Mistakes are going to happen ...it's how you bounce back that counts most

EVERY player, in every sport, makes mistakes. It's the human element of the game.

- BY JOHN O'DOWD

However, when you're the goalkeeper, it's often the case that your errors have more of an impact than those of others.

When Kerry custodian Shane Ryan dropped a high delivery from Armagh's Rian O'Neill in the second half of last year's All-Ireland semifinal, Barry McCambridge buried the rebound. The rest is history.

The Rathmore man didn't stop to feel sorry for himself. He jumped, headfirst, into the club season.

Now, in 2025, he is back preparing for his fifth All-Ireland senior decider (including a replay in 2010).

"I probably didn't pay a massive amount of attention to it. It was a huge moment, and it was a huge factor in that game as well," he said.

"I suppose with the nature of the club scene for me I was back in Rathmore within a week, and I was playing outfield.

"I had kind of parked it in my head because I was in a diferent position in the club.

"That was until I got back in with Kerry, and maybe got a couple of sessions under the belt back in goal.

"It's just getting your confidence back more than anything. With the nature of the position, you are going to make mistakes.

"The longer I've played at the top level, I've tried to accept that they're just going to happen," he added.