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WILLIE O'CONNOR'S
KERRY GAA SCENE
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
3 August 2001
ALL is in readiness for Kerry’s much
talked about clash with Dublin in the Bank Of Ireland All-Ireland Senior
Football Championship Quarter-final at Semple Stadium, Thurles on Saturday at
3.00 pm.
Much has been written and spoken since the
draw was made about the attraction and glamour of our previous championship
encounters with Dublin and the expectation of the same on Saturday. Those games
from past eras have gone into the annals as classic games, which created an
unparalleled atmosphere and have generated such nostalgia wherever football is
talked about.
From 1904 when Austin Stack captained the
team to All-Ireland glory against Dublin to win our second senior football
title down to 1985 when Paidi O Se captained the team to All-Ireland glory
against Dublin, championship games between the two counties had a very special
and unique attraction.
A new era and a new generation of Kerry
players are about to write into those same annals this Saturday the next
chapter of championship encounters against our rivals from the capital. It
promises to be a great occasion and a colourful one.
The Kerry supporters, young and old, and
particularly our young supporters have been proudly wearing their Kerry Jerseys
throughout our championship campaign this year. Kerry flags, hats, banners and
jerseys have added a great deal of colour and it gives the team a great boost
as they come out onto the pitch. The team will appreciate that same colour and
loud vocal support again on Saturday.
Don’t be shy to show our green and gold.
It will give the team a great lift when they come out onto the pitch. We can be
certain that ‘Hill 16 on Tour’ will be equally as vocal and colourful at Semple
Stadium as it is at Croke Park.
The build-up to the game among the
supporters is very encouraging and will no doubt intensify as Saturday
approaches. It is a great source of inspiration and encouragement to the
players as they prepare for this very important game.
We can be confident and assured that our
team will give of their best. They have prepared well and have the support of
everybody in Kerry and Kerry people in all parts of Ireland and throughout the
world behind them. In wishing them the best of luck, we know it is their
ambition and our wish to have another day out at Croke Park for the All-Ireland
semi-final.
NATIONAL HURLING LEAGUE FINAL:
The Kerry Senior Hurling Team play
Westmeath in the final of Division 2 of the National Hurling League on this
Sunday at 2.30 pm at Croke Park. The game will be played as a curtain-raiser to
the Meath and Westmeath All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Quarter-final.
This is a tough and formidable challenge
for our team which was well beaten by the same opposition when they met in
their round of the league earlier this year. They will have to pull out all the
stops in their efforts to win the game and especially when playing before the
expected very large following from Westmeath who will be there in force to
support their football team in the All-Ireland Quarter-final.
On Saturday last, the team had a lucky
escape to draw with Carlow in the All-Ireland Intermediate Hurling Championship
Semi-final at Nenagh. An injury time point by Shane Brick let us off the hook
and we lived to fight another day. In the other semi-final played also on
Saturday last, Meath defeated Wicklow. The date of the replay was not arranged
at the time of writing.
AIB COUNTY HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP:
Because of the inter-county fixtures for
the Kerry Senior Hurling Team, the Minor and Under 21 Hurling Teams, the
planned dates for the remaining championship quarter-finals and semi-finals
have had to be changed.
On Wednesday, August 15, the quarter-final
between St Brendan’s and South Kerry will be played. The quarter-final between
Kilmoyley and Ballyduff will be played on Friday, August 17 and on Sunday,
August 19, Causeway play Abbeydorney. All the quarter-finals are at 7.00 pm and
will be played at Austin Stack Park.
The semi-finals will be played on the
following week. Ballyheigue are, of course, already through to the semi-finals
after their quarter-final victory over Crotta O’Neills.
UNDER 21 COUNTY HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP
FINAL:
Ballyduff will play Abbeydorney in the
final of the Under 21 County Hurling Championship on this Bank Holiday Monday,
August 6 at 3.00 pm in Lerrig. In last Sunday’s semi-finals, Ballyduff defeated
Lixnaw and Abbeydorney beat Kilmoyley.
COUNTY MINOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP:
In the two quarter-finals of the County
Minor Football Championship played last week, Austin Stacks progressed to the
semi-final stage with a spirited display against East Kerry and
Rathmore-Glenflesk had a very narrow victory over Shannon Rangers.
