County Championship sides to be seeded for O’Donoghue Cup

THE annual convention of the East Kerry Board has opted to seed senior County Championship clubs in the O’Donoghue Cup from this year onwards.

County Championship teams will now automatically be given byes to the quarter-final stage – in 2019 those clubs will be Dr Crokes, Legion, Rathmore and Kilcummin – with the remaining nine clubs playing off in preliminary and round one games for the right to face them.

Attempts will be made to play preliminary and first round in July / August. A Rathmore motion calling for free weekends during the County Championship to be utilised for O’Donoghue Cup action was also passed.

A motion passed to ensure an East Kerry Under 21 competition would be played in February, with matches to go ahead regardless of the absence of inter-county players, in order to facilitate the smooth running of the competition.

Another motion passed which means that scoring averages will now apply in all league competitions to cut down on the instances of play-offs.

The following officers elected coming year: President: Ger Gavin (Spa); Vice-presidents: Dermot Griffin (Fossa), Tom Brosnan (Currow), Pat Sweeney (Fossa), Donie Sheehan (Dr Crokes), Pat Favier (Glenfesk), Sean Kelly (Kilcummin), Dermot Moynihan (Kilcummin), Tim Ryan (Kilcummin); Chairman: Johnny Brosnan (Currow), Vice-chairman: John Dineen (Fossa); Secretary: Dermot O’Connor (Firies); Assistant secretary: unfilled; PRO: Michael O’Mahony (Rathmore); Treasurer: Pat O’Brien (St

Pat Hurling club); Assistant Treasurer: Domhnail O’Sullivan (Fossa); Hurling Officer: Garry O’Halloran (Kilcummin); Scór officer: Amy Reidy (Cordal); Children’s officer: Noreen Cronin (Gneeveguilla); CCC chairman: Mike Piggott (Kilcummin), CCC secretary: Dermot O’Connor (Firies) CCC members: Michael Clifford (Fossa), John Somers (Currow), Tadghie Fleming (Dr Crokes), Tom Moriarty (Legion), Kieran O’Keeffe (Rathmore)

Presenatation

THE East Kerry Minor team which won three County Minor Titles in-a-row were presented with their medals by Tim Murphy county chairman last Thursday at The Shire Restaurant & Bar, Killarney.

All Stars

THE East Kerry 2018 All Stars Gala night will take place on Saturday night, January 26 at The Brehon Hotel. Tickets are available from clubs and board officers.The awards are again sponsored by The Kerryman, The AQUILA Club and East Kerry GAA. Presentations will, as ever, be made to the senior, intermediate and Under 21 Player of 2018 as well as the Hall of Fame 2018 and person of the year 2018.

Transition Year Course

ST Brendans College TY students completed a Munster GAA Transition Year Course during the week.

The course consisted of class based modules combined with practical coaching sessions. Vince Cooper, East Kerry / Kenmare GDA and Patrice Diggins, South Kerry Hurling GDA delivered the course.

Over sixty students completed the course with all students enjoying the experience. The students will provide great support for clubs and schools in East Kerry during 2019. Thanks to Sean Coffey (principal) for supporting the delivery of the course over the two days.