Peter Canavan: Meath defeat 'a kick up the rear' for Kerry
Even though Kerry were short a number of key personnel in their All-Ireland series loss to Meath, the manner of the defeat will be concerning, says Peter Canavan.
The Royals ran out comfortable winners at Glenisk O'Connor Park, an outcome that leaves the Kingdom facing an All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final clash next week.
Meath are straight through to a quarter-finals, with Canavan full of praise for their effort, when saying: "They are playing a brilliant brand of football and move the ball fast".
For Kerry, Sean O'Shea joined with Paudie Clifford, Paul Geaney, Diarmuid O'Connor, Barry Dan O'Sullivan and Brian Ó Beaglaoich on the treatment table.
Despite those absentees, Tyrone's two-time All-Ireland winner was critical of the attitude shown by Jack O'Connor's side.
"I suppose people will bemoan the fact that Kerry were missing a few key player:; Paudie Clifford, Seanie O'Shea and Diarmuid O'Connor but Meath were also missing a few key men in James Conlon and Matthew Costello," he said.
"If you take an opposition for granted and don't apply yourself with energy and aggression then teams can tear you apart. If you have footballers that can hit the ball over the bar from the two-point arc, very quickly you can be blown away.
"I've said before, it's Paudie Clifford that makes this team tick" - Peter Canavan analyses Kerry's performance in defeat to Meath #RTEgaa pic.twitter.com/1tClZwVrQm
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) June 14, 2025
"From a Kerry perspective, that was most alarming. They sat off Meath and whether it was showing them a complete lack of respect or maybe they have come through a hard training spell, you don't know, but they took Meath for granted.
"It's a kick up the rear Kerry need at this stage."
Canavan singled out the return of one player as being key to the Kerry's hopes going forward.
"They are still very much All-Ireland contenders and it's Paudie Clifford that makes this team tick. You put him back in with Diarmuid (O'Connor) and Seanie O'Shea and I do think they are a different animal."
Watch an All-Ireland Football Championship double-header, Monaghan v Down and Donegal v Mayo, on Sunday from 1.30pm. Follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app. Listen to updates on Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1. Watch highlights on The Sunday Game at 9.30pm.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Times
14 minutes ago
- Irish Times
Rhasidat Adeleke finishes sixth in 400m at Stockholm Diamond League meeting
Looking well off form and notably tiring, Rhasidat Adeleke had to settle for sixth place in the 400 metres in the Stockholm Diamond League on Sunday evening. In the second of a double bill of Scandinavian stops in the Diamond League, Adeleke was looking to improve on her fourth place finish in Oslo three nights ago. The 22-year-old from Tallaght faded once again in the homestretch to finish in 50.48 seconds, well down on her Irish record of 49.07 clocked this time last year. The three women who finished ahead of her in Oslo also took the top three places here, with victory again going to US newcomer Isabella Whittaker in 49.78 seconds as the 23-year-old continues a fine first international season. Adeleke had run 50.42 in Oslo, but couldn't improve on that here. Henriette Jaeger from Norway took second, the 21-year-old running 50.07, with Britain's Amber Anning third in 50.17. READ MORE On another perfect evening for running inside the Olympic Stadium, Adeleke was still in contention for a top-three finish coming into the last 100m, but was passed by her old Dutch rival Lieke Klaver, who took fourth in 50.35, with Martina Weil from Chile running a national record of 50.39 to also get past Adeleke to finish fifth. At this stage of the season, with the World Championships in Tokyo just under three months away, Adeleke is, by her own admission, not race sharp. Starting in lane four, Adeleke had the three women who beat her in Oslo finish outside her, and looked well placed at 200m, only to lose ground when it mattered. In Oslo, Anning got past Adeleke in the last 50 metres to claim third in 50.24. She finished fifth at the Paris Olympics last summer, one place behind Adeleke in fourth. She's since won the World indoor title. Adeleke had raced two Diamond League meetings over 200m last month, with the 400m races in Scandinavia the first true tests in her specialist event. 'Me and my coach have been working on something different so we're just trying to get going, get the season going,' she said after Oslo. 'The main goal is September so we're working towards that.
