Kerry manager Jack O'Connor sees plenty of room for improvement in his side, despite their convincing six-point victory over Mayo in the Allianz League Division 1 final.
The Kingdom ran out 1-18 to 1-12 victors in the sunshine at Croke Park and were it not for some wayward shooting, their winning margin would have been even more comfortable.
Reflecting on the game afterwards, O’Connor ranked the Kerry performance as a "six out of ten", but with some big-name players to return to action, things are looking bright in the Kingdom ahead of the championship.
"We were down a few big players, the likes of Seanie O'Shea and Diarmuid O’Connor," he told League Sunday.
"They’d be big players, probably two of the best players in the country in their position so we’d be hoping to get them back into the mix.
"I wouldn’t get carried away with today, I think you’d be maybe giving us six out ten maximum. It was good enough for today but we know down the line we need improvement."
The views of Paudie Clifford, Kevin McStay and Jack O'Connor after Kerry's Allianz Football League Division 1 final win against Mayo today #RTEgaa pic.twitter.com/tAsKWT53Ro
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O’Connor pointed to a spell in the second half where an Eoghan McLaughlin goal and a two-pointer from Ryan O’Donoghue threatened to kickstart a Mayo fightback.
However Kerry responded well to that Mayo purple patch and the Kerry boss was satisfied with the grit his side side displayed.
"I suppose halfway through the second half we were well on our way but the fact that Mayo got a goal and a two-pointer right after brought it back to three," he said.
"So I thought we made it a bit tougher on ourselves than we needed to.
"But we weathered the storm again and went down and got a couple of good scores, so all in all a satisfactory day and we’re delighted that we won the inaugural trophy named after a great Kerryman Mhíchíl Uí Mhuircheartaigh."
Silverware aside, O’Connor was also pleased to have got a run out at Croke Park and he feels that the experience of playing at headquarters, under the new football rule system, could stand to his side as the summer progresses.
He said: "Croke Park plays differently to every other pitch and we’ll get plenty of feedback from the lads on how the new rules after affected by the size of the pitch.
"That will make a great reference point in our training for the next three weeks and on into the summer because we’re hoping to get back here."
