Follow hurlers up to Carlow for cup tie

Tommy O’Connor

THE Kerry senior hurlers get their Joe McDonagh Cup campaign underway on this Sunday, May 6 with an away tie against Carlow at Netwatch Dr Cullen Park where there will be a 2pm throw-in.

Six teams will compete in this Tier 2 hurling competition – Meath, Carlow, Kerry, Westmeath, Antrim and Laois. Other Kerry fixtures are@

Sunday, May 13 v Laois (home, 3pm); Sunday, May 20 v Westmeath (home); Sunday, June 3 v Meath (away) and Saturday, June 9 Antrim (away).

The final is fixed for the weekend of June 30. In addition, the top two teams after league stage will play the third-placed teams in the Leinster and Munster championships in All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals, with the McDonagh Cup teams having home advantage.

Féíle na nGael

AFTER last weekends qualifying stages, the way is now clear for the semi-finals and finals of the County Féile na nGael U-14 Hurling competitions this weekend.

On Saturday, May 5 at Dromakee, the semi-final fixtures are: 5.30pm Féile B - Lixnaw v Abbeydorney; 6.15pm Féile C Tralee Parnell’s v Kilmoyley and 7pm Féile B - Ballyheigue v Crotta O’Neill’s. Time and location for the remaining Semi-Final, St. Brendan’s v South Kerry is to be confirmed.

The finals will go ahead on Monday (Bank Holiday), 7 May at Abbeydorney: 2pm Féile C final; 3pm Féile B final and 4pm Féile A final - Ballyduff v Kenmare / Kilgarvan.

Celtic Challenge

KERRY’S opening game against Limerick Sarsfields on this Wednesday, May 2, 7.30pm will take place at Templeglantine.

This Bank of Ireland Celtic Challenge is a hurling development competition for 16 and 17-year old hurlers.

Now in its third year, in 2018 a total of 41 teams from all 32 counties will take part across eight groups that are determined on a geographical and developmental basis.

There will be 1,250 players involved in a schedule of 135 matches that take place over an eight-week period.

After an initial round robin group phase of matches, teams will be graded on their performance and will then be assigned to one of five Divisions for the quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals, where again they will compete against teams of a similar level of ability.

Kerry will be playing in Group B together with Clare South/ East, West Cork and Limerick.

Coiste na nÓg

THE play-off game in the Lee Strand County Under 16 Division 1 league between Crotta and Kenmare / Kilgarvan will go ahead on this Thursday, May 3 at Dromakee. In Division 2, St. Brendans play Tralee Parnells in the semi-final, also on this Thursday at Ardfert. Both games at 7pm.

North Kerry

ABBEYDORNEY won the 2018 Rhyno Quality Feeds North Kerry Division 1 Minor title on Saturday last when they had a 2-14 to 1-12 win over Ballyheigue / Causeway. Michael Slattery was the captain and worthy recipient of the Jimmy King Memorial Shield.

The quarter finals of the North Kerry Intermediate Hurling Championship are fixed for this weekend: Friday at 7pm.

[first named team at home] - Causeway v Lady’s Walk; Lixnaw v Ballyheigue and Kilmoyley v Abbeydorney. The Crotta v St, Brendan’s game will be played on Sunday at Dromakee, 12 noon.