Kerry GAA Online

DUAGH AND ARDFERT ADVANCE...

Congratulations to Ardfert and Duagh on their semi-final victories in the All-Ireland Intermediate and Junior Club Football Championships last weekend. In the semi-final of the AIB Senior Club Football Championship at the Gaelic Grounds, Leinster Champions, Moorefield from Kildare scored an equalising point late in the game to force a replay against Dr. Crokes. The replay is in Nenagh on this Saturday at 2.00 p.m.

We wish Dr. Crokes the very best of luck in Saturday’s replay and it would be great to see them in the AIB All-Ireland Club Final on St. Patrick’s Day at Croke Park to face the Armagh and Ulster Champions, Crossmaglen.

It has almost become a cliché now when writing about Ardfert to say that goals win matches and that was certainly true once again for Ardfert last Sunday at the Gaelic Grounds, when they scored four goals against Leinster Champions, Confey from Kildare to give them their second outing at Croke Park in the space of a year. They will step out once again onto Croke Park on Saturday March 10th against Ulster Champions, Eoghan Ruadh from Derry but this time round it is the Intermediate title they will have in their sights. The team and supporters are back in Croke Park for the second time in a year but nevertheless it is going to be just as thrilling and exciting an occasion for them as it was a year ago in the Junior decider.

Duagh will be there too on that night in the final of the All-Ireland Junior Club Championship and their opponents are the Ulster Champions, Greencastle from Tyrone. Duagh showed their outstanding battling qualities and team play once more in their semi-final win against Park/Ratheniska of Laois. For the players, the club and the parish this is a dream come true. The entire community has rallied to support the team; the community has been energised and invigorated by this meteoric success of their football team. What a great thrill it will be for the people of Duagh to watch their team run out on Croke Park and hopefully they will succeed in achieving the ultimate goal of an All-Ireland title.

We wish the Ardfert and Duagh players, officials and supporters the very best of luck in the All-Ireland Finals in Croke Park.

This is what the new Provincial and All-Ireland Intermediate and Junior Club Championships is all about. They have added an exciting and welcome dimension for the County Club Championship winners in these grades.

Ardfert and Duagh are at present experiencing the impact that playing in the Munster and All-Ireland Club Championships has on their club and local community and we are delighted with the high profile and national exposure they are getting as a result. The two parishes and communities have been given a great boost by the success of their football teams and in the two weeks leading up to the All-Ireland Finals, the teams and officials carry the best wishes of everybody in Kerry in their preparations for the biggest occasion in the history of the two clubs.

KERRY V FERMANAGH

Our Senior Footballers, after a two-week break from the league, travel to Breffni Park, Cavan on this Sunday at 2.30 p.m. to play Fermanagh in Round 3 of the Allianz National Football League. Kerry’s victory against Cork in Round 2 has given a great boost to the team and to Pat O’Shea and his selectors.

Each game in this year’s league assumes a greater than usual importance because only the top four teams will retain Division 1 status for next year. It is important to accumulate points on the table in the earlier rounds to avoid the pressure of trying to recover lost ground in the later rounds. A victory against Fermanagh would put the team in a much stronger position going into those later rounds. It is never easy to win the away games but the players will be very determined to win and build on their performance against Cork.

Fermanagh have lost their two games to date and will go all out to register their first victory in this year’s league. They were beaten by Limerick in their postponed first round game last Sunday. In the second round Tyrone beat them.

Inter-County Scene

SUPPORTERS CLUB

The Kerry GAA Supporters Club are going on a weekend away for our Round 3 National League game against Fermanagh this weekend. The departure times on Saturday are 9.45 a.m. from Farranfore, 10.00 a.m. from St. Brendan’s Church, Tralee and 10.30 a.m. from The Square, Listowel. For further information contact Martin Leane at (068) 48116.

