Jack O'Connor intends rejigging the Kerry team in the wake of Saturday's crushing Munster SFC semi-final replay loss to Cork. The All-Ireland favourites looked like a team whose best days were behind them as Cork powered clear for a decisive victory in the final quarter. Kerry's next outing will be in the second round of the All-Ireland qualifiers on July 11, and O'Connor says changes are inevitable. "The evidence is there in front of us," the Kingdom manager said. "We're going to have to rejig the team and sure aren't we better off to find out about it in the month of June rather than later on. We need to go away and think it through. Certainly the team is going to need a bit of surgery, there's no question about that." On the propsect of reviving their All-Ireland challenge via the backdoor series, O'Connor admitted: "It'll be hard. Cork were every bit as good as we were saying they were and we thought they were. Eight points in it at the end -- I'm not sure it was an eight-point game. We made a right fight of it for a period in the second half and got back level. The penalty came at a very bad time for us. That was a killer blow." The Dromid Pearses clubman said he did not see the first half altercation which resulted in red cards for Paul Galvin and Noel O'Leary. "We're just waiting to find out what exactly happened. I'm not too sure. I asked the linesman and Pat McEnaney. I didn't get any answers yet. We'll just have to look at the footage," O'Connor said. O'Connor insisted that he no qualms with the Monaghan's referee's performance. He said: "Great display. No problems in the world. I thought he was outstanding." Tweet

Most Read Stories