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CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS
2002
by Willie
O’Connor, PRO Kerry Co. Board
CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS
The 2002 County Intermediate, Junior and Novice Championship titles went to the North Kerry clubs, Listowel Emmets, Finuge and Duagh respectively while An Ghaeltacht retained the Senior Club Championship title and Templenoe won the Novice Shield title. A total of 68 games were played in the club championships, 12 in the Senior, 16 in the Intermediate Championship, 15 in the Junior Championship and 15 in the Novice Championship and 10 games were played in the Novice Shield.
It is a significant boost to the three North
Kerry clubs as Finuge also won promotion from Division 4 to Division 3 of the
County Senior Football league, Duagh very narrowly missed promotion in the same
division and Emmets, who were poised for promotion back to Division 1, narrowly
missed out in a three way playoff with John Mitchels and Annascaul. For Templenoe, who won the Novice Shield, it
was a very welcome victory as they have embarked on an impressive redevelopment
of their facilities and Listowel are also in the process of a major and
significant redevelopment of the club’s facilities.
The first round of games in the Senior,
Intermediate, Junior and Novice County Football Championships was played over
the weekend of April 21st. There were some very interesting pairings
in that first round in what was a great weekend of football activity for the
clubs and supporters alike. Due to some players involvement with the Kerry
Senior Hurling team and the Coláiste Na Sceilge team in the Hogan Cup
semi-final on that Sunday a number of games were rescheduled for the following
weekend.
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SENIOR CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP
In the Senior Club Championship first round
there were victories for Laune Rangers, Glenflesk and An Ghaeltacht over Dr.
Crokes, Austin Stacks and Kilcummin while Rathmore advanced to the semi-finals
after their quarterfinal victory over Legion.
St.
Mary’s defeated John Mitchels in their first round game while Laune Rangers
drew with Glenflesk in a quarterfinal with Laune Rangers winning the replay,
which was played in late August. The long delay was of course due to the strong
representation of Kerry Senior players on both teams and both clubs were also
involved in the AIB County Championship. An Ghaeltacht narrowly won a cracking
quarterfinal against St. Mary’s played in Con Keating Park, Cahersiveen and in
the fourth quarterfinal Kerins O’Rahillys defeated Castleisland Desmonds.
An
Ghaeltacht and Laune Rangers got to the final of the County Senior Club
Football Championship after they both staged eleventh hour rallies in their
respective semi-finals against Kerins O’Rahillys and Rathmore at Fitzgerald
Stadium in early October. An Ghaeltacht were in arrears on the scoreboard and were reduced to
fourteen players going into the closing minutes of their semi-final against Kerins
O’Rahillys. They quickly reduced the deficit and won the game at the finish by
three points. In the other semi-final a late goal for Laune Rangers scored in
injury time by Colin O’Connor after he got a pin point pass from Mike Frank
Russell put them into a two point lead just before the full time whistle.
In the final An Ghaeltacht won the title
with a very impressive performance.
INTERMEDIATE CHAMPIONSHIP
In the Intermediate Championship there were
first round wins for Ballymac, Firies, Gneeveguilla, St. Michael’s/Foilmore,
Dingle, Listowel Emmets and Milltown/Castlemaine while Currow and Annascaul had
to meet again when they both finished level even after extra time was
played. In the replay Currow won by a
single point. Gneeveguilla, Milltown/Castlemaine, Listowel Emmets and Dingle
advanced to the semi-finals after victories over St. Michael’s/Foilmore,
Ballymacellligott, Currow and Firies respectively.
Dingle
scored an impressive 1-17 to 1-11 victory over Gneeveguilla in the first of the
semi-finals played at J.P. O’Sullivan Park, Killorglin in late September.
Listowel Emmets defeated Milltown/Castlemaine in the second semi-final played
under floodlights at Austin Stack Park a week later. It was a very close contest with Milltown/Castlemaine making all
the running in the earlier part of the game. Emmets started to take control
particularly during the second half as Milltown/Castlemaine had wasted some
good scoring opportunities. Emmets had a four point lead as the game went into
injury time when Ian Twiss scored a brilliant goal to reduce the margin to a
single point just before the full time whistle sounded.
Listowel Emmets met Dingle in the final,
which was played at Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney as the curtain raiser to the
AIB County Senior Football Championship Final. Listowel Emmets had a convincing victory
over Dingle in that final. They now have the option of going on their own in
next year’s Senior County Championship.
JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
In the Junior Championship there were first
round wins for Lispole, Castlegregory, Cromane, St. Senan’s, Kenmare, Dromid
Pearses, St. Pat’s and Finuge, the latter beating Tarbert in a local North
Kerry derby. After their quarterfinal victories Finuge, Cromane, Castlegregory
and Dromid Pearses advanced to the semi-final stage. In the semi-finals
Castlegregory had just one point to spare over Dromid Pearses at Beaufort while
Finuge also had just a one-point victory over Cromane at Connolly Park. The
final between Finuge and Castlegregory was played at Austin Stack Park and
Finuge brought the title to North Kerry with a three-point winning margin.
NOVICE CHAMPIONSHIP
In the Novice Championship, Duagh had a bye
into the quarterfinal as Brosna, Listry, Ardfert, Na Gaeil, Tuosist and
Kilgarvan advanced to the quarterfinals after first round victories over
Ballydonoghue, Fossa, Templenoe, Churchill, Derrynane and Scartaglin
respectively while Knocknagoshel and Asdee had to meet again after their high
scoring draw even when extra time was played. Knocknagoshel easily won the
replay. Listry, Duagh, Tuosist and Ardfert won their semi-final places after
their respective quarterfinal victories over Knocknagoshel, Kilgarvan, Na Gaeil
and Brosna. In the semi-finals Duagh
defeated Tuosist and Listry had a one-point victory over Ardfert.
Duagh defeated Listry in the final of the
County Novice Football Championship, which was played at Connolly Park, Tralee.
After a very closely contested first half Duagh pulled away during the second
half to win their first ever County Championship title. Needless to say the
team and their supporters were overjoyed at this historic victory.
NOVICE SHIELD
In the Novice Shield there were three first
round games and Clouncmacon, Churchill and Ballyheigue advanced to the
quarterfinals. Derrynane, Fossa, Churchill and Templenoe won their
quarterfinals and while Templenoe had a very impressive victory over Churchill
in their semi-final, Fossa and Derrynane had to meet a second time to see who
would qualify to meet Templenoe in the final. Fossa defeated Derrynane in the
replay and all was set for the final between Templenoe and Fossa, which was
played at Glenflesk. Templenoe easily won the final in which they scored an
impressive three goals and sixteen points.