KERRY CAPTAIN FIONN Fitzgerald says the black card has only benefited the game since it’s introduction this year.

The Kingdom have yet to receive black card this summer although he admits they still have plenty to work on defensively after Thomas Flynn soloed through from inside his own half to plunder home Galway’s first goal in the All-Ireland quarter-final.

“They were disappointing goals to concede. Call them what you like – lapses of concentration, whatever. They were goals we can’t be conceding and we’d expect to be punished likewise against Mayo if we give up those sorts of opportunities again,” he said.

“It wouldn’t be enough to get us over the line if that was how it turned out. The Galway game definitely gave up a few things for us to work on. We’ve addressed them.”

So should they have been a bit more cynical and taken Flynn out?

“You could have said maybe we were being naïve or that we could have possibly taken somebody down if the black card wasn’t there, but I think the situation just happened so fast that I’m not sure did fellas know that.

“The black card has definitely made the football a little bit more open and a little bit more attacking based for punters to watch, but it might have had an effect I don’t know.”

James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Fitzgerald believes defending has become more of an art form again and that Gaelic Football is far more watchable as a result.

“It’s two things. It’s improved the game for neutrals to watch because obviously everybody is there to watch good attacking football and it might allow it a little bit more and secondly it’s raised the standards of defending and defenders.

“You have to defend properly and I think it’s fantastic to be honest with you, even though I’m a defender I’m in favour of the rule to a certain extent as long as it’s implemented quite well and up to now we haven’t been caught any situations that have been grey areas.”

They face a Mayo side whose marauding wing-backs are hailed as among the best in the country. While the Dr Crokes man does “enjoy an oul sally up the field every now and then,” he says he is happy to leave the space to the Kerry forwards.

“Over the last two or three years they’ve been very impressive building a platform from their backs. Their half-back line is probably the strongest one in the country. From an attacking point of view, there’s nobody better than them in the country. They’re the kingpins.

Paul Geaney: Part of Kerry's dangerous attack. Cathal Noonan / INPHO Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO

“It’s not about me, it’s not about individuals going up and kicking a point. It’s about having a system and a structure. Not everyone is going to be a score and not every attack is going to work out so you have to be in a position to defend if it breaks down.

“But if the situation presents itself, absolutely there are backs there who are prepared to get forward and take a score.

“When you have forwards as good as we have at the moment, you don’t necessarily need to go up there and clog up their space.”