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It’s business time in the Kerry Senior Football Championship
by Adam Moynihan
The Kerry Senior Football Championship is expected to burst into life this weekend as eight teams enter the knockout phase of the county’s most prestigious sporting competition.
Three of the four quarter-final ties take place in Killarney with the other game fixed for Tralee.
Let’s start with the champions.
East Kerry v St Kieran’s
Saturday 4.30pm
Austin Stack Park
Live on Clubber
The holders, East Kerry, made light work of Group 1 and comfortable enough wins over South Kerry, West Kerry and Templenoe saw them clinch the top seed with plenty to spare.
That achievement is admirable enough but the fact that they managed it without several of the stars who fired them to glory in 2022 makes it even more remarkable. Most notably, the Clifford brothers were rested for the first two group games and they only played a few brief minutes at the end of the Templenoe match a fortnight ago.
With the safety net no longer in place – this is now knockout football - the Fossa duo will surely return to the starting lineup against St Kieran’s.
Draws against Rathmore and Kenmare and an easy victory over Feale Rangers saw Kieran’s advance from their pool as group runners up. Brosna man Paul Walsh (2-5) was in his element as his side dismantled Rangers.
The East Kerry machine will be much harder to take down.
VERDICT: East Kerry by five.
Rathmore v Spa
Saturday 2.30pm
Fitzgerald Stadium
Live on Clubber
All-Ireland Intermediate champions Rathmore have been something of a surprise package in this year’s championship. Their impressive win away to Kenmare Shamrocks two weeks ago earned them a deserved spot on the group winners’ side of the draw, and they will be full of confidence ahead of Saturday’s match against Spa.
Tricky corner forward John Moynihan pulled off two outrageous goals in the group phase, and the powerful Ryan brothers (Cathal, Mark and Shane) have also caught the eye.
For their part, Spa have staked their claim as the top team in Killarney so far this year by making it past the group stage and they will have been happy to have avoided East Kerry and Dingle in the draw. Victories over Kerins O’Rahillys and Shannon Rangers saw them through to the last eight.
If key players Dara Moynihan, Evan Cronin and Dan O'Donoghue are at their best, they will put it up to an in-form Rathmore side. This one could go down to the wire.
VERDICT: Rathmore by one.
Dingle v Templenoe
Sunday 1.30pm
Fitzgerald Stadium
Live on Clubber
Since losing to Dr Crokes in the Club Championship group stage on August 12, Dingle have embarked on a whirlwind, seven-game winning streak that has without question established them as the main candidates to dethrone the favourites, East Kerry.
Much has been made of their attacking prowess – in particular Conor and Paul Geaney, who have been superb – but their success has been built on a miserly defence that has kept five clean sheets in their last six outings.
Templenoe are blessed with intercounty talent like Tadhg Morley and Killian Spillane, but Adrian Spillane has been out since limping off against West Kerry four weeks ago.
They are undoubtedly a solid outfit with good character but all the signs point towards a Dingle win.
VERDICT: Dingle by four.
Mid Kerry v Na Gaeil
Sunday at 3.30pm
Fitzgerald Stadium
Live on Clubber
Despite their recent five-point defeat to Dingle, which consigned them to the runners-up spot in Group 4, newcomers Na Gaeil can be proud of their efforts to date.
Beating Dr Crokes was a massive result and an opening day victory over their divisional neighbours, St Brendan’s, also went down well in Killeen.
Mid Kerry will be a very different prospect, though. They have real County Championship knockout experience having reached two of the last three finals, and they should realistically have enough about them to progress to the last four.
Jack O'Connor will be watching this one with great interest. Stefan Okunbor was Man of the Match against Crokes and if he can stay fit and maintain that kind of form, he will certainly be an option for Kerry in the New Year. O'Connor's two starting midfielders, Jack Barry and Diarmuid O'Connor, will also line out for Na Gaeil.
Cillian Burke of Mid Kerry is a promising young player who could potentially earn a call-up if he carries on playing the way he has been for club and district.
VERDICT: Mid Kerry by four.
Follow @AdamMoynihan on Twitter for all the latest updates.
Women’s Aid highlights rising femicide figures following Killarney death
Following the violent death of Jamey Carney in Killarney on Tuesday, national charity Women’s Aid has released a stark update regarding violence against women in Ireland.
According to the Women’s Aid Femicide Watch for the Republic of Ireland, eight women have died in violent circumstances so far this year.
This figure already exceeds the total of seven women recorded during the entirety of 2025.
Sarah Benson, CEO of Women’s Aid, said:
“Violence, abuse, and even at its extremes, death, are still a reality for many women living in Ireland. After the devastating murder of Ashling Murphy in 2022, Ireland said never again. But Ireland has not lived up to that promise.
“Since then, 40 women have died violently in Ireland. That is 40 women with lives, dreams, family, friends and communities.
“Since we started the Women’s Aid Femicide Watch in 1996, 286 women have died violently in Ireland. Every death is an outrage. An absolute tragic loss of life resulting in utter heartache and trauma for those left behind.
“We are thinking today of those who will be deeply impacted by the loss of life in Killarney. Prevention of all domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is crucial and urgent.”
“The Women’s Aid Femicide Watch shows that 87% of women (where the case has been resolved) were killed by a man known to them. We also know that in Ireland, one in three women has been subjected to domestic abuse of some kind.
“Every woman has the right to be safe in her home and in her community, and this is just not the case. We must do the work required to achieve equality and safety for all, to make Ireland a country that truly has zero tolerance for domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.”
Support is available on the Women’s Aid 24-Hour National Freephone Helpline on 1800 341 900, or go to womensaid.ie to use the Instant Message Service or for more information on domestic violence and abuse.”
Killarney Gardaí await post-mortem results as Muckross Road scene remains cordoned off
Gardaí investigating the discovery of a woman’s body at a residence on Muckross Road in Killarney are awaiting the results of a post-mortem examination to determine the direction of their inquiries.
It is understood that a full murder investigation is expected to be launched.
The deceased has been named locally as Jamey Carney, an American national in her 40s and the mother of a 13-year-old girl.
The scene at the domestic residence remains cordoned off today for a full technical examination, with a visible Garda presence continuing at the location.
An incident room has been established at Killarney Garda Station under a Senior Investigating Officer. Local businesses in the area have already begun supplying CCTV footage to assisting officers.
Speaking to the Killarney Advertiser, local councillor Martin Grady expressed the deep sense of shock in the area.
“I want to offer my condolences to the family,” Cllr Grady said. “This is an awful shock to the local community. I encourage anyone to come forward with any information they may have to An Garda Síochána. Whoever committed such a crime is a cowardly person and should get the maximum penalty.”
Gardaí continue to appeal to anyone who was in the Muckross Road area between the evening of Monday, July 6 and the afternoon of Tuesday, July 7 to come forward. They are particularly appealing to road users and business owners who may have dashcam or CCTV footage from the area during those times.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Killarney Garda Station on 064 667 1160, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.
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