When news emerged last night that Eamonn Fitzmaurice had made the shock decision to start Marc Ó Sé from the bench for the All-Ireland final, an awful lot of people would have had the same thought. When was the last time Kerry have gone into the third Sunday in September without a member of the Ó Sé family in the team?
Thankfully, the Examiner's Tony Leen was on hand to put into words just how incredible a record it has been.
If Marc Ó Sé misses out on Sunday, will be first time Kerry start an All-Ireland final without a member of Ventry's royal family since 1972.
— Tony Leen (@tonyleen) September 17, 2015
Páidí Ó Sé appeared in an incredible ten All-Ireland finals between 1975 and 1986. The absence of a member of the Ó Sé family then coincided with the lean period in Kerry football before the emergence of the nephews heralded a new glory age. Darragh was there in 1997 before being joined by Tomás in 2000. Marc came along in 2002 and Kerry were firmly back in the good times.
However, Dublin will now become the first team to face Kerry in an All-Ireland final without a member of that incredible family since Offaly in 1972. The Leinster champions won that day and Kerry fans will be hoping Ó Sé's absence doesn't contribute to a similar result.
