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Tomás Ó Sé, an analyst at RTÉ GAA, believes Kerry made a mistake on the court and on the bench when Cork surprised them in the Munster SFC semifinal.
A Mark Keane goal on virtually the last kick of the game saw the Rebels clinch a first win over their neighbors in eight years.
He also sent one of the true favorites in this year’s Sam Maguire race to pack his bags.
However, for Ó Sé, the Kingdom did not approach the game in the right way.
“Conditions were tough,” admitted the five-time All-Ireland winner.
“When you see Stephen O’Brien being traded and Brian Ó Beaglaoich brought in, and Kerry just as defensive as they are, I think they were totally and absolutely wrong.
“I thought it was a disaster from the start. It was as poor a display as the one I’ve seen in Kerry since 2001, when they lost heavily to Meath.
“They played Monaghan, they played Donegal, and we were excited about how direct they were, with the form they were, the more defensive they were …
“I think today they settled in with pure fear.”
“I thought they were totally and absolutely wrong”
Tomás Ó Sé gives his opinion on the exit of the Kerry championship #RTEGAA pic.twitter.com/8qQr3yp33z
– Sunday’s game (@TheSundayGame) November 8, 2020
Kerry trailed at halftime, but was two points ahead with four minutes to go. Cork struggled to force overtime, only for the Kingdom to move two more times with a two-point lead in overtime.
They just couldn’t finish off a stubborn rebel team, with Keane’s winning effort coming 10 seconds before referee Derek O’Mahoney’s final whistle.
And Ó Sé said Kerry’s team showed mental fragility in the important stages of the game.
“Going down today, the only thing you would hope (is) that no matter what else, Kerry’s team would be in a mentally strong place to actually go to war with Cork.
“That is a fact (but) he was not there today.
“It’s a question that is going to be thrown at management. The backups they brought in were all defensive.
“They brought in Killian Spillane, he did very well. In no time would things change and they would go on straight, and they would go crazy like they have done now.
“I thought it was, in the band and on the field, it was shocking from Kerry.”
Cork now has a route to the Irish final that avoids the champions Leinster and Ulster, but includes a Munster final against Tipperary and, if they can win it, a semi-final against Galway or Mayo.
Ó Sé praised them for their pace of work.
“From Cork’s point of view, I’ve caused them pain over the years, they did it bravely.
“They prepared on the defensive because of the danger that Kerry had in front of him, that danger did not exist today. They were so careless today, Kerry did.
“But Cork braced himself in a way and stood his ground. They fought in the middle of the park. They won breaks in the middle of the park.”
Ciarán Whelan added: “That middle sector was where Cork won the game.
“They were like a boxer who held on, it was a snatch and a grip, and they got it.”
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