By Paul Keane

From their sparkling league form - hitting Tyrone for 6-15 at one stage - to the 4-22 they put on the board against Cork in the Munster final, Kerry have made a significant statement so far this season. That they mean business.

A long winter of self examination followed last November's Munster semi-final defeat to Cork and the response to date in 2021 has been impressive, collecting a joint league title with Dublin and regaining the Munster title.

The next challenge for Peter Keane's Kerry and captain Paul Murphy is Sunday's All-Ireland semi-final against Ulster champions Tyrone.

'Look, it was a difficult loss last year, there's no two ways about it,' said Murphy when asked if the extra-time defeat in Pairc Ui Chaoimh is what has fuelled their appetite for destruction. 'But I think it's a long time ago now. We have possibly taken things from it and maybe it's in the back of individual guys' minds. We're just trying to build every day we go out really.

'There's a good togetherness, there's a good group work ethic. People are working for each other in the squad and there's a good camaraderie there. I think that is testament to the guys in the squad and the spirit that Peter and the management team have built around us.

'Everyone has their own motivations and that possibly is part of the motivation for us but we're just taking it step by step and we're pleased with our performances so far.'

Those who fancy Kerry for the ultimate prize later this month have raved about their attacking play, shooting 13 goals in the league and another eight in just three Championship games. Between the Cliffords and players like Sean O'Shea and Paul Geaney, they are tearing teams apart.

At the back, they've coughed up 1-11, 1-8 and 1-9 tallies in their three provincial games and these relatively small concessions may be most pleasing to supporters who pine for a first All-Ireland win since 2014.

'Look, they've been good enough to win the games so far,' said Murphy of the figures they've conceded. 'Each game takes on a life of its own. We're happy with the defence that we have. Mike Breen has come in and done very well.

'There are other guys there as well who have been around the team for a couple of years and they're in really good form this year individually and I think that's helping the defence as a whole.

'There was a moment there in the Cork game, Killian Spillane made a block down in the full-back line so it is very much a team defence in football at the moment. I don't think it's really man-on-man.

'Forwards are getting back to help defenders and likewise in attack, defenders are getting up to help the attack. It's a group team effort in defence and we're very happy with the defenders that we have.'

Murphy acknowledged that the Kerry defence has had its critics over the years.

'I don't know whether it has been unfair or not, it's been there and it's just something we have to deal with,' he said. 'It's not something we focus a huge amount of our energy on - we focus on our own group. It's never been a big issue for us as a group.'

Murphy is energised by the prospect of a sizeable crowd at Croke Park on Sunday with up to 24,000 set to be permitted.

'It's brilliant to see fans back,' he said, before raising a caveat. 'It brings challenges too in terms of communication. For the last year or so, there have been empty stands and it was very easy to communicate both on the pitch and from the pitch to the sideline.

'But with fans coming back in the last few weeks, it has become tougher. People just aren't hearing the messages that are going in and that is going to happen up in Croke Park again.

'You'll find with big crowds in Croke Park that you're almost pointing to each other rather than speaking to each other because the message isn't heard.

'It's been fantastic to see a bit of colour back in the crowd, back in the stand, small things you would have taken for granted, the scenario where a point is kicked from the wing and the crowd behind the kicker or goal know it's going over and a cheer goes up from that area of the stand and it goes around the ground.

'Those are brilliant moments in games that you have kind of missed and forgotten about for the last number of months so it's brilliant that the likes of those situations are back and we're definitely looking forward to getting back to Croke Park.'