Three-in-a-row seeking Abbeydorney drawn against neighbours Crotta O’Neill’s

Shane Conway of Kerry. Pic: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

Three-in-a-row seeking Abbeydorney have been drawn against neighbours Crotta O’Neill's in this year’s Garvey's SuperValu SHC after Tuesday evening’s draw. 

Tralee Parnells are the third team in Group 3. Parnells, in their third year playing senior, appear to have drawn the short straw as Crotta O’Neill’s are flying in the County League and won the title in 2023, while of course Abbeydorney completed back-to-back titles, with wins in 2024 and '25.

The other interesting group is Group 1, where Ballyduff who lost the last two county finals to Abbeydorney, and Lixnaw - backboned by Shane Conway - who were champions in 2018, are joined by St Brendan’s Ardfert who are many pundits' fancy to win back the Neilus Flynn for the first time since 2013.

Group 2 features Kilmoyley, who are the seeded team, having been promoted to a seed on a draw with other beaten semi-finalists, Ballyheigue.

While Kilmoyley top the roll of honour with 26 titles, one ahead of Ballyduff, they haven’t won one since 2021 when they went all the way to Croke Park, to lose out by a point to Naas. 

Ballyheigue have injury worries about two of their Kerry stars Felim O’Sullivan and Colin Walsh. 

Causeway is another team doing well in the County League and they still have a lot of the players who helped them win the title in 2022.

As Kerry are involved in the Christy Ring Cup final, the first rounds are likely to be played in mid-June.

The formula for this year’s SHC is similar to last season, where the group stage shall be on a league basis of three groups of three with each team playing the other teams once.

The top two teams in each group will progress. The three group winners will go into a draw, with the first two drawn out going into the semi-finals. The third group winner along with the three second-placed teams will go into the quarter-finals.

The two teams in the quarter-final draw who have already met in the group stages cannot be drawn to play each other in the quarter-finals.

The winners of the two quarter finals and the two teams who received byes will go into an open draw in the semi-finals.

Group 1 

Ballyduff, Lixnaw, St Brendan’s. 

Group 2 

Kilmoyley, Ballyheigue, Causeway.

Group 3 

Abbeydorney, Tralee Parnells, Crotta O’Neill's.