While the competition is now played in the main without inter-county players, the Credit Union Kerry Senior Football Leagues have thrown up some interesting ties for the first round next month.
Chief amongst them is the meeting of the county last two Kerry SFC winners and last two Kerry winners of the Andy Merrigan Cup, as well as reigning All-Ireland Senior Club champions Dingle host 2017 All-Ireland Champions Dr Crokes in Round 1 on Sunday March 15th.
Dingle are promoted back to Division 1 this year having been in Division 2 last year. Division 1 holders Austin Stacks face an interesting trip to Glenflesk in Round 1 who are now managed by Stacks clubman and former Kerry Minor manager Wayne Quillinan.
Last year’s League runners-up Kerins O’Rahillys travel to Kilcummin in Round 1 as the other Division 1 fixtures in the opening round are a Killarney derby between Legion and Spa and Beaufort taking on Rathmore.
Division 2 sees a novel opening encounter between the newly crowned All-Ireland Intermediate and Junior Club champions as An Ghaeltacht travel to Ballymacelligott in a reunion of the two sides who triumphed in Croke Park in January. Other interesting Division 2 opening encounters see a Mid Kerry derby between Laune Rangers and Milltown/Castlemaine as senior club Templenoe face a trip down to Cahersiveen to take on newly promoted St Marys.
Na Gaeil’s presence in Division 3 as a senior club continues to baffle as they face Junior Premier Runners-up St Senans in Round 1 with Intermediate runners-up Fossa travelling to promote Annascaul in Round 1, after only one year in Division 2 for the East Kerry side.
Last year’s Junior winners Tarbert travel to Ballydonoghue in this Division as well in Round 1, with Ballydonoghue being managed by John O’Connell whose son plays with Tarbert. Division 4 is interesting from the point of view of the late inclusion of Dr Crokes B, after the Killarney club successfully overturned the motion from Lispole that originally been passed in banning reserve sides from the Senior League.
Crokes had been promoted from Division 5 last year as they face one of the other promoted sides from last year in St Michaels/Foilmore first day out. Kerry Novice winners last year Cromane are also in Division 4 this year as they face Brosna at home first. Lispole themselves face Finuge first in Division 5 after the North Kerry club gained promotion last year under Eamonn Fitzmaurice. Bar the presence of Asdee and Tuosist in Division 6 and Clounmacon in Division 7, the bottom two Divisions are made up entirely of reserve sides.
The Leagues in Kerry are due for a July 5th conclusion as playoffs are not being used to settle promotion and relegation ties this year but rather a list of criteria based on head-to-head result first and a number of other factors for multiple team ties. Next Tuesday night the Kingdom’s clubs will learn their opponents for the Round Robin phase of this autumn’s Club Championship competitions as the draw will be held in the Meadowlands Hotel Tralee.
