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Pictured at Austin Park Tralee last Friday for the launch of Garveys Supervalu sponsorship of the 2016 Kerry GAA Senior Football and Hurling County Championships were in centre Jim Garvey with club players from left, Padraig Reidy (St Kieran’s), Dara Roche (East Kerry), Paul McMahon (St Brendan’s) Danny O’Sullivan (Kerins O’Rahillys), Wayne Guthrie (Austin Stacks) , George O’Keeffe (Rathmore), David Roche (Milltown-Castlemaine), Cathal Bambury (Dingle) , Johnny Buckley (Dr Crokes) and Donnchadh Walsh (Mid Kerry). Photo by Don MacMonagle
WITH the 2016 Garvey’s Supervalu Senior Football Championship getting underway this weekend, Gavin O’Connor gives a team by team look at who will be vying to capture the Bishop Moynihan Cup.
This year there are 16 teams in the competition made up of eight clubs and eight divisional sides.
Clubs: Austin Stacks, Kerins O’Rahilly’s, Dr Crokes, Rathmore, Legion, Kilcummin, Miltown/Castlemaine, Dingle
Divisional Teams: East Kerry, West Kerry, South Kerry, Mid Kerry, St Brendans, Feale Rangers, Kenmare District, St Kieran’s,
Austin Stacks
Last title – 2014 (12 overall)
Last year – Round 3
Manager – Stephen Stack
Captain – Kieran Donaghy
Key players – Kieran Donaghy, Wayne Guthrie, Shane O’Callaghan
The Rock are aiming to prove their 2014 triumph was not just a flash in the pan. This is Stephen Stack’s fourth year in charge and to freshen up things he has brought in ex Kerry trainer Pat Flanagan.
Kieran Donaghy talks to teammates before the Austin Stacks v Dingle match in the club championship this year. Photo by Dermot Crean
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Dr Crokes
Last Title – 2013 (10)
Last year – Quarter-final
Manager – Pat O’Shea
Captain – Dathi Casey
Key players – Colm Cooper, Johnny Buckley, Jordan Conway
The team to beat in the competition who, up until the summer of 2014, seemed like they were unbeatable. Hoping to bring back that air of invincibility is Kerry All-Ireland winning manager, Pat O’Shea. Chances are if you’re going to win the Championship you’ll have to go through the Crokes first.
Colm Cooper in action for Dr Crokes.
Dingle
Last Title – 1948 (6)
Last year – Round 3
Manager – Paul Fitzmaurice
Captain – Mikey Geaney
Key players – Paul and Mikey Geaney, Marc O’Connor, Matthew Flaherty
A sleeping giant in the west could about to be reawakened thanks to an abundance of young talent that could be the envy of any club in the country. Add seasoned campaigners Paul and Mikey Geaney into the mix it looks like a matter of when rather than if they can win a championship.
Barra O Suilleabháin lays off a pass during the Austin Stacks v Dingle match in Annascaul last month. Photo by Dermot Crean
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East Kerry
Last title – 1999 (7)
Last year – Round 3
Manager – Davey O’Donoghue
Captain – Jack Sherwood
Key players – Jack Sherwood, Jeff O’Donoghue, Evan Cronin
Kerins O’Rahillys beat East Kerry last year by 17 points to send the divisional side crashing out of the championship. Injuries have hampered their preparation this year with 2014 Kerry minor captain, Liam Kearney, one of those sidelined.
Feale Rangers
Last title – (2007)
Last year – Round 3
Manager – Johnny Mulvihill
Captain – Jack McGuire
Key players – Conor Cox, Jack McGuire, Padraig Quille
Injury to Anthony Maher may have set back Feale Rangers as they aim to be become a formidable outfit once more. Conor Cox is a man who has been in and out of the Kerry senior panel over the last couple of years. On his day he can tear any defence asunder.
Kenmare District
Last title – 1987 (2)
Last year – Semi-final
Manager – John Galvin
Captain – To be confirmed
Key players – Stephen O’Brien, Killian Spillane, Gavin Crowley
One of last year’s surprise packages will be once again looking to upset the odds. Stephen O’Brien is the most prominent player in the side but they also possess, Killian Spillane, who is one of the county’s most promising forwards.
