MARC Ó Sé has floated the rumoured return of Jack Barry in time for Kerry’s All-Ireland quarter-final against Armagh.
The midfielder swapped Ireland for Australia in November 2023 and has not lined out for his county since.
Last summer the Kingdom were overrun in midfield in a semi-final clash with the Orchard – who went on to become All-Ireland champions.
Given Kerry’s injury outlook and that Armagh have had a week off, most people are tipping the latter to again triumph in Sunday’s meeting.
Writing in the Irish News, three-time All-Star Ó Sé didn’t sound too optimistic about his county’s chances. He also mentioned an eyebrow-raising rumour doing the rounds in Kerry.
The five-time All-Ireland winner wrote: “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.”
Last weekend Jack O’Connor’s men dispatched of Cavan with ease in their preliminary quarter-final by 3-20 to 1-17.
Seánie O’Shea returned from a knee problem against the Breffni and fired 0-4, which was a huge boost.
The Kingdom may, however, be without midfielder Diarmuid O’Connor after he suffered a recurrence of a shoulder problem. Defender Mike Breen suffered a muscle issue before the game too.
Paul Geaney has a shoulder injury and was not risked in Killarney, while Barry Dan O’Sullivan’s campaign is over due to a torn ACL he suffered against Cork in the All-Ireland series.
Paudie Clifford is bound to still be a bit rusty too. His sparkling League form was interrupted by a muscle strain.
FAN APPEAL
Last year’s Croke Park encounter with Armagh also saw them outnumbered in terms of bums on seats.
So much so that after bagging his second hat-trick of this Championship campaign, David Clifford made a point of issuing a rallying cry during his Player of the Match interview.
He implored fans: “I’d like to call for our supporters to get behind us. I’m not sure they realise the impact they can have on us in Croke Park.
“When we hear that Kerry crowd behind you it’s worth five and six points to you in a game.”
He also added: “Often times, it’s easier to go to Croke Park, away from home, and express yourself and play without fear and abandon.
“That’s what we want. It’s a great footballer’s pitch, a huge pitch, there is space there and that is why you want to play football.
“I just felt there were times against Cavan when the pressure got to the lads a bit and they didn’t express themselves the way they could.”
