By Peter McNamara
Kerry boss Éamonn Fitzmaurice’s revised team selection worked their way to a five-point triumph in Killarney tonight over Cork.
And the Finuge clubman appreciated how effective the Kingdom were with Anthony Maher alongside the exceptional David Moran, who produced a man-of-the-match performance in the middle-third.
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Eamonn Fitzmaurice, pictured this evening. Picture: Sportsfile
Maher and Paul Geaney (scorer of 1-3, 0-1 free) were two of the four players that Fitzmaurice opted for in his starting 15 for this encounter.
And Fitzmaurice’s switches in personnel worked wonders.
Aidan O’Mahony, albeit not tested regularly enough from Cork’s viewpoint, and Paul Murphy also helped to shore up a previously leaky defence.
Fitzmaurice was understandably delighted such decisions paid dividends.
He said the newly crowned Munster champions’ two tough matches against Cork will stand to his squad as they set their sights on Croke Park.
“We were probably a bit undercooked coming into the Munster Championship,” he said. “We’d a good battle with Tipperary and two massive battles with Cork that will definitely stand to us going forward.”
Fitzmaurice said: “We’re delighted…It took two very tough games to beat a Cork team that I think are far from finished this year.”
He paid tribute to the whole Kerry squad, saying: “There’s a great squad mentality…It’s not about the starting 15 any more. It’s about the 21 that play on the day and the 26 that are togged off and the six other lads that are part of the squad as well.”