'That's a feeling that you want to get back. It drives a new hunger for this year'

The 42

24-05-2025

WHILE KERRY'S SIGHTS are firmly set on Sunday's Munster ladies football final against Waterford, their All-Ireland defence follows in quick pursuit.
The senior groups will be confirmed after the remaining provincial finals this weekend, with fixtures due to get underway Saturday week, 7 June.
All eyes will be on the Kingdom, who start out with the Brendan Martin Cup in their possession. The general consensus is the championship is wide open, and Kerry forward Síofra O'Shea agrees.
'For the last few years, I think it's been fairly level, and this year again, it's hard to pick who you think would win the All-Ireland at this stage in the year.'
Ulster champions Armagh, Leinster winners Dublin and 2024 All-Ireland runners up Galway — who face Mayo in the Connacht final on Sunday — all get a nod.
But the Kerry focus is inwards; champions for the first time since 1994 last year after back-to-back final defeats, to Meath and Dublin.
It has been an encouraging start to 2025 under new manager Mark Bourke, winning the Division 1 National Football League and reaching another Munster final despite significant player turnover.
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'It's well documented how we lost a number of players from the panel from last year, 12 or 13 players stepped away for various reasons, some through retirement, some going off travelling and different things,' says O'Shea.
'I think we've adapted well to Mark Bourke and his management team. They've came in with great energy, tried to build on the style of play that we're used to, making certain tweaks here and there. They've definitely put their stamp on things as well.
'New management brings a fresh perspective. Everyone gets a blank slate, and competitiveness in the panel increased with everyone trying to impress. We lost our opening game to Armagh, but then we learned from each game, and went on a good winning run which led us to the league final. Putting in probably our best performance of the year in that league final was definitely satisfying.'
The bar set by Quill and Long has certainly been maintained. 'The standards Mark has are absolutely crazy. The preparation he puts in, the hours of work, analysis, and preparation for any team and any game is unbelievable. We've learned a lot from him.'
The legendary Louise Ni Mhuircheartaigh left a significant void as she retired, but 23-year-old duo O'Shea and Danielle O'Leary have seamlessly led the charge in the forward line.
PwC GPA Player of the Month for April in ladies' football, Síofra O'Shea of Kerry, with her award at PwC's offices in Cork. SPORTSFILE. SPORTSFILE.
Both landed Player of the Month awards for April for their efforts, while ever-present Niamh Carmody and Niamh Ní Chonchúir and returning Rachel Dwyer and Caoimhe Evans have all combined in attack to devastating attack.
That will be key if Kerry are to maintain their All-Ireland and Munster titles.
The hunters to the hunted: how has that shift been? O'Shea doesn't hesitate with her answer.
'We gave so much to win the Brendan Martin Cup. You have that hunger, that drive, but when you do win it, then the feeling you get for that 30 minutes or so after the game especially, that's a feeling that you want to get back. I think that drives a new hunger for this year. You want to get that again.
'The celebrations we had after it were unbelievable, that's probably the feeling you're chasing again. You want to kind of write your own story with the new group we have, obviously, Mark wasn't there last year, and the amount of effort that he's put in, you want to do something for him.
'Being the hunted, you could get carried away with yourself, but we've been kept fairly grounded. When you come off the back of a league final performance like that, your head might go up into the sky, but you're brought back down to earth fairly quickly in Munster.'
Kerry finished top of the table, with wins over Cork and Waterford seeing them into the decider before a draw with Tipperary. O'Shea anticipates a huge challenge from the Déise in Sunday's decider in Mallow [2.30pm, Spórt TG4 Youtube] after just a point separated them last time out.
'Any time you play Waterford is a tough, tough game. We're expecting a big battle,' the Southern Gaels star concludes.
'They're a quality side and they're probably one of the toughest working teams in the country. They hound in packs, and they defend in numbers. You don't get much space. It'll be about staying calm and taking our chances when we get them.'