Kerry will not play in McGrath Cup

THE Kerry senior football team will not defend their McGrath Cup title in 2018 after the management decided not to enter the Munster senior football competition in order to best prepare for the Allianz Football League, which starts at the end of January.

Speaking on local radio, Kerry GAA chairman Tim Murphy said that in light of Tipperary’s decision not to take part in the competition and the congested nature of the fixtures schedule the McGrath Cup would entail, the Kerry management decided they and the players would be better served by opting out.

Kerry won the 2017 six-team McGrath Cup competition at the start of the year with a 3-13 to 2-12 win over Limerick in the Gaelic Grounds. The competition saw players such as Jack Barry, Jack Savage, Adrian Spillane and Kevin McCarthy make their senior Kerry debuts.