Moran and Derry have good reason to keep the heads up

A lot done, more to do. Kerry were keeping calm in the aftermath of their waltz past Derry yesterday. Only a visit from Sam Maguire to the Ghaeltacht region will signify a good year in green and gold.

Such is the Kerry-way, but Jack O'Connor's body language and good nature to all after yesterday's match was evident for all to see. Year one in the big job and he has a National League title and is contesting an All-Ireland final on September 26th.

"Ah, jaysus lads, it ain't easy," he starts. "We're happy I suppose to have played close to our full potential. For 45-50 minutes at least. Look, we're in an All-Ireland final, but they weren't giving out any medals today so it will take a huge effort now to go up another level and win the final."

Although the news is still sketchy, Séamus Moynihan is expected back out on the paddock this week. A role in the final team has been left open for him should he make it.

The injury to Darragh Ó Sé was the major cause for concern. Kerry folk will be praying his damaged instep will heal in time. Yet, the side dealt well in his absence.

"We have come against a lot of obstacles over the year, you know Darragh Ó Sé going off was obviously a huge blow to us, but we hung in there and turned it around," said O'Connor.

"It's serious enough. Darragh Ó Sé wouldn't come off if it wasn't. We'll just let the medical people look at it.

"We've a good strong panel, but you can't be losing players like Darragh Ó Sé. He's a one off. We'll just wait and see."

O'Connor was asked what it feels like to be in the main event in his breakthrough year as a intercounty level manager.

"It's great. It's where we wanted to be. We wanted to train for another month."

The individual plaudits were also handed out: the full-back line survived the double act of Muldoon and Bradley, while Paul Galvin excelled. However, a tougher challenge does lie ahead so O'Connor pointed to the areas that need extra focus ahead of the sterner test of Mayo. Derry were the team kicking scores by the finish.

"We got sloppy towards the end. Derry kicked four points and they didn't throw in the towel. They have come a long way from the first-round defeat to Tyrone.

"Credit is due to them as well. They posed a lot of questions for us, especially in the first-half when they got the goal."

Things were somewhat grimmer down the corridor. Mickey Moran eventually came out from a quiet dressing-room. Very little to say, but in time he may be content with the manner in which they turned their season around. In June, they looked a bad football team - within two months they have earned the country's respect.

"It's very hard to analyse after a defeat, but we were two points up in the first-half and going well. If things had of gone well we could've gone up to four or five.

"A wee bit of composure and wee bit of clinical finishing. After half-time for 15 minutes we just didn't perform and Kerry ran through us and got the scores."

Moran took heart from the words of Jack O'Connor in the aftermath.

"After the match he said 'your team plays football and I thank you for that. And that you went down fighting'. That is something today; a young team going down fighting. I feel so sorry for our supporters because they have been magnificent."

Moran owes them noting. No Derry fan could have envisaged sitting in Croke Park on the last Sunday in August.

Not a vintage year, but not a bad one either.