Tag: Kerry LGFA

Rory Kilgallen Appointed As Coaching and Academy Coordinator.

Rory Kilgallen of John Mitchels has been appointed to the newly created role of Coaching and Academy Coordinator for the Kerry LGFA.

In the role Kilgallen will be responsible for the the development and structuring of all Kerry LGFA academies, and one of his major briefs will be the upskilling of coaches involved in the academy process. It is believed that Rory is the ideal person to raise the bar and improve standards of coaching in the county, and to ensure that all players are developed to the level necessary for intercounty football.

Kilgallen brings a vast amount of experience to the role. As a player he distinguished himself as a goalkeeper with his club John Mitchels for many years, winning an U21 County Championship medal in the process. Rory also represented Kerry at the U21 grade, and he played with the Kerry senior team during the 1984 National League campaign.

His coaching pedigree is even more impressive. Kilgallen’s record with Kerry underage teams reads as follows ;

  • 2014 – Assistant manager to the Kerry U/14 team that claimed Munster and All Ireland honours.
  • 2016 – Manager of Kerry U/14 team that claimed the Munster title and were beaten All Ireland finalists.
  • 2018 – Manager of Kerry U/16 team that claimed the Munster title and were beaten All Ireland finalists.

Kilgallen has been involved with underage Development squads since 2011 and has been Chairman of the North Kerry Ladies Board since 2013. He is also currently the club secretary with John Mitchels GAA ,and is also a member of the Austin Stack Park Development Committee.

Donal O’Doherty Is The New Kerry Senior Ladies Manager.

The Kerry LGFA held their October County meeting on Tuesday night and the intercounty managements at all age groups were ratified. 

The big news is that Donal O’Doherty of the Spa club Killarney will be the ne Kerry senior ladies manager. 

O’Doherty played senior football for a number of years with the Spa club and also won an All Ireland vocational schools medal with Kerry in 1990 when they defeated Cavan in the final. Incidentally, the manager of that Kerry vocational team was Pat O’Shea , the current manager senior mens county champions of Dr Crokes. 

Donal O’Doherty was the manager of the Killarney team that won the senior ladies county championship this year, and he was also in charge of the Spa ladies team that were successful in the Junior grade. He has extensive experience as a coach with Spa at all age levels and is the former manager of the Killarney Celtic senior men’s soccer team. 

He is currently the Kerry LGFA Development officer but will now vacate this role to concentrate on his Kerry management duties. He has named Spa clubmate Tim O’Connor as a selector and Donal O’Sullivan of Killorglin will look after the strength and conditioning work. 2 further selectors will be named over the coming weeks. 

Meanwhile Darragh Long of Austin Stacks and Declan Quill of Kerins O’Rahillys were ratified as joint Kerry minor ladies managers. Long is a former Kerry minor and u/21 star and is in the top 5 for championship appearances for his club. Long won a senior county championship medal when Austin Stacks defeated Mid Kerry in the 2014 County Championship final. 

Declan Quill of Kerins O’Rahillys is the holder of 2 All Ireland senior medals with Kerry and also starred at minor and U21 level for his county. He played senior football for Kerry from 2001 to 2005 and in total made 14 championship appearances scoring 0-9. He was a regular starter for Kerry in their National League campaigns and amassed 4 goals and 99 points in his 34 games. 

Former Kerry great Geraldine O’Shea of the Corca Dhuibhne and Ann Marie O’Donoghue of Beaufort will act as selectors on the team.

The U/16 management were also ratified and John Doona of Legion will make the step up from the U/14’s to manage the team. John will be joined by Nora O’Connor of Rathmore, Eamon Kissane of Beaufort, and Colin O’Leary of Rathmore as selectors with Gillian Healy Austin Stacks acting as administrator while Padraig O’Sullivan of Southern Gaels is the strength and conditioning coach. 

