SIDELINES

Kerry star Kieran Donaghy took another piece of silverware to add to his collection when his autobiography, What Do You Think Of That?, took top spot at the eir Sports Book of the Year awards. The book, co-written by Kieran Shannon, recounts the two time All Star’s unlikely career trajectory and the Tralee man’s roller-coaster relationship with his father. Iveragh’s Adam King was named the Under 20 Athlete of the Year at the National Athletics awards. As expected Glenbeigh / Glencar claimed the Munster Junior Club Football Championship title with a comfortable victory over Cork side Gabriel Rangers. The final took place in Mallow and the Mid Kerry outfit ran out 2-16 to 0-10 winners, the goals coming courtesy of Caolim Teahan and Kieran Courtney. “It’s a great day for everyone from the parish,” manager Aidan O’Shea enthused. “They don’t come around too often so you have to make the most of them when they do, thankfully we took our chance today and we are after joining a long list of Kerry clubs by winning the Munster junior championship.” Castleisland Golf Club’s Michael Lawlor was unsuccessful in his bid for the Chairmanship of the Munster Branch of the Golfing Union of Ireland. Muskerry’s Jim Long beat him out for the position. Crossfield Kate, owned by Brendan O’Shea, ran out an impressive winner in the Unraced Bitch Stake at the Kingdom Greyhound Stadium, cementing its position as a rising star of the doggy world. Killarney Celtic qualified for the last thirty two of the FAI Juinor Cup with a one-nil victory over a fancied Mervue United side from Galway at Celtic Park. Rumours swirled this month of a return to home soil for Currow’s JJ Hanrahan. The Northhampton star had been enduring an injury disrupted season with his club when rumours of a return to Munster came to the fore in the wake of a very impressive performance for the Saints against Leinster in the Champions Cup. Former Kerry trainer Pat Flanagan accepted the position of Austin Stacks senior football manager for 2017 following County Championship winning manager Stephen Stack’s decision to step down from the role. It was the end of an era and the beginning of another at the County Convention. Dr Crokes’ Patrick O’Sullivan stepped down from the role of Chairman following his five year term to be replaced by Brosna’s Tim Murphy. The financial report presented to convention was notable as it outlined an “extremely challenging” financial future for Kerry GAA, which operated at a loss of €10,000 in 2016. The completion of the new centre of excellence at Currans would bring an additional financial burden on the board, as upkeep of the new facility would come at a significant cost after the initial fundraising stage. Tommy Walsh made a return to top flight football this month when he lined out for Munster in the Railway Cup. His presence, and that of Aidan O’Mahony, wasn’t enough to inspire the Munster men to victory over Ulster. They went down 3-17 to 1-15. Kilmoyley’s Tom Murnane meanwhile lined out with Munster as they saw off Ulster 3-21 to 0-15 in the hurling semi-final. Fenit Samphires took the Kerry Area Final of the Munster Youth Cup in style seeing off Listowel Celtic four-nil. In the Kerry area final of the Munster Junior Cup Killarney Celtic, meanwhile, were two-nil winners over Dingle Bay Rovers. Moyvane was named club of the year by the Irish Badminton Association. In colleges football there were wins for Tralee CBS (over Mercy Mounthawk 1-15 to 1-7) in the Dunloe Cup final and for PS Inbhear Sceine (over SPSL Rathmore 1-17 to 0-12) in the Joe O’Connor Cup final. Liebherr made it three in a row in the Munster Interfirms Senior Football Championship. The Killarney side saw off Eli Lilly of Cork 3-12 to 0-9 in the final. There was much sadness in Kerry soccer circles at the news that Lisselton’s Micheál Carr passed away at far too young an age. Carr, the driving force behind the all conquering Lisselton Rovers, was hailed as a true friend of Kerry soccer.