New captain Murphy and the Kerry team head for Castlebar

KERRY will open their 2020 Allianz Hurling League, Division 2A campaign on this Saturday, January 25 away to Mayo in Round 1.

Venue is McHale Park, Castlebar where there will be a 2pm throw-in. Bryan Murphy (Causeway) has been appointed Kerry senior hurling captain for 2020 with his clubmate Colm Harty the Vice-captain.

First home game will be against Offaly on Sunday, February 2 at Austin Stack Park, 2pm.

Conference

THE first Kerry Hurling Coaching Conference took place last Friday and it was an outstanding success with 124 people in attendance.

The guest speakers were former Waterford hurling manager, Derek McGrath, along with former Tipperary hurling player and manager, Michael Ryan. The event was excellently organised on behalf of the Kerry Coaching & Games Development Committee by Giles O’Grady and Colm O’Brien.

Topics covered included club structures, clubs and community, technical skills, small sided games and good quality coaches.

North Kerry

THE Annual Convention of the North Kerry Hurling Board went ahead on Thursday last at Abbeydorney GAA Complex.

Brendan Murphy welcomed all the delegates on behalf of Abbeydorney GAA Club while Secretary Joe Walsh gave a very detailed report on the activities of 2019. Chairman Pat Dineen thanked Rhyno Quality Feeds for their ongoing sponsorship.

There were two guest speakers. Ger McCarthy (Kerry Munster Council delegate), announced that the Munster Poc Fada competition would be hosted again at Kerry Head in 2020 and 2021. Giles O’Grady (Kerry Hurling GDA) commended all clubs for the amount of work that all clubs are doing at Juvenile level and he put forward the Kerry Coaching and Games Development Hurling Plan for 2020

There were no nominations for officer positions and there were no motions on the agenda.

The officers appointed for 2020 are: Uachtarán – Seán Seosamh Ó Conchubhair (Cill Mhaoile); Leas-Uachtaráin - Teddy Hennessy (Ballyduff); Francis Cantillon (Causeway); Dr. Seán Quill (Ballyheigue); Gerald Whyte (Causeway); Brendan Hennessy (Ballyduff; Gerald McKenna (Ballyduff); Pat Whelan (Lady’s Walk); Willie O’Connell (Lixnaw); Denis Treacy (Kilmoyley), James McCarthy (Crotta), Willie O’Leary (Kilmoyley), Phil Healy (St. Brendan’s). Chairman - Pat Dineen (Kilmoyley); Vice Chairman - Tommy O’Connor (St. Brendan’s); Secretary - Joe Walsh (Kilmoyley); Assistant Secretary - Kathrina Lucid (Ballyheigue); Treasurers Paudie Dineen (Abbeydorney) & James O’Connor (Ballyheigue); Development Officer - Tom Lawlor (Ballyheigue); Children’s Officer

– Gavin O’Connor (Kilmoyley); Fixtures Secretary - Timmy Weir(Abbeydorney).

Referees

KERRY Camogie are running a referee conversion course on this Friday, January 31 at 7.30pm at Abbeydorney Sports Complex.

This course is open to all qualified hurling referees, which will enable them to referee camogie matches for the coming year. The GAA will be running a referees training course on three Friday evenings in February at the same venue, commencing on Friday, February 7.