Former Kerry footballer Marc O Se pictured at the launch of the Bord Gais Energy Legends Tours at Croke Park.
By Cian O'Connell
For 25 years Marc Ó Sé had attended or played in every Championship game involving Kerry. Last Sunday, though, Ó Sé's young child was ill so he couldn't make the trip to Ennis.
The Ó Sé family has provided distinguished and dynamic service to Kerry for the past three decades.
This is Ó Sé's first campaign off the inter-county beat since 2001, but adapting to retirement was going fairly smoothly until passing Austin Stack Park recently.
"There was one night the boys were training in Austin Stack Park and I was doing a bit of shopping and I was just passing the pitch and they were all coming out of training and I felt it that night," Ó Sé admits.
"I actually came up to the National League Final and I didn't feel it at all, I was like a supporter. I really enjoyed it. Certainly the last day I felt it a bit alright, watching The Sunday Game that night.
"It was the first time since 1992 that I wasn't at a championship game for Kerry. My small man was sick and he was in hospital so I couldn't go to it.
"Only for that I would have been there. Obviously you'd be listening to the radio. It was a hard day to kill when Kerry were playing, the first championship game that I wasn't involved in since 2001."
Always there, but more importantly, relevant, Ó Sé believes next month's Munster SFC Final decider is set up for underdogs Cork, who have survived tricky tests against Waterford and Tipperary, to deliver a gutsy display.
Marc Ó Sé following the 2016 All Ireland SFC Semi-Final defeat against Dublin.
"It is of course," Ó Sé says. "All the pressure I think is on Kerry because Kerry are expected to win. We came up here in 2009 against Dublin in a quarter-final and everyone was expecting Kerry to be beaten out the gate and we actually turned it around because we had nothing to lose. All the pressure was on the Dubs.
"There was no pressure on us. Our campaign along that year was very bad, Sligo should have beaten us. There's games where you can really up your performance.
"If I was a Cork fella the next day coming into Killarney, with all that has been said about Cork, I know I used to try and find any angle I'd need to improve and they have all the angles now that they need. I think they will up their game. They are a team that are capable of doing that."
Kerry have been boosted significantly by James O'Donoghue's return to fitness and form according to Ó Sé. "This year he was training hard in the month of January and we were all hoping for a huge League campaign from James because he needs it," Ó Sé states.
O'Donoghue kicked nine points, including five from play, against Clare at Cusack Park last Sunday. "He hasn't played in the League for the last few years. It was great for him to get that and get the game the last day because his League again was scuppered.
"He'll be delighted with that. That'll bring his confidence on. Players when they have good days out, their confidence really improves. James will be like that.
"Paul Geaney I suppose has been our marquee forward, he was sick in the week leading up to the Clare match, even though he did well enough, so I'm sure he'll have a much improved performance the next day.
"Gone is the day when you're relying on one inside forward, you need three or four forwards, starting or to come in."
