Author: Kerry Ladies Football PRO

Kevin Casey RIP

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Former Kerry Ladies PRO Kevin Casey has passed away after a short illness. Kevin served as PRO in the 2007/2008 season and his drive and energy were instrumental in ensuring a positive media profile for the Kerry ladies at all levels.

Kevin started working for WLR FM 10 years ago and was promoted to Sports editor in a short period of time having previously worked for Radio Kerry. Originally from Glenflesk, Kevin is survived by his wife Marguerite, the couple’s three young sons Paul, Mark and James, his parents Paddy and Mary, sisters Marie and Majella and his brother Martin.

His family has thanked his medical team and said they were particularly grateful to his oncology unit, oncology liason nurses and home care team.

Kevin has been honoured many times for his work in sport with WLR FM, winning a GAA MacNamee award in 2010 for his programme which celebrated the jubilee of Waterford’s All Ireland win in 1959.

Last year he won another MacNamee award for his interview with Waterford hurler Maurice Shanahan where Maurice gave an open and honest account of his struggle with depression. Last October he won a prestigious PPI National Radio Award for the same programme. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

Picture credit WLR FM.

Kerry U14 Training In Rathmore

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The Kerry Ladies U14 squad will train in Rathmore on Monday next 2nd January.

The players are to be on the field for 10:30am and the session will end at 12:15pm approx.

 

Mouth-guards are compulsory and players should bring water and warm dry clothing.

Annascaul & Castlegregory v Corca Dhuibhne Challenge Game For Hannah

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The ladies footballers of Annascaul & Castlegregory will play a very special challenge game against their neighbours Corca Dhuibhne in Annascaul next Saturday 31st December at 12.30. The reason for the challenge game is to raise funds for little Hannah Falvey from Anauscaul who suffers fro Rett Syndrome, a rare and complex genetic disorder that affects mainly girls and which makes it very difficult to communicate with people.

Some of the conditions most common features are non-verbal communication, scoliosis, epilepsy, motor function difficulties, stereotypical hand movement as well as difficulties with swallowing and chewing.

Hannah’s parents Brendan and Nancy along with her sister Lily have already undergone a lot of fundraising which has enabled them to get some ‘eye gaze’ technology. After just 2 months Hannah is already able to use it to communicate in a way that wasn’t previously possible for her.

More fundraising is needed however, and this is the reason for this unique football match. Brendan set up ‘A Voice for Hannah’ appeal in the Go Fund Me page and this is where the proceeds of the charity match will go.

So please support the game in Annascaul next Saturday or contribute online at

https://www.gofundme.com/27fn964

(pic. courtesy ‘A Voice for Hannah’)

 

 

Munster Championship Dates Are Announced

The draft  fixtures for the Munster ladies football championships have been announced and it shows up some very interesting dates for the Kerry ladies footballers.  

First up will be the Kerry U/16 ladies, who are in a round robin this year unlike the last number of years,will have a possible  first round Munster championship game on Saturday March 4th. While the Kingdom girls opponents are as yet unknown,there is no doubt that either Cork or Tipperary will be hell bent on trying to strip them of their Munster and All Ireland titles that they won so impressively in 2016. Kerry manager Rory Kilgallen of John Mitchels will have just over 10 weeks to prepare his team to defend their title. Kilgallen has held  trials over the last few weeks and is now faced with the tough and immediate task of choosing a panel that will best serve the Kingdom for the challenge ahead. Kerry’s round 2 game will be on March 25th  or  April 1st,and a possible final on Monday 17th April. 

The Kerry u/14’s will take on old rivals Cork on Saturday 18th March. Kerry are the defending Munster champions but will face a formidable challenge from a wounded rebel team. The final for this competition is fixed for May 6th and Kerry manager John Doona of Legion will be hoping that his girls will be good enough to progress to the big day. Doona has already shortlisted his panel to 30 players after holding a series of trials, and his team will be training hard for the challenge ahead over the next few months. 

The Kerry minors will also play their first round Munster championship game on March 18th, with the final scheduled or Monday May 1st. Kerry were well beaten by Cork in last years final, but with a lot of last years u/16’s eligible for the minor grade this year they are sure to present a formidable challenge for the title this year.    

Last but by no means least are the Kerry senior ladies who will kick off their campaign on the weekend of the 3rd/4th or 5th of June. Kerry reached the Munster final last year but were disappointingly well defeated by Cork in Killarney, a defeat that dampened the expectations of the Kingdom supporters. Kerry will play their next round game on the weekend of the 16th,17th and 18th June and will hopefully progress to the Munster final on July 8th 

All Munster fixtures will be confirmed  in early  January 2017.

Kerry Chairman Maurice McNamara Ready To Face New Challenges Ahead.

