GROUP THREE

Finuge Listry Firies Keel

A first glance at Group Three suggests that neighbours Listry and Firies should advance out of this group, but there’s a feeling that Finuge might just throw a north Kerry spanner in the works and separate the two East Kerry clubs. Of course, that’s not to dismiss the chances of Keel, Mid Kerry’s representative in this group and a team that won’t give up anything soft to any opponent

There will be much interest on Listry as they get to work with new manager Marc Ó Sé, who, unfortunately, has had his first season in charge severely disrupted. Ronan Buckley will shoulder much of the team’s effort but Ó Sé will demand a collective effort, starting with a local derby against Firies over the road in Kilcummin.

Firies themselves have a young team spear-headed by a few recent county minors and senior panellist Jack Sherwood. East Kerry defender Niall Donohue is a classy player, while Padraig De Brun, Jake Flynn and John Flynn are others than will be central to the Farrenfore club’s ambitions.

Several Finuge players have hurlers commitments with Lixnaw, and their progress in this competition may well be influenced by their progress in the North Kerry hurling championship and then the County SHC.

The north Kerry club has a couple of County Junior Football Championships to their credit from much earlier in the century, but in more recent times the dual club has seen more success in the small ball game, playing under the Lixnaw flag.

Keel are a Division 3 team this year and cannot be underestimated in Championship football. They last won this competition in 2013, and while there aren’t a huge pile of survivors from that squad still involved, the Mid Kerry club will make life tough for all three opponents.

Stephen Cahillane, Thomas Ladden and Gary Sayers will be central figures and their first game against Finuge in Connolly Park in Tralee will be crucial. Defeat for whichever here and it’s hard to see them getting out of the group.

Group 4 may well be the ‘Group of Death’ with its trio of North Kerry contenders, but it would be a brave - or stupid - person who would confidently predict the finishing order of this group.

Logic would probably suggest Listry and Keel will advance, but Finuge are a team that will cause trouble for the rest, and while they might not get out of the group themselves, they will surely upset the natural order of things.

Firies have plenty of talent and really look better - on paper at least - then a Division 4 team. It would be no surprise if this group goes to some sort of virtual play-off after three teams end up on equal points, and it will be no surprise if scoring difference or head to head results come into play to determine what two teams qualify and in what order.