Former Kerry player and manager Eamonn Fitzmaurice has explained the reasons why Jack O’Connor couldn’t walk away from Kerry. Last week the Kerry County Board confirmed that the Dromid Pearse’s clubman would be staying on another two years as Kerry senior football manager. Fitzmaurice, who now works as a match analyst for RTE, said: ‘‘I think when he would have reflected, it was a fantastic season for Kerry. It’s an exciting time to be involved in that group. They are at a great age now, a lot of them. There has been a lot of maturity, physically and mentally over the last while. And I think in a way, Jack would have probably felt he would have been mad to leave it as it is.’’ O’Connor has managed Kerry to win the Sam Maguire Cup five times in three separate terms in charge: 2004, 2006, 2009, 2022, 2025, but he has never won the final in consecutive years. Another target for O’Connor and all Kerry supporters is that next year the Kingdom will bidding to win the Sam Maguire Cup for the 40th time. While All-Ireland winning teams have traditionally holidayed over the Christmas period, Kerry have brought their team holiday forward to the end of October, which should ensure they are not behind the curve when it comes to returning to pre-season training in 2026.
