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Kerr is on point as St Paul’s attack the big league

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6 months ago

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Gracen Kerr is optimistic about her new team's prospects.

Adam Moynihan spoke to St Paul's point guard Gracen Kerr ahead of the season opener against the Liffey Celtics (Saturday 4pm, Killarney Sports & Leisure Centre)

Gracen, welcome to Killarney. When did you arrive? Are you settling in okay?

Thank you. I’ve been here about a month and I’m settling in well. It’s a really cute town.

How does it compare to where you’re from?

It’s a lot smaller, I would say. I’m from Connecticut which is close to New York so it’s really busy over there. There’s less traffic here and I would say the town is a lot older and a lot cuter.

Can you tell me a bit about your background in basketball?

I started playing in 8th grade. I went to private school in Bridgeport, Connecticut and I played basketball there. I ended up playing in college at Kentucky State for three years and my head coach there helped me find an agent who set up this move to Killarney.

Did you enjoy your college career?

Yeah, it was great. We had a really good season last year so it was very enjoyable.

What have you made of the growth of the WNBA? It seems to be getting much bigger in the last few years.

I think it’s really good because it’s universal now and everyone wants to watch girls’ basketball, even outside of the WNBA. I think that new group that came in, the rookies, have really helped bring a lot of attention to women’s basketball.

Looking from the outside, there appears to be a bit more respect for WNBA players than there was before…

Yeah, for sure. I think the biggest problem is that there wasn’t anything close to equal pay. The NBA players get paid a lot more. But the more attention the WNBA teams get, the more fans they get, the more money they get, so… It’s very beneficial.

What’s the landscape like in the States for women’s sport in general now? Are things more equal than they were previously?

It’s definitely improving. Even when I was in school, I know a lot of students and fans wanted to come to our games a little more than the boys’ games. You can see the difference from 2021 to now. Our crowds got a lot bigger, we were getting a lot more attention, we were getting more support. So I would say it’s definitely getting better, in all aspects.

How have your pre-season matches gone with St Paul’s?

We’ve played four games and they went really well. We won three of them. They were close games but we’re just getting used to playing together. The Irish players are really good. Super skilled. You can tell they’ve been playing for a while. I think us coming and helping them out will work well. I’m really hopeful for our season in the Super League.

What about your coach, James Fleming? What have you made of his practice sessions so far?

You can tell he has a lot of experience. He’s a really good coach. The practice sessions are high intensity so we’re getting a lot out of them. We’re there for about two hours going over plays, what he expects, some defence, and then getting used to playing with each other.

I know you weren’t here last season so it might be difficult to judge, but how do you feel the team will adapt to the Super League?

We’re confident. I know we won Division 1 last year which is why we got moved up. We’ve played three Super League teams in recent weeks and have done pretty well. I’m honestly confident heading into the season.

What will you be bringing to the equation as the team’s point guard?

I think I’m pretty good at controlling the pace and controlling the team by calling out plays, and I’m a good passer who can make sure people are getting their points. I’ll get my shot off when I can. I mostly do a fast-pace game so I’m always looking for fast breaks.

If you had to compare yourself to an NBA or WNBA player, who would it be?

Maybe Kelsey Plum because she’s a little on the shorter side and she’s really good at facilitating and getting her team going.

What are your personal goals for the season?

I want to average about six or seven assists a game and 15 to 20 points, help the team win the cup and the league, and just contribute as much as I can.

And for the team? Do you have a collective goal?

The coach has talked about just taking it game by game instead of jumping ahead. The main goal would be to win the cup since that’s first, and then to keep progressing and see where we can get. But the ultimate goal is to win the league.

That’s great to hear. Best of luck on Saturday and for the rest of the season.

Thank you so much!

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Competition and camaraderie at Flesk Valley indoor event

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7 days ago

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14 March 2025

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Flesk Valley Rowing Club hosted an enjoyable and competitive indoor rowing competition at the Killarney Racecourse on Sunday last, in association with the Kerry Coastal Rowing Association.

At a venue more renowned for the soothing sounds of traditional music and dance, the relentless grind of rowing machines dominated.

Flesk Valley welcomed 10 clubs from as far afield as Cahersiveen and Ballinacurra in County Cork and the event proved a great success, with racing from U12 beginners up to Masters.