The U/14 management will see Charlie McCarthy of Rathmore take the management reigns where he will be joined by Alan Foley of Beaufort and Hannah Devlin of Killarney Legion as selectors. There will be 2 further names added to the ticket over the next couple of weeks.

The Rose Hotel And Kerry LGFA – A Winning Combination.

IMG_6378The Rose Hotel in Tralee came on board this year to sponsor the Kerry LGFA underage county leagues and all in Kerry Ladies football are most grateful for their help. A couple of weeks ago we held a photo shoot at the hotel and many thanks to the local print and online media outlets that helped promote the event.

The press release that the Rose Hotel released with the photograph really sums it all up ;

The Rose Hotel sponsors KLGFA Juvenile County League

The Rose Hotel are delighted to join forces with the KLGFA Juvenile County League as sponsors. At the launch event on Wednesday evening, Mark Sullivan, General Manager, said “The Rose Hotel are thrilled to be associated with the underage ladies county football leagues, we have a lot in common; the hotel is young and blossoming just like all the underage teams and we look forward to achieving great things together. Special thanks to all the U16 team , management and parents who joined us this evening. We wish all the teams every success in the coming months”.

Kerry Ladies Name Their Team For Waterford Clash.

Lorraine and Waterford captainThe Kerry ladies have named their team for the Munster Championship semi final against Waterford in Fitzgerald Stadium on Sunday June 3rd. The game marks Eddie Sheehy’s first game in charge of the senior team and he has named a largely experienced side for the clash.

The team will line out as follows;

  1. Laura Fitzgerald          Na Gaeil, Laura Nic Gearlailt
  2. Laoise Coughlan         Rathmore, Laoise Ni Cochlain
  3. Sarah Murphy             Rathmore, Sorcha Ni Mhurchu
  4. Eilis Lynch                    Castleisland, Eilis Ni Lionsigh
  5. Deirdre Kearney         Na Gaeil,      Deirdre Ni Chearnaigh
  6. Aislinn Desmond         Rathmore,    Aislinn Ni Dheasunaigh
  7. Aisling O Connell        Scartaglen,     Aishling Ni Chaonaill
  8. Lorraine Scanlon        Castleisland, Lorraine Ni Scanlain
  9. Amanda Brosnan       Dr Crokes ,      Amanda Ni Bhrosnachain
  10. Amy Foley                   Beaufort,  Amy Ni Foghlu
  11. Louise Ni Mhuircheartaigh    Corca Dhuibhne
  12. Emma Dineen             Glenflesk,  Emma Ni Dhuinnin
  13. Andrea Murphy             Castleisland, Andrea Ni Mhurchu
  14. Eilish O Leary               Kilcummin, Eilish Ni Laoire
  15. Sarah Houlihan           Beaufort, Sorcha Ni hUallachain
  16. Siobhan Burns              Dr Crokes, Siobhan Ni Bhroin
  17. Kate O Sullivan             Dingle,  Kate Ni Shuilleabhain
  18. Meabh Barry                 Na Gaeil, Meabh De Barra
  19. Caoimhe O Sullivan      St Sylvesters, Caoimhe Ni Shuilleabhain
  20. Clodagh O Connor        Na Fianna,  Clodagh Ni Conchobhair
  21. Siobhan Goodwin         Castlegregory,  Siobhan Ni Ghodain
  22. Deirdre Geaney             Dingle, Deirdre Ni Gheibheannaigh
  23. Aoife O Callaghan         Rathmore, Aoife Ni Cheallachain
  24. Brid Ryan                        Rathmore, Brid Ni Riain
  25. Sarah Leahy                   Legion, Sorcha Ni Laocha
  26. Erica McGlynn               Fossa, Erica Ni Gloinn
  27. Sinead Warren              Rathmore, Sinead Ni Mhurnan
  28. Jadyn Lucey                   Na Gaeil ,Jadyn Ni Luasa
  29. Sophie Lynch                 Listowel, Sophie Ni Lionsigh

 

Kerry U/16’s Claim Munster A Title.

