SIDELINES

It was a most successful National Junior and Under 23 track and field championships for Kerry, with stand out performances from the likes of Aoibheann O’Brien of Tralee Harries and Shona Heaslip of An Riocht. O’Brien took gold in the Junior Women’s Long Jump and Heaslip took gold in the Under 23 women’s 5,000m. In the County Senior Hurling Championship Abbeydorney saw off Crotta O’Neills in their first round replay to set up a second round clash with reigning county champions Kilmoyley. In that game O’Dorney stunned the favourites on a scoreline of 0-20 to 0-16 and were full value for their victory. Crotta, meanwhile, exited the competition following a 4-8 to 1-8 defeat in the losers round. Ballyheigue were the second team to bow out after they were defeated by Ballyduff 2-13 to 0-14. The Ballyheigue performance was much improved upon their first round performance. In the final game newly installed championship favourites St Brendans showed their pedigree with a comfortable victory over Causeway 3-19 to 1-16. In the Munster Under 15 football tournament in Millstreet Kerry South saw off Cork West in the final 2-8 to 1-9. It was heartbreak for the Kerry Under 14 ladies footballers when they went down to Kildare in the All Ireland final 3-10 to 2-9. The Kerry Under 16 team had much better for tune seeing off Dublin in the final in a dominant performance 3-21 to 0-10. Ballybunion was announced as the venue for the 2019 Irish Close Championship. The Greyhound Bar KO Cup final ended in a forgettable scoreless draw between Killarney Celtic and Castleisland B. The replay a week later was a completely different affair, however, as Killarney Celtic ran out comfortable three goal winners. The Dominos Pizza Reserve Cup final between Classic FC and AC Athletic also ended in a draw, one-all. In the replay AC Athletic completed a double by seeing off Classic 2-1 In the Dommios Pizza Youths League final replay Fenit Samphires saw off Killarney Celtic 3-1. In the Under 17 Cup final Fenit Samphires saw off Dingle Bay Rovers 3-1. Austin Stacks got their County Championship campaign back on track with an impressive victory over West Kerry – 0-21 to 1-13 – in the third round of the competition. In the other games played in the round Rathmore won a classic contest with St Kierans by the bare minimum, 1-18 to 0-20. Kerins O’Rahillys saw off Legion 3-12 to 2-12. Dingle saw off Milltown / Castlemaine 2-13 to 1-11. In the Premier Junior Football Championship Glenbeigh/Glencar hammered Dromid Pearses 3-16 to 0-4 to show their absolute desire to finally claim the title. In the Premier Junior Camogie Championship Kerry failed to get the result they wanted when on the road to Armagh going down on a scoreline of 2-13 to 0-10. The Kingdom were also defeated a week later in Abbeydorney 1-12 to 2-12 by Westmeath to put a severe dent in their championship aspirations. Those aspirations were extinguished just a week later following a 1-17 to 1-7 defeat at the hands of Carlow in Abbeydorney. Droopys Smasher, trained by Pat Buckley for English owner Mark Lowther, won the A2 final to emerge as the big winner of the Kerry University Hospital benefit night at Kingdom Greyhound Stadium. In the semi-final of the County Under 21 football championship there was a win for Dingle over Dr Crokes – 1-12 to 0-5. In the one remaining quarter-final, meanwhile, St Kierans set up a semi-final with South Kerry having seen off Kenmare District 1-17 to 2-9 in Currow. In that semi-final South Kerry were comfortable winners running out 2-14 to 2-9 winners. In the All Ireland C Camogie championship Kerry struggled to keep pace with a rampant Carlow side and went down to a 5-13 to 1-5 defeat. Killarney co-driver Paul Nagle and Tyrone pilot Kris Meeke struck again for a second World Rally Championship success winning the world famous – and fantastically quick – Finnish rally. It was the pair’s second success of the season and the third overall and, undoubtedly, winning in Finland was the most special win they’d achieved to date. The Kerry minor hurlers won their All Ireland B quarter-final clash with Kildare in Austin Stack Park on a scoreline of 2-20 to 2-10. Waterville’s David Higgins took top spor t in the Titleist and FootJoy PGA Professional Championship in Oxford.