FOR the third year in a row, the start of the county senior hurling championship this Friday evening will see yet another format being tried out as the hurling clubs and the Kerry County Board endeavours to find the ideal structure to a competition that has only eight clubs.
The four first round games are being played this weekend and the winners with go forward to play each other with two teams then going straight to the semi-finals.
The four first round losers will play in a losers’ round with the two winners going forward to play the losers of the winners round, therefore providing two more teams who will join the already qualified winners who went straight through.
In essence it is very like the Christy Ring Cup format and ensures that every team will have a second bit of the cherry, except the two sides that win their opening two rounds as they will be straight through the semi-final and it’s knockout after that.
After this weekend’s games, all will become clearer but it looks as if this is a better system for the promotion of the game than the straight knock-out.
Any team that loses two championship games on the trot do not deserve to make it through anyway.
The first round draw is as follows: A - O'Dorney v Kilmoyley B - Crotta O'Neills v Cause-way C - Ballyduff v Lixnaw D - St Brendans v Ballyheigue Second round A v B C V D
St Brendan’s Ardfert v Ballyheigue
This game in Austin Stack Park, Tralee, on Friday night looks like a game that last years beaten finalists St Brendan’s/Ardfert should be capable of winning against a Ballyheigue side that is very much in transition and may not be the finished product just yet.
St Brendans are being trained by one of their longest serving players, Seán Flaherty but reports in recent weeks suggest that former Kerry boss Pat Heffernan may also be giving a helping hand, though nothing official is being confirmed.
St Brendans were disappointed at not giving Kilmoyley a better run for their money last year so they are determined to give it a right go this year.
They look a formidable side with players like Eamon Corridan, Danny Casey, Rory Horgan, Conor Flaherty and Alan Kelly at the back, while Darren Dineen and Seán Flaherty could well start at midfield.
Kerry senior star John Egan will again lead the attack, while JP Leen, Darran Wallace and Thomas Moloney may well join him in attack.
Ballyheigue are being trained by Mike Boxer Slattery this year and he will probably be still their main threat up front.
A young gun has arrived on the scene in the shape of Kerry minor Shane Dunne, who was the star with Causeway and Kerry this year. He will be a welcome addition but he is very young and will be a star in the future.
Michael Lucid is still playing well at the back and Willie Joe Leen has returned to training a few weeks ago but might not start.
However, Ballyheigue have Kerry players, Ronan Kenny and Jason Casey, in their ranks and will also have another precocious youngster in Mark O’Regan starting at back so they will be no pushovers.
Verdict: These sides met in the North Kerry championship recently and St Brendan’ won by three points and many expect the Ardfert lads to win by double that margin this time.
Abbeydorney v Kilmoyley
Anthony Daly may well be glad of the break from the inter-county scene and the disappointment of that Dublin loss to Antrim when he returns to take the reins at Kilmoyley, along with Tom Howard, as they begin the defence of their title against Abbeydorney.
Kilmoyley have been taking it easy in the league and North Kerry championship, simply because they had up to 12 players training with the Kerry senior hurlers so they have very few competitive games played with their best 15.
But they are still the team to beat and providing they can get Shane Brick fit, they have more less the same team as last season, with a number of younger players like Niall Young and David Fitzelle ready to make the breakthrough.
When you throw in names like the Murnane brothers, Ian Brick, James McCarthy, Eoin Sheehy, Billy Brick, Colin Harris, Sean Young, James Godley and goal-keeper John Brendan O’Halloran, then it is difficult to find a weakness.
Abbeydorney are managed by Timmy Weir who always gets the best of his side. The Abbeydorney star is young Darragh O’Connell who has been one of top guns in this year’s National League with Kerry and also in the Christy Ring Cup, where ironically he took over from Shane Brick.
Two more Kerry seniors, Aidan Healy and Brian O’Leary, will probably backbone the defence while Brian O’Donovan, Mike Hannafin, Kieran Dineen, Niall O’Connell and Greg Fealy will not leave the side down.
Verdict: If Kilmoyley are to be beaten this year many believe it might be the opening round, but despite the fact that Abbeydorney are a team capable of upsetting the odds, Kilmoyley look to strong and get a confident vote.
Crotta O’Neills v Causeway
This could well the tightest game of the weekend as Causeway, after last year’s debacle, will be striving to make amends but will be coming up against a young Crotta O’Neill’s side that reached the semi-finals last year.
Causeway, who have just won the North Kerry hurling championship with a win over Lixnaw, will be hoping for a good start this season and seem to be getting things together at the right time.
However, in the North Kerry semi-final, Crotta O’Neills took Causeway to extra time so it’s not going to be easy.
Causeway are being trained this year by Donie Roche from Milford and they will be much the same as last year with the exception of Kerry senior panellist Padraig Monson, who has transferred to Glen Rovers.
The Fitzgerald brothers, John and Eamon, will backbone the defence while Fergus Carroll should also start at the back.
Stephen Goggin, Shane Sheehan, Barry Walsh, and their two Kerry senior stars, John Mike Dooley and Colm Harty should be to the fore again.
Crotta O’Neills will be depending on Kerry defender Andrew Keane to inspire them and he could also being taking the frees, while youngsters Shane and Richard Nolan, could well play major roles while Seán Weir will be another that Causeway will have to keep an eye on.
There are Twomey’s and McElligott’s also in the shake-up so Crotta, under Paul Shanahan, might well be surprise packets. Verdict: Even though there is a temptation to tip Crotta O’Neill’s as they have nothing to lose and will give it everything, the greater experience might just see Cause-way shade it.
Ballyduff v Lixnaw
Ballyduff are many peoples’ fancy to dethrone Kilmoyley this year but if that happens, it will be in the final so Lixnaw will love hearing that kind of talk.
Ballyduff are being trained this year by Anthony Doyle and Gerry Wallace from Midleton and possess a very strong line up, back-boned by the Boyle brothers, Colm, Liam, Mikey, Aidan and young Padraig, while Gary O’Brien and Bobby O’Sullivan will pose huge threats up front with Thomas O’Rourke.
Jason Bowler is a youngster who should come into the defence while the O’Grady’s will also be involved, with Nicky Leen in goal.
Lixnaw have a major problem and that’s their dual mandate as the footballers of Finuge reached the county intermediate final on Sunday and are supposed to play a county league game against the Legion this Tuesday night.
James Flaherty and Paudie Lyons limped off injured on Sunday so trainer Thomas Fitzmaurice will be hoping that they will have recovered in time.
Lixnaw on their day have a side capable of winning the county championship with the Corridan brothers, Trevor McKenna, Fergus Fitzmaurice, John Griffin, Mike Conway, Enda Galvin, and James Flaherty, so there is little doubt but with a fully wound up side they could go all the way.
Verdict: While Lixnaw just lost the North Kerry championship final to Causeway, Ballyduff look the stronger outfit and probably wanting to avoid Kilmoyley in the semi-final, Ballyduff may be too strong for a Lixnaw side being pulled in all directions with football and hurling.
