Whatever it is about the world at the minute one thing is for certain, we are desperately excitable - needing to jump to conclusions or establish a narrative. Hero to zero, cancel culture, whatever it is, it must be black or white.
And so goes our reactions to results as they come in on a weekly basis. The commentary around any given team can flip dramatically around one performance. This makes little sense when we consider the widely accepted view of the multi-year development projects which county teams are.
Last weekend Mayo blew Kerry away in a fashion I certainly didn't see coming. Not with Kerry’s goat up following their heavy league defeat in Castlebar. Yet Mayo were on a different level.
Cheap turnovers and being caught off guard by quick frees is not how Kerry won the All-Ireland. Arguably there were hints of over confidence about their performance.
They likely had the Castlebar defeat cordoned off in their mind as a one-off disastrous night that can happen teams. Intent on playing more at their level, avoiding the cheap goals that cost them in the league and playing in Killarney with its remarkable championship record, they would have had full belief of getting the result and, in doing so, re-establish the natural pecking order.
But the line between belief and hubris is razor thin at times. For me Kerry ended up showing the latter in not appearing to set up to slow Mayo’s attacking play (and if this was part of the game plan then the lack of necessary effort to achieve it makes the same point) nor giving up the Mayo short kick-out when it was clear the significantly greater scoreboard damage that was coming off Colm Reape’s longer restarts.
Leaky Kerry
The margins though, when you have a team and management of Kerry’s quality are tiny. Kerry had been critiqued over the recent years regarding their refusal to accept the necessity of modern tactics, and even though managers like Eamonn Fitzmaurice had achieved great results the Kerry public clearly remain wedded to the Kerry golden years tradition.
With Clifford up top, the position of the great footballing purists is an easy one for them to take. Yet, last year’s All-Ireland was one borne of pragmatism, doing what they had to do to make sure their football could do the talking.
Three goals across the entire league and championship campaigns of 2022 backed up the oft mentioned pride they were now taking in their defensive solidity. From that to coughing up two guilt-edged chances to Clare in the Munster final alone and gifting Mayo a hatful of chances on Saturday from which Kevin McStay’s men were generous enough to only take one.
Highlights of Kerry's defeat at home to Mayo
It’s not that they’ve changed system either. From what I can see Tadgh Morley still drops off if possible, and if not, then Paudie Clifford or Jack Barry are quick to deputise and give Kerry that deep lying plus one.
The difference in effectiveness when all things are equal is the intensity of focus and effort that players apply to the gameplan.
At the top level, it takes massive hunger and commitment. The dog must be there, and it must come out to fight. Having had a solid league campaign despite proclaiming no interest in it, a warm weather training camp and a reassuring victory lap through the Munster championship it was like that Kerry dog was asleep having had a good feed.
Mayo, in contrast, were excellent playing with real bite and energy across the field. They shut down the majority of Kerry’s main men, won the long ball battle and showed great fluidity and options up top. For all that, the 'Kerry in trouble, Mayo going well’ narrative is way too simplistic for my liking.
Kingdom dog has to bark again
The two team’s potential remains as it did before this game. We’ve built that knowledge over years of seeing these players and in Kerry’s case of seeing Jack O’Connor’s ability to run his team.
None of that knowledge becomes less valid post Saturday. I’m 100% sure that Kerry will have a more meaningful weeks training now than Mayo – that’s just the nature of the beast.
They have faced a very harsh mirror to where they are at but at a perfect time. I have no doubt they will recommit to the defensive effort on which they built last year and will have learned much about Mayo’s biggest threats having seen them at their best.
And critically, they will have been reminded that against the big guns, the dog in them must be good to go. Because do not be fooled, Kerry have always been a wolf in sheep’s clothing. They can soften us all with their beautiful football and their soft lilts but every team of note Kerry have produced were not lacking in the hard stuff.
The question is, like Tyrone last year, have they been sated by the previous year’s All-Ireland? In a county where famously one All-Ireland counts for about as much as a half-time draw ticket I can’t imagine that’s the case.
On the flip side, have Mayo learned much? They’ve learned their dual pronged ‘A-game’ of fast running counter attack or long balls is in fine fettle. That’s about it. We still don’t know have they found the solution to being able to attack slow.
The top teams are preparing for the decisive war of 2023 and so there is significant benefit in having weaknesses exposed in a non-knockout game. Mayo had theirs exposed against Roscommon.
Have they sorted their ability to play with the necessary patience and discipline when faced with a quality packed defence? Kerry’s performance was so off colour we don’t know but I’m convinced that if Mayo are to make good on Biden’s claim they are going to face that test again.
As for Kerry, they’ll not be jumping to conclusions, they’ll lick their wounds and learn their lessons. Most importantly though they’ll put the dog on starvation rations. They’re going to be needing him soon.
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