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WEEKLY
NEWS
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Weekly Kerry GAA Scene
by
Co. PRO Willie O'Connor
30th March 2006
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BIG DAY FOR THE SENIOR HURLERS... This Sunday at 1.00 p.m. at Austin Stack Park, Tralee is a very big day for the Kerry Senior Hurling team when they play Kildare in the last round in Division 2B of the Allianz National Hurling League. We had a bye in last Sunday’s Round 4. Regardless of the result, we have qualified for the quarterfinals. Kerry are top of the table in Division 2B after their victories over London, Mayo and the draw against Westmeath. Our main rivals, Westmeath defeated Mayo by a point in last week’s round to finish level with us on points going into the last round where they are at home to London. If Kerry and Westmeath share the top of the table after the last round then the score difference will decide the winners of the division and automatic qualification for the semi-finals. The second and third placed teams will play against the second and third placed teams from Division 2A to decide the remaining two semi-final places. NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE The last round games on Sunday April 9th in Division 1A of the Allianz National Football League will decide the two semi-final places. Kerry, with 8 points, are in second place, 2 points behind Mayo, on the league table and Tyrone after their win over Kerry on Sunday are in third place with 6 points. Tyrone play their postponed game against Cork this weekend and the result of that game will have an important bearing on the league table positions going into the last round. Kerry must beat Dublin to qualify for the semi-finals, setting up a game of huge importance for both counties at Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney on April 9th. A win for Dublin could marginally put them into the reckoning as well. As the Kerry and Dublin teams prepare for this crunch game, the supporters of both counties have the unique opportunity to look forward to what should be a great game of football. We can expect a very big crowd at Fitzgerald Stadium, bringing with them the unique banter and friendly rivalry that has been the hallmark of big matches between the two counties in the past. MUNSTER MINOR HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP Kerry play Waterford in the first round of the ESB Munster Minor Hurling Championship at 2.00 p.m. on this Saturday April 1st at Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney. Extra time will be played if necessary. In a very commendable sporting gesture, Waterford, who were drawn at home for this fixture, agreed to travel to Kerry to play the game. The winners will qualify for the semi-finals and the losing team will have a second chance when they play the losers of the Tipperary v Clare first round game. COUNTY LEAGUE RD.2 Round 2 of the Credit Union County Senior Football League is on this weekend, with some games on Saturday at 6.30 p.m. and most games are on Sunday at 2.30 p.m. See fixtures list for details. In their postponed Division 1 first round game played last Sunday, Listowel Emmets had a good victory over Austin Stacks. In this weekend’s round Emmets are away to St. Mary’s and Austin Stacks will be hoping to make amends when they face a tough challenge at home to Laune Rangers. The game of the round should be the clash of Dr. Crokes and Rathmore at Lewis Road. Kerins O’Rahillys are at home to Milltown/Castlemaine. Kilcummin are at home to An Ghaeltacht and newly promoted Gneeveguilla, who lost their opening round game to An Ghaeltacht face a tough home game against Castleisland Desmonds. Division 2 should be a very competitive division this year, with five of the twelve teams coming from South Kerry. In this weekend’s round there are some very interesting clashes in store. Waterville are at home to Annascaul, Finuge make the long journey to Sneem, Dingle have a long journey ahead of them when they travel to play Dromid Pearses. Spa are at home to Skellig Rangers and Ardfert play their first game in this division when they are at home Currow. Beaufort are at home to St. Michael’s/Foilmore. In Division 3 Ballymacelligott will be hoping to recover from their first round defeat to Valentia when they are at home to Glenflesk in this round. Kenmare are at home to Valentia, Legion travel to play Tarbert, who had a morale boosting away win against Renard in the first round. Beale are at home to Lispole and Castlegregory, who drew with Kenmare in the first round are away to St. Pat’s. John