 |
WEEKLY
NEWS
|
|
|
articles online |
Weekly Kerry GAA Scene
by
Co. PRO Willie O'Connor
17th October 2007
|
|
|||||
|
|
|
||||
17th October 2007 |
|||||
|
EGM ON RELOCATION OF AUSTIN STACK PARK... An EGM of Coiste Chontae Chiarraí will be held at the Brandon Hotel, Tralee on this Thursday night October 18th at 8.00 p.m. to vote on two motions, namely the relocation of Austin Stack Park to a new site at Ballybeggan, the development of training pitches and facilities at Currans and to approve the appointment of a full time secretary, assistant secretary (pro term) and hurling officer at this year’s Annual Convention. The following is the notice sent to clubs, County Committee delegates and officers: “As agreed at County Committee meeting of 1st October 2007, an E.G.M. of Coiste Chondae Chiarraí will take place at the Brandon Hotel, Tralee on Thursday 18ú Deireadh Fómhair 2007 at 8.00pm sharp. The E.G.M. will consider the following Motions sponsored by the Management Committee of Coiste Chiarraí: 1. That this Special Convention on behalf of Coiste Chondae Chiarraí CLG and the affiliated clubs within its jurisdiction in accordance with Rule 45 T.O. approve the plans to: (a) Re-locate Austin Stack Park to new site as per briefing presentation of the 9th October 2007. Coiste Chondae Chiarraí 2. That Bye Law No 2 (Kerry County Bye Laws) be amended to provide for provision of full time Secretary, Assistant Secretary (pro-term) and Hurling Officer in compliance with Rule 50 T.O. as amended at Congress 2007. Coiste Chondae Chiarraí Each club will be represented by the County Board Delegate and 2 other members. All Delegates must sign in and collect Voting Card. Proxies not allowed for County Board Delegate.” MY OWN THOUGHTS It has not been my policy, as PRO of Coiste Chontae Chiarraí and writer of over 500 Kerry GAA Scene columns in The Kerryman during my ten years as County PRO, to indulge in expressing my personal opinions in this column on any motion before County Convention or County Committee meeting during that time. On this occasion I ask you, the reader, to allow me the indulgence to express my own thoughts on this important proposal that will, in my opinion, give the GAA in Kerry the best opportunity to provide for the future needs of the GAA in the county. With the approval of this motion at the EGM, the Kerry County Committee is providing for the future needs of the GAA in Kerry in guaranteeing the best in modern playing and training facilities for players and for the comfort of supporters and patrons at major games. Nothing in life stays the same and while there may be sentimental and emotional attachments to the past and to what is there at present, sentiment should not cloud judgement nor can this opportunity be lost to ensure the provision of the best possible facilities for the present and future generations of players and patrons. As one who lived most of my life in Tralee town centre and watched the huge changes and property developments in the town over the years I can see the absolute necessity for the GAA in Kerry to approve the relocation of Austin Stack Park to Ballybeggan on this Thursday night. The GAA clubs in Tralee town and throughout Kerry have made great strides in the development and improvement of their facilities, particularly in the past two decades and they are fully aware of the need to develop, expand and make provision for the present and future needs of their players and members. The clubs in Tralee town have used their own resources aided by Government Grants and GAA Development Grants from Munster Council and Central Council to improve, expand and develop their facilities. John Mitchels will be relocating to new and state of the art modern facilities in the near future. My own club, Kerins O’Rahillys as well as Austin Stacks, Na Gaeil and St. Pat’s have all had recent developments and expansion to their grounds and facilities. The Tralee clubs have seen the need to develop and expand their facilities to cater for the population growth and demographics in the town and to provide the best facilities for their players and members. Difficult and sometimes far-reaching and courageous decisions were taken by them in order to initiate these developments. Having seen these developments take shape the clubs have no regrets now for the courage and foresight needed to embark on them. Clubs, both urban and rural, have been challenged to respond, within their financial resources, to the necessity of providing modern facilities for the