Kerry u16s celebrate

Munster U16 A Championship Final 

Kerry 3-9 Tipperary 2-5 

Kerry are the 2018 U/16 Munster champions after a hard fought victory over an excellent Tipperary side in sun swept  Mallow last Saturday. 

Kerry came into the game as firm favourites to lift the title but were put to the pin of their collar for a large portion of the game as Tipperary showed the type of form that they hadn’t displayed in earlier rounds of the competition. Kerry had defeated Tipperary by 21 points in March , but it was a totally different game this time. 

Tipperary started brightly and Ava Fennessy pointed in the first minute of the game. Kerry got a great boost 2 minutes later when Clodagh Evans struck a superb shot into the bottom corner of Saoirse Teer’s net for a great goal. Teer was called into action straight afterwards and had to produce a good save to keep Danielle O’Leary’s goal effort out. 

From here on though Tipperary began to dominate as Kerry struggled with their strong running game. The livewire Fennessy added 2 more points and wing back Alison Connolly added another to push them 0–4 to 1 goal ahead with 17 minutes gone in the contest. Tipperary did kick some bad wides in the meantime though, and this would ultimately cost them later on in the game. 

Kerry were thankful to goalkeeper Ciara Butler who produced 2 world class saves in the space of a minute to deny Tipperary. As if stung by this let off, Kerry replied with an excellent point from Clodagh Evans after good work involving Gemma Kearney, Danielle O’Leary and Siofra O’Shea. The Tipperary reply was instant however, and Ashling Ryan scored a goal from a free kick after her effort for a point ended up in the Kerry net. 

Kerry got a life line on the stroke of half time when Ella Teahan pointed after a strong run, and as the half time whistle sounded, Tipperary took a 1-4 to 1-2 lead in at the break. 

Tipperary started the brighter in the second half and an Ashling Ryan free kick pushed them 3 ahead before Siofra O’Shea replied a minute later with a pointed free for Kerry. It was from this point on that the game began to change in Kerry’s favour. Kerry manager Rory Kilgallen instructed his players to push up on Tipperary’s kickout, and with the wind rising in their favour, they proceeded to dominate their opponents for the rest of the contest. There were positional changes as well, with Maud Kelly moving to the centre half back position, and Danielle O’Leary moving into full forward. 

Kerry scored 1-6 without reply between the 36th and 59th minute to firmly put Tipperary to the sword. International basketballer Siofra O’Shea , who was now operating at centre half forward,  chipped in with 4 points (2 frees), while the hard working Mary O’Connell and Ella Teahan contributed 2 more..Kerry’s goal came in the 42nd minute from Danielle O’Leary after she took on the Tipperary defence with a strong run before clinically finishing to the back of the net. 

Kerry were now rampant and O’Shea was unlucky when her punched effort for a goal came off the butt of the Tipperary post. Tipperary got a lifeline in the 60th minute when the excellent Caitlinn Kennedy scored a goal directly from a 14 metre free kick to make it a 4 point game, 2-9 to 2-5. Kerry were not to be out done however, and Siofra O’Shea put the icing on the cake when she scored the goal of the game after an electric move involving Rachel Dwyer and Danielle O’Leary. The final whistle sounded soon afterwards, and Kerry were crowned Munster U16 A champions. 

Kerry captain Rachel Dwyer received the Munster cup and gave a rousing speech in front of the delighted Kerry supporters. Siofra O’Shea was presented with the Player of The Match award after a superb display from the Southern Gaels girls. 

Kerry will now go on to play the winners of the  Dublin v Kildare Leinster final in the All Ireland semi final on July 4th. 

Kerry Ciara Butler, Maud Kelly, Rachel O’Connor, Ava Doherty, Gemma Kearney, Rachel Dwyer, Aoife Dillane, Mary O’Connell (0-1), Aisling O’Connell, Rachel Kilgallen, Danielle O’Leary (1 goal), Ella Teahan (0-2), Clodagh Evans (1-1), Siofra O’Shea (1-5, 3f), Mary Collins. Subs; Kerri Ann Hanrahan (M Collins, 45 mins), Ciara McCarthy (C Evans 60th min), Roisin Griffin (E Teahan 60th min). 

