Firies to lead the way
2016 DIVISION 4
FIVE of the clubs in this division have Munster Club titles of some description (Castlegregory, Cromane, Gneeveguilla, Skellig Rangers and St Michaels/Foilmore) with three All-Ireland Club titles as well (Castlegregory, Skellig and Ballyfoilmore) making one ponder how fortunes can change so quickly that they find themselves here after such success.
The Premier Junior runners-up from last year, Firies, still being stuck here shows how much being higher in the league can mean for winning at club championship level.
Those coming out of Division 5 in recent years have found the step up that bit harder here with a lot of swift returns after, AFTER a horrible 2016 which saw them ineffective in Division 5 and
BEALE
A strange few years for the North Kerry club, have moved up and down
CASTLEGREGORY
THERE wasn’t a whole lot wrong with Castle’s 2017 bar the second-half of
CORDAL
AMBITIOUS off the field, the East Kerry club haven’t quite had the
CROMANE
AS their manager hinted in the aftermath of the Knockaderry final defeat,
FIRIES
ALL of the East Kerry club’s senior success in 2017 came in one
FOSSA
but Templenoe (here in 2012 on their way to the top flight) are the most significant movers from this position in recent times.
However, Ballydonoghue’s back-to-back promotions (in 2015 they were promoted from here after getting out of Division Five a year earlier) not seeing them move as quickly forward as many would have thought.
Last year’s promotion race was dominated by five sides with a relegation battle pretty much decided with only two rounds left. How competitive at either end it is will probably be determined by the opening rounds.
PROMOTION: Castlegregory, Firies, Fossa RELEGATION: Ballylongford, Cromane, Renard
HOW do you follow up appointing a high profile figure like John Evans as
GNEEVEGUILLA
HOW times change! 10 years ago Gneeveguilla and St Michaels/Foilmore
RENARD
ONE of the most impressive things about the South Kerry outfit is how
SKELLIG RANGERS
NOT that it was anywhere close to the club’s finest moment in 2009
ST MICHAELS-FOILMORE
AS previously mentioned in relation to Gneeveguilla, the fact Ballyfoilmore
TARBERT
USING a 10 year timeframe again, this time in 2008, Tarbert started a also conceding a walkover in the Club Championship, 2017 was a welcome tonic in getting promoted pretty affirmatively back here and the nature of that success should give
between here and Division 3 probably in a classic case of being too good for 4, but not maybe strong enough to hold their own in Division 3 at the moment. A 2014 North Kerry title
the County Junior Final where they could not cope with Listry’s comeback from the dead and they also contended strongly for a second straight promotion which saw the
success at senior level to match it, but last year’s promotion is a genuine sign of a possible revival after finding themselves dropping down to Division 5 in 2016. They haven’t reached
losing that match might not be the worst thing for them as they lost their next seven games after winning the same tournament back in 2008, something that led to them being
competition, the Premier Junior Championship where they caused a massive stir in beating Na Gaeil before getting sucked into a dogfight with Dromid Pearses in the decider
a manager? Appoint another one in the form of Seamus Moynihan! While the Glenflesk native will not want the limelight on this you feel this is an interesting test of managerial credentials
were both in the top flight contesting a County Intermediate Final against each other (the South Kerry side won before Gneeveguilla got redemption two years later) and now almost without
they have managed to stay here since coming up in 2016. It hasn’t been easy but the emergence of some solid young players has negated the absence of Killian Young for the
(All-Ireland Junior Club Champions), but Skellig Rangers can be relatively satisfied with their 2017 with a run to the Premier Junior semi-finals and a promotion push that was ended in
are plying their trade here in 2018 is striking considering eight years in Division 1 (2008-15) and seven as a Senior County Championship outfit (2009-15) with an All-Ireland Intermediate
campaign in Division 2 that led to promotion to the top flight. The experience of Division 1 was not a positive one however as it only lasted the bare year and despite moving between them confidence about making more progress in 2018 if they can keep the momentum from last year going. Will know from their own experience however that getting out of Division 5 is
