Kerry Ladies Gaelic Football weekly review June 22nd

Kerry Ladies Gaelic Football weekly review June 22nd

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS
Kerry 7-11 Galway 4-05
The title of Kerry’s first All Ireland Ladies winners of the new Millennium has a nice ring to it. The honour of achieving this feat went to the wonderful Kerry girls u14 side who had an impressive 15-point victory over Galway in Claughaun, Limerick last Thursday evening. Kerry were seeking revenge against a Galway side who had put paid to their ambitions in last season’s All Ireland semi-final.
They made no mistakes on this occasion, in a super display of passion and skill in front of a large and vocal band of Kerry supporters. A number of buses left all corners of Kerry on Thursday evening and a crowd of close on 1,000 people managed to add to what was a memorable occasion in the history of Kerry Ladies Gaelic Football. The final margin of victory may have totalled 15 points in favour of the girls of the Kingdom but this score did not reflect the true quality of a gritty and determined Galway team. Kerry were well served in every area of the pitch. Michelle O’Connor once again pulled of a couple eye catching saves, the West Kerry girls of O’Sullivan, De Hora and Murphy all did well in defence while McNulty and Guiney were solid down the centre. Sarah Kelly was dominant throughout and even managed to venture forward to score appoint. Marie Quirke and Nicole O’Connor were superb in midfield. Young O’Connor was a revelation and at 12 years of age has a bright future in the game while Quirke ran herself ragged kicking four great points in the process. The forward line all worked hard for possession but the real trump cards were Megan O’Connell who moved to full forward early in the game, captain Amy Fitzgerald, and Claire O’Sullivan. Megan O’Connell, in a performance reminiscent of the great Kieran Donaghy, scored 4-2 from full forward, Captain Amy added 2-2 from play while Claire O’Sullivan dropped back in the second half to man mark the dangerous Roisin Leonard. Eilish Lynch set up a number of key scores while Barbara Browne and Meghan Buckley did a lot of the often-unseen hard work of creating space for the other forwards to exploit.
Kerry played into the swirling breeze in the first half and got off to the perfect start when Amy Fitzgerald ghosted past the Galway defence to score her side’s first goal. Galway however had their own star player in the shape of Roisin Leonard and replied almost immediately with a couple of goals form the sharp shooter. Kerry were back on terms again in the 12th minute when Amy Fitzgerald netted for a second time. Goals were the order of the day and it was Kerry who managed to add another three to Galway’s one before the first half was over. The Kerry selectors pulled off a tactical masterstroke when they switched Nicole O’Connor to midfield and Megan O’Connell to full forward. Both players excelled in the game from that moment on. O’Connell grabbed her first goal in the 13th minute, this was followed by a Claire O’Sullivan goal straight from a free, and a couple of good points from Amy Fitzgerald and another from O’Connell. Galway stayed in the game mainly through the brilliance of Leonard who added another 1-1 before half time. Kerry however had the final say of the half as full forward O’Connell was on hand once more to clip the ball past the Galway keeper.
Kerry led at the interval by 5-5 to 3-3.
The third quarter was tension fraught as Kerry failed to avail of a number of chances. Galway closed the gap to five points when their substitute Orla Dixon finished a mazy run with superb goal in the 48th minute. The unthinkable was on the cards as it appeared that Galway were about to stage an audacious comeback. Kerry however managed to defend superbly with Marie Quirke driving out of defence, and Amy Fitzgerald dropping back to assist her colleagues. Sarah Kelly lifted the siege with ten minutes to go when she ventured forward to shoot over a very good point.
Megan O’Connell then produced a double blow for Galway when she added to her goal tally in the 51st and 52nd minutes. Michelle O’Connor meanwhile pulled off a couple of amazing saves at the other end of the pitch. Kerry had weathered the storm and broken Galway’s resistance and added a couple of late points to further their margin of victory. The title was theirs, their first title in nine long years. Kerry Ladies football was back where it belonged thanks to a gallant and wonderful
group of young footballers. If this group of girls allied to last year’s Munster u14 winners stick together then there promises to be many more years of glory ahead for Kerry Ladies Gaelic football.
Kerry:
Michelle O’Connor (Kenmare), Kate O’Sullivan (Corca Dhuibnhe), Sorcha McNulty (Listowel), Niamh De Hora (Corca Dhuibhne), Sarah Kelly (Southern Gaels) (0-1), Sinead Guiney (Desmonds), Ciara Murphy (Corca Dhuibhne), Megan O’Connell (Southern Gaels) (4-02), Maria Quirke (Na Gaeil) (0-04, 02f), Meghan Buckley (Dr Crokes), Claire O’Sullivan (Kenmare) (1-00 ), Amy Fitzgerald (Southern Gaels) (2-02), Eilish Lynch (Demonds), Nicole O’Connor (Ballyduff), Barbara Browne (Brosna) (0-01)
Subs: Leanne Mangan (Desmonds) for De Hora, Sabrina Sheehan (Glenbeigh) for O’Connor (Blood Sub), Alice Neville (Listowel) for Buckley, Johanna O’Callaghan (Laune Rangers) for Murphy.
Galway:
Lucy Greene, Nicola Ward, Georgina Healy, Sadbh Moyles, Brona Murphy, Claire Gibbons, Aoife Fogarty, Kate Cullen, Cliona Kerrigan, Danielle Forde, Fiona O’Connor (0-1), Sile Ni Shuileabhain, Ailish O’Reilly, Roisin Leonard (3-4, 2f), Louise Ward,
Subs: Orla Dixon (1-0) for Ni Shuillebhain, Shaunagh Jackson for Forde, Emma Naughton for O’Connor, Danielle Carroll for Moyles.
Referee: Eileen Jones (Tyrone)
Footnote: Amy Fitzgerards aunt Marie Fitzgerald now married to the famous basketball coach John Teahan won an All Ireland with Kerry in 1993
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Ballyduff win Pat Lawlor Shield Final

