Kerry GAA

For more details of Kerry GAA see Kerry Senior Football Championship or Kerry Senior Club Hurling Championship.
Kerry GAA
Irish: Ciarraí
Province: Munster
Nickname(s): The Kingdom of Kerry
County colours: Green and Gold
Ground(s): Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney
Austin Stack Park, Tralee
Dominant sport: Gaelic football
Competitions
NFL: Division 1
NHL: Division 1B
Football Championship: Sam Maguire Cup
Hurling Championship: Christy Ring Cup
Ladies' Gaelic football: Brendan Martin Cup
Standard kit

The Kerry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) (or Kerry GAA) is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kerry. The county board is also responsible for the Kerry inter-county teams.

The Kerry branch of the Gaelic Athletic Association was founded in the year 1888. Gaelic football is the dominant sport in the county, with both the men's and women's teams among the strongest in the country at senior level. In hurling, the men's side compete in the sport's secondary inter-county competition, the Christy Ring, while the camogie team does not compete at senior level.

Kerry have been the most successful team in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, topping the list of counties for All-Irelands won. They have won the competition on 37 occasions, including two four-in-a-rows (1929–1932, 1978–1981) and two three-in-a-rows (1939–1941, 1984–1986). The Ó Sé family are particularly renowned: beginning with Páidí, they have had at least one member play a part in all 22 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Finals that Kerry have participated in between 1975 and 2014.[1]

Crest and colours

Kerry traditionally play in green and gold. The team's current crest, which came into use in 2012, features a longship with a Celtic cross on the sail, a stag, a fern and Carrauntoohil, the tallest mountain in Ireland. It was introduced to for copyright reasons, to secure the Kerry county board financially.[2] The previous crest, shown on the left, which was used from 1988 to 2011 was based more on Irish and Celtic symbolism, featuring a round-tower church, an Irish Wolfhound and a harp.

Kerry's inter-county teams are sponsored by the Kerry Group, in one of the longest standing sponsorship arrangements in the GAA. The teams have been connected with the Kerry Group since sponsorship became more open in the GAA in the early 1990s.[3]

Kerry's jerseys are currently provided O'Neills sportswear. The team kit had previously been supplied by Adidas, while prior to that contract in 1998, Kerry were partnered with the now-defunct Millfield brand.[4]

Football

History

Kerry is by far the most successful team in the history of Gaelic football, having won the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship on 37 occasions and the National Football League 19 times. The team is also the holders of a number of distinctive records in football championship history. They have contested 56 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Finals, the next highest participator being Dublin with 36 appearances. Kerry's record in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship involves having played 30 of the 31 other counties, with only Kilkenny being the exception.[5]

The traditional Irish game of caid, from which modern football developed, was especially popular in Kerry. The GAA was formed in 1884 and codified the modern rules of the game, which were soon adopted in Kerry clubs such as Laune Rangers. Despite this, the county team did not win an All-Ireland Football Championship in the nineteenth century. The 1903 title was the first won by Kerry, with them beating London in the final at a time when London were given a bye to that stage of the championship; Kerry's overall exceptional success in the game began in this period.

The Kerry team of the 1970s and 1980s is arguably considered to be the greatest in the history of football[6][7][8] and its manager (Mick O'Dwyer) the greatest of all time.[6][9][10] Of the 20 All-Ireland finals held during those two decades, Kerry participated in 12, with victory coming on 9 occasions. During this time most other finals were won by Dublin, and there was a major rivalry between the two counties especially during the 1970s and 1980s. In 1982, Kerry came within one minute of winning an unprecedented fifth All-Ireland title in a row, only for a late goal by Offaly's Séamus Darby (controversial as many claimed Darby pushed the Kerry defender in the back) gave the title to Offaly. This goal was voted third in a poll to find the Top 20 GAA Moments.

Towards the end of the 1980s, Kerry went into decline and did not appear in an All-Ireland final for 11 years, between 1986 and 1997. The 1997 victory, however, would mark the beginning of a revival for Kerry which spanned roughly the first decade of the 21st century. Of the 15 All-Ireland finals between 1997 and 2011, Kerry contested ten and won six, including five titles in the 2000s. In 2006 and 2007, Kerry won consecutive All-Ireland titles (the first to do so since Cork in 1989 and 1990), while in 2009, they became only the third team to reach six consecutive All-Ireland finals (a feat last achieved by Dublin between 1974 and 1979), winning their 36th title by beating Cork in that final. Kerry quietly exited the 2010 and 2012 All-Ireland Senior Football Championships at the quarter-final stage, losing to Down and Donegal respectively, while Dublin defeated them in dramatic fashion on the last kick in the 2011 final.[11][12][13] and was also responsible for their exit at the semi-final stage in 2013 in a closely contested classic match.[14]

Honours

Main article: Kerry GAA honours

Kerry have won 37 All-Ireland Senior Football Championships and have been the losers in 20 other All-Ireland Football Finals. Kerry footballers have won some awards and hold numerous individual records in the sport. Pat Spillane received nine All Star Awards during his career, a feat matched by no other Gaelic footballer, while Tadhg Kennelly is the only holder of both an AFL Premiership medallion and a Senior All-Ireland Championship medal, the highest possible achievement in the sports of Australian rules football and Gaelic football.

