O'Sullivan and Kerry have their eyes on the ball

MUNSTER SFC FIRST ROUND:PLAYING FOOTBALL for Kerry may be enviable but it can also be a slog. Darran O'Sullivan's star has been in the ascendant since he took the fight to Tyrone in the 2004 All-Ireland minor final defeat and got fouled eight times in nine possessions for his speedy trouble making.

He went on to play in the next four senior All-Ireland finals as a replacement, picking up medals in 2006 and ’07 before captaining the county to the title on his first start in a final in 2009.

Since then, his personal stock has continued to rise even if the Sam Maguire has proved more elusive, culminating in last year’s extraordinary end-game against Dublin. It was O’Sullivan’s searing run through the middle that set up Colm Cooper’s goal to keep Kerry in the game during the first half and, although it hardly lit up his life in the circumstances, he was short-listed for Player of the Year.

The life of what had looked in the 64th minute like a robust All-Ireland prospect ebbed away as Dublin outscored them 1-3 to 0-1 in the time remaining.

How hard had the stunning reversal of fortune affected him?

“It’s very hard. I went back training with the club in Mid Kerry and I was up at the International Rules training so before you know it, you’re back at it with Kerry.

“There’s only one thing to do – get on with it, keep playing your football, you can’t keep thinking about it. Take the good with the bad. It’s just a matter of looking forward to the championship.”

Even the diversions got in each other’s way, as the extended county championship scuppered his chances of getting away from it all with the International Rules series in Australia, a checkmate as disappointing for him as it was for the Ireland given his exceptional pace and physical resilience.

Personal disappointment had to take its place in the queue, as the events of September 18th continued to flicker away with the dying of the year. Did he continue to think about it?

“I would have, yeah. It’s very hard to shake certain images from the game and certain feelings from the game. At the end of the day we’ve been around a long time and we’ve tasted defeat – maybe not in the way it happened against Dublin – and these things are supposed to improve you as a player and show you the areas where we can improve as a team. You’ve to look back, tough as it is, and find ways of improving for this year.”

Yesterday, in the impressively appointed premises of Dublin club Na Fianna, this year was in progress. Gathered with some of his inter-county peers and work colleagues at a promotion organised by his employer Ulster Bank, O’Sullivan’s focus was on Sunday in Thurles when Kerry begin the defence of their Munster title against Tipperary.

Although he diplomatically speaks of close games in the past, that’s a slight distortion and Tipp’s seniors have been through a crash-and-burn process having been brought up two divisions in two years by Kerry man John Evans, whose role with the county’s football came to an abrupt end after a league campaign that saw them returned to where he had found them in Division Four.

Nonetheless, the county is a football story of late having whipped an All-Ireland minor title from under the noses of a heavily favoured Dublin side and also won provincial under-21 silverware.

Unfortunately they face into Sunday short a number of players because of emigration and injury.

Asked if he believes that Tipperary will emerge as a bona fide senior challenge, O’Sullivan is optimistic – about the long term anyway.

“To be honest, you’d hope that they would. Obviously, they’re more of a hurling county at the moment, but their underage in the past couple of years – and I know John Evans has had a lot to with that; I know he’s gone to Meath now – has seen a lot of work and that has to come through.”

Would that be welcome in Kerry?

“Of course. The more competitive teams in Munster the better it is for everyone because you’re getting more competitive games, which prepares you well for the All-Ireland.”

And in Kerry that’s what it’s all about.

Weekend Fixtures

Saturday

Christy Ring Cup Semi-finals – Down v London, Páirc Esler, Newry, 2.30pm, P Murphy (Carlow); Wicklow v Meath, Arklow, 2.30pm, T Carroll (Offaly).

Nicky Rackard Cup Semi-finals – Armagh v Roscommon, Crossmaglen, 2.30pm, E Hassan (Derry); Donegal v Louth, Letterkenny, 2.30pm, O Elliott (Antrim).

Lory Meagher Cup Semi-finals – Fermanagh v Leitrim, Maguiresbridge, 4pm, J Clarke (Cavan); Warwickshire v Tyrone, Páirc na hÉireann, noon, D Copps (Cork).

Munster JFC First Round – Tipperary v Kerry, MacDonagh Park, Nenagh, 5.30pm, M Condon (Waterford).

Munster IHC First Round – Tipperary v Limerick, MacDonagh Park, Nenagh, 7.30pm, C Lyons (Cork).

Women’s Football – 2010 All Stars v 2011 All Stars, Centennial Park, Toronto, 3pm (local time).

Sunday

Leinster SFC First Round – Meath v Wicklow, Dr Cullen Park, 3.30pm, P Hughes (Armagh).

Munster SFC First Round - Tipperary v Kerry, Semple Stadium, 2pm, M Duffy (Sligo).

Munster SHC First Round – Tipperary v Limerick, Semple Stadium, 4pm, B Kelly (Westmeath).

Ulster SFC Quarter-final – Monaghan v Antrim, St Tiernach’s Park, Clones, 3.30pm, M Deegan (Laois).

Ulster MFC Quarter-finals – Monaghan v Antrim, St Tiernach’s Park, Clones, 1.45pm, I Molloy (Donegal); Donegal v Derry, Healy Park, Omagh, 7pm, B Rice (Down).

Leinster Club Hurling League Division Three final – Bray Emmets v Carnew Emmets, Dr Cullen Park, 1.45pm.