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26th June 2025
11:28am BST
Kerry are set to face Armagh in their All-Ireland SFC quarter-final on Sunday. While many are labelling the Orchard County as the team to beat, some are still backing Kerry to overcome the champions.
The Kingdom have a tough task ahead of them against Armagh without some big names. Midfield stars like Barry Dan O'Sullivan and Diarmuid O'Connor will miss the big clash with injuries.
Kerry icon Marc Ó Sé has dropped a bombshell that could be a solution to the gaping hole in midfield, in former star Jack Barry.
Ó Sé said: "...the word down in Kerry is that Jack Barry is back in the panel. He’s home from Australia."
Barry had been a mainstay in the Kerry midfield following his breakthrough in 2017. The defensive midfielder won four League titles and an All-Ireland medal with the Kingdom.
The 30-year-old chose to take a break and move to Australia in 2023. The ex-Kerry star was spoken about in high regard by Na Gaeil chairperson Chris Kavanagh upon his departure.
He said: “I could not compliment the guy enough,
“He puts in the time at club level. He was presenting medals to the under-nines on Sunday night, having played a blinder on Saturday, and he never shirks any responsibility at club level.
“We wish him absolutely the best and hope he comes back. He has played football for 20 years without a break, and he is a fantastic guy for club and county.”
Last summer Kerry felt his absence in midfield, as they were overrun in that area in their loss to Armagh in the All-Ireland semi-final. Barry's potential return will be a huge boost in this area this time around, as he was known for man-marking stars like Brian Fenton out of games.
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