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WEEKLY
NEWS
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Weekly Kerry GAA Scene
by
Co. PRO Willie O'Connor
29th September 2005
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WE KNOW WE WILL RISE AGAIN.... It is not how a team handles victory that matters but how a team handles defeat. That was the fundamental message going out from the Kerry players and management after last Sunday's heartbreaking defeat against Tyrone in the All-Ireland Final. We accept our defeat graciously and congratulate Tyrone on winning their second All-Ireland Senior Football title. It would have been a great All-Ireland Final to win and equally it was a very heartbreaking one to lose. Our Kerry players and the team management are naturally very disappointed and our supporters are equally disappointed that we don't have the Sam Maguire Cup in the Kingdom after the team gave us such wonderful displays of football during their championship campaign. We have some outstanding memories of the summer to remember and moreover we can look forward with confidence to next year's championship. The team and everybody involved with them deserve our support at this time as they begin to put last Sunday's defeat behind them. There will always be disappointments in sport. The Kerry players being the true and committed sportsmen that they are acknowledge that and we know they will rise again after they recover from this defeat. Nor will they tolerate or wallow in self-pity after being beaten. This defeat, after the initial disappointment has been put aside will act as a great motivating factor when they begin their preparations for next year. Having come so near to achieving their goal what better motivation can they have for next year's championship only to make an all out effort to be there again for next year's All-Ireland Final. We must give Tyrone credit for their relentless tenacity and concentration last Sunday and throughout their long and arduous Championship campaign. It was that tenacity and concentration that ultimately deprived us of our thirty-fourth title. Despite our getting on top during the first half it was the Peter Canavan goal towards the end of the half that seemed to swing the pendulum in favour of his team. We were in touch right up to the end of the game and that will reassure us that our preparations and training were well equal to the task. What we may have lacked was the experience of those close hard fought matches that defined Tyrone's campaign this year. Kerry's proud football tradition and sportsmanship lives on. Our team have inherited and carry forward that great tradition. Their displays this year have demonstrated that they can hold their heads high and feel justly proud of the legacy they inherited. We are proud of their achievements, we thank them for the sacrifices they made in giving up their free time and above all we congratulate them and thank them for the memories of a truly wonderful summer of football. POST MATCH DINNER Our Team Sponsors Kerry Group hosted a banquet for the players and their guests, their parents and County Board Officers and the team management at Jury's Hotel, Ballsbridge on Sunday night. President Elect of the GAA, Nicky Brennan, the Minister for Arts, Tourism and Sport, John O'Donoghue T.D., Dr. Dermot Clifford, Archbishop of Cashel, Bishop Bill Murphy and Mícheál Ó'Muirceartaigh were among the guests. Chief Executive of Kerry Group, Hugh Friel, thanked the players for their commitment to the team and urged them to look forward to 2006. He stated that last year Kerry Group was delighted to celebrate the team's victory and this year he was proud of the team and proud to support them in defeat. He pointed out that there are three All-Ireland winning captain's on the team in Liam Hassett, Seamus Moynihan and Dara Ó Cinnéide. He is certain that Kerry will be back in Croke Park and that they will have the full support of Kerry Group. Nicky Brennan stated that defeat is part and parcel of sport and he is in no doubt that Kerry will recover quickly from this defeat. He acknowledged and thanked the great work done by Jack O'Connor, the team management and the back up support