NATIONAL HURLING LEAGUE

As expected, Kerry had a tough and challenging game against London at Austin Stack Park last Sunday in Round 1 of the Allianz National Hurling League. It was a hard fought encounter from start to finish. The teams were level with just minutes left on the stopwatch and it took a late well taken goal scored by Mike “Boxer” Slattery to break the deadlock as the game went into its closing minutes. We held out for a victory against sustained pressure from a fiercely determined London team.

Our next game is away to Mayo on Sunday March 4th.

COUNTY LEAGUE

The relegation issues in Division 2 should be resolved this Sunday with the relegation playoff between Skellig Rangers and St. Michael’s/Foilmore on this Sunday at 1.00 p.m. at Valentia. Please not change of venue. Extra time will be played if necessary. Both teams have eight points each on the table.

The Credit Union County Senior Football League for all clubs will commence on Sunday March 18th and the Keanes Super Valu County Minor Football Leagues will commence on Monday March 19th. Division 1 of the Credit Union County Senior Hurling League will commence on Sunday March 11th.

CORN UÍ MHUIRÍ

It’s a big day on Sunday for St. Brendan’s College, Killarney and Tralee CBS in semi-finals of the Credit Union, Corn Uí Mhuirí, Munster Colleges Senior “A” Football. The two semi-finals will be played as double bill at Knocknagree on this Sunday February 25th. In the first semi-final at 2.00 p.m. St. Brendan’s College, Killarney play the holders, De La Salle, Macroom and at 3.30 p.m. Tralee CBS play Coláiste An Spioraid Naomh, Bishopstown. Colleges games are most entertaining and they are played with a tremendous passion and pride so a good afternoon’s football is guaranteed on Sunday and wouldn’t an all Kerry final would be a big bonus at the end of it.

SPILLANE CUP

Kenmare defeated Tuosist in the Kenmare District Board Spillane Cup on Sunday last.

SCÓR NA nÓG ALL-IRELAND FINALS

Congratulations to the Quiz team from Beaufort and the Set Dancing team from Kilcummin on winning All-Ireland Scór na nÓg titles at in the All-Ireland Finals held in Athlone last Saturday. The members of Beaufort’s winning quiz team all come from the same family with brothers Tomás and Seán Foley being joined by their sister Máiréad.

Commiserations to Michelle O’Callaghan from Glenflesk in the Solo Singing and The Figure Dancing team from Glenflesk who performed with distinction in their finals. The performances reflected exceptional talent and with such a high standard at this level of the competition our Kerry competitors have done themselves, their clubs and the county proud.

SCÓR SINSEAR

There will be no County Semi Finals and the date for the County Finals has also been changed and has been brought forward from Sunday March 4th to Friday March 2nd at Aras Phadraig Killarney at 7.30 p.m.

The Munster Semi Finals are at Millstreet on Saturday March 10th at 7.30 p.m. and the Munster Finals will be at The Gleneagle Hotel, Killarney March 31st at 6.00 p.m.
The All Ireland Finals will also be held in Killarney on Saturday April 28th.

McNAMEE AWARDS

The closing date for entries for the 2006 GAA Mc Namee Awards is Tuesday, March 20th. Nominations will be accepted for the following categories; Best Club Media Publication (club histories, yearbooks, annual reports etc), Best GAA Website (county or club), Best GAA Photograph, Best County Final Programme, Best County Media Presentation (to include Yearbooks, County Histories, Fixture Booklets, DVD’s etc), Best Local Radio Programme on a GAA Theme, Best Newspaper Article.

Entries should be sent to The Pavilion, Austin Stack Park, Tralee before the closing date.

REFEREES MEETINGS

All new referees must be registered on or before this Saturday February 24th. Training of new referees will commence at the beginning of March. The dates are Monday and Wednesday March 5th and 7th and Monday and Wednesday March 12th and 14th.

A meeting of all current referees will take place at The Pavilion, Austin Stack Park on Monday February 26th and it is essential that all our referees attend. Only registered and fully qualified referees can officiate at adult and underage games.

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