The two other quarter-finals are down for
decision this week when An Ghaeltacht play Laune Rangers in Gallarus on this
Wednesday and on this Thursday South Kerry play Mid Kerry in Waterville at 7.30
pm.
The draw for the semi-finals was made at
last week’s meeting of the Games Administration Committee and Austin Stacks
will play the winners of South Kerry and Mid Kerry on Wednesday, August 15 and
Rathmore-Glenflesk play the winners of An Ghaeltacht and Laune Rangers on
August 16.
COUNTY LEAGUE:
At the end of Round 8 of the Lee Strand
County Senior Football League, the points tables in each of the divisions
continue to show the same very close situation as they did after the previous
week’s round 7 games. There is also a certain amount of congestion in mid-table
and, with three rounds still left to play, those later rounds will certainly be
very competitive. The Round 9 games, which were due to be played over the
weekend of August 19, have been put back to a later date.
Milltown-Castlemaine have consolidated
their lead position further in Division 1 and have opened a four point lead after
their victory over Dr Crokes in this round. Austin Stacks have gone into second
place and one point behind them are Dr Crokes and An Ghaeltacht. Laune Rangers’
one point defeat by Rathmore has them uncharacteristically propping up the
table while Rathmore have gone just above the relegation zone ahead of Sneem,
Emmets and Laune Rangers.
The top of the Division 2 table continues
to fluctuate as Ballymacelligott’s victory over Glenflesk and St Mary’s defeat
by Currow has the former back on top of the table as St Mary’s slip back to
second place just a point behind them. Glenflesk and Currow are two points
behind the leaders in joint third place. Kenmare’s defeat at the hands of Spa
and Beaufort’s draw with Legion in this round has resulted in Kenmare and
Beaufort getting deeper into relegation trouble.
The very much in-form Dromid Pearses, in
their top of the table clash, beat John Mitchels, the leaders in Division 3.
Dromid Pearses are just one point behind the leaders John Mitchels in the
table. Valentia’s win against Tarbert sees them go into third place, a point
ahead of fourth placed Waterville. Glenbeigh-Glencar are at the bottom of the
table below Tarbert and Moyvane. Victories in this round for Lispole and
Skellig Rangers took them out of the relegation zone.
St Michael’s-Foilmore are one point ahead
of St Pat’s at the top of Division 4 with Ballylongford still in third place,
despite losing to Knocknagoshel in this round. In spite of Listry’s good win
over Cromane, they are still second from the bottom, four points ahead of Na
Gaeil.
Brosna remain on top in Division 5 but
their draw with Templenoe in this round has them placed just one point ahead of
an improving Renard, who beat Kilgarvan.
COUNTY MINOR HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP:
In the semi-finals of the County Minor
Hurling Championship, Ballyduff play Kilmoyley on this Friday, August 3 at 7.00
pm in Ballyheigue and on Sunday, August 5, Lixnaw will play the winners of
Tuesday night’s replay between St Brendan’s and Causeway at 7.00 pm in Lerrig.
DIVISION 3 HURLING FINAL:
Abbeydorney and Crotta O’Neills will have
met again on this Wednesday night at 7.00pm in Ballyheigue in the replay of the
Division 3 Final of the County Hurling League.
COUNTY INTERMEDIATE & JUNIOR HURLING
CHAMPIONSHIPS:
Two of the quarter-finals of the
Intermediate Hurling Championship will be played on Wednesday next, August 8 at
7.00 pm. Kilmoyley play Lixnaw in Ardfert and Causeway play Lady’s Walk in
Lerrig.
Two of the quarter-finals of the County
Junior Hurling Championship will also be played on Wednesday next at 7.00 pm.
Abbeydorney play Ballyheigue in Causeway and Austin Stacks play St Pat’s in
Connolly Park.
Extra time will be played if necessary in
these championships.
JUNIOR FOOTBALL LEAGUES:
The finals in all four divisions of the
County Junior Football Leagues are arranged for this Friday at 7.15 pm.
In Division 1, Spa play Glenflesk in
Dirreen. In Division 2 North, Clounmacon play Moyvane in Listowel, in Division
2 Mid, Austin Stacks play Keel in Ballymacelligott and, in Division 2 South,
Laune Rangers will play the winners of the Glenbeigh-Glencar and Cromane
semi-final in either Cromane or Glenbeigh, that is whichever neutral venue
applies after the semi-final is played.
