Deenihan, Jimmy
May 02, 1997
JIMMY DEENIHAN IS UPBEAT ABOUT KERRY'S PROSPECTS
FORMER STAR DEFENDER PREDICTS A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR THE KINGDOM
AND FEW ARE BETTER QUALIFIED TO PASS JUDGEMENT
The buzz is back! When Kerry and Cork square up to each other at Pairc Ui Chaoimh on Sunday, both sets of supporters will be in more optimistic mood than in recent years. This particularly true of those sporting the green and gold colours. Kerry are the reigning Muster champions, but that has little to do with the current feel good aura which is developing around the county team. The perception is that the languid display against Mayo in last August's All-Ireland semi-final was just one of those things… a minor hiccup along the path to eventual glory. The Under 21 success of recent years allied to the victories of Laune Rangers and Killorglin Intermediate school are seen as the real barometers and gradual improvement in the National League has also provided a solid basis for optimism.
Former county stars tend to be more cautious than the average supporter. After all, they know more about the pitfalls associated with the game. Nevertheless. One of Kerry's favourite sons and legendary defenders, Jimmy Deenihan, is bullish about the Kingdom's future. "Yes, there's every reason to believe that Kerry will win an All-Ireland in the next year or two; I would go so far as to say they could win a few All-Irelands. Football tends to be cyclical and we have been doing very well at minor, under 21 and colleges level. If you look at this Kerry team, you will find that the vast majority have been successful at some level or other and that is a huge asset. They know what it takes to win…. They have a positive approach and their attitude is right."
Few observers are as well placed as the North Kerry TD to pass judgement on Kerry's prospects. He's been there, done that, and his views have to be taken seriously. You can't but be impressed by his enthusiasm, a quality which he has retained from his success-laden playing career. Jimmy hails from Finuge in North Kerry where his father Michael had a huge influence on both his sporting and political careers. "He was a fanatical GAA and Michael Collins man. I was indoctrinated at an early stage with his sporting and political beliefs. Finuge itself is a small area not far from Listowel but there's a strong football tradition there. My first major sporting memory was the trip to Croke Park for the All-Ireland semi-final of 1959 when Kerry eat Dublin. And the most precious Christmas present is our house was always a football,"
Jimmy's first taste of success at underage level was in the North Kerry Under 14 League in 1964 and four years later we won an under 16 medal with Listowel Emmets. As a student at St Michaels in Listowel, his football apprenticeship continued and his profile grew. He earned selection on the 1970 county minor team and wore the no 4 jersey in the All-Ireland final against Galway. Kerry were beaten in a replay but the defeat helped to create a hunger for success… a hunger that eventually fuelled the desire and wherewithal to become winners. The 1970 minor team also included Paudie O'Mahony. Mickey O'Sullivan, Ger O'Keeffe, Paudie Lynch, John Egan, Ger Power and John Long, They would be back, and how!
It is not widely remembered that Jimmy Deenihan was a member of the Kerry senior panel in 1972 when Offaly defeated the Kingdom in the All-Ireland final after a replay. In the same year he was full back on the under 21 team beaten by Galway in the All-Ireland final but there was concolation twelve months later when Mayo were beaten in the decider with the Finuge man again in the no3 jersey. By this stage he had made his debut with the seniors…. In the 1972-73 National League and had two league medals in his collection before the glorious championship run got underway in 1975.
Kerry's memorable run of success is well chronicled. Jimmy won his first All-Ireland senior medal in 1975, his second in 1978 and was a key figure in the magnificent four-in-a-row being captain in 1981. Unfortunately, that 1981 victory was to be Jimmy's last. In May of 1982 he broke his leg in training and although he attempted a comeback in 1983, he was unable to make his way back to necessary really. The training session was almost over and we were winding down with a few minutes "backs and forwards". I had an accidental clash with John Egan and that was it. It was a bad break and I was unable to make it back for the All-Ireland final in which we were defeated by Offaly. I was making progress throughout the summer of 1983 but we lost to Cork in the Munster Final. I had become involved in politics at this stage and it was always going to be difficult to mix the two."
