Kerry GAA Online

MCGRATH CUP FINAL 2006...

Last Sunday's victory over UCC in the McGrath Cup Semi-final has provided the Kerry senior football team with a meeting with old rivals, Cork, in the final at Páirc Uí Rinn on this Sunday at 3.00 p.m.

Admission is to the final €10 for adults, €5 for students and OAP's while under 16's are admitted free.

The selectors have correctly availed of the opportunity in the McGrath Cup games to view as many players as possible in a competitive setting and Sunday's final against Cork will provide them with a much stiffer test than heretofore in the competition. It is well to know their options in advance of their meeting with Cork and also the start of the National League in just a week's time.

Inter-County Scene

WATERFORD CRYSTAL CUP

The Kerry senior hurling team made a very impressive start to the playing season last Sunday at Ballyheigue despite losing to Waterford Institute of Technology in the quarterfinal of the inaugural Waterford Crystal Cup. Kerry were up against top class opposition in this encounter. WIT had intercounty players from Tipperary, Kilkenny, Waterford, Wexford and Galway in their lineout and is considered strong contenders for the Fitzgibbon Cup.

Under the rules of the competition college teams have first call on intercounty players and Kerry were without the services of John Griffin (CIT), Ivan McCarthy (UCC) and Tadhg Flynn (UL). Ardfert players John Egan and Brendan Flaherty were excused due to the proximity of the All-Ireland Junior Club Championship semi-final.

Nevertheless our players gave a great performance and the teams were on level terms with just seven minutes left in the game. This performance augurs well for the league campaign and also their Waterford Crystal Shield Semi-final against UCC on February 5th. This competition is providing valuable competitive action for the players rather then playing challenge games, which can often be of little benefit.

Inter-County Scene

ARDFERT

The semi-final of the All-Ireland Junior Club Football Championship between Kerry and Munster Champions, Ardfert and Ulster Champions, Monaghan Harps will be played on this Sunday January 29th at 1.00 p.m. at O'Moore Park, Port Laoise. It is the first game of a double bill with the All-Ireland Intermediate Semi-final being played after it.

We wish the players, officials and supporters the very best of luck in the knowledge that they have the full support and best wishes of everybody in Kerry. Wouldn't it be great to see them in the All-Ireland Final?

SCÓR NA nÓG

The Munster finals of Scór Na nÓg will be held on this Sunday January 29th at The City Hall, Cork commencing at 2.00 p.m. The standard of competition will be very high in all the eight categories and we wish our Kerry competitors the best of luck, Glenflesk, in three of the eight categories, namely, Figure Dancing, Michelle O'Callaghan in Solo Singing and the Ballad Group. Niamh Ní Mhuircheartaigh will represent Na Gaeil in the recitation and Gneeveguilla are our representatives in the Quiz.

Admission to the Munster Finals is strictly by ticket only.

CAMOGIE IN KERRY

There was a very big turnout of young girls and parents at the camogie fun day held to introduce the game to them at Causeway Comprehensive School last Saturday. They were very lucky with the weather throughout the day. While the girls are out on the field learning the basics of the game, parents were encouraged to watch and also browse through the information stands that were located in the main school hall.

After such a positive response it is now down to the hard graft of getting club and school structures organised to follow up on last Saturday's successful fun day.

COACHING

Coaching and Games Development structures in the GAA in Kerry is the topic for this Wednesday's Ciarraí Abú programme on Radio Kerry from 9.00 p.m. to 10.00 p.m.

Kerry GAA has been at the forefront in coaching and games structures in football and hurling for many years and the service provided to clubs and schools in the county is continually expanding and improving. Donal Daly (Football), Maurice Leahy (Hurling) and William Harmon (IT Tralee) are full time Games Promotion Officers in the county and Vince Cooper, Mícheál Quirke, Sarah O'Connor and Johnny Joy, who are also full time Games Promotion Officers, assist them in the District Boards. Earlier this month a Hurling Development Officer, funded by the Irish Sports Council, has been appointed for South Kerry and his duties will include the development of hurling in the region, which includes the towns of Tralee, Killarney, Killorglin, Dingle and Cahersiveen.

The duties of the Games Promotion Officers include providing Foundation Level and Level 1 Coaching Courses for club and school team mentors, regular club and school visits, Coaching Academies and Schools of Excellence and Development Squads from under 14's to 17's, summer camps, implementing the Munster Coaching Initiative, organising skills competitions and providing advice and help to clubs in developing the most up to date coaching for their young players.

Coaching has a very big budget in Kerry and it is supplemented by Grants from Munster Council, Croke Park and the Irish Sports Council. This money is being put to the best possible use and to ensure that value for this substantial investment is achieved, our Games Promotion Officers give regular reports to the Munster Council Games Managers and their work is assessed and monitored regularly. Coaching is regarded as such an important facet in the GAA that the Coaching Officer is an elected member of the Management Committee in each County and is responsible for co-ordinating all the varied aspects of Coaching and Games Development.