Managerial history

This is a list of people who have coached/managed the Kerry senior football team in recent years.

NameClubFromToAll-Ireland titlesMunster titles
Éamonn Fitzmaurice
Lixnaw
2013
—
2014
2013, 2014
Jack O'Connor
Piarsaigh Na Dromada
2009 2012
2009
2010, 2011
Pat O'Shea
Dr.Crokes
2007 2008
2007
2007
Jack O'Connor
Piarsaigh Na Dromada
2004 2006
2004, 2006
2004, 2005
Páidí Ó Sé
An Ghaeltacht
1995 2003
1997, 2000
1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003
Ogie Moran
Beale
1992[15] 1995[16]

Current football squad

No. Player Position Club
1 Brendan Kealy Goalkeeper Kilcummin
2 Paul Murphy Right Corner Back Rathmore
3 Mark Griffin Full Back St. Michael's/Foilmore
4 Shane Enright Left Corner Back Tarbert
5 Jonathan Lyne Right Half Back Legion
6 Peter Crowley Centre Back Laune Rangers
7 Killian Young Left Half Back Renard
8 Anthony Maher Midfield Duagh
9 David Moran Midfield Kerins O'Rahilly's
10 Alan Fitzgerald Right Half Forward Castlegregory
11 Bryan Sheehan Centre Forward St. Mary's
12 Johnny Buckley Left Half Forward Dr Crokes
13 Stephen O'Brien Right Corner Forward Kenmare Shamrocks
14 Kieran Donaghy (c) Full Forward Austin Stacks
15 Barry John Keane Left Corner Forward Kerins O'Rahilly's
No. Player Position Club
16 Brian Kelly Substitute Legion
17 Pa Kilkenny Substitute Glenbeigh-Glencar
18 Tommy Walsh Substitute Kerins O'Rahilly's
19 Fionn Fitzgerald Substitute Dr Crokes
20 Marc Ó Sé Substitute An Ghaeltacht
21 Darran O'Sullivan Substitute Glenbeigh-Glencar
22 Kieran O'Leary Substitute Dr Crokes
23 Paudge O'Connor Substitute Legion
24 Philip O'Connor Substitute Cordal
25 Paul Galvin Substitute Finuge
26 Colm Cooper Substitute Dr Crokes

Squad as per Kerry vs Tyrone, 2015 National Football League, Round 7, 6 April 2015

Ladies' football

Honours

Hurling

History

In 2003, team made it to the fourth round of the qualifiers only to go down to Limerick 1-14 to 0-24 in Austin Stack Park in Tralee. Along the way they beat Westmeath, Carlow and beaten Ulster finalists Derry. The wins over Westmeath and Carlow represented the first time a Kerry team strung two consecutive Championship victories together. It also marked the first occasion that the Kerry hurling team played more championship games then the Kerry football team.

For many years the senior team played in the Junior and Intermediate Championships and had some success. They won All-Ireland titles at Junior level in 1961 and 1972, and won a Munster Championship at junior level in 1956. At Intermediate level they won Munster titles in 1970 and 1973.

Kerry have played in just one Munster Minor Hurling Championship Final, in 1938, when they lost to a Cork team that included the great Christy Ring. They have however won and played in a number of All-Ireland B Finals.

Kerry have never won the Munster Under-21 Hurling Championship, their most notable achievement in the championship came in 2004 when they ran Limerick to 3 points in Austin Stack Park. They have however won and played in a number of All-Ireland U21 B Championship Finals.

