Official Kerry GAA Thread

[Kerry Mike]

Report from the Kerry London game last weekend.

I went down to Stacks park yesterday to watch Kerry play London in the opening round of the Division 2B hurling league. Despite being the first match, this game would be a relegation decider. Hurling is a wonderful spectacle... majestic, brave and skillful. In Kerry, it's just a spectacle... like arriving at the scene of an accident... Your horrified but curious, you survey the damage, you shake your head and wonder will anyone survive this. 200 souls braved the arctic conditions to watch this 'titanic' struggle. 
 
Kerry started slowly, they weren't used to playing to such a big crowd. A bit like the Irish rugby players in Croke park last week, the weight of expectation seemed to get to them. We couldn't shake the Londoners, so a substitute was brought in. Normally, this is done for tactical reasons. In Kerry, it's like throwing petrol on a fire. Tom Murnane from Kilmoyley is the least talented hurler I've ever seen. He spent his time running around the field waving his arms like windmills, roaring at anyone when the sliotar came into his area of the field.

He then realised what the hurley was for... he smacked the London centre forward over the head. The ref had a word... he probably told Tom he wasn't herding cattle today. Tom got the message, he did his helicopter impersonation for the rest of the game avoiding any trouble. The clock ticked down towards full time, the teams were deadlocked. The tannoy system informed us there would be three minutes of injury time. 

I was on my feet, fists clenched, bellowing wildly at the pitch. I couldn't help it... Division three was too horrible to contemplate. Our whole season was coming down to these last few desperate minutes. The crowd roared as Kerry midfielder Kieran Dineen of Abbeydorney battered a hopeful ball over the on-rushing London defense, everybody was caught out of position... everyone that is, except Tom Murnane. 

I stood there constipated in fear... could Tom provide the laxative? Each wild swing was greeted with a grimace and a groan. The sliotar was skipping towards the London goal, the keeper was rushing out. Tom did the only thing he could, he collided with the keeper and hoped the ball had enough power to make the line. Whether the ball would've got there we'll never know, Kerry full-forward Mikey Boyle hammered the sliotar into the empty net from a couple of yards out.

The stand went ballistic. Kerry had won. Funny how Kerry hurling is like overcoming constipation... it's a terrible struggle, the result isn't too pretty but the relief is palpable.

[SuperDooperCooper]

Got the mail during the week, funny enough. Don't see the Kerry hurler as much as I used to. I remember when the NHL matched used to be on before the NFL matches. Always used to get 10 or so minutes of the hurling. My fill for the year mind you...

[Lecale2]

Great report Kerry Mike. I know how you feel; I follow Down.

[Kerry Mike]

And you wondered where Anthony Daly went to. Hopefully another bit of good news for the slowly developing Kerry Hurling scene, lots done but loads still to do..

....from the Examiner today.

Keeping faith with Kerry’s ‘other’ sport
01 March 2007

Sunday: NHL Division 2A: Mayo v Kerry, Castlebar, 2.30pm.

By Colm O’Connor
MAURICE LEAHY has been down this road before, many times. Since 1980 the Causeway native has managed Kerry hurling on five or six occasions and spent, he estimates, at least 14 years at the helm.
There have been some landmark days in the intervening 27 years, like the win over Waterford in the 1993 Munster championship, the day they toppled All-Ireland champions Clare in the 1995 League or the fright given to Limerick in an All-Ireland SHC qualifier before a thronged Austin Stack Park in 2003.

But those are lonely outposts of success against a gloomy landscape.

Last season was a perfect quick guide to the code in the county. The year started superbly with four wins and one draw in the National Hurling League before losing to Dublin in the Division Two decider at Semple Stadium.

But things started to go pear shaped during a torrid Christy Ring Cup campaign which almost ended in relegation to the Nicky Rackard Cup. In the midst came a very public spat between then manager Gerry Molyneaux and the Kilmoyley club which resulted in seven players opting out of the squad for a game against Wicklow.

When Molyneaux decided against returning to the role, Leahy, Kerry’s hurling promotion officer, was back to his old stomping ground. But why bother?