BALLYDUFF 2-08 ABBEYDORNEY 2-07

Ballyduff are celebrating the capturing of the Pat Lawlor Shield against a gutsy, never say die Abbeydorney in a game that showed why these two teams, when playing together as Northern Rangers, will be Senior Club Championship contenders.
It did take all of 11 minutes of play before either team registered there first score of the game as they played a close and tight game in the opening quarter. Both sides were guilty of bad shooting and squandered scoring opportunitys and had 4 wides each before the 1st score went to Ballyduff from the boot of Sinead Bunyan.
A point from a move by Shari Delaney ,who out paced her marker and put a high ball into Jacinta O’Connor for a Ballyduff point. Then came the goal from the working of Shari Delaney who passed to Laura Ross and she in turn gave it to Michelle O’Rourke who had stolen inside the Abbeydorney backline and gave the O’Dorney keeper Laura Collins no chance, but to pick the ball out of the net.
Abbeydorney reeling from that goal, pulled themselves together and started playing, Sinead Mackessy who was outstanding at midfield delivered a high ball into Noreen Fealy who then dispatched it low and hard into the Ballyduff net. Rosie Young playing deep out the wing had a great run which finished with a point for Abbeydorney. In the 22nd & 23rd minute Michelle O’Rourke and Jacinta O’Connor both raised the white flag for the Duffers, then Breda Lane put 2 more points
over and Ballyduff lead at the half time whistle on a scoreline of Ballyduff 1-06 Abbeydorney 1-01.Catherine Collins, O’Dorneys captain brought down a high fielded ball at the restart and Sinead Mackessy worked it upfield to raise the white flag. But 2 minutes later Abbeydorney lost a player who was sent to the sin bin for a foul on Breda Lane in the large square, which Gordan Kerins the match referee awarded a penalty and was placed low and out of reach of Laura Collins by Laura Ross.
Ballyduff then had Sinead Bunyan sent to the sin bin for a challange on an Abbeydorney player. Both teams were reduced to 10 players and both teams found the going much harder as this was an 11 a side competition.
Now Abbeydorney hit back with 4 unanswered points, thus reducing the deficit to 3 points at the end of the 3rd qtr. Ballyduff replied from the boot of Breda Lane who raised the white flag and a point from Noreen Fealy, kept O’Dorney in the game, leaving just a green flag between the two sides. Ballyduff introduced Margarette Lynch for Michelle O’Rourke who proved to be as veratile as the player she replaced, by putting over the point giving Ballyduff a safety of 4 between the sides as we entered the last 3 minutes of the game. Sinead Mackessey found the space and used it to her advantage and did she take her goal?, what a goal! and what a finish we had on our hands as it left just a white flag between the sides and Abbeydorney pushed the Duffers for that point in hope of extra time that loomed. But Ballyduff cleared their lines after some pressure and with relief the referee blew the final whistle, in what was a pulsating finish to an exciting game of football.
Jackie Murnane, Ballyduff captain accepted the Pat Lawlor Shield from Margaret Lawlor Slattery. Jackie was also presented with the Player of the Match which was sponsored by the Tochar Ban Bar, Kilmoyley
Ballyduff:
1) Deidre Ross 2) Martina Rochford. 3) Jackie Murnane. 4) Katie Purcell 5) Tracy Bambury. 6) Sinead Bunyan 0-01. 7) Michelle O Rourke 1-02. 8) Laura Ross 1-00. 9) Shari Delaney. 10) Jacinta O’Connor 0-02. 11) Breda Lane 0-03.
Margarette Lynch 0-01 for Michelle O’Rourke
Abbeydorney:
1) Laura Collins 2) Breda Slattery 3) Norma Shanahan 4) Eimear O’Mahony 0-01. 5) Laura O’Mahony 6) Denise Shanahan 7) Sinead Mackessy 1-01. 8) Catherine Collins 9) Edel O’Connell, 10) Rosie Young 0-01. 11) Noreen Fealy 1-04.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jim O Sullivan Acorn Life Under 14 Division 2
Kenmare V KOR ( Refixed for Thursday June 26th )
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Munster U16 Championship
Semi Finals this Wednesday June 25th in Castleisland at 7pm.
Our opponants are Tipperary. We overcame Tipp on a score line of 5-15 to 4-04 with 14 points to spare back on April 5th and as winners we went straight in to the semi final and had to wait for the losers rounds and qtr finals to be played. The Junior cert exams have delayed this U16 c/ship. We have had to wait eleven weeks for the next game and lets hope the lay off of 11 weeks won’t go against us.

