Kingdom boss happy Kerry hurling on the right track

The bare facts don't tell the whole story.

For the third successive year, the Kerry hurlers have came up second best in the Joe McDonagh final.

Antrim, with their second title in the same time period, netted five goals en route to a dramatic win, one that sees them enter next year’s Leinster championship.

With the Kingdom trailing at one stage by a dozen points in the first half, it looked a damage limitation exercise for the Munster men, but they rallied and Padraig Boyle's 77th minute goal left just one in it but Kerry simply ran out of time.

That’s how the game finished, but for manager Stephen Molumphy, there was more to this than simply another loss on the big stage.

In charge for just six months, he has blooded 18 new players onto the panel and their resilience was tested to the max in GAA HQ.

"Kerry hurlers are here to stay. The performance in the second half, it typified our performances throughout the year," he told RTÉ Sport.

"The first half (against Antrim) we didn’t put in the same work ethic we normally do. The lads themselves called it out at half-time. There are a lot of leaders in that team.

"We had a chance to nab it at the end, but I’m extremely proud."

The former Waterford hurler admitted that the Saffrons were more ruthless in the opening 35 minutes, but feels the new Kerry crop are on the right path with a preliminary quarter-final tie at home to Wexford next weekend to look forward to.

"It’s a massive transition (within the group), but things are very positive. A lot of these guys are 18, their first time up here (Croke Park)

"Kerry hurling is on the way up. We’ve been in the final three times. It’s a common thing now. We need to build on that.

"Next week is great, we will focus and get ready and give it