future needs of their players and members. In doing so they are fulfilling the mission of the GAA in providing games and facilities for the youth of the club. Likewise, the County Committee is responsible for providing a structured games programme for the club players, the best modern training facilities for preparing county teams and to provide the best available stadium (within financial resources) for staging major games. In exchange for the present Austin Stack Park, Kerry GAA is getting a magnificent new stadium with modern facilities in a new location at Ballybeggan and a site for a modern state of the art training centre for intercounty teams at Currans. It is important that the clubs of the county make this momentous decision to relocate from Austin Stack Park to Ballybeggan on Thursday night. It has massive ramifications for the future of the GAA in the county. COUNTY FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP The second semi-final replay between South Kerry and Mid Kerry in the AIB County Senior Football Championship will be played on this Sunday October 21st at 3.00 p.m. at Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney. Extra time will be played if necessary. The curtain raiser at 1.30 p.m. will be the final of the County Under 16 Interdivisional Football Championship between South Kerry and Mid Kerry. It is a great opportunity for the underage players of the two divisional boards to have their final staged in conjunction with the senior semi-final replay. The County Final is now scheduled for Sunday November 11th. Feale Rangers will have the Lixnaw players on their panel playing in the Munster Senior Club Hurling Championship quarterfinal on Sunday November 4th and should Listowel Emmets win the County Intermediate Final they have a Munster Intermediate Semi-final fixture on Sunday November 18th. There is no room for manoeuvre with the date given that it is necessary to facilitate the participation of the Kerry club teams in the Munster Club Championships. The concluding stages of this year’s championship have turned into a highly competitive and tense series of games. Within a four week period six games in the concluding stages of the County Championship have been played, a quarterfinal replay between Mid Kerry and Kerins O’Rahillys, followed a week later with Mid Kerry involved in yet another replay and now in a second semi-final replay, the team’s fourth replay of the 2007 championship. Feale Rangers qualified for the final beating Kilcummin in a replay of their semi-final. The two teams that reach the final, Feale Rangers and the winners of this Sunday’s second semi-final replay between Mid Kerry and South Kerry will certainly have earned their place in this year’s final. UNDER 21 COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL The County Under 21 Football Championship Final between St. Kieran’s and South Kerry had to be postponed yet again and no agreed date can be found at present to accommodate the two teams. COUNTY INTERMEDIATE FOOTBALL FINAL Listowel Emmets defeated Finuge in the semi-final of the Castleisland Co-Op Mart County Intermediate Football Championship at Moyvane on Sunday last and the final between Emmets and Annascaul is arranged for Austin Stack Park, Tralee on this Sunday October 21st at 2.00 p.m. Extra time will be played if necessary. The Kerry Intermediate Champions will be away to either Tipperary or Clare Intermediate winners in the Munster Intermediate Club Championship on Sunday November 18th. COUNTY JUNIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL Keel are the winners of The Castleisland Co-Op Mart County Junior Football Championship after beating Castlegregory by just a single point in a magnificent and exhilarating highly entertaining final played at Austin Stack Park on Sunday last. It is no consolation to Castlegregory to have played so well and to eventually lose by just a point. I’m sure they wont have too long to wait for another attempt at the county title. Congratulations go to Keel and we wish them the best of luck in the Munster Junior Club Championship semi-final on Sunday December 4th when they are away to either the Cork or Limerick Junior Football Champions. NOVICE CHAMPIONSHIP & SHIELD The first of the semi-finals of the Castleisland Co-Op Mart Novice Football Championship between Ballydonoghue and Tuosist finished level at Austin Stack Park on Sunday last. Extra time was not played due to the Junior Final which followed and as the other side of the draw