Kerry won the Division 2B final of the 2015 National Hurling League and advanced to the relegation/promotion match with favorites Antrim, a late point by substitute John Egan saw Kerry advance to Division 1B. [17]

Honours

Notable hurlers

Current team

No. Player Position Club
1 Bernard Rochford Goalkeeper Killeagh
2 Rory Horgan Right Corner Back St. Brendan's Ardfert
3 Liam Boyle Full Back Ballyduff
4 Paud Costello Left Corner Back Ballyduff (Capt)
5 Darragh O'Connell Right Half Back Abbeydorney
6 Tom Murnane Centre Back Kilmoyley
7 Darren Dineen Left Half Back St. Brendan's Ardfert
8 Daniel Collins Midfield Kilmoyley
9 John Griffin Midfield Lixnaw
10 Brendan O'Leary Right Half Forward Abbeydorney
11 Gary O'Brien Center Forward Ballyduff
12 Willie O'Dwyer Left Half Forward Mulinavat
13 Colm Harty Right Corner Forward Causeway
14 Aidan Boyle Full Forward Ballyduff
15 Shane Nolan Left Corner Forward Crotta O'Neill's
No. Player Position Club
16 PJ O'Gorman Goalkeeper Ballyduff
17 Brian Murphy Corner Back Causeway
18 Brendan Brosnan Half Back Lixnaw
19 Patrick O Keefe Corner Back Glenflesk
20 David Fitzell Midfield Kilmoyley
21 Padraig Boyle Half Forward Ballyduff
22 Pat Joe Connolly Half Forward Ballyduff
23 Mike Lynch Midfield Crotta O'Neill's
24 Cyril Lynch Half Forward Crotta O'Neill's
25 John Egan Corner Forward St. Brendan's Ardfert
26 Sean Maunsell Left Corner Forward Kilmoyley
27 Jason Leahy Midfield Causeway
28 Mikey O'Halloran Half Back Ballyheigue
29 Steven Page Corner Forward Tommy Larkins
30 Ally O'Connor Corner Back Ballyduff

Squad as per Kerry vs Kildare (2013 Christy Ring Cup Semi-Final)[20]

Camogie

Cillard and a selected Kerry team won divisional honours at Féile na nGael in 2008, 2009 and 2010. Notable players include Mary Geaney

Under Camogie's National Development Plan 2010-2015, "Our Game, Our Passion,"[21] Donegal, Kerry, Mayo and Monaghan are to get a total of 14 new clubs by 2015.[22]

Grounds

Club competitions

References

  1. ↑ "22nd final for Kerry's famous Ó Sé clan". Hogan Stand. 19 September 2014. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  2. ↑ "New Kerry GAA crest gets a mixed reception". Irish Independent. 23 November 2011. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  3. ↑ "The GAA's great brand divide". Irish Independent. 30 November 2011. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  4. ↑ "Croke Park row stalls Kerry's Adidas kit deal". Irish Independent. 5 June 1998. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  5. ↑ Nolan, Sean (2 August 2012). "Hospital Pass: Kerry eye up Kilkenny and where Andy Moran wants to play the All-Ireland final". JOE. Retrieved 2 August 2012.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Keane, Paul (2003-04-20). "GAA: Micko's still the best in my book says Armagh's Kernan". Sunday Mirror.
  7. ↑ "Tears flow freely in Listowel on the day they buried a real giant". The Kingdom. 15 December 2005. Retrieved 15 December 2005.
  8. ↑ "Better late than never". Irish Examiner. 24 September 2005. Retrieved 24 September 2005.
  9. ↑ Ó Sé, Páidí (18 May 2008). "Last hurrah looms for football's most remarkable man". Sunday Independent. Retrieved 18 May 2008.
  10. ↑ "Where next for Mick O'Dwyer?". Irish News UK - News from the Irish Community in Britain.
  11. ↑ "Down shock Kerry at Croke Park". RTÉ Sport. 31 July 2010. Retrieved 31 July 2010.
  12. ↑ Keys, Colm (7 August 2012). "House that Jack built in danger of collapse". Irish Independent (Independent News & Media). Retrieved 7 August 2012.
  13. ↑ Moynihan, Michael (1 July 2009). "Brolly: Kerry in ‘terminal decline’". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 1 July 2009.
  14. ↑ "Colm Keys: Was Dublin v Kerry the greatest game Gaelic football has seen?". independent.ie. Irish Independent. 13 January 2015. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  15. ↑ "The three wise men of Kerry football have Sam in sight"; The Kerryman; 18/09/1992, p. 1
  16. ↑ Sports Digest, The Kerryman, 25/08/1995, p. 22
  17. ↑ http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/hurling/2015/0411/693449-antrim-v-kerry/
  18. ↑ "Boyle’s late goal swings it Kerry’s way". Irish Examiner. 16 September 2013. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
  19. ↑ "All-Ireland MHC 'B' final: Kingdom rule the Royals". Hogan Stand. 7 September 2013. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
  20. ↑ "Christy Ring Cup Final Kerry 2-22 Kildare 4-18".
  21. ↑ "Final goal for camogie". Irish Independent. 29 March 2010. Retrieved 29 March 2010.
  22. ↑ National Development Plan 2010-2015, Our Game, Our Passion information page on camogie.ie, pdf download (778k) from Camogie.ie download site

External links