JACK O’CONNOR IS back in charge of a Kerry team in championship tonight for the first time since the 2012 All-Ireland quarter-final loss to Donegal.
The three-time All-Ireland senior winning manager takes charge of the Kerry minor side as they travel to Ennis for their Munster opener against Clare.
O’Connor was ratified for a three-year term in charge of the Kingdom minors last September. He is assisted by a backroom team of 2008 St Vincent’s All Ireland senior club winner Micheal O’Shea, former Dr Crokes boss John Galvin and Eamon Whelan.
The Dromid Pearses club man brings huge experience to the role having been in charge of the county senior side for two stints, 2004-2006 and 2009-2012. In his first spell in charge he won All-Ireland senior titles in 2004 and 2006 while in his second tenure he also lifted Sam Maguire in 2009.
In between O’Connor coached Kerins O’Rahilly’s to reach the 2008 Kerry and Munster senior club football finals but defeated was their lot on both occasions. Last year he took on the role of selector/coach with the South Kerry-based club St Michael’s-Foilmore.
Seven members of the Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne team that won the Hogan Cup last Saturday in Croke Park are named in the Kerry team to start tonight while O’Connor can also call on three other players who were on last year’s Kerry Munster minor winning team.
There are two other opening round fixtures tonight as Cork entertain Limerick while Waterford host Tipperary.
Munster minor football quarter-finals
Clare v Kerry, Cusack Park, Ennis, 6.30pm
Waterford v Tipperary, Fraher Field, Dungarvan, 7pm
Cork v Limerick, Páirc Uí Rinn, 7pm
