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Bryan Murphy: 'We're good enough to beat Antrim'

Kerry hurling captain, Bryan Murphy. 

Kerry hurling captain, Bryan Murphy. 

By John Harrington

The form-line would suggest that Antrim will win Sunday's Joe McDonagh Cup Final which will be played as a curtain-raiser to the All-Ireland Hurling Final.

They've played Sunday's opponents Kerry three times already this season and beaten them on all three occasions - twice in Division 2A of the Allianz League including the Final, and, most convincingly of all, in Round 3 of the Joe McDonagh Cup.

But even though Kerry have struggled to get the measure of the Saffrons so far this year, team captain Bryan Murphy is hopeful it can be fourth time lucky on Sunday.

"When it comes to a Final it's anyone's day," he says. "Tactics nearly go out the window. Obviously you have your tactics and plan in place. You'll have your Plan A and your Plan B. In a final we all know that anything can happen, it's all about whatever team works hardest on the day will come to the fore.

"Croke Park is a different kettle of fish to maybe playing in Tullamore and those fields. There's a chasm of space, really, which I think will suit our quick forwards and quick midfielders maybe, and play to our advantage.

"We've played them enough times to know the ins and outs of them. They are a good side to be fair to them, they haven't won these games and won the League by fluke, they're a good side and are well organised.

"But we do feel deep inside that we are good enough to beat them. We're here on merit too, we've worked hard over the past four of five years. We've been there or there abouts and I think it's about time we made the final push and brought a bit of silverware home."

The Kerry players celebrate in the dressing room after defeating Antrim in the 2015 Allianz Hurling League Division 1B Promotion / Relegation play-off.

The Kerry players celebrate in the dressing room after defeating Antrim in the 2015 Allianz Hurling League Division 1B Promotion / Relegation play-off.

Their record against Antrim this year might not be great, but Kerry do have experience of beating the Saffrons in a winner takes all situation.

Murphy is one of a number of survivors from the Kerry team that shocked Antrim back in 2015 when they defeated them in the Allianz Hurling League Division 1B Promotion/Relegation playoff, and admits that experience is still something they can draw on.

"Yeah, that will help," he says. "And we have actually beaten them on two occasions since that game too. One Joe McDonagh and one in the National League.

"So we know we have the players and we know we have the personnel to pull off this win. And we know we'll be well organised going into it. We'll have our heads right to drive on.

"We know we have the players to do it so I can't see why our work-rate shouldn't come to the fore on the day and we should get things right and it should be a great day for Kerry hurling.

"This is the best panel of players we have had and that's available in the county of Kerry. We have everyone available to us and there's no shortage of competition for places. You have two or three fellas fighting for a position which is obviously a hugely important thing in the current inter-county game."