Des Curran, Los Angeles
TRAVELLING with two Kerrymen to a Munster final wasn’t a new experience in itself, but careering along California’s 605 freeway at 5am to see it certainly was. The Kerrymen in question, from Ardfert and Listowel, seasoned veterans of many finals watched both here and at far closer quarters over the last 50 years, spent the trip posing questions. Was the Kerry selection the right one? Will the older legs in green and gold be able to stand up to this athletic Cork side? What’s the speed limit on this freeway again? We were about to find out.
Our destination and that of many gaelic games followers in this part of the world was, and for many years has been, Ireland’s 32 in Van Nuys, a short hop from Hollywood.
In this Irish bar you discover that you might be five thousand miles removed from Killarney but the Munster football final is still dissected as keenly by the 40 or so souls here as by the 40,000 shouting from the sidelines in Fitzgerald Stadium.
Having pulled up and walked past vehicles with bumper stickers declaring allegiance to Cork, Kerry, Tipperary, Clare and Kilkenny, you leave the blinding Californian sun for the dimly lit, shadowy corners of the bar amid the familiar sounds of pre-match banter, some accents still strong despite many years away, others diluted somewhat by time and distance.
Supporters here were raised on a diet of Munster finals in Cork, Killarney and Tralee. These days for many it’s a 3am alarm call, coffee on the go and the long drive to a present that brings echoes of the past. There is a strong Kerry contingent in attendance and they take great delight in a positive start. Furrowed brows amongst the Cork supporters as the commentator wonders if Cork can find their rhythm. Anxious faces as the half-time whistle sounds and Kerry bound to the dressing rooms eight points to the good.
Half time brought the first half post-mortem with the general consensus that the game was as good as over. Cork would need a monumental second half display to turn this around, and yet the All-Ireland champions almost provided it.
In the end however the Cork comeback that was threatened by a much improved second half performance never fully materialized, leaving the Cork supporters to lick their wounds. Kieran O’Doherty, brother of Martin who was a key part of the Cork hurlers three in a row side of the 70’s, captaining the side in 77, was magnanimous in defeat.
“Well the better team won it for sure. I think the conditioning of both sides had a lot to do with it in the second half – Cork were fitter, Kerry tired for sure but overall they were the better quality team on the day. I think if Cork are to win the All Ireland again this year then they will have to beat Kerry.”
As we leave to board for the long trip home a car pulls up outside and out tumble a trio clad in Kilkenny jerseys readying themselves for the Leinster hurling decider against Dublin. As with their Cork and Kerry counterparts, thousands of miles removed from those at the scene of battle but close enough for it to mean every bit as much.
Source: http://feeds.examiner.ie/~r/iesportsblog/~3/GZk4nvA5Nfs/post.aspx
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