Armagh at home is a must-win game

Kerry’s two away losses to Donegal and to Mayo takes some of the gloss from the easy home win here in the Fitzgerald Stadium against a weak Monaghan team.

| By Eamonn Fitzgerald

Jack O’Connor had planned on winning all three home games and picking up two points in the away schedule. That plan faltered in Ballybofey and was more than frayed in Castlebar on Saturday last, where they were always chasing Mayo. They did get some late scores but Mayo ripped them apart and led by 11 points at half-time. The red flag went up. Enter two of the big guns to prevent an even worse mauling. Seán O’Shea and David Clifford did help, but the tide was well out to restore some bit of normality.

The All- Ireland champions are well behind in fitness levels compared to Mayo, but they are gearing up for the champi-

| By Eamonn Fitzgerald

onship. McStay had to make a big statement on home ground. It will be different if they meet in June.

Kerry were woeful and the old failing of being open through the middle with back-up players coming off the shoulder at speed left the much-vaunted defence clutching at straws.

Jack won’t panic, but he hates to lose any match so there will be some changes for the starting 15 tomorrow. Armagh are also in some trouble after losing to Galway.

After tomorrow’s game, Kerry will be away to Tyrone on March 5 and in the final game of the league on March 25/26 they will be away to Galway. The Tribesman will be hell-bent on reversing the

2022 All-Ireland result. Surely Pádraic Joyce will have convinced Shane Walsh to return to the county side, otherwise the West won’t be awake in the 2024 championship. He was the hero who almost took Galway over the line in 2022. Kerry have one home game left on St Patrick’s weekend when high-flying Roscommon can expect no favours from a Kerry team facing a drop to Division 2 next year.

Jack will have a strong team available but he will still be without four of the starting 15 from last year’s All-Ireland. Stephen O’Brien, Gavin White, Paul Geaney and Diarmuid O’Connor are still rehabbing. The team will go up on the Kerry GAA website tonight at 8pm.