Kerry Senior Club Final

Dr Crokes v Dingle

Sunday 2pm

Austin Stack Park

Live on TG4

Only two clubs who have won the Senior Club Championship in the past ten years are currently operating at the highest level of football in the county, and those two clubs meet in the 2024 decider in Tralee on Saturday.

With Austin Stacks (winners in 2016, 2019, 2020 and 2021) and Kerins O’Rahillys (2022) now in the Intermediate Championship, Dingle and Dr Crokes are the two bona fide “big” clubs left. The West Kerry outfit are the holders and although it has been five years since the Crokes last reached a county final, the fact that they are eight-time champions doesn’t count for nothing.

These two teams were certainly the two favourites to advance to this year’s final and that’s how it transpired with Dingle looking particularly impressive, even if they needed a last-minute goal from Darragh O’Sullivan to overcome the challenge of Kenmare in the semi-final.

Crokes’ only defeat came at the hands of Sunday’s opponents in the group stage (a six-point loss), but Pat O’Shea’s side have improved since that opening fixture and they looked good against Rathmore a fortnight ago.

The availability or otherwise of Kerry star Tom O’Sullivan could be a decisive factor for Dingle. The stylish defender would be the obvious choice to pick up Crokes dangerman Tony Brosnan but he missed the semi-final due to injury.

At the other end of the pitch, the Killarney men will need to make special arrangements for the Geaneys. Paul, Dylan and Conor have all been superb over the course of the competition to date, and corner forward Cathal Bambury has also impressed.

It promises to be an intriguing encounter between two senior heavyweights and a large crowd is expected in Tralee.

INTERMEDIATE

The finalists in the 2024 Intermediate Club Championship have also been confirmed following an engrossing semi-final double header at the Fitzgerald Stadium on Sunday.

Tournament favourites Austin Stacks survived a minor scare against Glenbeigh/Glencar, eventually doing enough to secure a 0-14 to 1-7 victory.

They will be joined in the final by Laune Rangers who mounted a second half comeback to overturn a six-point deficit against Fossa. David Clifford was in sensational form for the East Kerry club, registering a whopping 3-5 in the first half alone. He finished up with 3-8 to his name but it wasn’t enough for last year’s All-Ireland Junior champions as Eoghan Hassett (0-10) inspired Rangers to a memorable win (1-19 to 3-11).

Stacks will play Rangers in Killarney on Sunday, September 8 at 3pm.

In other Kerry GAA news, it has been confirmed that Tomás Ó Sé will carry on as U20 football manager for another year, as will minor manager Wayne Quillinan. According to Tony Leen of the Irish Examiner, former Kerry minor boss James Costello will be joining Jack O’Connor’s senior management team as a selector to help fill the void left by Mike Quirke and Diarmuid Murphy, who have both stepped away from the fold.

Meanwhile, the Kerry senior hurlers have a new manager as John ‘Tweek’ Griffin replaces the outgoing Stephen Molumphy.