R
EA Y E H
8 1 0 2 FT O EW
REVI
Wishing all our readers a happy and peaceful New Year!
As
rted Repo
by
Sport Review of the Year 2018 V
January
Blues and Celts share spoils in six-goal thriller There was high drama in Woodlawn on Sunday, January 7 as Killarney Athletic came from 3-0 down to snatch an incredible draw against fierce rivals and fellow title contenders Killarney Celtic. The Hoops led at half-time thanks to goals from Jamie Spillane (pen), Wayne Sparling and Danny Roche but late strikes by Seán Cournane (’75), Shane Lynch (’89) and Mike ‘Stam’ O’Donoghue (‘90+3) secure an unlikely draw for the defending champions. The point kept Athletic top of the league but Celtic had two games in hand.
Recalled Casey rescues youthful Kerry Killarney’s own Daithí Casey came to Kerry’s rescue in the Park on Sunday, January 28 as he stole in for a late, late winner in the opening game of the 2018 Allianz National League. Casey, who was one of the standout performers as his club Dr Crokes won the All-Ireland Club and County Championships in 2017, was introduced in the 55th minute against Donegal and caught the eye with a typically dynamic display. It was a significant moment for Casey who has thus far been unable to make his mark at senior intercounty level despite being called into the Kerry camp twice before, most recently in 2015.
In the end it was an excellent result for Kerry who handed debuts to no fewer than eight players, including minor star David Clifford, yet still managed to overcome a dogged Donegal side hell-bent on stifling the home team’s ample attacking threat.
V
February
Kerry have the golden touch Kerry unveiled their new away jersey in last Saturday’s victory over Mayo (February 3) and opinion is very much divided on the kit’s provocative new colours. The Paul Galvin-designed strip consists of a gold jersey with black trim, black shorts and black socks, a far cry from the predominantly blue change numbers of the past. If Twitter is anything to go by, former Kerry players are
universally in favour of the new jersey but not all of the feedback was positive. It was definitely strange to see Kerry play in such unconventional colours, although it didn’t seem to bother the players too much. Eamonn Fitzmaurice’s young team put in a fine performance and held on for an impressive 1-15 to 2-9 win, despite finishing the game with just 13 men.
Black Valley girl set for the big leagues Talented local sports star Hannah O’Donoghue has been snapped up by Women’s National League side Cork City and has immediately set her sights on breaking into the first team. O’Donoghue, who also plays football for Kerry, has been training with the Cork club for the past few months and put pen to paper when the team visited Killarney for a pre-season training trip. A huge crowd turned out at Celtic Park on Saturday,
February 17 as the Black Valley native was officially unveiled as a Cork City player, while supporters were also treated to a keenly contested friendly between the reigning Women’s FAI Cup holders and Celtic’s U-16/17 boys. Speaking to the Advertiser during the week, Hannah, who is still just 17, was full of praise for her coaches and mentors at Celtic.
Sport Review of the Year 2018
d by
orte s Rep
A
V
March
Showtime Lakers beat Kilkenny in Shield final How did we survive for almost a decade without National League basketball? The league decider on Saturday, March 10 was just the latest in a long line of thrilling spectacles at the Auracle and, just seven months after reforming, the Lakers have firmly re-established themselves as Killarney’s favourite sports team. Another huge crowd turned out to see Cormac O’Donoghue’s side duke it out with Kilkenny and the atmosphere in the fourth quarter was really special. The hosts trailed 80-81 with time running out but Dan Griffin gathered a rebound, turned and nailed a fadeaway jumper as the shot clock expired to send the Auracle wild. Dailian Mason made a three shortly after and the game, and Shield, was won.
Oskar friends share spoils as Crokes get first win Off the field, the GAA clubs of Glenflesk and Kilcummin came together in recent weeks to collaborate on a novel fund-raising project that saw members recreate scenes from famous movies and TV shows. It was great to see two fierce rivals join forces in such a positive manner but the armistice was set to one side for an hour last Sunday as the sides came head-tohead in Division 2 of the County League. Fittingly, both clubs walked away with a share of the spoils. Up in Division 1, holders Dr Crokes picked up their first win of the new season as they ran out 2-14 to 0-10 winners against Beaufort.
