Kerry-Mayo league tussle evokes plenty of memories

After the week hiatus, it's Kerry-Mayo this weekend in Tralee, a league fixture which evokes plenty of memories from my own career.

On the one hand, Mayo have a good record at the venue. We won three league games in a row there in 2015, 2017 and 2019. Needless to say, Kerry won the corresponding fixtures in MacHale Park in 2016, 2018 and 2020, which is very much in keeping with our general home record.

On the other, Mayo go into this weekend's game with the comfort blanket of four points from four, not a scenario that typically brings out the best in them.

We said Kerry had little cause to panic despite their opening day defeat to Derry and that was borne out in Clones. They looked extremely slick, and Seanie O'Shea was a revelation in the inside forward line. I felt he was a little subdued at times in last year's championship and needed to rediscover some confidence. His point-taking was effortlessly brilliant against Monaghan and he played with abandon and freedom.

The prospect of him linking up with David Clifford in the full-forward line is exciting Kerry supporters. Although there may still be doubts whether he'll play with the same flair and confidence when Clifford is alongside him as the chief focal point.

All told, it's a daunting enough challenge for Mayo, although they have happy memories of away days in Kerry.

My first league game in Tralee was back in 2012. I wouldn't see the end of it as I got sent off in that game. I was marking Paul Galvin in the second half - he only came on at half-time and he got me two yellow cards in 12 minutes (yes, that's how I'm phrasing it.)

I was a young cub entering the lion's den and couldn't match him for cuteness. The first yellow, I gave a little tug of the jersey and he threw in