The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Harmon to miss South Kerry quarter-final as Kemare District query O’Shea’s status
AT the meeting an objection from South Kerry was read out regarding the staging of their County Championship quarter-final against Rathmore on Sunday, September 24.
South Kerry objected on the grounds that their manager William Harmon would be unavailable on the day as being an employee of the Ladies Gaelic Football Aassociation he is contractually obliged to be at the All-Ireland Ladies Finals in Croke Park the same day and South Kerry had made the CCC aware of this when the fixtures were being made. South Kerry said they were available to play at any other stage however.
County Secretary Peter Twiss said the CCC’s hands were tied with the staging of the County Hurling semi-finals on the same day, meaning that Austin Stack Park was unavailable and that double headers had been agreed in advance for both Tralee and Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney with the games in Tralee on Saturday and Killarney on Sunday.
Elsewhere, Kenmare District delegate James Rochford raised the issue of last year’s All-Ireland Minor team winning captain Sean O’Shea not being allowed play in the County U-21 Final following his call-up to the Kerry senior panel. Mr Rochford acknowledged that it might have been regarded as ‘sour grapes’ had Kenmare District lost the final (in fact they beat Mid Kerry) but nonetheless questioned the designation of O’Shea being a ‘county player’ when he has not played competitively for the Kerry seniors all year.
O’Shea had played in Kenmare District’s semi-final win over Dr Crokes beforehand. Committee Secretary Peter Twiss pointed out that the competition rules state a ‘county player’ cannot hold up the competition as is the case with other competitions as previous County U-21 Finals had dragged on to year’s end.
Mr Rochford asked for the issue to be taken under review for subsequent stagings of the grade whether it be at U-20 or U-21 level.