V
April
Clifford hat-trick sends Fossa through Fossa are through to the last four of the Junior Premier Championship following a thoroughly impressive 3-12 to 2-8 win over St Michael’s-Foilmore on Sunday, April 8. David Clifford was the undoubted star of the show as the prodigious Kerry star registered a remarkable tally of 3-1, including a crucial
clincher in the 57th minute. Keel’s victory over St Pat’s in the other game means that Fossa cannot be caught in Group 3. Even if they lose their last game, they are guaranteed to finish first on head-to-head regardless of who wins between Keel and Michael’s-Foilmore.
Crokes beat Dingle in Club final Dr Crokes’ dominance in the Kerry Club Championship continued on Sunday as they romped to a comprehensive 10-point victory over Dingle to claim their fifth title in the past seven years. The worrying thing about this result for the rest of Kerry is that, according to the bookies at least, Dingle are the most likely team to challenge Crokes for this year’s County Championship. If last weekend is anything to go by, the gap between Crokes and the rest of Kerry shows no signs of closing just yet.
As
rted Repo
by
Sport Review of the Year 2018 V
May O’Leary the hero as Kilcummin win Intermediate Championship All-action wing-back Seán O’Leary was the undisputed hero in Tralee on Sunday, May 7 as he threw off the shackles to score 2-1 in Kilcummin’s six-point victory over Glenflesk. The win means Kilcummin, who suffered the ignominy of relegation as recently as six months ago, will be a senior club once again in 2019. Glenflesk, meanwhile, are still searching for the first intermediate title in the club’s 67-year history.
Mastergeeha native O’Leary gave his side the best possible start when he goaled in the 2nd minute and it proved to be the catalyst for a glorious opening spell for Kilcummin as they built up an imposing early lead. When Kerry star Kevin McCarthy fired home the second goal of the game in the 12th minute, the men in green and red led 2-3 to a solitary point. Glenflesk fought back but Kilcummin were not to be denied. Final score: Kilcummin 4-13 Glenflesk 2-13.
Kevin scoops top prize in fantasy football league Soccer expert Kevin McCarthy walked away with a €250 voucher for Brian James after seeing off all comers in the 2017/18 Killarney Advertiser Fantasy Football League. It was a gruelling nine-month campaign but Kevin finished first out of 383 competitors to eventually claim the top prize. Incredibly, the Fossa man led the pack from December and was relentless in his pursuit of the top spot; his lowest score in the second half of the season was
40 and he averaged an incredible 63 points over the same period. His dominance is reflected in the 66-point gap between himself and Patrick Collins in second place. Tony Looney finished third and Kerry star Shane Enright outscored everyone else in the top ten in the final gameweek to secure a fourth place finish. Damien Ruigrok came fifth.
V
June
Clare get burned by stylish Kerry It felt a bit like a Munster final in Killarney on Sunday, June 3 as Kerry turned on the style in a sundrenched Fitzgerald Stadium. The visitors got the first couple of scores in this last four encounter but Kerry were rampant thereafter, moving the ball so quickly and so efficiently that the Claremen were effectively chasing shadows for the duration. Kerry kicked 32 points in total, an impressive return for their first championship outing of the season. The star trio of Geaney, O’Donoghue and Clifford weren’t quite as electrifying as we all hoped but they still scored 13 points between them.
Celtic do the double with cup win over Blues Killarney Celtic completed the double in Tralee on Sunday, June 24 as they defeated great rivals Killarney Athletic in the final of the Greyhound Bar KO Cup. In the end, a late goal from veteran striker Peter McCarthy was enough to seal the victory for the Celts, who recently reclaimed the league title with a 1-0 win over Dingle Bay Rovers. For Athletic, it was an-
other low-point in a largely disappointing season as the players failed to retain the trophy they won 12 months ago. There was little to choose between the sides as both sets of players struggled to cope with the blazing sun and the artificial surface, which was scorching hot to the touch.
Sport Review of the Year 2018
d by
orte s Rep
A
V
July
Super Bad: Kerry on the brink after Croker shocker Kerry are on the brink of a shock exit from this year’s championship following a disastrous 1-13 to 1-10 defeat to Galway in Croke Park (Sunday, July 15). The Kingdom were widely expected to top Group 1 in the inaugural Super 8s but defeat in Clones this Sunday would eliminate the Kingdom at the earliest possible juncture. They will be favourites to bounce back against Monaghan but if they play anything like they did last weekend then it could be a very uncomfortable afternoon in Ulster for Eamonn Fitzmaurice’s young team. It was a fixture that promised so much but the meeting of the Munster and Connacht champs turned out to be one of the worst GAA games in living memory as both sides failed to cope with the slippery underfoot conditions. It was horrendous fare in truth and the spectacle certainly wasn’t helped by the paltry attendance at HQ.