team. He also stated that the players can feel very proud of the fact that they are held as role models by the youth of the country. He urged the players to look forward to next year. He thanked the players for their dedication, the County Board Officers for their diligence and our excellent sponsors Kerry Group for their support. Sean Walsh, Chairman of Kerry County Board thanked Kerry Group for their support and stressed that we are very fortunate to have them as our sponsors. He said that everybody associated with the team should feel proud of what they had done. He thanked their parents and told them that they should feel very proud of their sons. He then went on to thank Jack O'Connor, the selectors, Ger O'Keeffe and Johnny Culloty and team trainer, Pat Flanagan. All the preparations and training that was possible to win the All-Ireland was done. He thanked the team physios, Aoife Ní Mhuirí and Sarah Hobbs, Masseur, Harry O'Neill, the team doctors, Dr. Dave Geaney and Dr. Michael Finnerty and Vincent Linnane and Brian O'Keeffe who looked after the players gear. He paid tribute to the office staff at The Pavilion for their hard work with tickets distribution. County Secretary, Eamonn O'Sullivan, was thanked for the way in which the arrangements for the All-Ireland Final were undertaken and his tireless work with ticket allocations was clear proof of his brilliant organisational ability. Jack O'Connor said that he was very proud of all the players for the way they were handling the defeat. They battled right up to end, he said, and for that he was very proud of them. Jack thanked his selectors, Johnny and Ger, Pat Flanagan, the medical back up and he also thanked the team captain, Declan O'Sullivan. Jack acknowledged the battle hardiness of the Tyrone and very hard route they had survived to reach the All-Ireland Final. He also stated that there was not another ounce that the players could have given to win the All-Ireland for Kerry. He reminded them that is often how a team handles defeat that will define them as a team and he reassured them that they would regroup and be back again next year. Declan O'Sullivan congratulated Tyrone on winning the All-Ireland and that the Kerry team did everything they could possibly do to win. He thanked the players for their dedication and sacrifices, the management and back up for their support. It was an honour to be captain of such a great group of players, he concluded. In conclusion he said that last year we won together, this year we lost together and it is how we handle defeat that is important now. Minister, John O'Donoghue said that it was an enthralling All-Ireland Final. He referred to Jack and Declan being from the Dromid Pearses Club and that it is people like Jeremiah O'Shea, who has been the Club Chairman for over twenty-seven years that makes the GAA the great organisation that it is, when there are such dedicated people who devote a lifetime to the voluntary work of the GAA club. HOMECOMING Thanks to all the supporters who turned out in big numbers to welcome home the Kerry team and officials at Rathmore Railway Station, in Tralee and in Killarney on Monday. The players greatly appreciate that support and were overwhelmed by the welcome that they got. AIB COUNTY HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP The final of the AIB County Senior Hurling Championship between champions Abbeydorney and Lixnaw will be played on this Sunday October 2nd at 3.30 p.m. at Austin Stack Park, Tralee. The curtain raiser will be the replay of the County Intermediate Championship Final between Kenmare and Kilgarvan at 1.45 p.m. On their way to the final Abbeydorney defeated Crotta O'Neills in the first round, St. Brendan's in the quarterfinal and Ballyduff in the semi-final. Lixnaw had a very comfortable victory over Causeway in the semi-final. They defeated Ballyheigue in the quarterfinal and Kenmare in the first round. The final has all the ingredients of a truly memorable game. Both teams have prepared very well and they play a very attractive and skilful brand of hurling. We can expect a classic game of hurling and a highly entertaining afternoon. The county hurling final day is very special in Kerry.
