Rathmore GAA

Rathmore

Cumann Lúthchleas Gael An Ráth Mhór
Founded:	1888
County:	Kerry
Club colours:	Red and White
Grounds:	Rathbeg
Coordinates:	52°03′53.72″N 9°14′20.91″W / 52.0649222°N 9.2391417°W / 52.0649222; -9.2391417Coordinates: 52°03′53.72″N 9°14′20.91″W / 52.0649222°N 9.2391417°W / 52.0649222; -9.2391417
Playing kits
Standard colours

Rathmore is a Gaelic Athletic Association club from Rathmore, County Kerry, Ireland. Together with 12 other football clubs (Cordal, Dr. Crokes, Currow, Firies, Fossa, Glenflesk, Gneeveguilla, Kilcummin, Legion, Listry, Rathmore, Scartaglin and Spa) they form the East Kerry Division of the GAA county of Kerry.

Rathmore offer Hurling as well, but they do not play above intermediate level. They play in the Kerry Senior Football Championship. Rathmore GAA was founded in 1888. Their original colours were green. Their former residence was known as the "lawn". The East Kerry board runs its own competitions for clubs within the division. The most important is the O'Donoghue Cup which is awarded to the winners of the East Kerry Senior Football Championship. In 1963 they became the first rural club to win the championship.

The club once played in the Kerry Senior Hurling Championship, making it to the final in 1932 but lost out to Causeway in the final. Now hurling is only played at under-age level.

Kerry County Club Championship

They've won the Kerry County Club Championship once, in 2011 defeating Laune Rangers. They have contested the final on two other occasions 2010 and 2012 where they were beaten by Kerins O'Rahilly's and Dr Crokes respectively.

Kerry County Football Leag- ue Division 1

They've won the Kerry County Football League - Division 1 once, in 2002.

Kerry Intermediate Football Championship

Rathmore have won the Kerry Intermediate Football Championship once. In 1999 they defeated Glenflesk to claim their first title.

Kerry Junior Football Championship

Rathmore have won the Kerry Junior Football Championship in 1998 and lost the finals in 1996 and 1993.

Rathmore Ladies club has also followed through the years with the men's club. The ladies decided in the year 2000 that they would go out on their own and not under the men's club anymore. This continued to be a great success for Rathmore winning many challenges throughout the years at all ages.the pat lawlor,the co championship division A 2005 defeat over catle island,players including Aoife o sullivan,Ashling desmond jacinta murphy,noreen and eileen murphy Marie Kelleher,Michelle Knee,Amy Murphy Sheilann Moynihan,Jodie O Sullivan and many more and many under age levels won.

Kerry Minor Football Championship

They've never won the Kerry Minor Football Championship but made the final once in 2001 versus South Kerry playing together with Glenflesk.

U21 East Kerry Championship

Rathmore won the East Kerry in 2009 beating Dr.Crokes with a last minute point by Eoin Lawlor in 2009. This appeared in the Kerryman 29/4/09: LAWLOR SNATCHES VICTORY A WINNING point in injury time by Eoin Lawlor from a 30 metre free earned Rathmore a narrow victory over Dr Crokes in an entertaining and exciting East Kerry U-21 "A" Championship Final played in Rathmore on Saturday last.

Rathmore took control of the game from the throw in and in the sixth minute Sean O'Riordan opened his side's account with a point. Jeremy Moynihan had a second point from a free for Rathmore before Jamie Doolin opened the Dr Crokes account in the eleventh minute with a point from play.

Rathmore settled well and dominated most sectors of play. Their full-back line of Brendan Reen, Brian O'Leary and David McCarthy was most effective in marking the Dr Crokes full-forward division while outfield, centreback Conor O'Sullivan, midfielder George O'Keeffe and centre forward Eoin Lawlor were unbeatable. In the eighteenth minute a well worked attack started by cornerback David McCarthy who linked with the industrious O'Keefe in the middle of the field saw Eoin Lawlor register a Rathmore goal to put his side four points clear.

Within a minute Rathmore came looking for a second goal, but Paul Murphy's shot rebounded off the upright and was cleared to safety. A determined run by corner-forward Denis Galvin earned the Crokes a free, which Jamie Doolan converted from 14metres for his side's second and final score of the half. Meantime, Rathmore forged ahead with three points from Eoin Lawlor and one from Sean O'Riordan to give their side a commanding lead at half-time – Rathmore 1-6 Dr Crokes 0-2.

Three minutes into the second half saw Rathmore's Mark Reen earn a free, which Kerry minor Donal O'Sullivan converted to put an eight point gap between the sides. However, in true Dr Crokes fighting tradition, the town side stormed back into the game when in the seventh minute, a well worked attack enabled Denis Galvin raise a green flag for his side.

Dr Crokes took hope from his score and they raised their play with the experienced Jamie Doolan, Daithi Casey and Johnny Buckley leading the fight back.

Two minutes later, corner-forward Doolan reduced the Dr Crokes deficit to four points as he swung over a point bringing the score to Rathmore 1-7 Dr Crokes 1-3. Rathmore replied with a pointed free from Donal O'Sullivan. However, assisted by the wind, Dr Crokes began to dominate midfield and provide a good supply of ball to their inside forwards.

Wing-forward Donal Cronin and midfielder Johnny Buckley each scored a point and cut the Rathmore lead to three points with ten minutes remaining. In the twenty third minute of the half a rare Rathmore sally upfield saw Eoin Lawlor fouled and the ever accurate Donal O'Sullivan converted the free. However, good work by Dr Crokes forwards had the Rathmore defence pinned down and they found it difficult to get the ball out of the danger zone.

This policy paid dividends for Dr Crokes as two points from Daithí Casey and one from Ian Howard meant that the town side was within a point of the Rathmore men. With the game approaching the final whistle, Dr Crokes was awarded a fourteen metre free which Denis Galvin pointed to bring the sides all square in an exciting and fever pitch ending.

As extra-time beckoned, Rathmore lifted the siege and worked the ball forward to Sean O'Riordan who was fouled thirty metres out. Centre-forward Eoin Lawlor stepped up to take the pressure kick to win the game.

Kerry Under-21 Football Championship

They've also supplied a lot of players to the East Kerry teams playing in the Kerry Under-21 Football Championship. East Kerry have been in 5 finals since 1999 but only won in that year.

Kerry Senior Hurling Championship

Rathmore have played in one Kerry Senior Hurling Championship in 1932.

Famous players

• John Saunders
• Declan O'Keeffe
• Tom O'Sullivan
• Aidan O'Mahony

References

External links

• http://www.eastkerrygaa.com/
• http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/1998/10/05/shead.htm
• http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/1998/10/02/shead.htm
• http://archives.tcm.ie/thekingdom/2007/06/14/story24355.asp