Keith Ricken: No fear of folklore as Cork minors target Kerry challenge

Cork minor football manager Keith Ricken is long enough around underage football to know how it works. 

His side’s 4-25 to 0-12 dismantling of Clare in Clarecastle last Monday was an ideal start to their Electric Ireland Munster MFC Phase 2 campaign, but it has not changed his outlook on what lies ahead. 

Kerry away in Austin Stack Park on a Monday evening is one of the most demanding fixtures in the grade with a start time of 7pm.

“Every game gets tougher as they go on now,” Ricken says. 

"When you’re in Munster, you’re always loving to have a crack off Kerry, and I’m sure they’re loving to have a crack off Cork. Going down to Tralee on a Monday is tough, but the lads are used to travelling now. They’re used to that. For us, again, it’s another game.” 

Ricken made it clear that Cork had not mentioned Kerry once in the build-up to the win over Clare, and that the same approach will apply again.

“We take it one game at a time," he states.

"We’ll be looking at the Kerry videos and the stuff we see of them and what we know of them. But all games take a life of their own and bring their own energy and different nuances.

“We’ll be trying to use as much of the panel as we can. Ray Keane is in charge this year of the U20s and he’s doing a great job, and he’s in charge next year. 

"I want to be able to hand over lads to the U20s next year who have experience of football. That’s what we’re about in Cork — trying to bring lads up into the next group, and then they’ll bring lads through. That’s my job.” 

The natural question, of course, is what Monday will tell them. Kerry have dominated the province at underage level for much of the last decade, and Austin Stack Park has not been a happy hunting ground for Cork teams at any grade. But Ricken was reluctant to frame the game as any kind of definitive measuring stick.

“It’ll be a good barometer, won’t it? But every game is a barometer because you measure yourself on that performance.

“If we make mistakes, Kerry’s quality will punish us. If you look at the schools competitions, Kerry schools are doing very well, but if you look lower down the age groups, Cork schools are starting to put down a stamp too. We’re hoping to get a kick out of that.

“All of that reverberates around and enters into our squad. I’m delighted with where Cork football is going."

As for the weight of history — Cork’s poor recent record as a whole is a concern against Kerry, but Ricken isn't looking at the past. 

“Every team, every day, every venue has its own place. I love going to Páirc Uí Chaoimh, I love going to Tralee, I love going to Killarney. Anywhere there’s a good pitch and a good atmosphere and people who respect football. 

"It’s two teams, one piece of leather. It doesn’t matter where the match is played.

“If we win this game against Kerry, we won’t be getting carried away. If we lose, we won’t be getting carried away. 

"We have another match the following week against Waterford at Páirc Uí Rinn. It’s a business — trying to produce lads to play good quality football in the red and white jersey.”