Bernard Flynn says Kerry have a huge amount of work to do if they are to challenge for All-Ireland honours after their eleven-point defeat to Dublin in the Allianz Division 1 Final.
The eagerly-awaited League decider between the two great rivals became a non-event for the final 20 minutes when Jim Gavin’s side comfortably pulled clear after the dismissal of Kingdom defender Aidan O’Mahony.
Kerry were just two points in arrears at that stage, but a strong finish from Dublin secured their fourth successive Division 1 title at Croke Park.
It was a further demonstration of their ruthless dominance of the competition since Gavin took over as manager. Mickey Harte’s Tyrone pushed the Dubs to a point in 2013, but since hen they have had an average of more than 12 points to spare over Derry, Cork and Kerry in the subsequent finals.
Few would bet against the reigning champions retaining Sam Maguire in September on the evidence of what we have seen in the National League and the RTÉ analyst believes the humbling defeat will give the Munster kingpins plenty to mull over for the summer.
“Let’s be under no illusions, the last 10 minutes of that game was an embarrassment for Kerry management,” he said.
“They can dress it up, a bit like Donegal when Rory Gallagher told us the last 20 minutes was a non-event, you can’t pick and choose, particularly when you are playing Dublin in Croke Park.
“Kerry have a huge amount of work to do.”
Once again the Dublin bench proved its worth as the replacements accounted for 1-04 and Dean Rock paid tribute to the likes of Eric Lowndes and Cormac Costello for their effectiveness when called into action.
Flynn says the competition for places has even the biggest names looking over their shoulders.
“Tactically, if you look at it, Dublin have worked on something. They are getting a lot of bodies back, but they way they are able to counter you with sheer blistering pace, most team can’t live with it," he said.
“It’s their attitude, they just love playing.
“They know there is a template there under Jim Gavin that if you are not doing your stuff, you’re off.
“[Diarmuid] Connolly acted the maggot for 10 minutes with the ball, off. Philly McMahon for the first time I have seen him acting the maggot with the ball going forward with disregard for his team-mates, off straight away.”
Fellow RTÉ Sport colleague Oisin McConville said the gulf between the two sides could have been far greater if Dublin maintained their intensity for the full 70 minutes.
“You could see Kerry going down and taking a few scores and getting a goal, but there was nothing consistent in the way Kerry were playing,” he said.
“Kerry were playing as absolute individuals. Dublin played as individuals for 10 minutes and then they started to get it together.
“We’re talking today about a Dublin team that won by eleven points but could have won easily by another eleven. That’s how good they are.”
In a tetchy second half, O’Mahony was dismissed and other players found themselves in referee Eddie Kinsella’s notebook, though a couple of Kerry men were fortunate to escape black cards.
Shane Enright, on a yellow card at the time, didn’t face any further punishment after haling down Paul Mannion for a penalty while Darran O’Sullivan appeared to pull an opponent to the ground when the game was in the dying stages.
McConville said the black card decisions, or lack of them, continues to cause confusion.
“I don’t have a clue what a black card is, I don’t literally have a clue," he admitted.
"There was a black card in the first game (Cavan’s Liam Buchanan was black carded in the Division 2 final) for absolutely nothing.
“In the second game, no black card for Darran O’Sullivan for grabbing someone around the neck and dragging them to the ground.
"People can say, ‘ah the game was over, what’s the point?’ but if we’re going to implement the rules, lets implement the rules.”