“A bit of madness I suppose! I love the game,” he explains.

“I love all gaelic games but hurling is my number one. No game compares to hurling. It is for me the best game in the world. We might fight and argue, in north Kerry in particular, but we have a love and talent for hurling that is unique. I am very proud that I am reared into that tradition and it is something that I will carry to the grave.”

Leahy, who had a spell with Newtownshandrum in Cork, is under no illusions about his task.

“Kerry have had bad seasons but I don’t want to dwell on those. They are over and in the past. Nothing can be gained from revisiting those times. The focus now is to look to the future.

“Kerry hurling’s biggest problem is that it doesn’t tend to build on the good days. If anything, we tend to slip back. The players are there but the unfortunate thing in the past is that they were not as committed to hurling as they were to football. Paul Galvin was one of the best hurlers in the county but when he was playing hurling, he was also involved in football and soccer. But now his total commitment is to football and look what he has achieved.

“That is the mindset that we are hoping to create. We want the lads on the panel to make hurling their number one sporting priority.”

That is not the only objective Leahy has set for the 2007 season.

Though keen to build on their opening day league victory over London, ahead of their trip to Mayo on Sunday, Leahy says his objectives are long term.

“We have one goal in 2007 and that is to be in Croke Park in the Christy Ring Cup Final on August 5. All the players are with me in that aim. I have a fantastic backroom team in Mike Hennessy and Mike Casey, John O’Keeffe and Ger Power. The experience of All-Ireland titles that Johno and Ger bring is amazing and it certainly has rubbed off on the players. Things have started off great but that has often happened before a fall. Hopefully we have learned from our mistakes.”

Leahy is certain that success in the Christy Ring is achievable but doubts if Kerry will soon be returning to Munster senior hurling championship action.

“Over the last six or seven years a big, big gap is after developing between the nine top counties and the rest of the country. A long way behind those guys are the likes of Antrim, Dublin and Laois, and then you have a little gap back to the Westmeaths and Kerrys. I think it is well and truly achievable for us to get into that second level.

“But narrowing the gap from there to the top nine is going to take years of hard, hard work as they have become so professional in their approach and everyone else is following a long, long way behind them.”

He adds: “People will tell you that the Kerry county championship is one of the most colourful and competitive anywhere in Ireland. I have people from places like Cork, Tipperary and Kilkenny who can’t get over the passion and the skill. When you come to a county final in Kerry you see the tradition and the support — it is much more intense than anything you would witness in the football. But the problem with such great passion is that it all boils over now and again. But over the past couple of years the introduction of outside referees has worked fantastically. That is not a slight on the Kerry referees but the problem was that players knew them too well.”

He has praise too for the County Board: “While all the county board officers — bar two or three — would be football men, they have never held back on giving hurling what we asked for. I must say that in praise of Sean Walsh and the chairman who went before them, hurling has always been treated well and properly.”

Leahy isn’t alone in singing the praises of the Kingdom’s domestic hurling scene. Clare’s All-Ireland winning skipper Anthony Daly is the latest disciple to the cause, taking charge of Kilmoyley.

“Anthony’s arrival is great,” admits Leahy. “It is going to focus the clubs as he is going to have Kilmoyley flying and of course anything like that gets fellas’ backs up in the other clubs. They will be working harder and harder in an effort to match whatever that Kilmoyley will be doing. So it means that the standard of club hurling and fitness will improve and that will have an impact on the county team.”

New hurling co-ordinator Paudie Butler is also on Leahy’s speed-dial. “Paudie is a great fan of Kerry hurling and was even before he was appointed to his job. I was talking to him during the week and he is coming down again in a few weeks and will work a bit with the seniors and at underage level. There is great vibrancy from the bottom up. What we need to do is spread that base and build from there.”

[turk]

Mikes,

is that John O'Keeffe in tha backroom team the same John O'Keeffe?

[Kerry Mike]

Thats the Johno and Ger Power too. At least there are about 15 AI medals on the sideline.

Now if their footballing successes can rub off in a small way in the hurlers we might have a bright hurling future. At least the county board are getting the right people into the background and the players will have access hopefully to the same facilities and opportunities as the footballers.

