IT’S Question Time in the Kingdom — but who has the answers?
Kerry are at a fork in the road in their All-Ireland SFC quest.
One route the path to redemption and the other, a road to nowhere.
For years, Jack O’Connor’s men have sleepwalked through Munster — winning 14 titles in 16 seasons.
They’ve got a rude awakening this season.
Cork almost tripped them up in the semi-finals before Joe O’Connor’s crucial extra-time goal.
The game was a classic but a bit too close for comfort at 3-21 to 1-25.
That was as tough as it got though, as their provincial showpiece against Clare was little more than a training exercise.
After their 86th Munster crown, they should’ve been champing at the bit. Yet somehow, Kerry failed to top their All-Ireland group.
Beaten Leinster finalists Meath gleefully saw them off in Tullamore to take the direct flight to the last eight.
Yes, they had injuries. Paudie Clifford (muscle strain), Diarmuid O’Connor (shoulder), Seánie O’Shea (knee) and Paul Geaney (shoulder/concussion) all missed the trip to Offaly.
But they took their eye off the ball too, big time. The Royals romped past them by nine points and were full value for it.
An All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final was their punishment but maybe it was a game they needed.
Despite boss O’Connor criticising the atmosphere around Killarney, his men battered Cavan 3-20 to 1-17 and David Clifford helped himself to 3-7 to take his Championship scoring tally to 7-37 — a whopping 83 per cent of that total coming from open play. They’d be lost without him.
The return of his brother Paudie and O’Shea were massive boosts but Diarmuid O’Connor’s troublesome shoulder forced him off after just three minutes last weekend and he is unlikely to feature against Armagh at Croke Park on Sunday.
Tony Brosnan and Mike Breen were absent at Fitzgerald Stadium as well and Kerry have defensive concerns after leaking 2-39 in their last two games.
With midfield a concern too, Joe O’Connor and Seán O’Brien could form the makeshift pairing once more, but Armagh’s strength in the sector of the field is absolutely frightening.
Niall Grimley was handed a first Orchard start of 2025 in the final group game against Galway and took his opportunity with both hands by scoring 0-3.
Jason Duffy and Callum O’Neill have shared the No 8 jersey this summer, and Ben Crealey is in All-Star form once more.
The Maghery man will be fresh too after resting up for their loss against the Tribes.
BLOOD ORANGE
All those factors mean the Orchard will smell blood again this weekend after striking down the Kingdom in last summer’s semis.
The sight of the Kerry green and gold used to put the fear of God into teams but that doesn’t happen anymore.
Their 2022 All-Ireland title ended an eight-year wait for Sam Maguire. But they have failed to build on it as Dublin got revenge a year later and Armagh punished them last summer.
Kerry are the only county to reach every All-Ireland quarter-final since they began in 2001.
However, they often come untested. Their fanatical followers often don’t travel this early and anything less than an All-Ireland is a failure.
Timing is everything, and this game could be perfect or disastrous. David Clifford can’t do it all on his own, but the return of Paudie, O’Shea and possibly Paul Geaney are massive boosts.
One wrong turn could spell the end but redemption is there if they want it enough.
Kerry’s credentials and hunger are being questioned.
Sunday will provide us with the answers.
