Feale Rangers' fortunes finally going north again

The north Kerry divisional side are already through to the quarter-finals with a game to spare. A remarkable turnaround for a side which hadn't won a championship game since 2017

MAGICAL TIME: Éamonn Fitzmaurice, Feale Rangers captain, lifts the Bishop Moynihan cup in 2007. Fitzmaurice describes it as a 'magical time' to have been involved with the divisional side. They beat South Kerry in the final by 1-4 to 0-6. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Feale Rangers have arguably been the story of the Garvey’s SuperValu Kerry senior football championship this year. Two wins from two against St Brendan’s and South Kerry have them through to the quarter-finals with a game to spare. Win or draw away to Templenoe on Sunday and they will top their group.

It’s all the more remarkable when you consider their recent record in the championship. The statistics don’t make for pleasant reading. No win since 2017. No back-to-back victories since 2013.

The north Kerry divisional side, made up of players from Clounmacon, Duagh, Finuge, Moyvane, St Senan’s, and the biggest urban area in the region - Listowel Emmets, have struggled in recent years to find any cohesion.

North Kerry has traditionally been the hurling heartland of the county but that hasn’t prevented Feale Rangers and their neighbouring divisional side Shannon Rangers from making a big impact in the county championship.

Feale Rangers reached six county finals between 1977 and 1985, winning twice, in 1978 and 1980. Since losing the 1985 final, however, they have only appeared in two. 

They lost the 1999 final to a three-in-a-row East Kerry team featuring Seamus Moynihan. They finally won again in 2007 with a team captained by Éamonn Fitzmaurice and featuring the likes of Paul Galvin and Anthony Maher. Fitzmaurice says that was a magical time.

“There was a great group of players and a great management there. We just really had the north Kerry spirit about us. I know from talking to the likes of Jimmy Deenihan and Tim Kennelly in the past when they won the county championships, that brilliant team spirit they had was central to those wins. That’s definitely something we had. It was a kind of magical time to be involved.” 

BUY-IN: Former Limerick manager Billy Lee is on board as a selector with Feale Rangers. Pic: INPHO/Ken Sutton

So what has helped change their fortunes around this year? Getting a strong management team in always helps. The team is managed by John James Buckley and trained by former Limerick coach Shane Kelly. Former Limerick manager Billy Lee is also on board as a selector.

Lee says the buy-in from the players has been key in the divisional side’s progress. The much-maligned split season has also played its part.

“It’s probably easier in the way the championship is structured. It’s kind of defined in that there’s five weeks. You’ve two weeks of a build-up. You’ve got a five- or six-week window where lads know what they’re buying themselves into.” 

Fitzmaurice chaired a committee in 2021 tasked with improving the lot of football in north Kerry. Among the recommendations were the establishment of a North Kerry Academy and a North Kerry School of Excellence. He says the bottom line was to enable the clubs to help themselves.

“That would raise standards across the board both at underage level and senior level in north Kerry. And that in turn would help the divisional teams to improve. A lot of our proposals were about the operation within clubs and trying to help clubs help themselves.” 

FUTURE IS BRIGHT: North Kerry captain Eddie Healy pictured with the Cup after his team won the county minor final in August. Pic: Domnick Walsh/Eye Focus Ltd

North Kerry won the county minor championship this year. This was an amalgamation of Shannon Rangers and Feale Rangers, a total of 13 clubs in a huge catchment area. North Kerry also reached the county U21 final, losing to East Kerry after extra time.

While the minor win gave a much-needed boost to football in the area, Fitzmaurice can see the merit in the argument that too many good players miss out in a situation where the pick is so large.

“There’s two ways of looking at it. Number one the North Kerry team winning the county minor championship is fantastic for football in north Kerry and it gives a sense of belief to those players and a sense of belief to the whole area that success can still be achieved.

“Personally, I do like the idea of the two teams and the net being cast widely and players that wouldn’t get on a north Kerry team but would get on a Feale Rangers or a Shannon Rangers side. Being exposed to that and trying to develop more players to play at that level. I can see arguments for both sides.” 

A win against Templenoe on Sunday would mean potentially avoiding some of the bigger guns in the quarter-final. They will be missing full back Seán T Dillon who injured his ankle in the win over South Kerry. Lee says they will treat it as they have every other game.

“We just have to focus on ourselves. We’re not in a position to be getting ahead of ourselves. We just have to focus on what we need to do. It’s about working hard for each other. Not letting any one incident set us back. Staying positive and enjoying the football.” 

Whatever the outcome, and no matter how far Feale Rangers go in the championship, the future of north Kerry football is certainly looking a lot brighter than it was 12 months ago.