Cliffy to the rescue Kerry’s 2018 All-Ireland dream is somehow still alive - in spite of a frankly shambolic performance in round two of the inaugural Super 8s on Sunday (July 22). The Kingdom were completely outplayed and outmanoeuvred by Monaghan in Clones and it took a moment of magic from 19-year-old wonderkid David Clifford to rob a point at the death. It was an excep-
tionally cool finish considering the circumstances and Clifford has already firmly established himself as one of our most important players, despite his tender years. It was more than Eamonn Fitzmaurice’s side deserved and many fans were left scratching their heads at a number of contentious calls that the management made both before and during the crucial fixture.
V
August
Fáilte Legends go back-to-back The Fáilte Legends went back-to-back last week as they clinched their second consecutive Killarney Athletic Senior 7-a-side title. With a team made up predominantly of Killarney Celtic players, the Fáilte romped to a 5-2 victory over Liebherr in the final, despite going behind early on. Derry Ahern gave the underdogs the lead in the first half but the defending champions reacted positively and led 2-1 by the break. They pushed on to add a further three after the interval, Martin Crowley adding a consolation goal for Liebherr.
Wayne Sparling netted twice for the victors with Gary Keane, Paudie Clifford and Matt Keane completing the scoring. Matt ran away with Golden Boot Award, registering an impressive tally of 14 goals over the course of the tournament. He walked away with a prize courtesy of sponsor Brian James. His teammate Chris O’Leary was presented with the Kieran Cahillane Trophy for Player of the Tournament. Soccer enthusiast John O’Brien was once again deservedly named Supporter of the Tournament.
Fitzmaurice steps down as Kerry fall short Eamonn Fitzmaurice’s reign as Kerry manager came to an end last Saturday evening following his side’s unexpected elimination from the All-Ireland Series at the Super 8s stage. The 12-point victory over Kildare in Killarney counted for nought as Monaghan defeated Galway in the other game to consign the Kingdom to a third place finish in Group 1. To be frank, were it not for a moment of madness from Kildare forward Neill Flynn just before the break, Kerry might well have finished bottom of the table.
The visitors dominated the early exchanges and were good value for their four-point half-time lead. On first viewing, Flynn’s red seemed harsh but the replays clearly showed that he swung a hand down onto Killian Young’s head. His dismissal was undoubtedly the turning point in the game and Kerry made good use of the extra man after the interval. Substitutes James O’Donoghue and Kevin McCarthy really stepped up to the mark and David Clifford was spectacular once again; he registered 2-6 as Kerry ran out 3-25 to 2-16 winners.
As
rted Repo
by
Sport Review of the Year 2018 V
September
Minors make history The Kerry minors overturned a seven-point deficit to defeat Galway in Croke Park on Sunday, September 2 and in doing so became the first ever men’s side to win five All-Ireland football titles in a row. It’s an unbelievable achievement by all involved, especially Peter Keane, Jack O’Connor and the backroom teams they’ve assembled over the past five years. To create five new panels, virtually from scratch, and guide them to glory in five straight years is incredible. Let’s not forget that before this run there was a 20-year spell during which Kerry, with all of our great players, didn’t win a single minor All-Ireland crown. For further context, only six counties have won five or more All-Irelands in the tournament’s 89-year history. Kerry now have 16, five more than their nearest rivals Dublin.
Crokes collapse blows championship wide open They were odds-on favourites to win a third consecutive county title but Dr Crokes’ 2018 championship aspirations were dealt a major blow on Sunday, September 9 when they fell to a shock defeat to Kerins O’Rahilly’s in the Park. It was the Crokes’ first loss in the competition since October 2015 and not many people saw this one coming, especially not at half time when the Killar-
ney side led by 10. Rahilly’s still trailed by eight heading into the final quarter but they showed tremendous heart to stage one of the most unlikely comebacks you’re ever likely to see. David Moran, Barry John Keane and Tommy Walsh really came to the fore as Strand Road outscored the reigning champions 3-7 to 0-3 in the final 15 minutes plus additional time.
