Ó Sé on the verge of fifth All-Ireland triumph

Dara O Se

13 September 2007

When the folklore of gaelic games is next updated, the name of Darragh Ó Sé will surely warrant inscription. The Gaeltacht clubman already has four All-Ireland medals resting on his mantelpiece but these have not quelled his appetite for further success and he spoke to Hogan Stand about the prospects of Sam Maguire returning to the Kingdom, while also discussing a successful career in the property game with Property Partners Daly Ó Sé Estate Agents.

Preparing for the most coveted prize in Irish sport has become a rather regular occurrence for Ó Sé and the forthcoming clash with Cork is nothing that he hasn’t experienced before, but with age creeping up on the thirty-one year-old, future chances of All-Ireland glory are not guaranteed.

Ó Sé participation in the Kingdom’s epic duel with Dublin was short-lived due to a hip injury sustained in the opening exchanges but a late reappearance to spur on his colleagues seemed to show that there were no ill effects and he is confident of filling his usual midfield berth against the Rebels.

“I picked up a hip injury in the first half and at the time it happened I feared the worst but thank God it didn’t turn out as bad as I thought it was. I had to sit out one or two training sessions but touch wood I’ll be fine come All-Ireland final day.

“The older you get, the hungrier for success you get. It is no secret that I am coming towards the end of my career and I mightn’t get many more chances to play in an All-Ireland final so I will be hoping to make the most of it and with a bit of luck we will be able to come out on top,” Ó Sé said.

Looking back on the energy sapping encounter with Dublin, Ó Sé was delighted to have cleared the obstacle safely and paid tribute to the strength and depth which is present in the current panel that allowed the management team to make a couple of inspired substitutions on the day.

“We are absolutely delighted to be going back to Croke Park for an All-Ireland final and everything that we have done all year has been geared towards this game. People said that we answered questions against Dublin but no matter what game you enter you always have questions to answer.

“It is a panel game and we are fortunate to have a really strong panel this year. It means that the fella’s that are coming on in games are as good as the one’s that are being taken off. That gives the whole team great confidence and you can never have enough competition for places.

“I suppose we were knocked a little bit after the Monaghan game by different sources but we tend not to pay much attention to the media and we just keep our heads down and try to keep improving and do our talking on the pitch.

“We have plenty of experience in our side and that really shone through against Dublin in the closing stages. The likes of Colm Cooper is well used to big games. He has been around for a good few years now and like myself, he will be keen to add another All-Ireland,” Ó Sé stated.

Although Kerry have secured their spot in the All-Ireland decider for the fourth successive year, there have been a number of alterations to the set-up and the introduction of Pat O’Shea as manager, succeeding the successful Jack O’Connor, raised many an eyebrow but Darragh Ó Sé was keen to stress that the current boss brought a new freshness to the training ground.

“Pat (O’Shea) has brought a freshness to the set-up and to be entering an All-Ireland final in your first year in charge is some achievement for any manager with any team and he deserves great credit for what he has done,” the imposing midfielder stated.

The fact that Kerry will be tackling their neighbours and arch rivals is sure to provide enough motivation to wipe away any complacency and Ó Sé is expecting a tough battle, especially from the Rebels rearguard unit which has shown impressive form throughout the campaign.

“We are very familiar with the Cork side and anytime that we have met Cork in the last couple of years it has been a real tough battle with very little between the sides. Cork have quality throughout their side and showed that against Meath.

“We are fully aware of the potential Cork have and their defence in particular is going to be extremely hard to break down. We met in the Munster final when we just managed to come out on top but there is no doubt that Cork have been educating themselves on Kerry ever since,” Ó Sé said.

Ó Sé may be experiencing unprecedented success on the pitch in the last decade but he is also doing particularly well off it and as a partner in Property Partners Daly Ó Sé Estate Agents, he has become a highly respected figure in the property game.

Property Partners Daly Ó Sé Estate Agents was established in 2005 and with a perfect location on Denny Street in Tralee town, Michael Daly and Ó Sé have built up a healthy reputation with the people of Kerry.

As well as Daly and Ó Sé, the Estate Agents also has the services of Mary and Thomas Foley to help promote their properties and covering the length and breadth of Kerry, Property Partners Daly Ó Sé Estate Agents provide a valuable service in a highly competitive market.

“Property Partners Daly Ó Sé Estate Agents was established a little over two years ago and business has been very solid since we began. It always gets a bit quiet around election time but since the election it has really picked up.

“Our main market is the mid-upper sector of residential and commercial property and we cover the vast majority of Kerry, from the likes of Ballybunion to Dingle. We have managed to build up a reputation in the surrounding area and although there is plenty of competition, I hope the success will continue for the foreseeable future,” Ó Sé concluded.