He was a ferocious competitor. That's the kind of individual he was

KERRY LEGEND MIKEY SHEEHY TREASURED PLAYING BESIDE AND UNDER THE GREAT MAN

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PERHAPS the greatest compliment that could be paid to Mick O'Dwyer's managerial career is that it eclipsed his playing days.

Because he was a superb footballer.

Mikey Sheehy has the rare distinction of having played both with and under O'Dwyer,

Micko made what would prove to be his final appearance for Kerry in a League game against Cork in Killarney in November 1973, just when the 19-year-old from Austin Stacks had been introduced to the panel by Johnny Culloty, who only passed away himself in February.

O'Dwyer, at 37, was almost twice his age.

"Cork were All-Ireland champions and I was a sub anyway and I didn't think I'd be getting any gallop," Sheehy recalls.

"Just at the start of the second half, before the ball was thrown in, the secretary at the time came up to me and he said, 'You're going in instead of somebody' so I went in and Johnny Culloty said to me, 'You kick the frees'.

"Micko was kind of having an off day on the frees, like I often had myself. It was very funny.