Deerpark due reach National U-16 Matchplay quarter-finals

A BUSY weekend at national and local level for the county’s U-16s saw them compete at both the National U-16 Matchplay Championships in Kilbeggan, Co Westmeath, as well as play for their places on the Kerry U-16 teams in the final trial on Monday in Listowel.

In Westmeath Deerpark’s Cillian Courtney and Jack McCarthy reached the quarter-finals of the Championship event where they were defeated by the eventual finalists and Munster and Leinster U-16 Matchplay winners, Parteen’s Shea Fennell and Evan Carry from Castletown, Co Meath. Carry eventually won out the tournament as Fintan Martin, Ryan Neeson and TJ O’Sullivan were others from the club to make the last 16 of the Championship event.

Robbie Harnett, Erin Moloney and Jack O’Sullivan made the quarter-finals of the Plate competition before being eliminated, as thoughts quickly turned to Monday and the final Kerry team trial. After proceedings in Listowel the following six Deerpark players will be the Kerry U-16 team for the National Inter-County Championship on Sunday August 19: Eoin O’Riordan Looney, Cillian Courtney, Robbie Harnett, Jack McCarthy, Erin Moloney and Fintan Martin.

In a new initiative by the PPUI, the Munster U-16 Inter-County has been reduced to teams of four with the option to enter a second team, with Listowel duo Conor Leahy and Jake Shine joining Erin and Fintan in making up the second Kerry side for the event in Parteen on Sunday week, August 12.

Well done to Conor and Jake on becoming the first non-Deerpark players since 2014 to make a Kerry U-16 team.

Elsewhere at the National 0-55 Championships in McDonagh, Kildare, Castleisland’s John Fitzgerald and Deerpark’s Ger Casey competed in the Intermediate and Senior Gents grades respectively and though neither finished in the prizes they both managed to finish under in their rounds.

This Monday sees Listowel host their Annual Scratch Cup and we encourage all adult players in the county to do their best to support the event.