Kieran Donaghy has not given up basketball but in the short term is focused only on slam dunking Cork, writes Gavin Cummiskey

As Kerry players sought sanctuary under the Cusack Stand after Saturday's epic victory over Armagh, Kieran Donaghy was traipsing across the field toward a familiar face in the Hogan Stand.

Off came the jersey, which was duly handed over.

"Ah, that's just my dad. He lives up in Tyrone and he told me to come over and give him the jersey. I knew I probably wouldn't see him after the game. He wanted the jersey (to wear) for the last two games (a piece of presumption we can forgive considering how Kerry's latest coming has lit up the championship).

"It was nothing really. Yerra, he doesn't see me that often so it was just to give it to him."

Donaghy may go down as Kerry football's greatest ever steal. The Tralee Tigers must bite their lips and hope some day he returns.

"Ah no. The basketball season is not on now. I'm not dropping anything. I dropped it there around January when Jack (O'Connor) told me, 'I'm going to give you games in the league' but I didn't drop it. I played a game in March when Jack said, 'Go ahead and play it, you've given us two months.'

"It's great to be able to play both of them. The Tralee Tigers is a great basketball club. Austin Stacks is a great football club. And Kerry is a good football team.

"It's all new to me and I'll just, hopefully, take it in my stride and not let it get to me."

When asked whether Saturday's collision with Francie Bellew was the toughest challenge of his budding career, the eyes lit up: "Yeah, he's a tough cookie but he's fair. I heard a lot of people saying, 'Oh wait till Francie gets hold of you. He'll punch you and bite you.' Nothing. A real old-school, honest-to-God, hard full back.

"He's fair. He held me, right enough, a few times, but every full back is going to do that. If they don't do that they're not going to have the advantage. That's what full backs do.

"Thankfully, the ref saw one early on so he got booked. That kind of gave me a bit of breathing space. He couldn't do it anymore to me.

"I told him after the game it was a pleasure to play against him and I wished him the best of luck."

The duel was fascinating. Donaghy would win a ball, Bellew would win a ball. The onlookers waited for one of them to blink.

Then came the double yellow carding, of Enda McNulty and Bellew, just before half-time.

"Myself and Gooch said we'd go at them. They're booked. What can they do? If they pull you down they're going to get sent off."

Team elders Darragh Ó Sé and Séamus Moynihan downplayed the significance of Kerry finally scalping one of Ulster's big two. Just another step on the road to September, said the wise old men of the Kingdom.

Donaghy, the former Underdog, was more forthcoming: "I'm just glad to get that Ulster hoodoo off our backs. We're so long listening to it now. Last year's All-Ireland final - the drop of a ball. If Peter (Canavan) didn't nick that goal we could've come away with a win."

But he too checked himself: "I won't get carried away. It's only a quarter-final. We'll have to keep the heads. I hope the Kerry public don't build us up too much. They were kind of on our backs a few weeks ago so I hope they don't go around saying we're brilliant.

"Cork beat us handy over two games. They were unlucky really not to beat us the first day. It will be a tough game again."

Especially in the Cork goalmouth.