SIDELINES

Kerry ended their regular season National Football League campaign with a 0-20 to 1-12 win over Cork in Austin Stack Park, a result that confirmed Kerry’s place in the top four and the League semi-finals while also relegating Cork to Division 2 football for 2017.

In the NFL semi-final in Croke Park Kerry were comfortable 3-15 to 0-14 winners over Roscommon, exacting some revenge for the February Round 2 loss to the Rossies in Killarney. Donnchadh Walsh, Darran O’Sullivan and Colm Cooper supplied the goals.

Kerry’s poor run of results in the Munster U21 Football Championship continued with another loss to Cork in the provincial final in Tralee. Three goals from the Rebels made life difficult for the Jack O’Connor managed Kerry team, and despite a courageous effort in the second half Kerry lost out by one point, 3-9 to 1-14.

The senior hurlers safe-guarded Division 1B hurling for 2017 when they beat Laois by 2-27 to 1-19 in the NHL Division 1B relegation play-off in Austin Stack Park. Goals from Shane Nolan and John Egan (below).

The Kerry ladies enjoyed League wins away to Monaghan and then at home to Tyrone, but the League semi-final ended in defeat to Mayo, with the Connacht team scoring five late, unanswered points in a crushing come-from-behind win for a Cora Staunton inspired Mayo team.

Kilflynn boxer Aaron McElligott, boxing out of the Cashen Vale club, won a national title when he claimed the 63kg Boy 2 title at the Irish Boy 1, 2 & 3 Boxing Championships in Dublin.

There was plenty of success by local drivers and navigators at the annual Circuit of Kerry Rally. Tony Healy was in the co-pilot’s seat for Tyrone’s Ryan Loughran when winning the Modified class, while Kerry’s Kieran O’Donoghue was alongside Meath driver Gary McNamee in winning the Junior event.

Also in motorsport Killarney’s Rob Duggan and his navigator Ger Conway claimed the Junior Section of the Circuit of Ireland Rally, finishing in 21st place in the overall standings.

Shona Heaslip won the Senior event at the Munster 4-Mile Road Championships held in Clare, while Niamh O’Sullivan’s second place in the Senior event was good enough to secure her the gold in the Masters and Over50 events. In the men’s event John Barrett took the O-50 title while Patrick O’Shea won the O-65 category.

Goals from Johnny McCar thy and Damien Reid helped Classic FC to a 2-1 win over Killarney Athletic in the New Yorkers Over-35 League Final in Mounthawk Park.

The Kerry minor footballers got their Munster title defence off to a comfortable start with a 2-21 to 1-2 win over Waterford in Dungarvan. A goal in either half from Ferdia O’Brien set the Kingdom up for the facile win, having led 1-13 to 0-1 at half time.

The Ballybunion boys golf team won the Munster Final of the Open Skills Challenge at Ballykisteen Golf Club finishing ahead of Tralee to qualify for the national finals.

In cycling, Killarney’s Eoin O’Connell won the John Drumm Cup in Currow, while Dingle bike racer Tom Moriar ty won all three stages and the overall title of the Ras na nÓg which was held on the roads of Donegal.

At the Munster Inter-Club Badminton Finals in Limerick, Moyvane created a little piece of history by becoming the first club to win three titles at this event. The north Kerry club claimed the Division 2, 3 and 4 titles in the three events that they took par t in.

There was a fitting finale to the John and Mary (Killeacle) Dowling Memorial A1 570 Sweepstake Final at the Kingdom Greyhound Stadium when the late couple’s son, Liam, claimed first place with Anopheles and their grandson Sean taking second place with Killeacle Tammy.

All-Ireland basketball titles came to the Kingdom in April, firstly for Gneeveguilla’s U14 boys who had a big win over Longford Falcons, and a week later Glenbeigh Falcons landed the U-16 title with victory over Tipp Knights.

Up and coming jockey Jack Kennedy from Dingle announced his arrival on the national scene when he was named Conditional Jockey of the Year after his debut season.