The big issue in Kerry hurling is the club v county rows, they all need to pull together now, last year was a disaster, not fielding an u21 team and clubs pulling players out of the senior panel left a big dent in their morale. Hopefully the target of a Christy Ring final appearance will be achieved for 2007.

[milltown row]

not that long ago Kerry beat Antrim, laois and co. decent team does Paul Galvin still play club hurling? is he as dirty in hurling as he is in football?

[Kerry Mike]

Galvin is in Oz at them moment but he plays club hurling with Lixnaw and was man of the match in the county final 2 years ago when they won. He plays club football however with Finuge, same parish but Lixnaw is exclusively Hurling and Finuge is football. I'd say with his football commitments he does not play too much nowadays.

Never seen him play hurling so cant comment on your dirty hurler remark, but he is a vital part of our football setup, and every team needs a hard man and someone who can deal with water carriers who step out of line

[milltown row]

granted, dirty was a bit harsh, abrasive player would better describe Galvin

[hobnob1]

A tra*p would best describe galvin

[blanketattack]

Kerry are the only hurling team with a 100% record in All-Ireland finals.

[Aristotle Flynn]

Kerry are the only hurling team with a 100% record in All-Ireland finals.

No they aren't! Antrim have a 100% record in All Ireland finals as well.

[SuperDooperCooper]

Might as well start up one of these.

Minor Team for tonight
KERRY (MFC v Tipperary): T. Mac an tSaoir (an Gaeltacht); D. O’Sullivan (Kerins O’Rahillys), B. Shanahan (Austin Stacks), D. McElliggott (Austin Stacks); M. Ó Sé (An Gaeltacht), P. Costelloe (Ballyduff), B. O’Leary (Dr Crokes); J. Buckley (Dr Crokes), I. Somers (Currow); BJ Walsh (Kerins O’Rahillys), J. Doolan (Dr Crokes), T. O’Sullivan (Beaufort); K. O’Flynn (Laune Rangers), P. Curtin (Moyvane), E. Kennedy (Asdee).
Subs: S. Horgan (St. Marys), J. Scully (Castlegregory), A. O’Reilly (Spa), B. Russell (do), JP Spillane (Castlegregory), A. O’Dwyer (Waterville), A. O’Donoghue (John Mitchells), T. Brosnan (Dingle), C. Wallace (Ardfert).

BARRY JOHN WALSH is one of four Tralee CBS players on the Kerry team which opens the defence of their Munster MFC title against Tipperary in Limerick tonight (6.30pm).
Seven months ago his brother Tommy on the side which lost to Roscommon in the All-Ireland final replay and Kerry chiefs will be hoping to go one better this year and bring the Tomas Markham Cup back to the Kingdom for the first time since 1994.

Kerry have six of last year’s team available: Tomás Mac an tSaoir, Michael Ó Sé, John Buckley, Jamie Doolan, Pat Curtin and Eoin Kennedy. Along with Walsh, the other Green players on the starting 15 are Danny O’Sullivan, Denis McElliggott and Barry Shanahan while Alan O’Donoghue and Joe Scully are subs.

Tralee CBS mentors hope everyone come through unscathed ahead of an All-Ireland Colleges SFC final against Omagh on Sunday, April 22 in Croke Park.
Kerry coach John Kennedy: “We have put in a huge amount of work looking to get the blend right, but we’ll be taking no chances with Tipperary. They pushed us very hard in last year’s Munster final and I’m expecting the same effort from them tonight.”

Tipperary start three of the side which failed to the Kingdom in last year’s final, corner-back John Coghlan, Paddy Murphy at midfield and centre-forward Sean Carey.

=================================================================================================
KERRY’S Tom O’Sullivan has been handed a two months ban arising from an incident in the Allianz NFL game against Tyrone last week.

The Rathmore man is ruled out of any of the team’s challenge games but will be free to play in the Munster SFC semi-final on June 3rd against the winners of the Clare/Waterford first-round game.