In the Division 1 semi-finals, Spa
defeated Listowel Emmets and Glenflesk defeated Rathmore. In the semi-finals of
Division 2 North, Clounmacon defeated Na Gaeil and Moyvane defeated
Ballyheigue. In Division 2 Mid, Austin Stacks defeated Annascaul and Keel
defeated Ballymacelligott while, in Division 2 South, Laune Rangers defeated
Kenmare.
The Junior Leagues have been very popular
over the past few years in that they provide a regular game every Friday night
during May, June and July to players who might not feature on their club Senior
team on a regular basis.
MOLYNEAUX CUP:
The first round of the Molyneaux Cup, the
B County Football Championship, will be played on Friday, August 3 at 7.30 pm
and the second and the last round will be played on Friday, August 17 and 24.
There are two sections comprising of four teams each and the competition is run
off on a league basis. The top two teams from each section will qualify for the
semi-finals.
BARRETT AND MCELLIGOTT CUPS:
These competitions are being played on a
straight knockout system this year. The first round games will be played on
Friday, August 10, commencing at 7.30 pm and extra time will be played if
necessary. There are sixteen teams in each competition and the quarter-finals
will be played on Friday, August 17.
CAHILL CUP:
The first round of the Cahill Cup will be
played on Friday, August 10. There are four teams in each of the two sections
and the competition will be run off on a league system. The top two teams in
each section will qualify for the semi-finals.
SUMMER CAMPS:
The Garvey’s Super Valu Kerry GAA Summer
Camps continue this coming week when the football camps will be held in Renard,
Kenmare and Farranfore from 11.00 am to 3.30 pm, Monday to Friday. The main
hurling camp will be held at Austin Stack Park from August 14 to 16 from 11.00
am to 3.00 pm.
The age groups catered for are from 7 to
14 years. The duration of the football camp is from 11am to 3.30 pm each day.
The cost is £20 per person, £14 for second member of the same family and £11
for every additional member of the same family.
That will bring this year’s Summer Camps
to a conclusion and we are very encouraged by the very positive response from
the young boys and girls who took part in the various venues throughout Kerry
when the camps were held in their area. They seem to have enjoyed themselves
thoroughly and the good weather of course made it all the more enjoyable for
both the participants and the coaches.
The Handball Camp held in Ballymacelligott
last week will be featured on Breaking Ball on RTE ONE Television this Friday
night.
HANDBALL:
The following are the results of the
Munster 60 x 30 Munster Championships.
John O’Donnell of Tralee defeated Pat
Donnellan of Clare in the Masters B Singles Munster Championship and Sean Daly
of Cork defeated him in the Munster Semi-final.
In the Intermediate Singles Semi-final,
Dominic Lynch of Glenbeigh defeated Brian Marrinan of Clare. The Munster Final
will be on this Saturday and his opponent will be the winner of the semi-final
between Eamonn O’Neill of Limerick and Paul Mullins of Tipperary. The venue for
the final was not arranged at the time of writing.
In the Junior Singles semi-finals, Brendan
O’Brien and Noel Raymond, both from Tralee, will represent Kerry on this
Wednesday in separate games and the final will be on this Friday.
In the Under 21 Singles semi-final, Clive
Counihan of Ballymacelligott beat John Keys of Limerick and he will play in the
final on Tuesday next.
In the Novice Doubles, Danny Riordan and
Maurice Crowe of Ballymacelligott were beaten by their Limerick opponents Kerry
Hennessy and John Keys.
Five teams took part in the Jimmy O’Brien
Memorial Tournament in Ballymacelligott Handball Club on Sunday last. The
tournament is held each year in honour of the memory of Jimmy O’Brien, the
famous handballer from the Fitzgerald Jones Handball Club in Tralee. Jimmy was
the first to bring an All-Ireland Minor Handball title to Kerry and he was also
the doubles partner to Paddy Downey and the famous handball duo won many
All-Ireland Senior Doubles titles. Clive Counihan, partnered by Maurice Crowe,
both from the Ballymacelligott Club, won this year’s final.
SYMPATHY:
We extend our heartfelt sympathy to the
Nelligan Family of Castleisland and particularly to Charlie Nelligan on the
unexpected death of their mother last Saturday.