads in the pool. To a man they are relaxed and are enjoying each other's company. There are no cliques. They have been through a lot together this year and for the last number of years. They are a united bunch.

Jack relaxes after the swim and is in good form by the time the meeting starts. This is where he comes into his own. Video analysis is only as good as the presenter. He becomes more animated with each clip. The teacher comes out in him. The team game plan is explained, as is each player's role. He is able to back up each point forcibly with a relevant Cork or Kerry clip. Much of it is reminding the players of what they are capable of. There is no room for any fuzziness or any loopholes. As far as I can see there are none. I observe the lads as he is addressing them. To a man they are tuned in. They are up for this. A few players speak. Scanlon and Gooch speak very well. Great meeting.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18TH

SCHOOL is nuts today. All Ireland fever. The Idirbhliain (Transition Year) run a Kerry jersey day. Usually there is some genius that wears the oppositions jersey to get a rise out of me. Funnily enough no Cork jerseys.

When I get home I head for Banna with the dog. I love it here. I always came here as a player to go for a walk before heading for Dublin. It is a great place to think. The mountains and the sea. Kerry.

I’m confident. I go through all scenarios. We are way ahead of where we were in June. As a group and individually. I remarked to Alan the night we lost to Cork that if they managed to maintain that level until September 20^th they would deserve to be All-Ireland champions. I still feel the same. I think our lads have too much character and pride to get turned over twice in a row. There is too much at stake here.

I think after losing the final last year many of them just wanted to fast forward back to this point. This is what they play for. This week and this game.

Tina and I head for a quite bite of grub to relax. There are well wishers everywhere. The text messages are flying. Darragh sends me a very funny text this evening. We have a similar sense of humour. I give him a buzz and we have a good laugh. I keep coming back to that word. Relaxed.

Tonight is the first night in two weeks that I get a chance to play Tiger Woods on the Xbox. Tiger is wearing his Sunday red and I defeat him 4&3 in Turnberry. Good to defeat the red jersey. Before going to bed I pack everything. I did not think this time last year I would be packing a bag for an All Ireland final again so soon. I vow to enjoy the weekend as much as possible and to do everything in my power to help the lads to get over the line.

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 19th (Part I)

HERE we go. I slept well but am awake early. I definitely slept better as a player. Napoleon survived on four hours sleep a night. I can sleep next week.

I hit the road for the last walk of the week. I have certain piseogs that have to be adhered to. The dog has to accompany me down a country lane close to our house in Tralee. I go there before every major game, club or county. We have been following this ritual since before the All Ireland quarter final in 2004 against Dublin. We don’t hang around this morning. I have a few jobs to do.

I have one last look at Alan Quirke’s kickouts. I think we are ready for them. They are a huge part of the Cork gameplan. We have to put them backwards here. Nicholas Murphy likes to flick the occasional Cork kick out to an onrushing player that escapes the clutter of bodies. We will have to put the relevant players on guard to this set play.

Normally when I go anywhere my parents take care of the dog. With the occasional mass exodus we turn to a dog minder in Tralee. This weekend she is minding our dog, Paul’s dog (a true example of a dog matching its owners personality), Micheál Quirke’s dog and Pat Flanagan’s dog. Wendy has her place bedecked in green and gold. There is a great buzz and feeling of expectation everywhere.

I collect Ger and Alan and we head for Killarney. The form is good. Ger is buzzing. Alan is revelling in his first All Ireland. We meet everyone in the Malton in Killarney. We have our lunch here. Jack is relaxed and is shooting the breeze with a few of the players. The lads are in great form and the atmosphere is positive. We board the train and head for Dublin. We travel with a spirit that won’t be broken."

[the1theyalllove]

Part II of Kerry selector, Eamonn Fitzmaurice's widely-acclaimed personal diary on the All-Ireland SFC final against Cork. Public reaction to the article, which appeared in the print edition of the Irish Examiner on Saturday, Sept 26th, has been staggering.


SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 19th (Part II)

“WE HAVE great fun on the train journey to Dublin. The lads are all in high spirits. There is a big cheer when two unlucky photographers getting shots of the lads departing are still aboard as the train pulls off. Normally we drive to Mallow and get the train there. This time we are going from Killarney so we face a longer journey time (I’m not sure whether this decision had anything to do with Clamp-gate after the semi-final). The management are busy organising a quiz for the lads to while away an hour. Niall (Botty) O’Callaghan has organised three sets of prizes to ensure we keep their attention. We come up with the questions easily enough. Ger has us all in stitches when while looking through the paper, he spots an advert for a leading mezzo-soprano. He suggests we include this question. Nobody gets it right. The round that drew the biggest cheers was the baby picture round — we had gathered photos secretly. Kieran Donaghy did not recognise himself. Tomás, Tommy Griffin, Killian and Bryan Sheehan won. Some of their answers were suspiciously good. Sheehan has an iPhone. Internet maybe?