is at a less advanced stage. It was felt that under these circumstances a replay was in the best interests of both clubs. The long overdue quarterfinal between Cromane and Listry is further delayed due to Mid Kerry’s continued involvement in the Senior County Championship. Churchill await the winners of this quarterfinal. Fossa defeated Clounmacon in the Novice Shield Semi-final played two weeks ago and they will play Knocknagoshel in the final. No date is arranged for this final at the time of writing. COUNTY LEAGUE The results of the recent back games in Division 1 of the Credit Union County Senior Football League shed further light on the situation at the top and bottom of the table. Milltown/Castlemaine defeated Rathmore in a vital relegation game last Sunday and on the previous Sunday Austin Stacks were beaten by Dr. Crokes and Laune Rangers lost at home to Gneeveguilla. At the top end of the table Ardfert lost at home to Kerins O’Rahillys and An Ghaeltacht defeated Kilcummin. These results have a big bearing on the positions at both ends of the table positions. Kerins O’Rahillys have a one point lead and already through to the final over second placed team, An Ghaeltacht. Ardfert are now three points adrift of the leaders in third place. An Ghaeltacht and Ardfert are still in contention for one of the top two positions and a place in league final going into the last round of games on probably November 18th where An Ghaeltacht are at home to Ardfert. The relegation issues have widened at the bottom end of the table with only top four teams free of possible relegation. Rathmore are in fourth place, all the other teams in the division are in danger of possible relegation. Some mouth-watering battles are in prospect in the remaining back games and in the last round. In this Sunday’s Division 1 back game Dr. Crokes are at home to Laune Rangers at 1.00 p.m. In a Division 4 back game Firies narrowly defeated Scartaglin on Sunday last and as a result they are now in the race for promotion with St. Pat’s, Duagh and Keel. Firies play Duagh in a back game in this division on this Sunday at 1.30 p.m. and in Division 5 Listry play Templenoe in their last round game at 2.00 p.m. at Listry. COUNTY INTERMEDIATE HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP Kilgarvan defeated Lady’s Walk in the final County Intermediate Hurling Championship last Saturday at Fitzgerald Stadium. Kilgarvan will represent Kerry in the Munster Junior Club Hurling Championship where like last year they will have a home venue against the Limerick Junior Hurling Champions. Munster Council have given permission to the Kerry Intermediate winners to play in the provincial Junior Club Hurling Championship. UNDER 21 & MINOR HURLING Lixnaw will meet Causeway and St. Brendan’s will play Ballyheigue in the semi-finals of the County Under 21 Hurling Championship. Ballyheigue defeated Kilmoyley and St. Brendan’s defeated Crotta O’Neills in the two quarterfinals played last Saturday. The dates for the semi-finals were not decided at the time of writing. In the County Minor Hurling Shield Causeway are through to the final after beating Abbeydorney and in the other semi-final St. Brendan’s play Lixnaw at a date and time to be arranged. JUNIOR CUPS Dr. Crokes B defeated Ardfert B in the final of the Molyneaux Cup. Spa B defeated Gneeveguilla B in the final of the McElligott Cup. Charlie Kerins defeated Keel B in the final of the Barrett Cup Knocknagoshel long wait for their opponents in the final of the Cahill Cup is over with Scartaglin’s victory over Kenmare in the other semi-final played last Saturday. INTERPROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP Congratulations to the Kerry players on the Munster team and the team manager, Sean Geaney on Munster’s great win against a highly fancied Leinster team in the semi-final of the Martin Donnelly Interprovincial Football Championship Semi-final at Fermoy last Saturday. It proves that a team can overcome all the odds, boycotts and threatened withdrawals. Players want to play and any adversity can be overcome when a committed group of players are set a challenge. THANKS Sincere thanks to Jack Hennessy, Asdee on looking after the gathering and publication of the results for the past two weekends while I was away on holidays. SYMPATHY We extend our sincere sympathy to North Kerry Football Board Chairman, Liam Dennehy on the death of his wife Noreen. Ar dheis lámh Dé go raibh a anam dilis.
: : Back to Top : : : Full list of Articles : :
|