SPORTS REVIEW OF THE YEAR 2017: JANUARY

News came through at the star t of the month that Tralee man and Connacht star Ultan Dillane was in danger of missing the star t of the Six Nations championship with an ankle injury that looked set to rule him out for up to five or six weeks. The Six Nations was due to kick off on February 4 and when the for ty-man squad was announced later in the month the Connacht lock was included.

Marc Ó Sé’s appointment as joint-manager of the An Ghaeltacht senior footballers was confirmed this month. His former team mate Conall Ó Cruadhlaoich was the other half of the management team, while Dara Ó Cinnéide was on board as selector.

The Kerry District League unanimously recommitted to participating in the Air tricity Under 17 league for the 2017 season.

Gratham Shine was appointed as the manager of the Kerry senior ladies succeeding Alan O’Neill in the role. They got their National League campaign off to a somewhat rocky star t just a couple of weeks later when they went down to Cork in Mallow on a 5-17 to 1-11 scoreline.

Castleisland’s Shane McLouglin was named in the Ipswich first team squad for their FA Cup tie against Lincoln Town.

Former Cork boss Brian Cuthber t linked up with new Austin Stacks manager Pat Flanagan when he took on a role with the management team of the Connolly Park outfit.

Kerry star Aidan O’Mahony called it quits this month following a distinguished career in the Green and Gold. The Rathmore man, who at the time was starring in the hit TV show, on RTÉ One, was described by Kerry manager Eamonn Fitzmaurice the “ultimate pro” and by Jack O’Connor as “fearless”. His career brought him five All Ireland titles, eight Munster titles and two All Stars.

“It’s been an absolute honour for me to wear the green and gold jersey for Kerry for the past fourteen years at senior level and I leave having great respect for all the talented players I have shared my footballing career with. “I am extremely grateful for all the suppor t my team mates gave me down through the years and I have made friendships for life,” O’Mahony said in his farewell statement.

There were wins for St Brendans, Killarney (over Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne 2-18 to 0-9) and Tralee CBS (over IS Killorglin 2-10 to 1-10) in the Corn Uí Mhuirí quar ter-finals and a defeat at the hands of Ennis side St Flannans College for Mercy Mounthawk on a 4-9 to 2-12 scoreline.

It was a disappointing star t to the World Rally Championship season for Kerry-Tyrone duo Paul Nagle and Kris Meeke. At the world famous Monte Carlo rally the two struggled to come to grips with a tricky new Citreon C3 car. A number of incidents over the first three days of the event culminated with a road traffic accident between stages. The Irish pair were not a fault, but the damage was sufficient to rule them out of the final day’s action. A weekend to forget for a driving pairing and team who were considered championship contenders before the event.

Dr Crokes star Daithí Casey was honoured as the AIB Munster club footballer of the season.

There were mixed for tunes for the Kerry clubs in the All Ireland club championship semi-finals. Glenbeigh/ Glencar won a famous come from behind victory over Mayo outift Louisburgh (4-14 to 0-13), while Kenmare were left desperately disappointed to miss out on a place in the Croke Park showpiece after they were seen off by Lee Keegan’s Westpor t on a 1-10 to 0-11 scoreline. Lispole, meanwhile, were ruthlessly efficient in claiming the club’s first ever Munster title with victory over Cork outfit Ballyhooly in the Munster Junior B Championship final in Knockaderry on a 1-15 to 0-4 scoreline.

In the Munster Junior Cup round of thir ty two Killarney Celtic were three-nil winners over Ringmahon Rangers.