When we arrive in Dublin, it’s suitably low key. On previous years there have been cameras present. Not this time. We head straight for the bus and to our base for the weekend, the Radisson Hotel in Stillorgan. We have an hour to relax before our kickaround in nearby Belfield. It is great to have everyone fit. It is the first time all year long that everyone has been available for selection. Back on the bus, a quick shower and dinner. Jack and a couple of the players are a bit late coming for dinner. Big mistake with some of the savages on the panel. The buffet-style dinner is wolfed down, and there’s a delay while the staff hurriedly prepare more food. Jack is sitting beside me, stewing. The delay is annoying him. He is simmering under the surface. Rather than blow a fuse he goes outside for a walk. In a previous existence, he would have lost the canopy. He does not burn energy like that any more.

We have a squad meeting after dinner but with the evening balmy and the room stuffy, Jack decides we’ll walk down to the end of the hotel grounds and have our meeting there. Another masterstroke. Jack runs through our basic game plan again with the whole group. He is making sure everyone is 100% tactically aware. A few players speak. Darragh is prominent in the meeting.

He is desperate to win this game.

The management head off for a walk towards Booterstown. We walk and talk. We are all very happy with the way things are panning out. We have no nagging doubts about any part of our game plan. Jack feels that a Kerry team has never been as well prepared for a final and hopes the performance will reflect that. It is a beautiful night and the weather forecast is good for tomorrow. I think a dry ball will suit us.

When we get back to the hotel Ger meets the hotel manager to make sure everything is in place for Sunday. He goes through all the arrangements one last time. He is leaving nothing to chance. We call to Jack’s room. We run through the likely substitutions. Every permutation is covered. We can only bring on 5 but up to 10 of the lads are in the frame. We will have to play it as we see it. It is a great comfort having such a strong panel and having so many of the lads going well. We have used the full complement of subs in every game throughout the year. We decide to call it a night.




SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20th

I’ve slept surprisingly well. I wake around 4am and fall asleep again until 8am. I open the curtains to a beautiful day. Great. Head for the gym with Alan. Every game that we had an overnight during the year, we did a session the morning of the game. He has gone through his full repertoire with me from boxing to rowing to a bike session he aptly calls the microwave. I have a hamstring injury at the moment from a club game two weeks ago so we do a weights session this morning. Flanagan also joins us. Great to burn off a bit of energy. We head for breakfast. Alan and I go for a walk after. We meet Jack out the back. He is jumping out of his skin. He reckons not alone is he ready to manage, he’s ready to play.

Before Mass, Jack wants to get the six forwards together in his room. He goes through what he expects of each one of them and then he opens the floor to the lads. He provides them with the forum but keeps them focused on the important points. Great stuff comes out of the lads. They have all the knowledge; they just need to be guided. Great meeting. This is probably Jack’s biggest strength. He brings the best out of everyone. If he has a big secret, that is it.

Manchester-based Fr John Ahern, from Farranfore, says the mass in the hotel for us. At the end of the mass he says that for one day we don’t have to love our neighbour as ourselves! He also tells us he wants to show us the colours he will be wearing today and he holds a folded red jersey in his hands. He could not have a Cork jersey could he? When he unfurls it a combined Kerry and Man United jersey is revealed. All of us United fans got a good kick out of it. Gooch, Sean Bán and a few of the Liverpool boys are not amused.

We again head for Jack’s room and meet the back unit and midfielders. Again we have a very focused meeting. Every player is very clear on their roles and what is expected of them. After the lads leave Jack, Ger and I go through everything one last time.

Everything is covered.

We head to lunch. I eat very little. I don’t have much of an appetite. The physios and the masseuses are finished with the lads so I get a quick rub on my hamstring. I want to be able to run onto the field with messages as required. It would be very embarrassing to pull up. That would definitely be a YouTube moment.

We have one last word before getting on the bus. Jack now appeals to the lads’ emotions. The passion is bursting out of him at this stage. He has purposely timed his run. It is

perfect. There is tension in the room, good tension. Jack has been unbelievable in this final meeting throughout the Championship. The big games bring the best out of him. Like this team. The lads are buzzing as they enter the bus.

