O’Connor stays on as Kerry manager.

By Paul Walsh

Jack O’Connor was ratified as the manager of the Kerry senior footballers, following a meeting of the Kingdom’s county board last night.
O’Connor, who has guided Kerry to three All-Ireland titles in 2004, 2006 and 2009, has agreed to stay for a further three-year spell with the team, after talks with the board.
Former goalkeeper Diarmuid Murphy is set to join the Kerry boss as a new selector replacing the outgoing Eamon Fitzmaurice.
The remainder of O’Connor’s backroom team is made up of his current team with Ger O’Keeffe continuing as a selector and Alan O’Sullivan staying on board as a trainer.
O’Connor’s future had been in doubt following their shock All-Ireland SFC quarter-final defeat to Down. Not only was the defeat disappointing but his reaction after the game also lacked the grace of a manager of his stature. He blamed the officials and also suggested that Cavan referee Joe McQuillan was biased in favour of fellow Ulster compatriots Down. His immediate post match comment was “how an Ulster ref is reffing an Ulster team is beyond my comprehension. Surely there are enough referees that they can get one from the other two provinces.”
The fact that Kerry were without Paul Galvin and Tomas O Se in their quarter-final defeat would give Jack O’Connor serious hope that they will be serious contenders again next year. His decision to stay on gives a clear indication that he expects the current crop of players to deliver further All Irelands in the years ahead.