Brian McGuigan – My memories of Kerry

Declan O’Sullivan, Kerry, in action against Brian McGuigan, Tyrone in 2005

Following Saturday’s result against Kerry, here’s what Brian McGuigan said about the Kingdom in last weekend’s Gaelic Life:

I’ve had quite a few clashes with Kerry since that one back in 2003, and the two Kerry players who would stand out are Tomas O Se and Aidan O’Mahoney.

One of those two would have marked me any time we played. They’re two tough competitors, but they’re tough and fair. There’s no dirt with them, but they’re always tight on your backside every time they mark you. But that’s the sort of battles you want in the championship, nothing less.

Kerry have to  go into the match as favourites because of the forward line they have. We know heading down there that we have our work cut out for us. It’s the first occasion this year that one of the big guns is going to fall out of the championship race.

Kerry have had to live with the stick that they’ve taken for not being able to beat Tyrone in the championship, and they’ll see this as the best chance they’ve ever had.

A lot of Tyrone’s established players are away, while Kerry still have theirs. But we can look at it the other way, that our young players who have nothing to fear are fresh and might have the legs on the older Kerry players.

The full story is in the current issue of Gaelic Life, published on Thursday July 19. Buy your copy now in your local newsagent, or you can purchase the online version – for only 90p – by clicking here