Kerry team selection V Tipperary.

1: Mairead Foley (Laune Rangers)
2: Heather O’Rourke ( Listowel Emmetts)
3: Sinead Sheehan ( Southern Gaels )
4: Claire O’Sullivan ( Kenmare )
5: Maura O’Connor ( Firies )
6: Meábh Barry ( Na Gaeil)
7: Paula O’Sullivan ( Southern Gaels )
8: Julie-Ann Twomey ( C’iland Desmonds )
9: Lorraine Scanlon ( C’iland Desmonds )
10: Leannne Curran ( Southern Gaels )
11: Megan Galvin Listowel Emmetts)
12: Aisling Kelleher ( Kenmare)
13: Shauna Finn ( Castlegregory)
14: Rosie Young ( Abbeydorney)
15: Aisling O’Sullivan (Southern Gaels)

SUBS:
(16) Michelle O’Connor (Kenmare)
(17) Jenny O’Mahony (Southern Gaels)
(18) Norma O’Sullivan (Listowel)
(19) Aoife Godfrey (Kenmare)
(20) Cliona Carmody (Na Gaeil)
(21 Rheanne O’Shea (Dr.Crokes)
(22) Katie Spillane (Castlegregory)
(23) Marie Quirke (Na Gaeil)
(24) Ashling Clifford (Laune Rangers)
(25) Muireann O’Shea (Laune Rangers)
(26) Cait Lynch (Desmonds)
(27) Nicole McEllistrim (Desmonds)
(28) Megan Browne (Scartaglin)
(29) Shiellagh Wren (Desmonds)
(30) Laura O’Sullivan (Southern Gaels)

DENIS HEALY (Kerins O’Rahillys)
Eileen Sayers (Na Gaeil)
Theresa Ann O’Mahony (Na Gaeil)
Aoife Healy (Kerins O’Rahillys)
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Minors:
Kerry v Tyrone in Banagher, Co Offaly next Sunday June 29th at 3:00pm, in the All Ireland Qtr Finals,
More details on this during the week, both on Radio Kerry and the web site www.kerryladiesfootball.com
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

DJ Fitzgerald Car Sales Under 12 Division 1
Rnd 6: 22nd June
C/Des a bye
Ballyduff V Finugue
Chorca D V Sth Gaels
DJ Fitzgerard car Sales Under 12 Preliminary Round
R6 22nd June 6.00pm
SK1 Firies 4-07 V Dr Crokes 0-03
Rathmore v Currow
Glenflesk V Scartaglin
Kenmare a bye
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
KK Hyraulics Tralee JuniorA and B League.
Both the A and B leagues recommence next weekend in this competition.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Under 10 BLITZ, U12 & U14 DIVISIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
U12 and U14 Divisional Championships
We plan to run a Divisional C/ship at U12 and U14 during the months of July and August.
the 9 Divisional Teams are as follows in both U12 and U14:

North Kerry: Abbeydorney, Ballyduff, Churchill and Finugue St Senans.
Listowel: Listowel Emmetts, Moyvane and Duagh.
Tralee: Austin Stacks, K O R, John Mitchells and Na Gaeil.
Killarney: Dr Crokes, Legion, Spa and Kilcummin.
East Kerry: Glenflesk, Rathmore, Kenmare.
Mid Kerry: Firies, Milltown, Laune Rangers and Glenbeigh.
C’island: C’Island Desmonds, Currow and Scartaglin.
West Kerry: Chorca Duibhne and Castlegregory.
South Kerry: South Kerry.

The draw has already been made, subject to all Clubs entering this competition.
We can run the U14 c/ship over 4 Tuesdays in July (8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th)
The U12 C/ship will run after the U12 County League has finished on a Thursday evening.
All clubs to declare that they are interested by Thursday the 26th,
Please reply to Frank McLoughlin on kerryladiesfootball@live.ie

It will be up to each Club in their Division to come together to orginise their set up, we will supply the Referee for all games
and home team pays the Referee..
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
U10’s County FUN BLITZ
All Clubs please declare their U10’s as we will run a fun blitz in the Tralee area on July 5th. But before we plan it we need to know what clubs are interested as dates are very hard to get. Please reply to this within 5 days, by Thursday June 26th.
Replies to the Fixtures Secretary at kerryladiesfootball@live.ie
Please reply by return.
Frank McLoughlin
Fixtures Secretary

Paddy White
PRO Kerry Ladies Gaelic Football