Kingdom will be "on a war footing" - Fitzmaurice
June 25, 2024
Mickey Harte and Jack O'Connor share a chat at the end of the game ©INPHO/Ken Sutton
Éamonn Fitzmaurice says Derry represent perfect All-Ireland SFC quarter-final opponents for Kerry.
Yesterday morning’s draw delivered a last-eight repeat of last year’s closely contested semi-final clash of the Kingdom and the Oak Leafers, which takes place in Croke Park on Sunday.
Reacting to the pairing, which pits Jack O’Connor against Mickey Harte at Croker for the first time since the 2005 All-Ireland final between Kerry and Tyrone, former Kingdom boss Fitzmaurice told RTE’s GAA podcast:
“I think it’s perfect. I think either Derry or Galway were the games that they would have really wanted. From the point of view of Jack, I can imagine straight away the players and the management, they’re on a war footing.
“Straight away, what they’re looking at is performing at the weekend and knowing that they have to perform at the top of their game. I think that’s a great place to be for the group.
“It’s going to be obviously a massive task to beat Derry, but ultimately this group, they want to win an All-Ireland and to win an All-Ireland, you have to beat the likes of a Derry and win the big games from now on.
“It’s a great draw. I think it’s a great draw for the general public as well. It’s going to be huge.”
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