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Sometimes life can deal you a tough hand but how you deal with it shapes the type of person that you become. In 1995 the newly elected Kerry Ladies Football Chairman Maurice McNamara was involved in a road traffic accident that would leave him paralysed from the waist down. A tough and shocking blow for a man that was extremely active in a number of sports, one would have forgiven him if he had rolled over and felt sorry for himself for the rest of his life. But Maurice isn’t like that , instead he rolled up his sleeves and decided to re invent himself, going back to education and repeating his Leaving Cert. A good result saw Maurice destined for UCC where he stayed for a total of 9 years serving as secretary and chairman of UCC football club. It was here that Maurice was instrumental in getting Eamon Ryan to take on the role of Cork senior football manager winning 10 All Ireland titles in 11 years under the Watergrasshill man’s guidance. 

Originally from Loughill in West Limerick, Maurice was a prodigious talent and made his senior football debut for his home club Gerald Griffins at the tender age of 14. His prowess on the rugby field carried him to St Munchins College in Limerick where he played Munster Senior Cup rugby as a powerhouse prop forward. Later Maurice would move to Tralee and Gerald Griffins loss was Austin Stacks gain as he inspired his new club to minor County Championship hurling glory in 1986. This move to Stacks was to harness a life long love affair with the Tralee town kingpins which he still has to this day. The bleakness and lack of opportunity in 1980’s Ireland led to Maurice taking the boat to London in search of work in 1997. Whilst in London he signed up for the Kingdom club where he continued to play football before moving back to Tralee. 
 

Maurice is really looking forward to getting stuck in to his new role as Kerry Ladies Chairman. “The challenges will be steep’, he says “but if all clubs, coaches and supporters row in we could have a very successful year”. 

McNamara is a man that knows how to overcome steep challenges and there is no doubt that he embrace the challenge as Kerry Ladies Football chairman with the enthusiasm and determination that he has always shown.

Exciting Times Ahead With Gaelic 4 Girls

g4g final markKerry Ladies Gaelic Football are delighted to announce the opening of applications for the 2017 LGFA Gaelic4Girls Programme!

The programme has proven to be a very useful tool for our clubs in terms of strengthening their underage structures by recruiting new players.  Most Clubs have experienced at least a 50% retention rate of the new players following the programme.  In 2016 43 Clubs representing 23 Counties were successful in their application.

Any Club can apply to be a part of the programme. Criteria have been outlined and it’s up to a Club to justify why they should be chosen.

Please click on the links attached for full details 2017-gaelic4girls-information-for-clubs

munster-g4g-2017-application

Important Notice Regarding Kerry Senior Management.

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Kerry Ladies Football is still engaging in ongoing discussions with potential candidates for the role of Kerry Ladies Senior Football manager.
The Kerry Ladies County Board realises the importance of putting a manager in place that will help the current group of players fulfill the potential that they have shown over the last few years. It is imperative that we follow due and fair process in order to ascertain the most qualified candidate.
Kerry Ladies Football hopes to have a management team in place as soon as possible.

Maurice McNamara is the New Kerry Ladies Chairman

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The Kerry Ladies Football held their AGM at the Dromhall Hotel Killarney on Thursday night and there were changes to the executive.

Maurice McNamara of Austin Stacks is the new county board chairman as he replaces the outgoing chairman Paddy White who did not contest the position. Paddy spoke of how honoured he was to have represented Kerry Ladies football and that he always did his best for the improvement of the game in the county.
Incoming chairman Maurice McNamara spoke directly to the club delegates present and told them that it was up to them to create their own tradition and legacy. He said that the clubs must come together and define their destiny and that every club in the county – big and small- was of equal importance.
A new Treasurer was also elected with Jim White of Listowel Emmets replacing the outgoing Treasurer Karen McGlynn uncontested, while Donal Doherty of Spa is the new Development Officer.
The full list of officers of the Kerry Ladies County Board are ;
Chairman Maurice McNamara Austin Stacks

Vice Chairperson Christene Curtin Kerins O’Rahillys

Secretary To be appointed at the January 5th County Board meeting

Assistant Secretary Lavinia Cunningham Southern Gaels
Treasurer Jim White Listowel Emmets
Assistant Treasurer Imelda Roche Abbeydorney
Registrar Maria O’ Connor Glenflesk
Development Officer Donal Doherty Spa
Culture and Language Officer Kathleen Jordan Corca Dhuibhne
Central Council Delegates Mary Courtney Kilcummin, Rory Kilgallen John Mitchels

Munster Council Delegates Imelda Roche Abbeydorney, Mary Courtney Kilcummin, Gemma O’Connell Austin Stacks

Kerry U14 trials Saturday 26th November

Kerry U14 Trials Saturday 26th Nov:

 Both U14 trials this week are in Killarney.

09.30 – 11:15 Fossa GAA Pitch – East Kerry

12:00 – 13:45  Killarney Community College – North Kerry

 

Remember mouth-guards are compulsory for all players.