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.

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