Kerry supporters will point to Deenihan's injury as one of the reasons for the bitterly disappointing defeat by Offaly. The defence was lacking in composure when the Leinster champions came in search of that late goal. But, by winning four successive titles the Kerry team had captured the nation's affections and earned a place in the game's folklore. "We enjoyed and a very high profile with young people and we were welcomed with open arms wherever we want." On the subject of the team staying on too long, thus contributing to Kerry's subsequent lack of success, Jimmy is adamant that such was not the case. "It was a fantastic achievement for Mick O'Dwyer to come back and win three further All-Ireland titles with what could be described as his "own" team. He had inherited some of the 1975 team but the three-in-a-row team of the mid eighties was of his own making. And you must take whatever opportunities are there to win an All-Ireland. People forget that part of the reason for Kerry's demise after 1986 was the arrival of Larry Tompkins to play with Cork. If Larry had to throw in his lot with Kerry, the successful run would almost certainly have continued,"
Jimmy has enjoyed a well-earned high profile in politics and was Opposition spokesman on Sport from 1989 to 1992. He was very definite views on the nation's physical well-being and the role of sport. "Our children are totally unfit. There has been a huge change in leisure activities and there is much less physical work these days. Children tend to watch videos and play computer games… they don't exercise properly and there is evidence to suggest that we are getting physical weaker as a result. We must look at the whole P.E. situation, particularly in primary school. And there is also the question of juvenile crime, particularly in deprived urban areas and also in some isolated rural locations. Sport and physical activities have a huge role to play in providing a sense of identity and in occupying the minds of our young people. There is insufficient emphasis on the physical well-being of schoolchildren and I believe that there is an antidote to delinquency there."
Jimmy also has strong views on the vexed question of greater rewards for footballers and hurlers. "I don't believe that players want to get paid but they certainly want to be compensated appropriately for the sacrifices which they make. The commitment required these days is awesome and there's no doubt that there is a huge shortfall in terms of compensation. What would be wrong in helping a player with his mortgage or with his college fees? The amount of money going into the Association ins enormous… why not allow 10% to be used for the benefit of the players who attract the crowds? We have the best of facilities now but I think it's time to look seriously at the human resources element. If we don't, a drop in standards is inevitable,"
Have standards dropped since his own playing days? "The players are fitter nowadays and there is probably more tactical awareness, some of which is negative but many skills have had their importance reduced. First time catching, lengthy kicking and ball-handling in general are not as good as they were and it appears that there's too much training without the ball. The ball should be an integral part of training. Players are afraid to use the long delivery in case possession is lost and the over-emphasis on the short possession game has led to too much crowding and bunching. Nevertheless, the game still has much to offer and I would be optimistic about the future,"
Optimism. It's part of Jimmy Deenihan's make-up. He sees signs of a Kerry revival and while Sunday's game against Cork is not the be all and end all of Kerry's comeback bid, it is nevertheless a National Final and there is also an important psychological advantage to be gained. Cork and Kerry is one of the game's great traditional rivalries and Jimmy has abundant first-hand experience of the role it plays in the lives of supporters of both teams. His great duels with Jimmy Barry Murphy are the stuff of legend. "Between underage, league and championship. I must have marked Jimmy about a dozen times. He was a classic forward, a potential match-winner at all times. You couldn't afford to give him an inch. It was always a major challenge to hold him scoreless, but if you succeeded your team was sure of winning.
Holding opposing forwards scoreless was part and parcel of Jimmy Deenihan's curriculum vitae. He played in six All-Ireland SF finals but only conceded a solitary point to his direct opponent, Brendan Lowry of Offaly in the 1981 Final. There were outstanding forwards too…. Matt Connor and Dublin's John McCarthy were also rated highly by the Finuge man.
And his current involvement ? "Not as much as I would like…. Because of my political commitments. But whenever I get the chance, I lend a hand with coaching and training in Finuge team. We have a promising young side and won the county novice championship last year. That was an historic achievement as it was our first county title. The team is young and has potential. And Eamon Breen is a tremendous example to the younger players with his dedication and commitment. We also won the North Kerry Senior Championship last year, our third success in the competition. I find that any involvement is great therapy after the political work," Jimmy's medal collection also includes two county SFC medals with Feale Rangers, a divisional team drawn from clubs in the Listowel area.
He is happy to recall those great days with one of the greatest teams in football history. "Mick O'Dwyer's commitment was unbelievable. He was also very strong on organisation and discipline. It should be remembered that we were all very strong when we won our first All-Ireland in 1975. We would not have been able to cope or to come back the way we did in 1978 were it not for Micko's guidance. He has given an awful lot to the game,"
Sunday's game will tell us more about Kerry's future prospects. But the buzz is back. You only have to listen to one of the game's greatest defenders to be convinced.
Jimmy Deenihan has the qualifications to ensure that his opinion is respected, and the word is that the Sam Maguire Cup will be on it's way home in the not-too-distant future.
Taken from Hogan Stand magazine
2nd May, 1997
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