The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Kerry’s Kennedy Cup a highlight of the season
FOR sports that operate on calendar years doing a Christmas review is easier than for us involved in underage soccer as we are halfway through our season. So the first part of this review will concentrate on the end of last season.
Looking back to the summer and the yearly Kennedy Cup brought the curtain down on the 2011/ 2012 campaign. Kerry had a very successful campaign finishing in eighth position overall. In the Group stages Kerry saw off South Tipperary, Athlone and Galway. However, the draw was unkind and they met the DDSL in the last eight. It was widely recognised that had Kerry met any of the other quarter-finalists they would probably have won but after a heroic battle Kerry went out of the Cup proper.
Kerry were running on empty for the last two games, played in horrendous conditions and were just pipped by Waterford and Limerick District. However, to finish eighth from a starting seeding of 13th was very acceptable.
The current U-14 Academy is well underway with over 45 players still involved. A number of challenge games and training sessions will see this squad cut in the coming weeks as preparation for the 2013 Kennedy Cup gets underway in earnest. The U11, U12 and U13 ETPs are also currently underway with the U15s and U16s due to begin early in 2013.
Back to the summer and the Kerry Schoolgirls League were delighted to be represented at both the Under 14 and Under 16 Gaynor Cups. These are the equivalent of Kennedy Cup for boys and continue to grow each year with 20 leagues taking part last season. The league's ETPs for the girls, building up to the selection of the squads for the 2013 Gaynor Cups will get underway in the coming weeks. National Cups AWAY from the county squads Killarney Celtic's U11s run to the semi-final of their National Cup was one of the highlights of the season, with a number of other sides unlucky not to have extended their runs.
Into 2013 and we still have a number of teams still in National Cup contention. Killarney Celtic are at home to Ballinsloe Town in the last 32.
This is a doubly important competition as the last eight compete this year in a separate competition for the Danone Cup and a chance to represent Ireland at the Grand Final in London.
In the U-14 Ballyhar Dynamos continue their great run and will welcome New Oak Boys to Murt Scott Park while Kingdom Boys have a great chance of going the distance but must get over an away trip to Shelbourne in the next round.
Killarney Celtic face a daunting trip to Wilton United in Cork in the last 32 of the U15s, but will travel full of confidence. Last Season’s Winners AT home in the league and last season the titles went to: Killarney Celtic and Inter Kenmare in the JK Sports 12 Premier and Division 1; Kingdom Boys, Killorglin and Listowel Celtic in the Daly's Supervalu 13 Premier, Division 1 and 2; Killarney Celtic, Ballyhar and Killorglin in the O'Callaghan Coaches 14 Premier and North & South divisions; Killarney Athletic and Kingdom Boys were victorious in the Killarney Plaza 15 Premier and Division 1; in the same set-up in the Tralee Trophy World U- 16s it was Killarney Celtic and Castlemaine, winning their first ever underage trophy, that were crowned champions, while Ballyheigue won the Division 1 Plate; the Boys Cups saw Killarney Celtic taking three (U-11, U-13 and the Tucker Kelly U-16), Kingdom Boys took the John Murphy U-12 and Tom Hayse U-14 while Killarney Athletic won the U15 Cup; Listowel Celtic completed a clean sweep in the Girls U-13 and U-17 Leagues and Cups with Killarney Celtic pushing them close in all competitions. New Rule FINALLY the delegates passed a very important rule that will come into effect in 2013. From the start of the 2013 / 14 season no club can sign more than two players who were with this season’s ETPs and / or county squads and that weren't a member of that club this season.