The Rise and Rise of a Cromane Boy

In a team game it is unfair to praise individuals but just like in life there are exceptions. Sean O’Sullivan is the first ‘star’ from Cromane. He will not like it being said but the club would be something different without him. He is still young and it may be extreme folly toheighten expectations, but his contributions to club and county have contributed greatly to club pride and morale.

On the 26^th July 1998 He became the first Cromane man since Pat O’Shea in 1953 to wear a Kerry jersey when he lined out for the Kerry minors against Waterford in the semi-final of the Munster Minor Championship. It was almost a rude awakening as Kerry escaped from Dungarvan with a draw (1-6 apiece) to beat the decies in the replay in Tralee by 1-10 to 0-9. It was in this game that Sean hit his first goal for his county. He ended up with 1-3. John O’Dowd writing in The Kerryman about the replay described Sean as ‘the star of the show’.

The Kerry minors went on to beat Limerick in a controversial Munster Final by 2-11 to 0-8. Sean picking up another three points for himself. The game though will be remembered for a clear Limerick goal being ignored by the officials. Kerry’s luck ran out in the semi-final as Sean’s odyysey ended in a place that he had only previously dreamt about, Croke Park. A talented Laois side triumphed by 1-10 to 2-5.

Not long after this setback Sean was helping Mid-Kerry regain their County Minor Championship title by beating West Kerry in Austin Stack Park. A superb performance from Sean saw him described as follows:

"Quite simply O’Sullivan took the game by the scruff of the neck all by himself
and West Kerry simply had no answer to the scorching pace and radar like
accuracy of the Kerry minor."
(The Kerryman, 18^th September 1998)

Sean then returned to action for Cromane in late October when the club contested the Novice Shield final in Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney. Tuosist were beaten by a whirlwind second half performance from the Cromane lads and so Sean added a County Novice Shield title to his Munster minor and County minor titles.

It wasn’t long before he wore the Kerry jersey again as he was called up by Jack O’Connor for the Kerry under-21’s. On March 31^st 1999 he came on as a sub in Kilmallock to play his way onto the team for the final by scoring 1-1 in a 3-12 to 0-6 thrashing of the Limerick men. His first game against the rebels cam a fortnight later in the Munster final in Tralee. Kerry emerged victorious to play Roscommon in Limerick in the All-Ireland final. While the Kerry side hammered their opponents Sean didn’t enjoy the game as he failed to get on the scoresheet as Kerry coasted to a 3-15 to 1-8 win.

He lost his place in the side for the final and was replaced by Paul Galvin who has gone on to great things with U.C.C. this year. In a very tough and physical game the newcomers Westmeath beat the hot favourites Kerry. Sean got about fifteen minutes of action in his first All-Ireland the date 15^th May 1999.

If Sean was surprised by his inclusion in the Under-21’s for 1999 then what was he thinking when he was called up by Paidí O’Sé for three National Football League games before Christmas of this year. His first piece of action as a Kerry senior was in Pairc Uí Rinn against Cork in a huge win 0-19 to 0-6. He went on to feature in the win over Tyrone (2-19 to 1-8) picking up his first points for the seniors and in Kerry’s only league defeat against Dublin in Parnell Park.

In 1985 Sean won a skills competition at Feile Peile na n’Óg and ended up training with a living footballing legend in Seamus Moynihan - a feat which probably puts an end to the oft used phrase that there are no footballers in Cromane.