11 hours ago
Kerry star linked with sensational comeback for Armagh All-Ireland quarter-final
Mark Ó Sé believes Kerry midfielder Jack Barry may make a sensational comeback for the All-Ireland quarter-final against Armagh, according to rumblings from the county.
The Na Gaeil man hasn't lined out for the county since he departed to Australia in 2023. The 30-year-old was a crucial part of the All-Ireland winning Kerry side of 2022.
Ó Sé, writing in the Irish News, still was not confident of a Kingdom victory against the Orchard County, saying: "My head tells me Armagh v Kerry is going to take a similar course to last year.
"Kerry are really struggling in the middle of the field department minus the services of Barry Dan O'Sullivan, and Diarmuid O'Connor.
"They're really struggling, and the word down in Kerry is that Jack Barry is back in the panel. He's home from Australia.
"I'm not so sure if that's true, but that's the rumour down here. We've seen John Small for Dublin in from the wilderness, but it can take six, seven weeks to get up to speed.
"Not be be unfair on Mark O'Shea or Seán O'Brien, but if you said earlier this year that would be a starting pairing at midfield in knockout Championship people would have said you're living in cuckoo land.
"Ben Crealey's been quietly brilliant. Niall Grimley is back, he's got real class."
The former defender reckons that Armagh's strength in depth may prove to be the difference in Croke Park on Sunday.
He said: "Armagh have a bench they can call on. Kerry don't. That's the difference here. If it does go to extra-time again, it's bye-bye for Kerry.
"When you have the Cliffords and Seán O'Shea, you always have a chance. Kerry need a big game from Seánie.
"I'd expect Barry McCambridge to take David, and it's around this time last year McCambridge's form really picked up.
"I'd say Jack O'Connor reads a lot, and he wasn't best pleased with my brother Darragh's comments. A lot of people in Kerry would be thinking that maybe Jack hasn't blooded enough young players, and I think that was a fair assessment by Darragh.
"Objectively, there was merit in it, and though Kerry have a good chance, there's too many ifs and maybes for me."
The Kerry man isn't too optimistic but he may have reason to be if these rumours prove to be true and if Barry hits the ground running with the new rules.
