Well, it wouldn't be a kingdom without murmurings of civil war.
Tadhg Kennelly's current job is working for the AFL, as "International Talent Co-ordinator". Think Ricky Nixon, but with the benefit of local knowledge. Kerry are currently producing a crop of footballers like only they can; players talented enough to storm the capital in a couple of years time. That is, if they are still around to do so. At minor, Kerry are gunning for their fifth straight Munster title and their recent win against Cork in Pairc Ui Rinn was their 20th successive victory at that level.
Their crown jewel is David Clifford, who kicked 2-8 in that semi-final against Cork, more than the entire Cork team scored. Clifford's regal performance ended in unity of applause from Cork supporters but tension among a couple of notable Kerry fans.
There is concern that Clifford's considerable talents are coveted in the AFL, with Dingle's Mark O'Connor already making waves with Geelong.
Tomás O'Sé tweeted after the game:
Great performance by @Kerry_Official minors tonight.If David Clifford goes to Oz we'll have to build a wall especially for @TadhgKennelly😉
— Tomás Ó Sé (@tomas5ky) May 10, 2017
Kennelly responded, calling O'Sé "narrow-minded":
O'Sé writes at length about this issue in his Irish Independent column today. He writes that there was a "tongue-in-cheek twist" to the tweet to Kennelly, but after laughing about it, meditated further on what's happening, and believes that it's no laughing matter.
According to O'Sé, the word in Kerry is that Clifford is heading down under for trials in a couple of weeks:
There's a rumour doing the rounds that Clifford will be heading Down Under for a trial in the next few weeks. I hope it's not true. Seamus Moynihan is in charge of the East Kerry minors and I'd say, right now, he's probably pulling his hair out (well, if he had any left to pull) at the thought of losing Clifford.
O'Sé also writes about what he believes Kennelly is doing is wrong, and that the current situation of Kerry people "cursing one of our own" is not right. It's a very good column, and is, in fairness, well-balanced, with O'Sé admitting that he may be narrow-minded in the sense that he remains utterly obsessed with Kerry football.
As for Kennelly, O'Sé knows exactly where he stands:
If I met him tomorrow I'd say straight up: 'Tadhg, I've nothing against you personally. But I hate what you're doing'.
A lot of Tadhg's former teammates are sick of this too, they just don't feel comfortable saying it. But I think Clifford leaving would be the straw that broke the camel's back.
It's well worth a full read, and it's in today's Irish Independent.
