Kennellys follow in father's footsteps

There is a strong tradition down Kerry way of fathers and sons serving the green and gold with distinction. That tradition takes a step forward on Saturday in Limerick when two Kennellys from Listowel will figure in the Kerry team to face Westmeath in the All-Ireland under-21 final.

For those who remember the great years of the Kerry-Dublin era of the 1970s and early 80s a man they called "The Horse" figured prominently at centre half back in the great Kerry team which went so close to an historic "five-in-a-row" of All-Ireland titles.

He was Tim Kennelly, whose strength and astute use of the ball was as much part of the structure of that great team as were the skills of John Egan and Mikey Sheehy in the corners of the attack or John O'Keeffe and Paidi O Se in defence, Jack O'Shea at midfield or Pat Spillane and Ger Power in attack. Now two Kennelly brothers will feature in the wing forward positions in Saturday's final - Noel, the team captain, on the right and Tadhg on the left: two strapping sixfooters still short of their 20th birthdays.

Noel celebrated his 19th birthday last Christmas Day and has recently taken up a post in a bank in Dingle. Tadhg is 17 and studying for his Leaving Certificate next month. Tadhg is not quite sure whether his studies take precedence over training. "I try to fit in the two to suit each other. Sometimes I have to make new arrangement but I can usually catch up at the weekends.

"I am interested in commerce and geography but I have to give time to the other subjects as well so that between study and football I don't have a lot of time to myself." Although he does not remember ever seeing his father wear the Kerry jersey he seems happy enough to inherit, with his brother Donal, the nickname of "The Horse".

"It doesn't annoy me or Donal. It is part of the way we grew up and from the early days in school we had the name and that was that. Naturally we are thrilled to be in an All-Ireland final and the family will be there in strength.

"Noel has three Munster under-21 medals, two minor medals, one (Munster) senior, one All-Ireland under-21 and a Sigerson Cup medal. My total is two Munster minor medals and an under-21.

"That puts some pressure on us because in Kerry everybody expects you to win. There should be a big contingent from Listowel because it (Limerick) is less that an hour's drive away. We will start out early on Saturday and try to take it as just another match, but it will be very important to us and to Kerry.

"Our strengths are in the defence with players like Mike McCarthy and Tomas O Se, with Aodhan MacGerailt and Noel the strong men in the attack, and with Paul Galvin, Liam Murphy and Ian Twiss in the full-forward line.

"We haven't been really tested so far. We beat Waterford with some difficulty and then Limerick and Cork before beating Roscommon fairly easily in the semi-final. We have great respect for Westmeath and will not be taking any chances and then I will have to get back to concentrating on the Leaving Cert," he says with an air of resignation.

Whatever Kerry has in football seems to be carried in the blood. If the young Kennellys can live up to their breeding there will be celebrations in Listowel on Saturday night - Leaving Cert or no Leaving Cert.