The highlight of the day was undoubtedly the relay showdown between the appropriately named ‘Legends’ and the mixed U18 crews of the participating clubs. On this occasion – perhaps not surprisingly – experience won out.

Speaking after the event, the Flesk Valley chairman John Fleming (himself a medal winner on the day) said that the club was delighted with how the event went and thanked the Kerry Coastal Rowing Association, the Irish Coastal Rowing Federation and participating clubs for their support. “This is our first time running an event like this and there was a fantastic atmosphere in the venue all day. The racing was very competitive but there was also great camaraderie and fun amongst all the clubs which is every bit as important.”

John also thanked the members of his own club who organised and ran the event. “We have a very enthusiastic and proactive committee in the club, and we get great support from parents and rowers whenever we ask for it.”

John went on to thank Celtic Steps and the Killarney Racecourse for their encouragement and support, and he expressed optimism that it might become a fixture on the Kerry rowing calendar moving forward.

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Is Gooch the GOAT? Players and fans have their say

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7 days ago

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14 March 2025

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Legendary Killarney footballer Colm Cooper is the greatest Kerry player of all time, according to former teammates Seán O’Sullivan and Barry John Keane.

Speaking to Killarney Advertiser sports editor Adam Moynihan on The Kerry Football Podcast, O’Sullivan and Keane both selected the Dr Crokes man as the county’s best-ever talent, with the great Maurice Fitzgerald and modern-day superstar David Clifford also name-checked in the conversation.

In an Instagram poll hosted by Adam that had over 500 respondents, Kerry supporters also chose Gooch as the Kingdom’s GOAT. The five-time All-Ireland winner attracted 44% of the vote, with Clifford (26%) and Fitzgerald (24%) in second and third.

A fourth option of ‘someone else’ was selected by 6% of fans with Jack O’Shea, Séamus Moynihan, Declan O’Sullivan, James O’Donoghue and Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh all mentioned.

“From the first night at training (in 2002), Gooch just changed our set-up,” O’Sullivan recalled. “He lit the place up and didn’t stop for the bones of 14 years. I think that really says it all. I wouldn’t do him justice if I tried to describe the things he did at training.

“The biggest compliment I could give Colm Cooper is he brought the best out of the rest of us. No matter where you were, whether it was the Stadium, Stack Park, Páirc Uí Chaoimh or Croke Park, once you saw Colm running out alongside you, you knew you had a chance. Clifford is in that vein and so is Maurice Fitz, but the Gooch was just incredible.”

Keane agreed. “It’s so hard but Gooch has always been my GOAT,” the Kerins O’Rahillys forward said. “Clifford is 100% my number two but even if he goes on to do better things, I probably won’t change my mind. There’s just something about the Gooch. He was a cheat code.”

Putting forward an argument for Clifford, Adam said he believes the two-time Footballer of the Year is capable of doing things no one else could. “I loved watching Gooch. Some days he was just untouchable. He was a warrior and an unbelievable player.

“The things you single Gooch out for – his skill levels, his scoring, his creativity and his passing – I think Clifford can do most, if not all, of what Gooch could do. I think he’s that good. And there are certain things, because of his size, that Clifford can do that Gooch and Maurice Fitz couldn’t.

“Of course, legacy comes into it too and if you’re talking about legacy the Gooch has more All-Irelands, so he goes ahead. But, for me, just judging the player out on the field, I’m going to go for David Clifford. I just think he’s the best footballer I’ve ever seen.”

There were honourable mentions also for Pat Spillane, Mikey Sheehy, Mick O’Connell and Dick Fitzgerald, though the lads agreed that it was difficult to fairly assess players from past generations. 

The question was also put to former Kerry captain Dara Ó Cinnéide on last week’s episode of The Kerry Football Podcast. He opted for Fitzgerald.

“I always say to people that Maurice had as many bad games for Kerry as he had good games. He wasn’t as consistent as someone like Séamus Moynihan or these lads. But when he was good…

“When Maurice hit the high notes, there was nobody to compare with him.”

What do you think? Who is Kerry’s greatest ever player? Email sport@killarneyadvertiser.ie to join the debate.

You can listen to The Kerry Football Podcast on Patreon. Become a member and get exclusive access to all episodes, including big game previews, post-match analysis and interviews with Kerry stars past and present.

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