The Garda escort takes us to Croke Park. We enter the dressing rooms and immediately everyone defaults into their personal routines. I have a quick look out at five minutes of the minor game to take in the atmosphere. There is a different feel to All-Ireland final day. A special feel. I come back in and help Alan get the warm-up room ready. Jack has a quiet word here and there. They are ready. Before the jerseys are given out, I go around and wish every member of the panel the best. I do this prior to every game. Another piseog. The jerseys are handed out. As each player receives his jersey there is a round of applause and words of encouragement from team-mates. This is not planned or rehearsed. We normally do not do it. It is perfect. We form a circle in the warm-up room. Jack speaks one last time. He tells the lads to do this for Darragh and with that they take to the field.




GAME TIME

As usual, AS USUAL the game flies. Cork come out of the traps. We expected that. They go five points up. Our lads show their experience and stick to the gameplan. No panic. After Tommy G concedes the goal, Jack and I watch the replay on the big screen. We notice Tommy slipping which enables Colm O’Neill to win the ball uncontested. I run down to reassure Tommy. When I go into him he turns to me confidently and says he is fine. Just what I wanted to hear. Jack is happy when I tell him. Tommy goes on and plays one of his best ever games for Kerry.

Our forward positioning is causing Cork match-up problems. Kieran O’Connor has ended up at full back and Declan is causing him a world of bother. Miskella ends up going back. This is one major attacking platform removed for Cork. Tadhgie is moving Canty back and over across the field. He does him for two points. Canty has to defend now. He is doing so much running after Tadghie, he does not have the legs to get up the field. Another major plank of our game plan is working. We are robbing Cork of forward momentum by putting this pair on the back foot.

Tommy is on top of Shields. He kicks two great first-half points and adds two more in the second half. Each of these points came when the need was greatest. Even though the whole country tells us we don’t have a freetaker, Gooch is flawless kicking two out of his six with his right leg.

Mike Mac is very tight on Pierce O’Neill both in general play and for Alan Quirke’s kickouts. Mac is breaking everything. Paul, in particular, is picking up the pieces. Mac is not allowing O’Neill to rule the skies and he is not allowing him any run at goal. O’Neill is struggling. He has not been marked like this all year. Ditto Patrick Kelly. In previous games he was allowed the freedom of the field and impacted hugely as a result. This time around Killian snuffs him out and frustrates him. Tomás has Kerrigan going backwards and Marc and Tom are very tight inside. Tom had a massive game and has had a massive year. Even at 31 he is still the fastest guy on the team and showed his pace repeatedly when bringing the ball out. However the cameo I enjoyed most was when Goulding got inside him once in the second half (from a Donncha O’Connor long ball), Tom stood him up in a one-on-one straight in front of the goals. He gave up a point but for a second it had goal written all over it. Fantastic defending. Darragh and Scanlon are controlling the middle. We feel just before half-time we need to kick the ball a bit more but other than that, things are going according to plan.

After a helter-skelter first half we enter the dressing room two points up despite the bad start. The lads are happy. They are talking to and encouraging each other. We are ready to go again. Jack asks for more of the same.

Cork take over for the first 10 minutes of the second half. They don’t score though. They are kicking from outside and under pressure. Our backs are playing out of their skins. They keep coming and narrow the gap to a point. There were many turning points in the game but the most crucial was Marc O Sé’s block on Donncha O’Connor. If he had converted that would have brought Cork back level. Instead Marc blocked we went straight down the field and Darran got his point. Two-point swing.

We controlled the game for the last 10 ten minutes and there was no score after Tomás kicked his second massive point to cap another incredible display. The final whistle brings ecstascy. Supporters and cameramen immediately surrounded Jack and Ger. I make a beeline for Paul (Galvin). We embrace in the middle of the field. A private moment in the midst of the madness. We have been through a lot together. This is personal. Paul is very emotional. Little wonder after his journey to this point. He was vilified last year. He kept his head down all year, played the football of his life and, bar one blip, had his best ever year in a Kerry jersey. It shows the stuff the man is made of to come back from what he did. Most would have crumbled.

We were surrounded straight away. The next 10 minutes is a blur. We return to the dressing room where mayhem ensues.

Conor Counihan enters the dressing room and speaks very well. That must have been very tough for him.

I am as high as a kite. There is fierce satisfaction to be derived from a job well done. All the hours of thinking, phone calls, meetings, encouraging, watching DVDs and coming up with new drills are worth it. Worth every bit. It is not the same as winning as a player. It is a different satisfaction, but a huge satisfaction nonetheless.

