PHOTOS: Kerry Teams Welcomed Home In Tralee

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Kerry Minors, James Duggan of John Mitchels, Andrew Barry of Na Gaeil and Jack Morgan of Austin Stacks with the Tommy Markham Cup on stage in Denny Street. Photo by Dermot Crean

FANS welcomed back the two Kerry teams to Tralee last night with mixed emotions on stage as the minors revelled in their success and the seniors reflected on what might have been.

The teams were paraded down Denny Street in an open top bus, eventually taking the stage outside the Ashe Memorial Hall just before 7pm.

Chairman of the County Board, Pat O’Sullivan, used the occasion to tell fans that Eamonn Fitzmaurice would be returning as Kerry boss again next year, an announcement which certainly lifted the mood on Denny Street.

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The crowd in Denny Street to welcome home the Kerry teams last night. Photo by Dermot Crean

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Kerry manager Eamonn Fitzmaurice speaking from the stage on Denny Street. Photo by Dermot Crean

“Very disappointing day at the office yesterday,” said Eamonn Fitzmaurice, speaking to the crowd. “We didn’t do ourselves justice, we didn’t bring Sam back…but we’ll go at it again and we’ll try to bring it back for this time next year.”

“I can’t stress how much we do appreciate  you coming out tonight. A bad night. That link between the team and the supporters is fantastic,” he said.

He also paid tribute to the Kerry captain, Kieran Donaghy.

I can’t say enough about how much of an outstanding captain Kieran was this year. He led from the front. He didn’t care whether he was starting, finishing, coming on or not coming on. He did whatever he had to do to drive the team forward…I’m only sorry we didn’t get him up the Hogan Stand to where he deserved to be,” he said.

The future is bright, Kerry football is in a good place. Great minors coming through and there’ll be a good U21 team next year…we’ll go hard at it with the seniors and we’ll bring more silverware back,” he said.

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Jack O’Connor addressing the crowd in Tralee on Monday evening. Photo by Dermot Crean

Kerry minor team boss, Jack O’Connor, also spoke to the crowd and thanked them for coming out to show their appreciation of both teams.

“I’m personally delighted to be involved with a great group of young men who represented Kerry so well. What yesterday showed was that they love the big stage and they can play on the big stage. They saved their best performance of the year for the biggest stage of all, so I’d like to congratulate them and thank them for the great entertainment and the great year they’ve given us.”

The two teams then left the stage to head for another reception in Killarney.

Scroll down for photos…

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Jack Morgan with the Tommy Markham Cup. Photo by Dermot Crean

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Kerry senior players on stage on Monday night in Tralee. Photo by Dermot Crean

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Some of the crowd at the homecoming on Monday night. Photo by Dermot Crean

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Some Kerry fans at the homecoming.

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Some Kerry fans at the homecoming.

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It wasn’t all doom and gloom for the seniors on the night.

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Kerry players on the stage.

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Kerry fans at the homecoming.

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