Sunday June 12

Munster Senior Football Championship Semi-Final

Kerry v Clare, Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney, 3.30pm

The spring is a time to prepare for the serious battles of summer, but 2016 has been an interesting adventure for Kerry.

Having generated form and momentum entering the Allianz Football League decider Kerry were quietly optimistic about making a statement against Dublin.

By the end of that April afternoon the current order in the game remained: Dublin are the team to beat, and Kerry know it.

“There is still a gap there,” Eamonn Fitzmaurice admitted at the post match press briefing at Croke Park. “It is a gap that we have to try to close. I think we were better than we were last September. Look, they are a serious outfit.”

Those words were enough to remind Kerry of the distance that must be travelled to scale the summit once more, but it is a challenge that is being embraced.

Colm Collins’ thoughtful and clever approach has earned Clare respect, but more importantly they’ve registered victories.  Even the Munster SFC quarter-final triumph over Limerick was a sign of Clare’s progress.

It was a disappointing match, but what mattered most of all for Clare was to avoid defeat.  Clare achieved that feat and they now travel to Killarney enthusiastic about delivering a performance of consequence.

Taking a medium to longer term view Clare know they’ll benefit from a stint in Division Two next year, but they crave to make Championship progress too.

Kerry are the standard bearers down south, but seeing how his developing panel cope in a demanding Killarney environment will capture Collins’ attention.

Three Munster titles in a row confirm Kerry’s excellence in the province and the eternal quest for silverware continues.  Lessons were learned during the Dublin defeats, but monitoring the Kerry response promises to be interesting.