We head into the players lounge. The Cork players are there. They are devastated. I shake hands with Dr Con but I don’t meet anyone else. There is nothing to be said. I know how they feel. I have been there. Sick does not cover it. This Cork team are not going to go away. They are not thinking about that now though.

I turn the phone on. 65 messages immediately come through. It is only the start of it. This means so much to people.

We depart Croke Park and head for the Berkeley Court for our post-match function. I am exhausted when we get to our room. I watch the second half of the match on TG4 while Tina is getting ready. This is a sweet one. It is always great to win a battle and this was a serious battle. A less experienced team would not have won that game.

We head down to the function; everyone is bullet proof. For one night anyway. The management all sit together. Everyone is in mighty form. Jack and Ger have some record. Four years in charge of Kerry. Three National Leagues and three All Ireland titles. Jack also added the Hogan Cup to his CV this year.

The man with the golden touch.




MONDAY SEPTEMBER 21st

THIS day last week, I hoped I would have that special Monday morning feeling. I have it and then some. The perception is that the year has been very tough on us. It has not. We were perceived to be under pressure. I think that pressure comes into the equation when you know there is more that could be done. By the time Marty Duffy had blown the final whistle there was no more that could have been done by either players or management. If we had lost we would have been beaten by the better team.

We have lost one game all year in league and championship. We have won some fantastic matches along the way. Tyrone in Omagh, the draw with Dublin in Parnell Park, the Antrim game, the Dublin game in Croke Park and of course the final. We lost to Cork in June. We were not ready for their pace and intensity. We were down key players. We regrouped and trained hard for the qualifiers. We stumbled through them for a variety of reasons. We expected to get the performance we needed each day but it only came in the second half of the Antrim game. Paul and Darragh are still teasing me about that game. They reckon I was as pale as a ghost at half time. To be honest, I was a bit worried. It was the only time all year I was worried. Of course the boys copped it and are still getting mileage out of it. I have reminded them that there were times when they were fine and worried also. They are having none of it though. It was so reassuring to get the performance in the second half that day and it rolled from there. While there was crazy stuff going on in the media, we stuck together and worked even harder. We laughed at the rumours and counter rumours that were going on. I avoided much of the media coverage. (Anthony) Tohill had us having a contrived huddle at the end of the Antrim game to display a false sense of unity. No such thing. When we steamrolled Dublin a week later his angle was that we came together and decided to put all our differences aside and try to play together one last time. Hilarious stuff. We just kept doing our thing and we knew it would be good enough.

There are well wishers everywhere around Jurys. Kerry people have an insatiable appetite for All-Irelands. They never tire of them. A Monday tradition is that a few of us go to the Boar’s Head on Capel Street. Paul and I meet Darragh and Tomás there. We have a right laugh for an hour before heading for Heuston. We make the journey back to Kerry. I am intent on enjoying it. The journey home is a nightmare after losing the final. A fate too severe even for your worst enemy. A funeral on an open top bus. Not this time though.

The train journey home is always special. We are on our own in a little bubble. When we land in on Reality, the players face a winter of being torn in every direction. This is the last time the whole group will be together. We have some music on the train. The lads have iPod speakers to enable us to pump the volume up a bit. There are a few disputes over who should be DJ. The variety in music tastes is amazing. It is hard enough to strike a balance. DJ Star makes a decent hand of it. The theme for the day seems to be The Black Eyed Peas song I Gotta Feeling. The closer we get to Kerry, the livelier the party is getting. Our first port of call is Rathmore. Border country. The biggest crowd I have ever seen in Rathmore greets us. They are proud of Aidan and Tom.

The trend continues in Tralee and Killarney. There are huge crowds everywhere. We are all enjoying the open top bus ride. We were written off so much during the summer that the Kerry public are really enjoying this one. The chairman Jerome Conway is having great fun getting the crowd going. Nothing like a bit of rabble rousing. Botty rocks the stage in Killarney. He organises a dance off between Tadhgie and Star. Star wins. The only battle Tadghie has lost all weekend. I think back to my first All-Ireland in 2000 as I look at Tadhgie. This is a special time for him as everything is so new to him. Happy days. All the sacrifices were worth it. Alan (O’Sullivan) is in the same boat. It is refreshing to see how much they are enjoying it. We head to the INEC where we meet friends and family. We have another late night and the craic is ninety again.




TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22nd

TUESDAY afternoon, everyone meets up in the Tatler, the quintessential football bar. There are constant reruns of the match, and the atmosphere is very good. Even though it is my third time watching the match, it is hard to take my eyes off it. Sam Maguire is present and there is a constant stream of people getting their photo taken. A great friend of mine from Ballyduff, William O’Connor, has joined the party today. He is enjoying getting all the plaudits and back claps from people that assume he is involved. He tells me to say he is the sports psychologist if anyone asks!

