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Galway v Kerry Preview: Kingdom to lay some ghosts to rest?

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Listen to an interview with any Kerry player over the past few months and the infamous ‘Galway game’ is sure to crop up.

The disastrous encounter in Croke Park last July was unquestionably the low point of Eamonn Fitzmaurice’s final year in charge and the result and performance left Kerry stunned.

There was ample time to bounce back but the team never fully recovered from the shock, and neither did the manager.

It was surely the lowest point Kerry football had experienced in a number of years; the defeat ultimately meant that The Kingdom were dumped out of the championship before the semi-final stage for the first time since 2012.

Now, just seven months later, the outlook is infinitely brighter. After an encouraging start under new manager Peter Keane, there’s a degree of optimism about this team that hasn’t been felt in many years. If Kerry can make it four from four by defeating Galway (and laying some ghosts to rest in the process), they could well find themselves quite lonesome at the top of Division 1 come Sunday at around half past three.

Keane has stuck with the same back seven for his opening three games but the absence of Brian Ó Beaglaoich (suspended) will open the door for a new defender for the first time this season. Jason Foley (pictured) is back to full fitness and may be called upon to deputise, while Mark Griffin and Gavin Crowley, both of whom made an appearance in the Dublin game, are also in contention.

At midfield, David Moran will be hoping to earn his first start of the year with either Adrian Spillane or Diarmuid O’Connor likely to stand aside should the Rahilly’s veteran get the nod.

Keane will probably stick with Dara Moynihan, Seán O’Shea and Gavin O’Brien in the half forward line after all three performed admirably in their last outing, and with David Clifford and James O’Donoghue still a couple of weeks away from full fitness, Paul Geaney and Stephen O’Brien are expected to continue in the full forward line.

Kevin McCarthy is back training with Kerry following Kilcummin’s successful All-Ireland Intermediate Club campaign and the dynamic forward adds depth to an already strong-looking squad.

Kerry will naturally be without the services of Dr Crokes players Shane Murphy, Gavin White, Micheál Burns, David Shaw and Michael Potts, while Galway will also have to make do without Corofin stars Ian Burke, Liam Silke, Kieran Molloy, Dylan Wall and Bernard Power. Crokes face Corofin in the All-Ireland Senior Cub final on St Patrick’s Day.

There was some bad news for Galway manager Kevin Walsh this week as talismanic captain Damien Comer confirmed that he’ll be facing an extended period on the sidelines. The burly Annaghdown forward is due to undergo surgery on his ankle and is expected to be out of action for up to three months.

That would rule Comer out for the remainder of the league and also make him a doubt for Galway’s opening two games of the Connacht Championship, which kicks off on May 5.

Pic: Sportsfile.

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Con O’Leary: Killarney loses a vibrant and popular personality

Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce has led the tributes to the late Con O’Leary, an extremely popular and very successful businessman in the town, who passed away in the […]

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Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce has led the tributes to the late Con O’Leary, an extremely popular and very successful businessman in the town, who passed away in the early hours of Sunday.

Con was a vibrant and popular personality in Killarney where he operated The Laurels on Main Street, a thriving bar and restaurant, which he inherited following the passing of his father, Thado.
The business organisation said from a social perspective, The Laurels became the beating heart of the town and it was a landmark at the Market Cross in the same way as Clery’s clock was in the capital city.
Chamber said Con’s passing really marks the end of an era as he was one of a golden age of inspirational local business people who developed and built Killarney, through hard work, bravery and great commercial flair, and helped create the wonderful tourist attraction and holiday destination it is today.
“Con was very proud of Killarney and he played a very active part in progressing the town at many levels.
“He was a man that was never short of great ideas and his contribution to the business life of the town and as a director of Killarney Race Company was immense,” Chamber said.
“He was ahead of his time in many respects with the introduction by what became known as “the singing lounge” many years ago and The Laurels always led by example through its successes in the annual Killarney Looking Good competition”.
The business representative organisation noted that the O’Leary family has always been very supporting of the town and Con’s daughter, Kate, was a very dynamic Chamber President and is still a very valued member of the executive.
Chamber expressed deep sympathy to Con’s wife, Anne, children Kate, Niall, Tara and Lorna, sons-in-law, grandchildren, sisters, relatives and friends as well as the dedicated staff in The Laurels, past and present, who Con always had great time for and a great rapport with.

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All Roads Lead To Kerry For National Road Safety Conference

Kerry County Council is to host a two-day road safety conference at the INEC Killarney on May 28 and 29. The ‘Safer Roads’ road safety conference is an inter-agency event […]

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Kerry County Council is to host a two-day road safety conference at the INEC Killarney on May 28 and 29.

The ‘Safer Roads’ road safety conference is an inter-agency event focused on improving road safety, reducing traffic-related incidents, and sharing knowledge and best practices for safer road use. It encompasses various strategies and efforts across multiple domains, including road design, engineering, enforcement, forensic collision investigation, technology, education, collision trends, occupational driving, cycling and scooting, e-mobility, active & sustainable travel and on-road events.

In addition to this, AI, Virtual Reality and Driver Simulation will play a significant role at the conference, in improving safety by predicting and preventing accidents, optimizing traffic, and aiding the development of autonomous vehicles.

This ‘Safer Roads’ conference is a non-public event where road safety professionals, speakers and service providers from across Ireland, other EU countries and the UK will attend, including transportation experts, government and local authority officials, roads policing and vehicle inspection agencies, road safety advocates, educators and promoters, collision responders, cycling bodies and community safety networks.

Kerry County Council’s Road Safety Officer Declan Keogh said:
“Road safety has evolved over the years to a much broader scope, in terms of e-mobility, sustainability, technology and engineering for instance. It’s not just about the road or the vehicle anymore, but also about how technology, human behaviour, enforcement, and education intersect to reduce risks and prevent collisions. The ‘Safer Roads’ conference will involve and include every branch of the road safety tree, right across the board, and in doing so, we aim to increase road safety awareness, improve road user behaviour and decrease the collisions and carnage we see on our roads every day,”

The two-day conference also provides an opportunity for exhibitors to attend, and interested state bodies, businesses and service providers are invited to exhibit at the event to showcase their products and services and engage with delegates and officials at the conference.

Further information about the conference and how to register or exhibit can be found here. https://www.kerrycoco.ie/safer-roads-road-safety-conference/

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