If you have any questions on Coaching please forward your questions by email to ciarraiabu@kerry.gaa.ie

STRENGTH TRAINING WORKSHOP

A Strength Training Workshop will be held at the Institute of Technology Tralee, South Campus on Friday February 3rd. Current Kerry Senior Football Trainer, Pat Flanagan will cover all areas in relation to weight and strength training for Gaelic Football and Hurling. The course is aimed at Club Coaches and all are welcome. The cost for the course is €15 per person. Registration will commence at 6.45pm in the main Student Canteen in the ITT South Campus.

SUPPORTERS CLUB SOCIAL

Those attending the Annual Social of the Kerry Supporters Club on this Saturday Ballygarry House Hotel Tralee are reminded by the organising committee that the doors will close at 9.00 p.m. At the social each of the Supporters Club Monthly Sports Award winners for 2005, Marie Daly, Colm Cooper, James Costello, Tomás Ó Sé, Marc Ó Sé and Diarmuid Murphy will be presented with their awards. The overall Sports Personality for the Year will be announced on the night. Later in the night Neily O'Connor will provide plenty of good dancing music.

On Saturday February 11th it is back to the regular activities when the club organise their first trip of the year, when we play Cork in Round 2 of the Allianz National Football League. They will have two overnight trips, Monaghan on Mach 12 and Tyrone on March 25th. Bookings for the overnight trips must be fully paid a week before travelling. For further information contact any member of the committee, Martin Leane at (068) 48116, John King at (066) 7124229, Kit Ryan at (066) 7124966 or Donie O'Leary at (064) 58099.

BALLYDUFF AGM

The AGM of the Ballyduff Club will be held on this Sunday January 29th commencing at 4.00 p.m. at Ballyduff National School.

OFFICE HOURS

Please note that the office opening hours at The Pavilion, Austin Stack Park will be from 1.30 p.m. to 5.45 p.m. Monday to Friday until March 16th to allow for the preparations for printing the Eolaire 2006 and for other essential administration work.

CO. COMMITTEE MOTIONS

The following motions were passed at last Monday night's meeting of the County Committee. A county player may only be held for county duty for a maximum of two weekends before an intercounty championship game. The last club team to survive in the Senior County Championship will represent the county in the Munster Club Championship if a divisional team wins the County Championship. The motion to change the system of appointing the captains of all intercounty teams will remain the prerogative of the County Championship winners. It was also agreed that a Scór Officer will be appointed in each club and their contact details will be included in the Eolaire. The timing and running of all minor, under 21 and junior competitions was referred to the GAC and all District Boards were asked to debate these competitions and report back with the view to adopting a co-ordinated and common policy on these competitions before these competitions are formulated and scheduled. The motion that no levy be imposed on clubs for fund raising purposes was defeated.

HANDBALL

Eileen Twomey Tournament

Over thirty players from Kerry and Clare took part in the 40x20 Eileen Twomey Memorial Tournament, which took place on Sunday January 22nd in Ballymac. Format was a Team Competition at U12/U14 and U16 level, where players were seeded and it proved to be a great success as there were very keenly contested games throughout. Thirteen players travelled from Clooney [Clare] with the remainder of the players coming from Ballymac, Ghaeltacht, Tralee, Glenbeigh, and Ballydesmond. Format for the competition was that all players were seeded, and divided into groups of four to make a team. The U12 Section was the most exciting of the day, as both finalists were level after two games. Two players from each side Orla Duggan/ Alana O Brien [Clare] took on Ciara Griffin/Cornelia Prendeville [Ballymac] in a five-minute game that ended in stalemate. They took to the court for a three-minute game that resulted in the Clare combination wresting the title. Orla/Alana combined with Sharon Mc Namara/Shauna O Brien, while Ciara/Cornelia played with Cliona Carmody/Anna Prendeville. Fiona Griffin, Elaine Hannon, Niamh Moriarty, Alana Diggins took the U14 title against Hazel Prendeville, Chloe Murphy, Nicola Horan and Alanna Diggins. Lisa Loughnane, Sharon Twomey, Ciara Ni She, Sarah Cunningham captured the U16 crown, when they beat Anne Marie Fitzgerald, Sarah O Donnell, Kate Lynch and Aisling Hannon. The MVP awards went to Orla Duggan and Ciara Ni She-two players that showed up very well on the day.
The playing side was organised by Siobhan Twomey, and she was ably assisted by Steven Mc Swiney, Shane Twomey, Tim Mc Swiney, Tim Twomey, Patricia Mc Sweeny and Sandy Mc Swiney.
This tournament commemorates the memory and life of Eileen Twomey. She won many an honour at underage level, where her sheer will to win and talent combined to generate a heady mix of endurance and will power. Eileen's journey through life ended at a young age, but she left a very rich vault of memories to her family and Club. She set an example that has sown bountiful seeds, and has accrued in a very rich harvest in the Ladies game over the last few years. The day turned out to be a fitting tribute to a young girl who loved the sport, and gave it her best shot all the time. Eileen along with her sisters Mary, Sheila, Deirdre, the Doherty sisters and Siobhan played many a game in the 70s. Isn't it great to see that the sport is as strong as ever, and continuing to grow at all levels.

