Valentia aim to end centenary year on high
This pocket of the Kingdom can quite rightly claim to be the power base of Kerry football and can boast as being the breeding ground for some of the county's most talented players and intercounty coaches down through the years.
Cue Mick O'Connell (Valentia), Mick O'Dwyer (Waterville) and Dromid Pearses Jack O'Connor. Their names alone evoke the words 'legend' and 'achievement'.
Valentia has produced many Kerry greats down through the years most notably O'Connell, Ger Lynch and Ger O'Driscoll but, as club official Liam Lynch admits, the islandmen will be overwhelming underdogs in today's final a championship South Kerry players value very highly in their footballing calendar.
Valentia last contested a South Kerry final in 2000 where they defeated Sneem and their path to this year's final included a 13 point win over Derrynane and a semi-final victory over Renard (2-8 to 0-7).
They played Dromid earlier this season in the South Kerry league but were beaten comprehensively though both teams were missing key players.
"We barely survived relegation to Division Four of the Kerry league this season," admits Lynch, "but for any South Kerry club this is the blue riband. County players would rate it as highly as a county medal.
"To win it out would be fantastic."
Adds Lynch: "We're an island club and have a unique boundary in being surrounded by water.
"We're a very closely-knit community but we have won a lot of south Kerry championships down through the years. We have a great tradition in winning. Our population would be about 600 people and we do alright for the pick we have. It would be a major surprise if we pull off a win against Dromid though.
"Micko (O'Connell) will be at the final. He actually takes more interest in the club scene than the county scene. He is great follower of Young Islanders, particularly in our home games."
Of the South Kerry team that won this year's Kerry SFC, Valentia had no one on the starting fifteen. Barry Murphy was a substitute but unfortunately for Murphy he is out of today's final after receiving a straight red card in the semi-final win over Renard.
Valentia will be looking to full back John Daly, centre back Brian Murphy and midfielder Paul Curran.
And they have two very dynamic corner forwards, who won U21 county championship medals for South Kerry this year- Daniel Falvey and Paul O'Connell.
Dromid, meanwhile, reached today's final after a semi-final replay win over near-neighbours Waterville. Kerry captain Declan O'Sullivan who alternates between midfield, centre-forward and full forward is a key figure in their side. Colm O'Connor a nephew of Jack O'Connor and Denis 'Shine' O'Sullivan, who played wing back for the victorious South Kerry senior team, are also talented footballers plus they have the lively Kieran O'Sullivan at full forward.
Clarification: In the Irish Examiner of December 3, it was stated that when Waterville chairman, Paddy Fogarty, went to play music at the
Inny Tavern, Dromid prior to the South Kerry final between Waterville and Dromid Pearses "no one from Dromid (was) brave enough to dance to Fogarty's music."
Mr Fogarty has said this incident did not take place, and we are happy to clarify the matter.
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