Sheehan in frame for qualifiers

Kerry defeated Sligo in a senior football challenge at Rathkeale on Saturday, with Bryan Sheehan featuring for the first time since the Kingdom’s Munster championship victory over Tipperary.

All Star midfielder Sheehan missed out on the provincial semi-final defeat by Cork due to a knee injury but is now expected to be fit for the second round of the All-Ireland qualifiers.

Kerry boss Jack O’Connor had all but Kieran Donaghy available to him, with the Austin Stacks man out due to tonsillitis.

Meanwhile, former Kerry midfielder Micheal Quirke was the star of the show as a young Kerins O’Rahillys defeated Rathmore in the Kerry senior football league at Rathbeg yesterday (1-8 to 0-4).

Rahillys led 0-5 to 0-2 at half-time thanks to four points from John O’Connor as Rathmore struggled against the wind, without Kerry star Aidan O’Mahony. However, any hopes of a Rathmore comeback were dashed within minutes of the restart, when a high ball was fielded by Quirke in the square and, despite being surrounded by a number of defenders, he managed to find the net.

Quirke, Barry O’Shea, Rory Molloy and Brian Moran ensured O’Rahillys held out for victory.

Austin Stacks appeared to be coasting to a win over Legion that would see them go to the top of the table before their opponents came with a late surge to claim victory (1-12 to 2-8).

Stacks led 2-4 to 0-7 at half-time and had enough possession in the third quarter to put their opponents away.

However, Legion, with Shaun Keane thundering into the game and with David O’Sullivan converting three frees, reduced the deficit to just three minutes as the game ticked into injury-time. Then Kerry reserve keeper Brian Kelly converted a ’45 and in the final minute, when Podge O’Connor was taken down for a penalty, David O’Sullivan drilled the ball to the net for a one point win.

Dr Crokes, even without their Kerry players, beat Spa 0-10 to 0-7, and so join four other teams on top of the table on eight points.

Jamie Doolan, with five points, and Brian Looney with four were their stars while Niall O’Mahony (0-3) and Mike S O’Donoghue (0-2) were Spa’s best players. St Michael’s/Foilmore and Dingle drew (1-12 to 3-6) in the only other game played with Laune Rangers/Ardfert and Milltown/Castlemaine/Gneeveguilla both cancelled due to bereavements.

Five teams share top spot, Dingle, Rathmore, Dr Crokes, Milltown/Castlemaine and Legion while Ardfert are pointless.