Tipperary Saoirse Deer, Megan Heffernan, Dervla Heffernan, Michelle Cronin, Alison Connolly (0-1), Carrie Davey, Ellen Moore, Caitlinn Kennedy (1 goal f), Orla Winston, Ashling Ryan(1 goal f, 1pt f) , Ava Fennessy (0-3), Rosanna Kelly, Leah Coen, Maeve McGuigan, Emer McCarthy. Subs Queva O’Meara (O Winston 38th min),Caoimhe Mulcahy (A Ryan 50th min), Ciara Dwan (L Coen 51st min), Rachel Moore (M Cronin 51st min). 

Referee Colin McTaggart (Cork) 

Kerry Put Mayo To The Sword.

Kerry ignite Division 1 challenge with impressive eight-point beating of Mayo

Lidl National Football League Division 1

(from LGFA website)

By Donal Barry at Brosna

Kerry 2-14 Mayo 2-6

Munster champions Kerry ignited their league challenge with an impressive and deserved eight-point victory over Mayo at Brosna this afternoon.

Leading from start to finish, Graham Shine’s side were in control throughout with new midfield partnership of Meabh Barry and Lorraine Scanlon proving a solid one enabling both Louise Ni Mhuircheartaigh and Sarah Houlihan to enjoy some good early ball as the pair certain got the upper hand of the Mayo defence scoring 1-10 between them.

Kerry were 0-3 to the good before Sinead Cafferkey had Mayo’s first point on ten minutes.

However, it was in the next five minutes that Kerry would do the damage with a Ni Mhuircheartaigh goal sandwiched in between a pair of points to push Kerry 1-5 to 0-1 clear at the end of the first quarter.

They would lead at the break 1-7 to 0-3.

The second half was barely 20 seconds old when Meabh Barry’s long range shot from 40 yards found its way to the net with Niamh Neary unable to hold the ball on the goal line.

Still, Mayo fought away and Niamh and Grace Kelly added points to reduce the gap to nine points (2-8 to 0-5) by the 37 minute but it was Ni Mhuircheartaigh and Houlihan who added another brace to keep the home side in complete control.

Aileen Gilroy’s 26 minute goal for Mayo looked like a consolation goal (2-13 to 1-6) but Mayo would get even closer when Tamara O’Connor was pulled down in the square and Sinead Caffekey goaled from the resultant penalty.

However, it was as close as they were going to get as was as Kerry collected their first two points of the campaign as they look forward to a trip to Monaghan next time out with Mayo taking on neighbours Galway.

Scorers for Mayo: Sinead Cafferkey 1-1 (1-0 pen), Aileen Gilroy 1-0, Niamh Kelly 0-2, Grace Kelly 0-2 (0-1F) Fiona McHale 0-1

Mayo: Niamh Neary, Eilish Ronayne, Sarah Tierney, Sadbh Larkin, Orla Conlon, Marie Corbett, Doirean Hughes, Clodagh McManamon, Fiona McHale, Sinead Cafferkey, Aileen Gilroy, Sarah Mulvihill, Niamh Kelly, Rachel Kearns, Grace Kelly

Subs: Shauna Howley for Rachel Kearns (H/T) Amy Dowling for Sarah Mulvhill (33) Saoirse Ludden for Grace Kelly (51) Tamara O’Connor for Clodagh McManamon (56) Nicola O’Malley for Orla Conlon (58 Inj)

Scorers for Kerry: Louise Ni Mhuircheartaigh 1-5 (0-2F), Sarah Houlihan 0-5 (0-3F), Meabh Barry 1-0, Eilish O Leary 0-2, Brid Ryan 0-1, Lorraine Scanlon 0-1,