It attracts very popular support from not only the hurling clubs but
from outside the traditional hurling areas as well. There is always
very colourful support for the teams and it is a real family occasion
as the pride of the parish is very much in evidence. Whichever of the
two captains lifts the Neilus Flynn Cup on Sunday evening will have
earned it. Both teams have been training hard for the final, which we
all hope will be a memorable one and that the skills of hurling, will
be seen at their very best. Both teams will have a good blend of youth and experience in their lineouts for the final and this is strong evidence that the hurling tradition is as good as ever in the two clubs. The family of former Kerry Senior Hurler, Tony Murphy from Kenmare, who died a few weeks ago, has presented a new trophy for the County Intermediate Hurling Championship. He won an All-Ireland Junior Hurling Championship medal with Kerry in 1961. The trophy will be presented for the first time to the winners of Sunday's Intermediate Championship replay. The pride of the parish and the honour of competing in the county final will be very evident as the supporters of Abbeydorney and Lixnaw gather on Sunday to add colour and atmosphere to the AIB County Senior Hurling Championship Final. We can also expect the same pride in the local parish when Kenmare and Kilgarvan line out in the replay of the County Intermediate Hurling Championship. COUNTY MINOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL Dr. Crokes and South Kerry will meet in the final of Keane's Super Valu County Minor Football Championship on this Saturday October 1st at Killorglin at 5.00 p.m. Dr. Crokes will be hoping to add the County Championship title to their County League title which they won earlier in the year, while South Kerry will be going all out to re-establish their dominance at this level over the past number of years. Dr.Crokes defeated St. Brendan's in the semi-final, Kerins O'Rahillys in the quarterfinal and Mid Kerry in the First round. On their path to the final South Kerry defeated the reigning champion, East Kerry in the semi-final, Shannon Rangers in the quarterfinal and St. Kieran's in the first round. JUNIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP The semi-final of the Castleisland Co-Op Mart County Junior Football Championship between Duagh and Cordal will be played at 1.00 p.m. on this Sunday at Knocknagoshel. The winners will meet either Ballyduff or Ardfert in the final. BARRETT CUP FINAL Austin Stacks C play Glenflesk in the final of the Barrett Cup on this Saturday at 3.30 p.m. at either Listry or Killorglin. COUNTY LEAGUE The Division 1 back game between Laune Rangers and An Ghaeltacht will be played on this Saturday at 6.00 p.m. at Gallarus. The result of this game will have an important bearing on the league table positions at the bottom of the table. In Division 1 of the Credit Union County Senior Hurling League St. Brendan's are at home to Causeway on this Sunday at 12 noon. AIB COUNTY FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP The quarterfinals will be played on the weekend of October 8th and 9th. There will be a double bill at Fitzgerald Stadium on Saturday October 8th. At 3.00 p.m. West Kerry will play Austin Stacks and at 4.30 p.m. East Kerry will play the holders, South Kerry. On Sunday October 9th there will be a double bill at Austin Stack Park. At 2.00 p.m. Laune Rangers will play Rathmore and at 3.30 p.m. An Ghaeltacht will be Dr. Crokes. Extra time will be played if necessary. The semi-finals will be played on October 16th or 23rd. The final will be played on Sunday November 6th. If a Divisional team progresses to the final there are dates available to complete the Senior Club Championship, which is already at the semi-final stage, in time for Munster Club Championship. The Club Champions will represent Kerry in the Munster Club Championship should a Divisional Team win the AIB County Championship. TADHG KENNELLY Congratulations to Tadhg Kennelly on his team's, Sydney Swans, victory over West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League Final at the MCG Melbourne last Saturday. Tadhg made his own very valuable contribution to the team's victory and we are all very proud of his magnificent achievement. He has given very valuable contributions to Kerry Under 16, Minor and Under 21 teams and also to Listowel Emmets and Feale Rangers before he left for Australia. Well done Tadhg and Congratulations. SCÓR AGM The AGM of Coiste Scór will be held at The Pavilion, Austin Stack Par on Thursday October 4th at 8.00 p.m. Every club is invited to send a delegate to this meeting to review the year and to make plans for the upcoming competitions. SYMPATHY We extend our heartfelt sympathy to Der Flynn, Chairman of St. Kieran's on the death of his sister. HANDBALL Munster 60x30 Championships All Ireland Senior Football Tickets Draw World Handball Championships National GAA Club Forum Seán Kelly, Uachtarán GLG, is inviting
every Handball Club to be represented by one person at a National GAA
Club Forum on Saturday 12 November at the Gleneagle Hotel in Killarney. Radio Kerry/Ciarrai Abu Radio Kerry are running a programme called Ciarrai Abu every Wednesday evening from 9pm-10pm. This programme encompasses all that is happening in the County at GAA level, and is well worth tuning into. It is a very interesting series, and would be of interest to everyone involved with sports in the County. The 9-10 slot is now becoming a weekly appointment for a lot of people, both young and old. Golden Gloves Results Ballingarry-Tuesday Sept 22 Thursday September 22nd Fixtures
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