Emigration-hit Valentia unable to field adult team
Club officials are set to meet with members of the board executive on Friday evening to discuss the matter as they currently have only 13 players available for Division 5 and the South Kerry championship later in the year.
The island club, established 108 years ago, are hoping neighbours St Michael’s/Foilmore may come to their assistance with the loan of players.
However, after managing to survive with 18 players in the championship last year, the Young Islanders had to accept the harsh reality at their agm last weekend.
“We won’t be able to field a team because we have 13 players,” said Valentia chairman John O’Sullivan. “There are players who go away for a year or two and you hope they come back but there is no work to come back to. We barely coped last year and fulfilled our fixtures but this year that’s not the case.”
By last January, Valentia had lost 14 of its senior team. Seven years ago, they won the South Kerry championship with a panel of 25.
“That wasn’t 100 years ago,” said O’Sullivan, “but the economic climate has hit us hard. A lot of fellas have gone away but you can’t blame them for not coming back when there is nothing here for them.
“We’re not the only ones struggling. The whole western seaboard has been hit and seems to be bearing the brunt of it.”
Research from a county board sub-committee appointed last year to look into the issue of rural depopulation in Kerry discovered there are only five boys per secondary school class in Valentia.
Like several other clubs in several parts of Kerry, they have already amalgamated with Skellig Rangers at underage level.
O’Sullivan said they will be proposing a few ideas to the Kerry County Board in a last-ditch attempt to field an adult team.
“We will see if there is any chance the parish rule can be relaxed and St Michael’s Foilmore could loan us players. They’re a strong team.
“If they’re getting no football or if there are lads in St Mary’s (Cahirciveen) who are getting no football they may come to Valentia and help fill a team for us and keep us going at least for another year.
“The other thinking would be to encourage our players who have emigrated back to save us but there is no incentive for them here.
“Maybe if we could fly them over to get in one or two games. We might have to look at the older fellas as well.”
O’Sullivan also hit out at the practicality of Football Review Committee’s recommendation to introduce a black card at club level. He feels the proposed measure, which would force teams to automatically substitute offending players, would cripple several clubs who are already struggling to put together panels.
“This business that’s coming to Congress in a couple of months... if we had one or two carded we’d be left with no team.
“It’s a big thing for Congress but are Croke Park in touch with reality at all?”
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