and 2016 run to the County Junior Final remain their most significant achievements of recent times and show there is talent in their ranks. Will want to contend for promotion at the
results against the other promotion contenders come against them in the end. With the relatively young nature of their panel they won’t view those setbacks as fatal but maybe more of a
a Club Championship semi-final for five years, but if Phillip O’Connor is around for most of their campaign then they should be well able to hold their own here if not feature a
relegated from this division the same year. Newly promoted again, they should have a bit of a headstart on the other sides with their match fitness from that weather hampered event
which the South Kerry side were the only ones that were going to win in that situation. Time is still on Firies side but if they want to be marked down as future club champions in
for him ahead of possible future roles elsewhere. Fossa themselves had a bad outing in Division 3 last year where they came straight back down and, while David Clifford’s
any fanfare they are both down on their luck here. In the East Kerry side’s case it’s been more gradual in falling down the ladder as they are finding the transition to a new team
majority of their matches. Ten years ago they were in Division 3 and while it’s unlikely they are going to mount a challenge to get back there, holding on here will be important for having
a play-off defeat to Dr Crokes B last October. Home comforts played a big part in their 2017 but they still are a formidable side to try and break down on any given day. Replicating it will
title in 2009 the crowning jewel. Just illustrates the difficulties sides can have in replacing established figures when they are operating with low playing numbers, but just
Divisions 2 and 3 for a few years, Shane Enright’s side have been here since 2016. No real indicators of any signs of a revival on first glance, but getting into promotion contention one thing, stopping going back there is another as after being promoted in 2012, two campaigns was all they could manage before a return back down to Division 5.
very minimum, but achieving a level of good consistency would be a big help to their cause as well. learning experience as they look like featuring at the business end again in 2018. If they have learned from last year’s experiences they should make amends.
bit more towards the top of the table. A team that also has the ability to upset another club’s ambitions in any given round.
and that might be crucial early on in ensuring they avoid getting dragged into a relegation battle, especially if they have Donnchadh Walsh for their opening games.
Kerry then they must be operating at a higher level and getting out of this division is a must in the near future for Jack Sherwood’s native club.
presence will probably be a fleeting one until Kerry’s business is done for the year, they should be able to get back up on their feet quickly.
difficult but consolidation must be sought before they can re-emerge you feel. Promotion would be a bonus as being competitive is arguably the more immediate target.
genuine ambitions for a time when Young is less likely to be tied up with the inter-county scene. be a challenge this year with some of the different sides around them but they know what it takes now to make progress.
stopping the rot would be welcome by the club this year you sense. They have fallen quickly down the Kerry Football ladder, but crucially they are still hanging on to a retrievable rung!
would be a good start if they are to make their way back towards the business end in the county. Keel 11 Lispole 11 Dr Crokes B 11 Skellig R’gers 11 Castlegregory 11 Firies 11 Renard 11 Beale 11 Tarbert 11 Duagh 11 Sneem/Derry’ 11 Scartaglin 11 Na Gaeil Fossa Ballymac Firies Skellig Rgrs Lispole Dr Crokes B Scartaglin Renard Churchill Moyvane Valentia PWD 11 10 0 11 10 0 11 8 1 11 6 2 11 6 0 11 5 2 11 4 2 11 3 3 11 3 2 11 3 0 11 1 0 11 1 0 SUNDAY, MARCH 11 (games at 12.30 unless stated)
Ballylongford v Beale Fossa v Cordal Gneeveguilla v Castlegregory Renard v Cromane St Michaels-Foilmore v Firies Tarbert v Skellig Rangers
ROUND 2 FIXTURES SUNDAY, MARCH 25
L1 1 2 3 5 4 5 5 6 8 10 10 19 17 18 18 12 11 10 8 8 5 3 1 Pts 20 20 17 14 12 12 10 9 8 6 2 2
Ballylongford v Renard Castlegregory v Fossa Cordal v Tarbert Cromane v Gneeveguilla Firies v Beale
Skellig Rangers v St MichaelsFoilmore