LAOIS and Kerry, who face each other in tomorrow's All Ireland minor football final, have friendly rivals in every sense. Former Kerry Star goalkeeper Charlie Nelligan, who is in charge of the Kerry minors for a fourth successive explains: "We have been helping each other during the year in arranged challenges and have built such a great friendship that no matter who wins I would say the losers will be happy enough for them." But Nelligan's big wish is for his side to combine well and produce the sort of team effort that has has been the hallmark of his side so far. "We don't like to think of our team as one with individual heroes. We concentrate on team effort and spirit," says Nelligan. Tomas O Se, a sterling centre back, midfielder John Lynch and wing forward Liam Murphy are the three survivors from last year's team.
Changes have been made in midfield and attack from the side which beat Mayo in the semi final. John Sugrue from Renard gets a recall to midfield for the first time since he was injured in the first round against Limerick. Ironically, Tommy Griffin, his replacement for the rest of the summer, is now ruled out with damaged ankle ligaments, an injury he picked up in training. Ian Twiss comes into the attack.
Laois have had a most impressive championship so far and have proved beyond any doubt that they are a settled team. Only in the semi final against Donegal had they to call on substitutes.
A huge 3-14 to 1-5 win over Wexford (away) gave early indication of the team's talents and more especially the scoring power of central attackers Chris Conway and Danny Doogue. Between them they hit 3-9 on that opening day. An unselfish Doogue lasted only 34 minutes of the semi final against Donegal before retiring injured and scoreless.
Laois scraped through to win by a point.
The 2-18 to 1-8 win over Dublin in the replay of the Leinster final represents Laois's biggest win.
Apart from the obvious threat down the middle from Conway and Doogue, Laois can point to a formidable left side where Stephen Kelly and Kevin Fitzpatrick have been proving more than just opportunist forwards who demand close marking.
Martin Delaney and Noel Garvan are the soft of midfielders who like to go forward to take their own scores. Certainly they have shown the ability to get close enough to do so in all matches to date.
Laois half backs Niall Collins, Derek Conroy and Colm Parkinson can also get forward with confidence, given the very nature of the team's "helping out" attitude that saw as many as 13 players back in their own half when Laois were under pressure in the second half against Donegal.
Their level of back up play is sure to match the calibre Nelligan claims for his own side.
Despite what the Kerry manager says, he undoubtedly has star quality individuals in O Se, John Lynch and, above all, Noel Kennelly. The latter would be best suited to a role on the forty but looks set to pose all sorts of problems for the Laois defence on the wing.
Liam Murphy and Gareth Clifford - he of the Mike Sheehy type chipped goal in the All Ireland semi final against Mayo - should prove equally annoying for the Laois cover, and it remains to be seen how Twiss, called up for this game, fits into a reshuffled but lethal attacking force, led by Bernard O'Connor.
A difficult one to call. Laois, with 8-66 (for) and 6-41 (against), have an impressive record from five matches. Kerry reaped a total of 6-48 in four matches and conceded 3-25. It should be close, but Laois may be hungrier.
