The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Comings and goings for the new KDL season which is now just a couple of weeks away
THERE is no rest for the wicked as the old saying goes and two weeks after the season ends the new soccer season kicks off on the weekend of August 26 with games in all divisions.
There will be reshuffle of the divisions for the new season as a number of clubs have folded. Na Fianna, Tralee Athletic and Sneem Santos have pulled out of the league while a number of B sides have been terminated.
As a result the league will now be reduced to 5 divisions. There will be Premier A, Premier B, Division 1A and Division 1B and Division 2.
The final make up of the divisions will be completed this week and it looks like it will be 10 teams in Premier A, Premier B, Division 1A and Division 1B while at the time of going to press there will be nine teams in Division 2, but that may increase to 10 before the week is out.
A lot of teams have got a good rest after competing their league programme earlier than usual and it is only a few clubs that did well in cup competitions that did not get much of a break.
There has been a big hunt on for team managers over the last few weeks as several managers retired at the end of the season. Jason Fitzgerald is the new manager of Tralee Dynamos and his assistant is Ger Moloney.
Paddy Lynch takes over the reins at Listowel Celtic, Tadhg Healy and David Rogers will be in charge of St Brendan’s Park, while Brian Spillane takes over the helm at Killarney Celtic. Dingle have yet to appoint a new manager.
Predictions
WITH the English Premiership up and running for the new season I make my annual predictions.
My top four by the end of the season are Manchester City to win the league, second Manchester United, third Liverpool, fourth Chelsea. My predictions for relegation are Hull City, Burnley, Bournemouth and Sunderland.
Ricky Harty Memorial Cup
NEWLY formed Ballybunion FC honoured a player who gave great service to soccer in the North Kerry seaside town with the inaugural Rick Harty Memorial Cup, which was played during the week.
Ballybunion FC took on Ballybunion Celtic in the eagerly awaited game with many players dusting off the cobwebs from their football boots and coming back from retirement to play in the game. After a closely contested encounter Ballybunion FC took the spoils.
Rick Harty, who was a real gent on and off the field of play, began his playing career with Asdee Rovers back in the late 1970s and was a member of the 1978 team that won the Reserve Cup.
Later he moved on to play with his hometown of Ballybunion and won honours with Ballybunion Celtic as a player and a manager.
Sadly Rick passed away at a relatively young age a few years ago and his untimely death created a great void in the town of Ballybunion.
The inaugural Rick Harty Cup was a great success and it will now become an annual event.
It is great to see Rick being honoured for his contribution to the game in the area and well done to Ballybunion FC for organising the Memorial Tournament.