V
October
Selector handed 8-week ban for striking player Football fans across the country were rightly abhorred by the incident in last Sunday’s Kerry SFC semi-final which left East Kerry youngster Dara Moynihan laid out on the floor. Video footage clearly shows Dingle selector Colm Geaney rushing onto the field to punch Moynihan in the face. Observers the length and breadth of the country called for a lengthy ban (if not a lifetime ban) but, incredibly, the county board handed out an eightweek suspension. What kind of message are the GAA sending out here?
Lucky No.13 for Crokes Sunday’s victory (October 28) was historic in more ways than one for Dr Crokes. Colm Cooper and Eoin Brosnan became the most decorated Kerry club players of all time by securing their eighth county championships. Crokes also cinched their 13th senior crown, making them the most successful club in the history of Kerry’s showpiece competition. And, perhaps most notably, this particular Crokes team have now won seven of the past nine county
titles. We are surely looking at the best Kerry club team of all time. This period of ruthless domination is unprecedented in the history of football in the Kingdom. The great John Mitchels team of late 50s/early 60s are the only team to come close. They won six championships in an eight-year spell, including five in a row between 1959 and 1963. Crokes have already lifted the Bishop Moynihan Cup seven times this decade, and there’s still another year to go.
d by
orte s Rep
A
Sport Review of the Year 2018 V
November
All-Star Clifford named Young Footballer of the Year David Clifford was excellent in his debut season so there were no arguments when he earned a spot on the 2018 All-Star team. He also saw off stiff competition from Brian Howard and Michael McKernan to be crowned Young Player of the Year, the fourth
Kerry player to earn the prestigious award since its inception in 1997. It has been a brilliant start to Cliffy’s senior inter-county career and he will be eager to push on in 2019 under the guidance of his former minor coach, Peter Keane.
Players fed up with East Kerry fixtures farce In our November 16 edition, Adam Moynihan spoke to six prominent local footballers from six different clubs and asked them for their thoughts on the news that the East Kerry Championship would run up until Christmas. Player A: I think it’s a brilliant competition and players love it, but both the players and the competition were disrespected a bit this year. It’s not fair to ex-
pect them to be playing into December and possibly January. It’s too much to ask. There are player welfare issues there. Player C: It’s a disaster. They should be trying to play off a few rounds of it early – during the summer or before the summer. There are plenty of weekends off to play it. Player D: It’s unfair on players and on management.
V
December Revamped O’Donoghue Cup could solve fixtures crisis Solving the fixtures crisis is possible in 2019 - if the East Kerry Board agrees to scrap the Super League and play the O’Donoghue Cup earlier in the year. That was the opinion of Adam Moynihan who sat down and drew up a radical new football calendar that would see the start of the East Kerry Championship played in January. “It is fundamentally wrong to ask players to train and play the whole year round,” Adam said. “This isn’t players kicking up a fuss over something minor; this is a major player welfare issue and it has to be taken seriously. “It might not be perfect but if this proposed schedule shows us anything, it’s that giving players an appropriate break is actually possible.”
Greene light: Mark hits eight 3PTs as Lakers defeat Carlow 32 points from local lad Mark Greene propelled the Scotts Lakers to an impressive victory over fellow playoff contenders IT Carlow at the Auracle on Sunday, December 9. The captain drained 8 out of 11 three-pointers in a remarkable shooting display that will surely go down as one of the greatest by a St Paul’s player in many a year. Greene was simply unconscious from beyond the arc and his pinpoint shooting was a joy to behold. After missing two of his first three attempts, he really began to heat up in the second and third quarters, hitting six consecutive threes before eventually missing again in the final period. He finished with 32 points, impressively matching the
combined contribution of foreign players Seán O’Brien (18) and Papito Hersisia (14). Speaking after the game, Greene said he was just feeling it. “Even the ones I missed felt good when they were leaving the hand,” he said. “You’re going to get games like that every year when the shots are falling. Sometimes you just get into a rhythm. It was certainly an enjoyable game.” The victory over Carlow has solidified the Lakers’ position in the playoff spots but Greene says it’s difficult to predict what will happen in the New Year when teams from the north and the south meet for the first time. “We have Limerick this weekend and then we’re into the cross-conference games after Christmas,” he said.