Mitchels, who got their season off to a good start with a first round victory over Lispole are at home to Renard in this round. Division 4 had good first round victories for Brosna, Moyvane, Churchill, Glenbeigh/Glencar, Ballyduff and Keel has a good line up of games in this round. Ballydonoghue are at home to Na Gaeil, Brosna make the long journey to Tuosist, Moyvane are at home to Keel, Churchill travel to Scartaglin, Duagh are at home to The big game in Division 5 is the clash of promotion hopefuls, Listry and Ballylongford, Cromane will also be hoping to get promoted and they host Kilgaravn in this round. St. Senan’s are at home to Knocknagoshel, Laune Rangers B are at home Templenoe, Derrynane make the long journey to Asdee. RESULTS: Short match reports can be faxed to the above fax number or e-mailed to prokygaa@gofree.indigo.ie at any time on Saturday night or on Sunday. They can also be phoned after 8 o'clock on Sunday night. These reports need only be sixty or seventy words long and should include the half-time score and the important scores and scorers of each half as well as any incident that was of significance in the game, such as a penalty or an important save by the goalkeeper. The full-time score, however, should be phoned immediately after the game in order to meet the deadlines for the national papers and radio. There was a good return of reports from the home club PRO’s after the first round, particularly from Division 2. It would be desirable to have reports from the other divisions as well. With a different group of home clubs involved for this weekend’s round let’s hope the return is at least equally as good. AERTEL: COUNTY MINOR LEAGUES The Round 2 games in Keane’s Super Valu County Minor Football Leagues will be played on this Friday with games in all divisions commencing at 6.30 p.m. Divisions 4A, 4B and 5 are 13-a-side leagues. Games involving clubs with players on the Kerry Minor Hurling team and Scoil Phobail Sliabh Luachra, Rathmore team have been postponed. Results should be phoned in to the County PRO (066) 71 24754 or faxed to (066) 71 81040 immediately after the game finishes. There was an improvement in the return of results after last Friday’s games, let’s hope for a full return of results on this Friday evening. ALL-IRELAND VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS HURLING Congratulations to the Kerry Vocational Schools Senior Hurling Team on their victory over Wexford in last week’s All-Ireland Vocational Schools Senior B All-Ireland Hurling Final. Most of the players attend Causeway Comprehensive School. As the winners of the B competition they qualified for the knockout stages of the “A” competition and we wish them the very best of luck. At time of writing they were preparing to play Offaly at the quarterfinal of the “A” competition. ALL-IRELAND VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS U16 “A” FOOTBALL FINAL Best wishes to Scoil Phobail Sliabh Luachra, Rathmore in the All-Ireland Vocational Schools Under 16 “A” Football Final. Their opponents are Castlewellan (Co. Down) and the game is arranged for this Sunday April 2nd. The venue and time was not available at the time writing. In the semi-final played last week they defeated Dunboyne from Co. Meath. MUNSTER UNDER 16 HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP Kerry were beaten Carbery in the first round of the Division 2 Munster Interdivisional Under 16 Hurling Championship played at Listry last Saturday afternoon. 2005 UNDER 21 HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP St. Brendan’s easily defeated Lixnaw in the final of the 2005 County Under 21 Hurling Championship at Austin Stack Park last Sunday. Both teams provided a very entertaining and sporting game in the dreadful weather conditions that prevailed right throughout the game. The winners three first half goals provided them with a good platform for their victory and Lixnaw, although they tried hard for the hour could not claw back the arrears. KERRY U21 HURLING TRAINING The Kerry Under 21 Hurling panel will commence training at the Austin Stacks Club on this Friday march 31st at 6.45 p.m. in preparation for the Munster Under 21 Hurling Championship and All-Ireland Under 21 B competitions. Clubs are asked to ensure that players selected from their club are in attendance. SCÓR SINSEAR MUNSTER FINALS We wish the very best of luck to all the Kerry competitors in the Munster Finals of Scór Sinsear, which will take place at 2.00 p.m. on this Sunday April 2nd at the Gleneagle Hotel, Killarney. Kerry’s representatives on Sunday, Glenflesk in Figure Dancing and Instrumental Music, Spa in the Ballad