The suspension dates from his last game — against Dublin last Sunday — and ends at midnight on Saturday June 2nd. Because of a change in the disciplinary system made a few years, it only relates to inter-county activity. He will be free to play with his club, which he captains this year.

The particular incident for which he received the suspension — from the Competitions Control Committee (CCC) — happened midway through the second half of the Tyrone game, which was played under lights in Austin Stack Park. It was based on video evidence — being missed by the referee but picked up on television.

O’Sullivan initially considered making a request for a personal hearing and this enabled him to play in last week-end’s vital game.

However, according to a County Board spokesman, this is now unlikely.

=================================================================================================
KERRY GAA chief Sean Walsh yesterday paid tribute to Eamon Fitzmaurice who retired from intercounty football on Monday.

“Eamon and I go back to his minor days in 1994 and 1995 when I was a selector and have been together ever since. Apart from being a county footballer in all the grades, he is a very close friend of mine and I’m very disappointed he has decided to retire from inter-county football”, said Walsh.

“He is not a man for making rash decisions. He clearly has given the decision to retire a lot of thought. I know he made a huge commitment since last October to be ready for this season, and has said that if he could not pin down a permanent position on the team, he felt there was no point in staying on. “He gave it his best shot, won All-Ireland medals in all the grades including three senior and National Leagues, and owes the county nothing.

“Apart from his prowess on the field, he was a great leader off it, particularly in the dressing room.

“When they write about centre backs and displays in different matches, some of Eamon Fitzmaurice’s performances will rank right up there with the best of them. I would rate his displays against Armagh in the 2000 semi-final, and against Ciaran McDonald (Mayo) in the 2004 All-Ireland final as some of the best I’ve seen.

“Because of those games, people may tend to forget the two games against Dublin in the All-Ireland quarter-final in 2001. He was superb on Jason Sherlock in both those matches.

“His record speaks for itself. He’ll be a huge loss to the county but Kerry’s loss is both Lixnaw and Finuge’s gain. Eamon is a very talented hurler also and he intends to give both clubs his total commitment for the next couple of years.”

[SuperDooperCooper]

Heard a rumour about this on Sunday but didn't believe it. Darragh is fairly committed to the cause and this must be fairly bad for him to threaten to walk.
Thought all the rumours and were left behind us last year.

Kerry deny O Se quit threat rumours
 
The Kerry county board has vehemently denied reports that star midfielder Darragh O Se threatened to quit the county panel last week.

The four-time All-Ireland winner was a late withdrawal from the Kerry side announced last Friday to play Dublin in their final NFL game at Parnell Park, and did not travel with the team.

O Se’s absence was explained by a finger injury he sustained in the drawn game against Tyrone the previous Sunday, but this didn’t stop rumours that he was involved in a heated exchange with a Kerry county board official early last week from spreading. It’s believed he threatened to walk out on the squad before the matter was resolved.

The An Gaeltacht clubman is expected to return to training next week when the Kingdom resume their preparations for the defence of their All-Ireland crown.

Denying that there was a bust-up between O Se and a county board official, Kerry chairman Sean Walsh said: “No, there is no truth to that, Darragh O Se was training on Tuesday and Thursday night last week.”

However, it’s understood that O Se was unhappy about a couple of issues, and made his feelings known to the county board

[Kerry Mike]

I had a big long speil typed but lost it, fecking hate that when it happens

Anyway there is usually some truth in these rumours when they come out, a bit of behind closed doors skelping will do no harm at this time of the year, its better to get any issues out on the table now than in August or September if we are still involved in the hunt for Sam. Last years ruptions helped gell the team together after the munster championship debacle where we were not playing well, yet no one was complaining when we won Sam.

The O'Se's are hard men but they do expect everyone to work hard for the team including the county board, and if that means stepping on a few toes so be it.

Pat OShea and John Sugrue have a big task ahead of them over the next few months getting the panel firing and fit, Sugrue will have a vital role here getting the best out of the players fitness, it will be interesting to see what he can add to the Pat O'Flanagan training plans over the last 3 years that brought us 2 titles. Kerry under O'Flanagan were fitter, faster and stronger than before and it is Sugrue and O'Shea who now have to replicate that.