SIDELINES

In athletics, Kenmare AC made it an eighth consecutive juvenile cross-country title at the Kerry Cross-country Championships in The Demense in Killarney

In boxing Kevin Cronin brought a gold medal back to Cashen Vale BC after the Milltown fighter won his division at the Celtic Box Cup in Dungarvan

Currow’s JJ Hanrahan marked his return to Munster Rugby with two tries after coming off the bench in the province’s 39-16 Pro 14 win over Cardiff

Killarney’s ladies golfers won their second All-Ireland title in the space of a month after they captured the Senior Foursomes titles at Malone GC in Belfast. They won a dramatic final against Roscommon, sealing the win and the title on the third tie hole of the deciding match

Killarney’s Paul Nagle, sitting alongside Kris Meeke, scored his fifth World Rally Championship career victory after the pair captured an overdue win in Rally Spain.

The Crotta O’Neills hurlers retained the County Minor Hurling Championship title in dramatic fashion when Donal Hunt’s goal in added one time gave the defending champions a 1-14 to 1-13 win over Abbeydorney/Tralee Parnells in Austin Stack Park.

In the County SFC semi-finals South Kerry and Dr Crokes won through against Kerins O’Rahillys and West Kerry respectively in a Fitzgerald Stadium doubleheader.

South Kerry were pushed to the very last kick by an O’Rahillys side hell bent on reaching their first county final since 2008. Jack Savage’s conver ted penalty helped the Tralee club to a 1-3 to 0-5 half time lead, but driven on by the excellent Bryan Sheehan and Brendan O’Sullivan, the divisional team clawed their way back and edged in front at the final whistle.

The second semi-final was somewhat more clear-cut as defending champions Dr Crokes put five goals on a very talented West Kerry team that was simply out-classed on the day. The pick of the goals was a cheeky free kick from Colm Cooper who passed the ball past Tomas Mac an tSaoir.

Niamh Leen and Patrice Diggin were nominated for Camogie All Stars on the back of an impressive season with Kerry in the Championship.

There was disappointment for Ballybunion Golf Club when their ladies team lost out in the final of the Revive Active Fourball at Royal Tara, when they lost 3-2 to Tyrone’s Killymoon .

Meanwhile, Ballybunion golfer Margaret McAuliffe was par t of the Irish team that won the Ladies Senior Home Internationals at Newpor t, Wales.

The East Kerry minor footballers retained their county championship title with a narrow 2-14 to 1-15 win over St Brendans in Austin Stack Park. Late in the first half East Kerry led by 10 points, which St Brendans cut to seven points at half time. St Brendans continued to eat in the champions’ lead in the second half but East Kerry just about did enough to hold on to the Frank King Cup.

Liebherr Cranes Killarney retained the County Inter-Firms SFC title with a 0-18 to 2-11 win over Tricel at Lewis Road.

The Blackbelt Mar tial Ar ts Academy in Tralee produced four new world champions - including a double champion - at the World Mar tial Ar ts Organisation world championship held in Dublin. The group of competitors, under the guidance of head coach Alan Guilfoyle, won 18 medals in all at the championships, including five gold.

A week after retaining the County SFC title, Dr Crokes were on the road to defend their Munster Club Championship title. A quar ter-final away to Clonmel Commercials proved a tough nut for the Kerry champions to crack. Having trailed 0-5 to 0-7 at half time, Crokes title defence looked under serious threat when Alan O’Sullivan was red carded in the 36th minute, but their class came through in the end and they booked a semi-final place against KilmurryIbrickane with a 0-14 to 0-8 win.

In the County Junior Football Cups, John Mitchels won the McElligott Cup with a 3-10 to 1-6 win over Beaufor t. The Cahill Cup went to Currow who had one point to spare, 1-15 to 1-14, over Renard.

Kenmare’s golfers claimed Dr Billy O’Sullivan Shield honours after an epic final win over Dooks at Parknasilla. In an interesting twist, on the only other occasion that Parknasilla hosted the Dr Billy final - in 2001 - Kenmare GC were the winners on that occasion too.

In The Kerryman Captains Challenge - played on Castlegregory’s excellent nine-hole course, Julianne Browne (Castleisland GC) won the Ladies prize and Tralee GC’s Vernets Tess took the Men’s Prize.

Greyhound owner and trainer Liam Dowling, from Ballymacelligott, collected two awards at the National Greyhound Awards, as owner of Brood Bitch of the Year with Ballymac Scarlet, and as breeder of Sprint Dog of the Year with Ballymac Bigmike.

KDL soccer referee Siobhan O’Mahoney picked up the highest honour available from the Irish Soccer Referees Society when she was named as the 2017 recipient of the Special Award for Achievements on and off the soccer pitch.