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Ray Keane is making an impact with the Barrs

St Finbarr's manager Ray Keane.

St Finbarr's manager Ray Keane.

By Cian O'Connell

Ray Keane was willing to accept an interesting invitation. Tony Leahy has made his mark as a player and coach in St Finbarr’s royal blue and gold so Keane joined the former Cork All Ireland Under 21 winning manager’s backroom team initially.

Now Keane is in charge himself and the Barrs are back in a second successive county decider at Pairc Ui Chaoimh on Sunday.

Since last triumphing back in 1985 the Barrs have lost eight finals, but they are beginning to believe following some encouraging signs in recent campaigns.

Duhallow will provide a stern test down by the banks of the Lee, but Keane, a brother of new Kerry manager, Peter, is enjoying the journey stitching a Barrs outfit together.

Significant emphasis has been placed on developing juvenile talent in the club, but Keane’s methods appear to be working with the progressive club.

“I suppose it co-incided with the underage getting strong again,” Keane says about his arrival as St Finbarr’s manager.

“When I went in there first I remember somebody telling me in passing that they had been in roughly seven of the previous nine finals or so and that was around three years ago.

“So they have put in fierce work, but like anything you have to mould them all together, get momentum going and that seems to what has been coming for the last few years. Sunday, though, will be a totally different step again.”

Trying to find the correct mix, though, must be a good challenge as an emerging manager? “It is, you are moulding lads and bringing lads along,” Keane responds.

“From this time last year in the final you are looking at new players starting and I think in the semi-final I think we had five different players that didn't play in the final last year. It is constantly evolving until you find the right match and whoever is in form will play which is what you'd expect.”

New Kerry manager Peter Keane.

New Kerry manager Peter Keane.

Keane, though, is adamant that too much can be made about appearing in the 2017 decider which the Barrs lost after a replay against city rivals Nemo Rangers.

“I personally don't think it is a factor,” Keane remarks about the young players being exposed to big match situations.

“If you win everything is a factor and everybody will tell you everything is to your advantage. If you lose they will tell you that you have no experience. At the end of the day you play what is in front of you.

“Whether that be a final, semi final or a quarter final you just have to go out to beat the team that is in front of you.”

Duhallow and Castlehaven participated in three gripping battles at the penultimate stage with the Divisional side eventually earning a place in the decider following a second replay. Has that series of matches hindered Keane’s preparations in any way? “No, we have focused on ourselves all year anyway,” Keane states.

“That is what you have to do because if you're not right you can have all the best plans in the world for the opposition, albeit you only found out on Saturday night who the opposition were.

“You can have all the plans in the world for them, but unless you are sorted and in the right shape yourself you are going nowhere. I personally don't think fatigue or tiredness or whatever you want to call it will come into it.

“I made the point to the journalists in Cork if we had been asked an hour after playing the drawn final last year would we go out to play again there and then, we would.

“A County final is what you are putting in all the hours and the nights for in January and February to be there around the business end at the end of the season.”

During his own playing career Keane lined out alongside St Mary’s colleagues Maurice Fitzgerald and Bryan Sheehan and also featured under brother Peter.

St Finbarr's were defeated by Nemo Rangers in a Cork SFC Final replay in 2017.

St Finbarr's were defeated by Nemo Rangers in a Cork SFC Final replay in 2017.

“I played with St Mary's and I played with South Kerry for a good few years until my hips gave up,” Keane laughs. “I played with Maurice and Bryan and my brother, I played with him at the end of his career. It is funny how things turn out.”

Football is always part of the conversation when the Keanes speak. “To be honest we get on well together,” he adds.

“Being from Kerry, especially the part of Kerry we are from you have three things to talk about. First and foremost is football, second probably is the weather and third is there anyone dead.

“That is generally what it is so there isn't a day that goes by that I am not talking football to somebody. Peter and I get on well, we would hop things off each other, that is what brothers are for.”

Keane acknowledges that the fact that one of the family will be involved at the highest level with Kerry is a source of pride.

“Of course it is a huge honour,” Keane admits. “If you are reared when we were reared the topic of conversation is nothing, but football.

“You are steeped in it and from the house where we came from with our father, God rest him, football was his life. Thankfully we have brought on that trait and characteristic from him.

“You grow up wanting to play for Kerry at any kind of level at all. The ultimate aim is to play in Croke Park for Kerry at senior level, if you aren't lucky enough to do that the next best thing is to be able to manage them.

“In fairness to Peter having played under him, worked with him, being my brother and friend he is the ideal man for the job, but he is under no illusions. There is a huge task and work ahead of him, simple as that. I'd say he can't wait to get cracking on it.”

Ray Keane is busy with his own sporting project and around Togher the excitement is building. Can the Barrs reach the promised land once more?