On Tuesday evening we head for the Glenbeigh home of Darran and Aidan O’Shea. En route we stop off in the Red Fox Inn where a Shetland pony called Hercules draped in a green and gold flag is mingling with the crowd. Evidently there is not a strict admission policy.

There is a massive crowd in Glenbeigh. It is clear what it means to the local community to have Sam Maguire call. It is very special for such a small club. Aidan and Darran are the centre of attention. We enjoy the hospitality shown to us. It is a laugh a minute. Another late night.

Tina and I head for home on Wednesday. The show is off the road for me.

Enough.

[JOAN]

savage reading.. what a gent of a man.. well done eamon and congrats on your first year on the side lines!!! long may it continue!!!

[Jo90]

Great article but it does leave us with a lot of questions...
What text message did Darragh Ó Sé send?
What type of dog does Paul Galvin have?
Which celebrity speaker failed to show?
Did the Tomás, Tommy, Bryan and Killian table quiz team cheat?

Also, I'd say the Boar’s Head on Capel Street will increase it's customers on Monday mornings after All-Ireland wins by Kerry.
I think Fitzmaurice is a future Kerry manager. I'm glad to hear Alan O'Sullivan get such great praise from him to alongside the praise Pat Flanagan has been getting.

[fortyyards]

Sept 28, 2009 13:49:03 GMT Jo90 said:

I'm glad to hear Alan O'Sullivan get such great praise from him to alongside the praise Pat Flanagan has been getting.

I'd have to go along with that, I must admit that I initially had my doubts about Alan when he was appointed. His enthusiasm and willingness throughout the year has been mentioned by many of the players. Well done sir.

[glengael]

Great read .

Kieran Donaghy, dancer , DJ, basketballer, footballer ... Is there no end to the man's talents ?

I hope we will be reading more from Eamonn in 2010.

[JOAN]

I dont doubt we will be plenty of him!!!

[OnTheForty]

Don't forget Donaghy's starring role as Maor Uisce for the Dublin game.

[kerrygold]

Interesting reading alright from Eamonn seeing as it will only be the tip of the iceberg in relation to the inner sanctum of the kerry set up.

I enjoyed the comment directed a Tohill,I couldn't believe how far off the radar his comments were after kerrys last 15 minutes v Antrim.

[buck02]

Oct 1, 2009 14:31:51 GMT kerrygold said:

I enjoyed the comment directed a Tohill,I couldn't believe how far off the radar his comments were after kerrys last 15 minutes v Antrim.

A bet you Tohill hadnt even watched the game that day - he was probably going on the 5 minutes highlights he just saw.

Thats what our TV licence money is going towards.

[animal]

Yeah of all the rubbish said and written this summer nothing came close to Tohill and Davis that night on TSG. My God , Tohill trying to say that the post match hudde was just for show! Utter twaddle!

My biggest gripe about Tohill was that he was always a fence sitter. Says nothing at all of note, afraid to call it one way or another. Well after that "performance" maybe he's better back up on the bleeding fence.

It is exactly why my learned brethren we should take no more notice of their praise than we do of their scorn. Be content in thine own heart and mind etc!

[brownster]

Does anyone think Eamon revealed too many 'state secrets' re the team's preparation in the run up to the All Ireland in the two articles?

[glengael]

Read the Diary again and no, I don't think there is much there that has state secret quality about it. It is well written and gives colour to the whole All Ireland Final in a different way. What strikes me about it and I know I am repeating myself here, is the amount of work/ effort/organisation that is put in by so many to the cause of Kerry Senior Football. And those articles deal only with a very brief part of the year.

I found a Kerry GAA yearbook from 1997 recently. Killian Burns had an All Ireland diary in it, I think it ran in the Examiner as well that Sept. It was a very honest, refreshing piece about a team having their first big day and how it affected Killian and what it meant to to him be on the team. Maybe I am just showing my age but reading it , it seemed like more innocent times !!!

That 1997 yearbook is very interesting for a number of reasons, not least the reaction from both inside and outside the County to the end of the famine. Also the number of future Kerry stars who are pictured in it, winning u-14 , Schools and divisional , other such championships, blissfully unaware of the stardom and in some cases the legend they would go on to create .

[ruggerman]

Give us a few photos Glengael.
Please?

[glengael]

Would love to be able to Ruggerman but I am not in the least technologically minded ( beyond being able to log on here obviously ) !!!!!!