Kerry and Donegal cheek by jowl on Algarve training camps

Kerry will be using Quinta do Lago high performance facility at The Campus facility between Faro and Vilamoura, the high end complex regularly used by Ireland rugby teams.

The Kingdom have prepared there in the three previous seasons of Jack O’Connor’s third term in charge. Pic: Dan Sheridan/Inpho

Last year’s All-Ireland SFC finalists Kerry and Donegal will be in the Algarve on pre-championship training camps at the same time next month.

It is expected Donegal will fly out to Portugal on Good Friday, April 3, while Kerry’s trip begins three days later on Easter Monday and they return the following Saturday.

Kerry will be using Quinta do Lago high-performance facility at The Campus facility between Faro and Vilamoura, the high-end complex regularly used by the Irish rugby team. The Kingdom have prepared there in the three previous seasons of Jack O’Connor’s third term in charge. In the past, Kerry have also used the Amendoeira golf resort.

Donegal are due to spend a week in the region. Their county board signed off on the €40,000 trip in January. In December 2024, Donegal conducted a week of their pre-season training in Abu Dhabi. The previous winter, they travelled to Tenerife shortly after Jim McGuinness returned to the manager’s position.

Donegal require two points from their final two games to reach the Division 1 final on March 29. Two points behind them, Kerry will qualify for a second successive decider if they win their remaining games against Mayo and Armagh.

On Tuesday, Cork’s footballers became the third group to head to The Algarve this season after Mayo spent time there in November upon the resumption of collective inter-county training.

Mayo stayed for five days in Vilamoura, while John Cleary’s side are preparing in the Quinta do Lago complex as they did in the two previous years.

They will work there for four days before they return for their crucial Division 2, Round 6 clash with Kildare in Páirc Ui Rinn on Saturday week.

In February, Down visited Quinta do Lago. Tyrone are also expected in the southern Portuguese region in early April ahead of their Ulster SFC preliminary round clash away to Armagh on April 12.

The likes of Limerick, Waterford and Antrim’s senior hurlers will also be putting the finishing touches to their championship preparations in Portugal.

Limerick, who have also used Quinta do Lago, are heading out to Portugal next week. Their camp falls between their penultimate and final Division 1A games against Cork and Galway respectively.

Waterford have a six-week break to their Munster SHC opener against Clare in Ennis following their final Division 1A game against Tipperary in Walsh Park on Sunday.

Dungarvan’s Gold Coast Resort is also popular with a number of senior hurling teams. At least two are booked in to train there before the start of the championship.