Irish Independent
16 minutes ago
- Irish Independent
All Ireland permutations: Donegal, Dublin, Galway and Kerry the big names in preliminary quarter final draw
Donegal, Dublin and Kerry are the big names in tomorrow morning's All-Ireland preliminary quarter final draw, after a dramatic weekend in the final round of the group stages.
RTÉ News
17 minutes ago
- RTÉ News
Hannah Tyrrell and kate Sullivan fire Dubs to emphatic Leitrim win
Hannah Tyrrell and Kate Sullivan grabbed three goals apiece at Clann Mhuire GFC on Sunday as Dublin booked their spot in the TG4 All-Ireland senior football championship quarter-finals with an emphatic Group 4 victory over Leitrim. On a day when her Na Fianna club-mate Eilish O'Dowd was coming face to face with her sister Laura – as well as their cousin Dearbhaile Beirne, who plays soccer with Peamount United – Tyrrell helped herself to an outstanding tally of 3-07 for the Jackies. In a game that was due to take place on Saturday before the original venue of Parnell Park was deemed unplayable, Dublin hit the ground running with early points from Tyrrell and Chloe Darby. Leitrim subsequently opened their account with a successful free courtesy of marauding goalkeeper Michelle Guckian, only for Dublin to immediately respond with Sullivan's maiden goal of the contest on eight minutes. Aiming to improve on last weekend's draw with Waterford, the Jackies created further daylight between themselves and their Connacht counterparts with unanswered points by Tyrrell (two), Sullivan and Niamh Hetherton. While Leitrim registered back-to-back points through Leah Fox and Muireann Devaney (free), Dublin continued to attack with extreme confidence. After Sullivan completed an opening period hat-trick with goals in the 27th and 29th minutes, Hetherton also rattled the net to guide Dublin towards an unassailable 4-12 to 0-04 interval cushion. Although Leitrim were playing with the aid of a breeze on the resumption, their Leinster rivals maintained a ruthless streak in front of the posts. Supplementing points from Hetherton and Carla Rowe – who was playing on her home club pitch – Tyrrell fired home two goals in the space of four minutes to further underline Dublin's supremacy. Fox found the range for Leitrim on a brace of occasions during the third-quarter, but with Rowe bagging an impressive 1-01 salvo, Dublin remained in the driving seat. Vivienne Egan did contribute Leitrim's seventh point as the final whistle approached, but with just over three minutes of normal time to play, Tyrrell completed a hat-trick of her own by converting her second penalty of the second half. As a result of this win, Waterford will need to record an even more comprehensive triumph at the expense of Leitrim next weekend in order to finish at the Group 4 summit. From a Leitrim perspective, a victory is required from that home encounter with the Deise to avoid a relegation play-off. Scorers – Dublin: H Tyrrell 3-07 (2-00 pen, 1f), K Sullivan 3-01, N Hetherton 1-04, C Rowe 1-03 (1f), J Tobin, S McIntyre, C Darby 0-01 each. Leitrim: L Fox 0-03, M Guckian 0-01 (f), M Devaney 0-01 (f), A Gilmartin 0-01, V Egan 0-01. Dublin: A Shiels; J Tobin, L Caffrey, N Crowley; S Goldrick, H Leahy, A Curran; E O'Dowd, H McGinnis; C Darby, C Rowe, S McIntyre; H Tyrrell, N Hetherton, K Sullivan. Subs: N Owens for Curran (35), A Timothy for McIntyre (45), J Egan for Rowe (50), C Fox for Goldrick (57), A Nyhan for Hetherton (60). Leitrim: M Guckian; J Maye, C Tyrell, E Quigley; D Beirne, C Owens, R McIntyre; N Tighe, A Quinn; A Gilmartin, V Egan, S Quinn; L Fox, M Devaney, L O'Dowd. Subs: A Clancy for S Quinn (ht), S Ward for A Quinn, S Reynolds for Beirne (both 49), E Shanley for Quigley (58).