Kerry: Laura Fitzgerald, Elish Lynch, Deidre Kearney, Aisling O Connell, Ciara Murphy, Aislinn Desmond, Kate O Sullivan, Meabh Barry, Lorraine Scanlon Andrea Murphy, , Louise Ni Mhuircheartaigh, Sarah Houlihan, Brid Ryan, Eilish O Leary, Aoife Geaney

Subs: Fiadhna Tagney for Andrea Murphy (40) Amy Foley for Brid Ryan (46) Sophie Lynch for Aoife Geaney (46) Emma Dineen for Meabh Barry (53) Deirdre Geaney for Eilish O’Leary (56)

Referee: Keith Delahunty (Tipperary

Finuge/St Senans v Aghada Munster Junior Final Preview.

Munster Ladies Junior Final 

Finuge/St Senans v Aghada, Saturday 21st October in Mallow @ 12.30 

When Finuge/St Senans manager Johnny Horgan brought his squad back for pre season training last January, little did he think that 10 months later he would be preparing them for a Munster Junior final. Horgan admits that the height of their ambition was to win the Kerry county title and that thoughts of Munster glory was the farthest thing away from their minds. Now they are just 60 minutes away from claiming the Munster championship,but they will be faced with the tough task of lowering the colours of Cork kingpins Aghada, in what is bound to be a stern test of their credentials in Mallow next Saturday. 

Finuge/St Senans claimed the Kerry Junior championship after an impressive 3 point victory over Kilcummin in early September. Although behind by 6 points at half time, they showed resilience and maturity to completely dominate the second half and emerge as champions. In the Munster championship, an early goal against Na Deise of Waterford settled the nerves and gave them the impetus to defeat them on a 4-12 to 1-12 scoreline.Next up were St Bridgets of Limerick and they were firmly put to the sword last Sunday, with Finuge/St Senans winning on a 5-13 to 1-10 scoreline. 

Horgan was particularly happy with the start that his side made that day, and also with the way that they stood up to some intense St Bridgets pressure in the second half.”We got a great start with 3 goals in the first 8 minutes and really that set us on our way. I mean they scored 7 times in the first half and we scored 8 times, but thankfully 4 of those scores were goals. They had a right go at us in the second half and when Niamh Carmody got sin binned it could have been a very tough loss for us. Thankfully the girls dug deep and we actually scored 3 points in that 10 minutes while Niamh was in the bin, The girls stood up when we needed them most” 

Any team that wins a Cork championship comes with a strong pedigree, and Aghada are no different. After a comprehensive 4-14 to 1-5 victory over Naomh Aban in the Cork Junior Championship final,they got a bye to the Munster semi final where they faced Fethard of Tipperary. Aghada once again posted an impressive 4-14 that day as they hammered the premier champions by 17 points. Johnny Horgan was impressed with what he saw.”They have some fine players. Emma Farmer,Roisin Phelan and Hannah Looney are Cork seniors and Sarah Leahy was very impressive for the Cork minors this year. They will all have to be watched. Still though we have prepared well and I think that we have the players to cause a surprise next Saturday”. 

The Finuge/St Senans players that Horgan is referring to are the likes of Kerry senior panelists Miriam O’Keeffe and Niamh Carmody, Ann Marie Leen, Emma McCarthy, and Kerry camogie stars Patrice Diggins and Jackie Horgan while Niamh Leen, Sara Murphy and Aoife Behanhave had excellent campaigns so far. They are all top performers on their day and certainly have the potential to guide their side to glory, If Finuge /St Senans can get off to a good start once again then they are well capable of bringing the Munster Junior Championship cup to North Kerry. It will be tough though, and holding Emma Farmer, in particular, will be vital to their chances. Finuge/St Senans need to bring all of their fighting spirit and never say die attitude to Mallow next Saturday, They get a hesitant vote to succeed, but don’t be surprised if it’s after extra time.