SIDELINES

Waterville GAA club hosted a festival this month to celebrate the 80th birthday of their most famous son – Mick O’Dwyer.

Causeway representatives dominated the Kerry Puc Fada championships. Stephen Murphy won the senior mens crown, while Patrice Diggin claimed the senior ladies title.

West Kerry claimed the County Under 14 Football Championship final seeing off East Kerry in the final 5-14 to 3-17. Kenmare District took the plate title defeating St Brendans 3-16 to 0-8.

An Ghaeltacht lost out in the Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta going down Naomh Conaill in the final 2-10 to 1-16.

In the wake of the Kerry juniors Munster semi-final victory over Limerick in Fitzgerald Stadium – 2-16 to 1-16 – Kerry junior boss Stephen Wallace lashed out at what he described as the “disgusting attitude” of some club managers. “I would like to see some of the managers we have in the county at present take their heads out of the clouds and stop preventing young players in the county continue their progression as footballers for the sake of a county league game,” he stated.

The Kerry Under 14 girls team followed up their Munster success by qualifying for the All Ireland final. They saw off Galway in the All Ireland semi-final 2-8 to 0-10 in a gripping contest.

Liam Dowling’s Ballymac Sarahjo missed out on the title at the Irish Oaks final in Shelbourne Park.

Kerry’s SSE Airtricity Under 17 league manager Brendan Hogan stepped down from his position this month by mutual consent. The team had yet to secure a point by that stage of the season. The KDL appointed Darren Aherne as manager in his place. They got their first win later in the month with a 3-1 victory over Salthill Devon at Mounthawk Park.

Father and daughter pair Alan and Aly Guilfoyle, from the Blackbelt Martial Arts Academy in Tralee, both won gold at the WKC Irish National Championships.

The Kerry senior ladies team got their championship summer off to the best possible start with a five point victory over reigning All Ireland champions Cork in Macroom. Alan O’Neill’s (below) side downed the Rebels 2-14 to 2-9. “We still have a lot of work to do to come anywhere close to what Cork achieved,” a realistic O’Neill said after the game. “But we are going in the right direction, that’s the impor tant thing.” They sealed a place in the Munster final – again against Cork – just a couple of weeks later with a 1-14 to 1-7 victory over Waterford in Brosna.

In the All Ireland Premier Junior Camogie Championship first round Kerry lost out to Roscommon 1-12 to 0-10.

The Kerry Under 17 hurlers lost out in the Celtic Challenge Division 2 final to South Wexford 4-11 to 2-15.

The Féile Peile na nÓg came to the Kingdom – along with west Limerick and north Cork – bringing teams from all over the country to the area. There were cup titles for local clubs Dr Crokes, Currow, Na Gaeil and Southern Gaels.

Tralee Harriers’ Claire Fitzgerald won gold on the double at the National Track and Field championships at the Morton Stadium in Santry. Fitzgerald claimed gold in both the discus and the shot putt. There was also gold for Farranfore Maine Valley’s Emma Prendeville in the women’s walk, while Denis Finnegan of An Ríocht took top honours in the men’s triple jump.

The County Senior Hurling Championship got underway late this month with the first round games returning again to North Kerry venues. As ever the championship seemed to catch the imagination of the people of north Kerry. In the first round there were wins for Causeway over a well regarded Lixnaw side 2-8 to 0-12; St Brendans over Ballyheigue by a crushing 5-20 to 0-7; and Kilmoyley over Ballyduff 2-18 to 0-18. There was one first round draw with Crotta O’Neills and Abbeydorney finishing 2-22 to 2-16 after extra time.