EAMONN FITZMAURICE CAN easily recall one of the defining sequences of play in the history of Gaelic football.
The thing is that the Kerry boss feels it should never have materialised.
Back in 2003 Fitzmaurice was at the heart of Kerry’s defence as they fronted up against Tyrone in the first chapter of the counties modern rivalry.
The sequence of play near the Hogan Stand in the first-half where Kerry were turned over by a swarm of Tyrone players has been presented a forceful statement of the Red Hands intent to change the Gaelic football landscape.
Twelve years on Fitzmaurice is preparing to guide Kerry as a manager in next Sunday’s All-Ireland semi-final with Tyrone lying in wait.
And he has fresh memories of that 2003 game.
“I said to the lads it should never have happened. I remember it was gone over there and I was standing here at centre back like at outhalf in rugby waiting for someone to throw the ball back.
“And I can still remember to this day Liam Hassett was absolutely all on his own, over near the Cusack Stand side and I was saying ‘If someone would please give me the ball I’ll kick it straight to Liam Hassett and he’ll go and at least get a point.’
“But two or three of the lads decided they go and try break down those eight or nine Tyrone fellas and the rest is history and the famous pictures. It almost became a symbol of that team and maybe a symbol of where we were at at the time.
“I think at that time they surprised us with their intensity and the way they set up.
“But I think we are a lot better prepared for it nowadays because we come up against it a lot more often and in the club scene in Kerry there are teams that play similarly so lads are accustomed to it.
“But in 2003, it was pretty new at that time.”
Sifting through the memories of those Kerry-Tyrone battles in 2003, 2005, 2008 and 2012 will be an automatic practice for supporters this week.
But it holds little relevance for Fitzmaurice.
“I think a lot of that history is irrelevant. Going back to the ‘03 ‘05 and ‘08 games, that’s nearly pre-history at this stage and 2012 is ancient history.
“There is of course a crossover of players but I think we are different teams at this stage.
“Even ourselves with Kerry there have been a lot of changes in how we have gone about things in the last three years so I think we are both in a different place.
“Mickey Harte is still there but there are changes in his backroom team. If you look back to 2003 we had won a couple of All-Irelands and probably had more household names at that stage then they had.
“They had the likes of Peter Canavan and Brian Dooher but they were coming with a young vibrant team.
“By beating us and going on to win the All-Ireland, the created their own legacy and history and they became a great team afterwards. This team is similar in ways.
“We obviously won the All-Ireland last year and maybe some of the Tyrone fellas might not be that well known yet but they are a serious, coming team.”
