Glenflesk draw hands Kenmare first Kerry Division 1 title since 1972
BACK: Dr. Crokes' Micheal Burns
Either side of Kerry’s All-Ireland SFC Championship win over Armagh on Saturday, the penultimate round of the McCarthy Insurance Group SFL took place.
Two key issues were decided on Friday night with Glenflesk’s 2-19 apiece draw with Rathmore officially confirming Kenmare Shamrocks as Division 1 winners for the first time since 1972.
Glenflesk let a 12-point half-time lead slip against their East Kerry rivals. A win would have forced the Shamrocks to get a result from their game at home to Spa on Sunday but a 2-13 to 0-17 defeat mattered little to Shamrocks as they were presented with the giant Division 1 Shield at the final whistle - without Seanie O'Shea kicking a ball in their march to glory.
Spa’s goals came from Eoin Fitzgerald and Evan Cronin on a day they welcomed former Kerry senior panelist Liam Kearney back into their ranks as a second-half substitute. The victory took them out of the relegation zone ahead of the final round. The other matter decided Friday was the first relegation spot as Beaufort were officially sent down after a 1-18 to 1-15 defeat to All-Ireland Senior Club champions Dingle. Up to five teams can still end up in the other two relegation spots on the final day.
Two teams who won’t have such worries though are Dr Crokes and Austin Stacks as the Killarney club have maintained their proud record of never being relegated from Division 1 following a 3-14 to 2-13 win away to Kilcummin in a game which saw Micheal Burns feature after his suspension with Kerry expired on Saturday. Austin Stacks also won away from home defeating Gneeveguilla by 4-20 to 0-12 and Killarney Legion and Kerins O’Rahillys played out a 0-15 apiece draw. The result secures Legion’s place in Division 1 next season as both sides who occupy the other relegation spots at present in Kilcummin and Rathmore face each other on the final day.
The winner of that match is not guaranteed safety if both Gneeveguilla and Spa draw their Round 11 encounter.
In the other divisions Laune Rangers were confirmed as Division 2 winners despite conceding five goals to John Mitchels in a 5-14 to 0-14 defeat, with Gearoid White among the goals. Glenbeigh/Glencar’s defeat to Castleisland Desmonds by 0-23 to 0-20 meant that the Killorglin side could not be denied the title.
The other two promotion spots in this Division are up for grabs on the last day as John Mitchels, Castleisland Desmonds and Templenoe are all tied on 11 points with both Firies and All-Ireland Junior Club winners Ballymacelligott below them on 10 points.
Ballymacelligott's first priority was assuring themselves of Division 2 football next season and they achieves that after two goals in as many first half minutes kept them out of Firies' reach.
Such is the concertina nature of the division that Firies went into the game in third, two points ahead of Ballymac in ninth, but they are joined now on 10 points after Jack Joy and Tadhg Brick struck for a pair of first half goals in a 2-10 to 0-13 win.
All-Ireland Intermediate Club champions An Ghaeltacht are on the brink of relegation from Division 2 following a 0-16 to 1-12 defeat to Templenoe. In Division 3 Listry and Na Gaeil were both confirmed for promotion, Listry defeated Annascaul away from home by 0-16 to 1-11 with defeats for Ballydonoghue and Fossa at the weekend sending Na Gaeil up with them. Tarbert were relegated at the other end following a loss to Currow.
In Division 4 Brosna will join Beale and Reenard in going up to Division 3 next year as they defeated the only side who could stop them, Moyvane, 1-18 to 1-17. The 11th and final round of the competition is scheduled for the first weekend of July.
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