Kerins O’Rahillys
Last title – 2002 (6)
Last year – Quarter-final
Manager – Mike Quirke and Morgan Nix
Captain – Danny O’Sullivan
Key players – David Moran, Barry John Walsh, Tommy Walsh
The Strand Road club is once again ably stocked with inter-county talent with Kerry U21’s Jack Savage and Cormac Coffey adding to Barry John Keane and David Moran. The management team of Mike Quirke and Morgan Nix are well placed to bring The Blues to the next level.
Kerins O’Rahilly’s, Jack Savage, is a key player for Strand Road. Photo by Gavin O’Connor.
Kilcummin
Last title – None
Last year – Quarter-final
Manager – Donal O’Dwyer and James Weldon
Captain – Daniel O’Leary
Key players – Brendan Kealy, Phillip Casey, Kevin McCarthy
It’s not looking good for Kilcummin who lost their previous manager, Martin Horgan, only in the last week. The East Kerry side will perhaps see their club championship relegation match against Milltown/Castlemaine as more inportant.
Legion
Last title – 1946 (1)
Last year – Runners-up
Manager – Kieran Cronin
Captain – Shune Keane
Key men – Jonathan Lyne, James O’Donoghue, Conor Keane
Last year’s beaten finalists will be looking to back up a season that almost saw them crowned county champions for only the second time in the Killarney club’s history. Injury to talisman James O’Donoghue remains a worry and it’s difficult to see them make inroads without him.
Legions, Jonathan Lyne. Photo by Gavin O’Connor
Mid Kerry
Last title – 2008 (4)
Last year – Round 2
Manager – James Sheehan
Captain – Darran O’Sullivan
Key players – Gavin O’Grady, Donnachdh Walsh, Darren O’Sullivan
Beaten finalists in 2014 after a replay, Mid Kerry, welcome on board Laune Rangers players for the first time since 1969. Plenty of talent within the ranks also means they could be dark horses to go all the way.
Milltown/Castlemaine
Last title – None
Last year – Round 2
Manager – Mike Hickey
Captain – Donal Kelliher
Key players – Pa Wrenn, Jonathon O’Sullivan, Damian Murphy
The only Mid Kerry club left in the competition following the relegation of Laune Rangers to intermediate may not have the most talented panel, but they would give any side a hard day of it as Austin Stacks well know.
Rathmore
Last title – None
Last year – Semi-final
Manager – Denis Moynihan
Captain – Brendan O’Keeffe
Key players – Paul Murphy, Aidan O’Mahony, Mark Reen
Last year Rathmore came so close to defeating Legion in a semi-final that would have given them a shot of winning their first title. The experiment, if you can call it that now, of playing Paul Murphy in the forward line continues with his club.
St Brendans
Last title – None
Last year – Round 2
Manager – Richard Barrett
Captain – Paul McMahon (St Pats)
Key players – Andrew and Jack Barry, Alan O’Donoghue, Mike Griffin
Quietly, St Brendans have been building a team with some impressive young talent. In recent years emigration during the Summer months has hampered their chances. If they can keep the bulk of the side at home they could spring an upset or two.
Ivan Parker and Brendan Poff of St Brendans. Photo by Dermot Crean
St Kierans
Last title – 1988 (1)
Last year – Round 3
Manager – Kieran Scanlon
Captain – Sean Óg Ó Ciardubhain
Key players – Thomas Hickey, Seamus Scanlon, Padraig Reidy
The side have seven clubs to chose from so are in a good place in regards sourcing talent. If they manage to build a cohesive unit and get off the ground running they could prove a handful.
South Kerry
Last title – 2015 (10)
Last year – Champions
Manager – William Harmon
Captain – Denis Daly
Key players – Brian Sheehan, Mark Griffin, Killian Young
South Kerry came from nowhere last year to win and were a prime example of a divisional team getting a few wins under the belt and becoming difficult to beat. The surprise factor is gone this year however. The opening round game against O’Rahillys should be a cracker.
West Kerry
Last title – 1990 (3)
Last year – Quarter-final
Manager – Francis Dorgan
Captain – Tomás Mac An tSaoir
Key players – Brian Rayel, Marc Ó Sé, Tomas Ó Sé (2014 Minor)
Alan Fitzgerald and Brian Begley have been ruled out their Round 1 game against Dr Crokes, dealing a big blow to the side. With a host of gifted young talent sprouting across the peninsula, success could be in the pipeline, but maybe not this year.
Prediction…
Champions – Dingle
