Kerry Gaa is basically all about the county team. County championship with divisions leads to a chance of some handy players at junior and intermediate level showing up well at a decent standard. Divisions have thankfully nearly died in Cork. Due to the county team trumping all in Kerry divisional teams will stay. Long term the decline of Austin Stacks etc may hurt Kerry football
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Not sure if true but a fella from that neck of the woods told me that KORâs catchment area in Tralee is quite old demographically now compared to some of the other clubs in town with feck all coming through from underage.
Austin Stacks were unlucky to be relegated last year
The under age is solid, won the kerry feile in 2022 and had fabolous minor team this year
long run they will be fine
Rahillys in trouble though, weak underage
Fulvio fairly called the Kerry format five years ago
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demographics are against them, generally were good under age in fairness but struggling last while
There are 4 gaelic football clubs and 1 hurling club within the Tralee town boundary, fair old competition for players, not many town the size of Tralee have 4 GAA clubs
Its not unlike tyroneâŚwhile being totally different. Kerry is narrow, selfish and corporate- all sacrificed to the facade of a county team that actually doesnât have to be any good in order to get a handy run into a final before being smoked by the dubs or being awarded a handy win by a headquarters ref. Tyrone club football on the other hand is a sporadic mess of a lottery which is totally separate from a heavily sponsored professional county setup.
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I think the divisions is a good idea. Good for the weaker clubs as it gives their players a chance to prove themselves without leaving. Templenoe are senior now. The club probably would have folded without the divisional side.
Also they have a pick of about 40 people so Rahillys should fuck up with their moaning.
The divisions is probably better for weaker clubs than stronger ones to be fair. But they have their own club championship too.
The divisions thing is cyclical as well. Theyâll fall away again.
They were saying South Kerry would never lose a game again in the early 00s
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St Peters in Manchester won the all Britain junior a few years back with a fine side. Met the Munster junior champs in the all Ireland who were effectively a regional side, had a fair few Kerry seniors in who were contesting all Irelandâs. Acquitted themselves well but never a prayer really, and Kerry battered everyone. It jarred a bit at the time. Peters were a good side of assorted Irish and UK lads, including one lovely Ulster unionist hockey player. It seemed unfair.
How about having a separate league for just divisional sides that would feed into the county championship?
Say the top three divisional sides play in senior championship, and bottom 3 play in intermediate? (Is it 6 divisional teams?) Increase the number of club sides.
Or would it be unworkable because some players could end up playing for two teams in the same grade?
Iâm no advocate of the system they have in place but something tells me they wonât change it for as long as they will be competing for all irelands. The most successful team in football will, I imagine, stick to their guns and their reasons for the divisional setup.
Itâs a little unfair though the 9th best Kerry team competes in the intermediate championship.
I dunno do many in Kerry have an issue with the system either.
The solution is 12 senior teams, with 8 divisional teams playing in a separate section.
There is a 16 team limit on club championships but cork have negotiated this by having a preliminary section for divisional and college sides.
Divisional sides cannot take part in the club championship
Iâll find out who it was. Maybe ten years ago?
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Do the divisional teams get a following in Kerry?
South Kerry would generally have a good following back when they were decent.
Donât think the rest would bar they reach a final now and again like Kenmare district did before kenmare & templenoe went up senior.
No
Some of the matches between divisional teams actually not some it is most are soulless, passionless affairs
maybe mid kerry and east kerry might spark on sunday but usually divisional team contests dont have an atmosphere
The county hurling championship produces passion and atmosphere and crowds that some tier one hurling counties dont get. okay standard of skill may be lacking but there is passion. The club football championship brings crowds even at junior level, Ballymac and Listowel produced a cracking contest in the junior final last sunday before a a very big crowd but senior county championship matches between 2 divisional teams usually dull
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Iâd imagine the Cliff will bring a crowd on his own. Other than that no one gives a fuck if itâs mid Kerry, South,East, West or Provisional Kerry who wins it.
How did North Kerry get so badly shafted in the drawing up of the boards? Are they the only divisional championship that has two divisional teams? In Feale Rangers and Shannon Rangers?
They didnt really get shafted
Football was strong in North Kerry once upon a time
You had Beale from Ballybunion town backboning Shannon Rangers and Listowel backboning Feale Rangers plus the rural clubs had bigger numbers back then
Between them they picked from 11 or 12 clubs
Both Shannon Rangers and Feale Rangers were strong in the 1970s and 1980s won a good few championship between them, they actually met in the 1977 final
Ogie Moran, The Bomber, the Walshâs backboning Shannon Rangers and the horse kenneally, jimmy deenihan feale rangers
Johnny Bunyan a great dual man won medals with both!
John Bunyan (sportsperson) - Wikipedia
Feale Rangers were able to win it in 2007, long time ago now I suppose.
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