40x20 Adult Co Championships
Clive Counihan [Ballymac] beat Brian Mc Evoy [Glenbeigh] in the Junior B Singles Co Final, on Tuesday last in Ballymac. Brian made the Ballymac man work all the way in the first game, but Clive eventually won by 21-16. Clive went into an early lead in the second, and kept his distance all the way to record a two game victory.

Handball Awards Night
The awards night takes place next Friday January 27th in Ballyroe Heights Hotel. Everyone is asked to be there on time, as the meal will be served early. This has proved to be great night over the last few years, as it is the one night that everyone young and old can come together.

40x20 County Juvenile Trials
The boy's 40x20 Co Juvenile Trials, which took place, in Tralee last Friday night, saw the picking of the County players for 2006. The U14 age group proved to be the closest of all, as there were four evenly matched players vying for two places-Fergal Mc Namara [Tralee] and Gavin Grady [Glenbeigh] eventually coming through. Thanks to the Co Selectors-Brendan O Connor, Joe Creedon, Fr Kieran O Brien, Tom Daly and Christy Moriarty for their time. The full lineout of the boys Co Representatives is listed below.

Registration Forms
Member/Player Registration Forms are out at present-All Clubs must ensure that forms are returned on time. All Tralee players contact John O Donnell re membership.

40x20 Second Level Colleges
Entry forms for the 40x20 Second Level Colleges are out at present. Entries to be returned to Peter Dennehy, 6 Mount St Josephs View, Magazine Road, Cork not later than Monday January 23rd. Fax to 022/42049, or email to corkhandball@eircom.net.
Boy's championships will be on Tuesday February 7th, while girl's championships will be played on the last week of January.

40x20 County Juvenile Players 2006

U17 Singles: Colm O Mhuircheartaigh [Ghaeltacht]
U17 Doubles: Leon Seidler/Shane Mc Kenna [Glenbeigh]
U16 Singles: Darra O Suilleabhain [Lispole]
U16 Doubles: Cian Counihan [Ballymac]/ Pol O Geanai [Lispole]
U15 Singles: Colin Mc Gillcuddy [Glenbeigh]
U15 Doubles: Rory O Connor [Glenbeigh] /Gary Marshall [Tralee]
U14 Singles: Colm o Luing [Ghaeltacht]
U14 Doubles: Fergal Mc Namara [Tralee]/Gavin Grady [Glenbeigh]
U13 Singles: Brian Og Caball [Tralee]
U13 Doubles: Eoin O Mhuircheartaigh [Ghaeltacht]/Partner
U12 Singles: Eoin Keane [Ballymac]
U12 Doubles: Ciaran O Coinneail [Tralee]/ Barragh O Suilleabhain [Lispole]

Results

40x20 Junior B Singles Co Final-Tuesday January 17: Clive Counihan [Ballymac] dftd Brian Mc Evoy [Glenbeigh] 21-16, 21-8

Eileen Twomey 40x20 Tournament-Sunday Jan 22nd Ballymac
U12 Final: Team B:Orla Duggan, Alana O Brien, Sharon Mc Namara, Shauna O Brien [Clare] bt Team A: Ciara Griffin, Cornelia Prendeville, Anna Prendeville [Ballymac], Cliona Carmody [Tralee]
U14 Final: Team A: Fiona Griffin [Ballymac], Elaine Hannon [Clare], Niamh Moriarty, Alana Diggins [Tralee] bt Team C: Hazel Prendeville, Nicola Horan [Ballymac], Chloe Murphy [Tralee], Marie Collins [Clare]
U16 Final: Team A: Lisa Loughnane [Clare], Sharon Twomey [Ballymac], Ciara Ni She [Ghaeltacht], Sarah Cunningham [Tralee] bt Anne Marie Fitzgerald, Sarah O Donnell, Kate Lynch, Aisling Hannon [Clare]
Special Awards: MVP-Orla Duggan [Clare] and Ciara Ni She [Ghaeltacht]

Events/Fixtures
Munster 40x20 Boys Colleges: Tuesday February 7th
Kerry Handball Awards Night-Friday January 27 Ballyroe Heights Hotel @ 8pm
Cumann Na mBunscol Munster Finals-Tralee February 25.

: : Back to Top : : : Full list of Articles : :