Group and Set Dancing, Katie McNamara from Ballydonoghue in Solo Singing, Brian Caball, Austin Stacks in Recitation; Rathmore in the Quiz and Abbeydorney in the Novelty Act were successful in all the eight categories at the Munster Semi-finals held at Cappamore, Co. Limerick last Saturday. They were competing against the county winners from Limerick and Clare. The Munster winners will go on to contest the All-Ireland Finals at the INEC, Killarney on Saturday April 22nd. PRESIDENT’S AWARDS FUNCTION Christy Kissane of Kingdom Kerry Gaels, London and Michael Myers from Fossa GAA Club will be among the award recipients to be honoured at the third annual Irish Examiner GAA President’s Awards ceremony, which will take place in Croke Park on this Saturday April 1st. The Awards were initiated to recognise outstanding commitment and long time service to the GAA by acknowledging the achievements and dedication to the Association of individuals across the country. Whether on the field of play or through the involvement of members at Club, County or Provincial Council level, the GAA has always been fortunate to possess outstanding individuals who have served the Association with distinction. The President’s awards are a wonderful opportunity to reward this type of contribution. On this Thursday March 30th at 8.30 p.m. at The Meadowland Hotel, Tralee, the Coaching Programme for Development Squads entitled “The Way Forward” will be officially launched by Kerry Senior Football Manager, Jack O’Connor. Members of the Kerry Senior Football team will also be in attendance. The 7 full-time coaches in the county will be introduced and they will outline details of the schedules for the under age Hurling and Football Development Squads. There will be Development Squads from under 14 right up to senior and coaching sessions will take place at venues throughout the county. The initiative will allow players to get expert coaching as well as training and competing with players of a similar ability level for the purpose of forming elite panels at all age levels in the county. VHI CÚL CAMPS The GAA have announced details of a new summer camp initiative in conjunction with VHI Healthcare, which will see an estimated 80,000 children receive hurling, Camogie and Gaelic football coaching at GAA run camps every summer. Under the proposal, co-ordinators will be appointed in all 32 counties to oversee the running of the camps. The camps, which will be known as the “VHI Cúl Camps”, will run throughout the summer from Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 2.30pm, and in addition to learning the skills of Gaelic games under the tutelage of qualified GAA coaches, participating children will receive a full set of playing gear (jersey, togs and socks) and a knapsack. The huge growth in numbers attending the summer camps established a need for their organisation on a national basis, thus enabling the promotion of the camps in a more streamlined manner and ensuring that quality of standards and principles of best practice will be observed nationwide. A national promotional programme has been initiated to publicise VHI Cúl Camps and children will be able to apply for inclusion in the camps this year by contacting their local camp co-ordinator at the Coaching Office, The Pavilion, Austin Stack Park, Tralee or through a special website www.vhiculcamps.gaa.ie. This website can also be accessed through a link from the Kerry GAA Website. The recommended prices are €55 for the first child, €45 for second child from the same family and €30 for the third and subsequent children. The football and hurling camps will be of five days duration from 10.00 a.m. to 2.30 p.m. each day. The venues and dates for the Kerry camps have been published in the Kerry Coaching and Games Manual and on the special website. Application forms are also available from the Games Promotion Officers and coaches.
As the All Irelands 40x20 season reaches its climax the county's female representatives continued to make their presence felt on the national scene this past weekend. The Minor duo of Karen Lawlor(Tralee) and Ashley Prendeville(Bmac) received a walkover from their Kilkenny opponents to reach their second final in two years, and will be well-fancied to bring off the double as there is no doubt that these have shown themselves to be among the top players in their grade in the country. They face tough opposition from the Roscommon pairing of Marianna Rushe/Katie Costello and a fascinating contest is anticipated as the tide has ebbed and flowed between these pairings over the last few years.
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