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Legion and Dr Crokes face potential relegation play off

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By Sean Moriarty

An unprecedented run of events on local Gaelic Football pitches is set to divide the entire town.

Gearoid Nagle and Paudie O'Callaghan from the Fáilte Hotel.

The town’s two biggest senior football clubs could face each other in a relegation playoff that could condemn one of them to intermediate club football next season.

The playoff match, which cannot be played until after the County Championship ends later this month or in early November, will spark intense rivalry across the entire town.

Both teams finished bottom of their respective Club Championship groups. The relegation playoff will be played once both teams are eliminated from the separate County Championship.

“Crokes getting relegated would be one of the biggest shocks in living memory, they have seven County Championship titles between 2010 and 2018, plus an All-Ireland [club title] in 2017,” said the Killarney Advertiser's Sports Editor Adam Moynihan. “Legion have been senior since 2006 so their relegation would also be unexpected. The match also raises the prospect of Crokes or Legion joining East Kerry for the 2022 championship. Some people already think East Kerry are too strong.”

However, there is a chance that the match won't be played at all. If either team reaches the final of the County Championship, the other will be relegated automatically. County Championship finalists are exempt from relegation but this exerts even greater pressure on both sides to reach the County Championship final.

Street banter has already started

Fans of each club have already taken aim at their cross-town rivals as our roving reporter Grigoriy Geniyevskiy found out on this travels this week.

Paudie O'Callaghan from the Fáilte Hotel, a Dr Crokes supporter said: "I'm slightly worried because a derby is always a tough game. I'm also slightly confident. It will be a huge setback if we get relegated. It will be a good match to look forward to for both teams."

Meanwhile Gearoid Nagle who works in the Fáilte is a Legion supporter.

"I am extremely confident and not in the least bit worried," Gearoid told the Killarney Advertiser.

"It'll be a blow if Crokes knock us down, but that goes for both ways. Niall 'Botty' will be looking to get a green and white jersey."

Meanwhile in the Sportsmans Bar on High St, most of the locals hoped Dr Crokes would be the winning team.

"Crokes will win," said Max McCarthy.

"Legion still have a chance. It'll be a tough game," said Paudie Dwyer.

"Crokes to beat Legion by 10 points," added Declan O'Riordan.

However, John Cronin, the owner of Sportsmans remained coy. "Good luck to both sides," he said.

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Noel O’Sullivan returns to European Rally Championship

Noel O’Sullivan returns to European Rally Championship

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O’Sullivan returns to European Rally Championship

Muckross co-driver Noel O’Sullivan is set for a busy season as he returns to the FIA European Rally Championship (ERC) while also preparing for a record-breaking attempt on home soil.

O’Sullivan and driver Callum Devine have signed with the Swedish team JC Raceteknik for a full campaign focused on asphalt events. Their season begins this week at the Andalusia Rally – Sierra Morena in Spain. O’Sullivan remains the only Killarney-based co-driver competing at this level for a full season.
He brings significant international experience to the team, having previously worked with WRC driver Jon Armstrong during his early European outings. O’Sullivan and Devine recently proved their pace against top European crews with a fifth-place finish at the 2024 Rali Ceredigion in Wales.
Devine said:
“I’m really looking forward to coming back to the ERC. It’s always great for a driver to compete against Europe’s best on some iconic events. We’ve had great success back home in Ireland over the past few seasons, winning two Irish Tarmac Rally Championships, and we feel now is the right time to come back and take on some ERC events. Starting with Rally Sierra Morena, I’m delighted to be joining JC Raceteknik. I know they are a very professional team with a wealth of experience, and I’m looking forward to working closely with them.”
The European schedule will not interfere with O’Sullivan’s local plans. Following the rally in Spain, the pair will return to Kerry for the Rally of the Lakes over the May Bank Holiday weekend. They are aiming for a fifth consecutive victory in Killarney as they look to move back into the lead of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship.
The move to the European stage follows a successful week for O’Sullivan, who was recently named the International Motorsport winner at the Kerry Sports Star Awards.

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Classic Tour set to celebrate heritage roads in June

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Classic Tour set to celebrate heritage roads in June


A new heritage motoring event, the Killarney Classic Tour, has been confirmed for June 26–27, 2026. The two-day tour is designed to celebrate the iconic rally stages of Kerry and the Beara Peninsula.


Headquartered at the Gleneagle Hotel, the event is non-competitive and open to a wide range of vintage and historic cars. Organisers are placing a particular focus on period-correct rally cars and recreations that reflect the history of the Circuit of Ireland, the Circuit of Munster, and the early years of the Rally of the Lakes.
The tour is the work of two well-known figures in Irish rallying, Mike Marshall and Micheal O’Mahoney. Marshall, a founding member of the Rally of the Lakes and Clerk of the Course for over 20 years, has designed a route that allows drivers to experience famous stages like Moll’s Gap at a relaxed pace. O’Mahoney, a long-term supporter of the sport through Rentokil and a historic car owner himself, joins Marshall in the venture.

Co-Founder O’Mahoney said:
“This event is about bringing people back together – the cars, the stories, and the friendships that have always been part of rallying. It’s a chance to step away from competition and simply enjoy these roads.”



The Saturday itinerary includes a lunch stop in Castletownbere before the field returns to Killarney for a gala dinner at the Gleneagle Hotel. The evening will feature guest speakers and a focus on the shared history of the sport.
“This event is about bringing people back together — the cars, the stories, and the friendships,” added Micheal O’Mahoney.
Registrations are now open at www.KillarneyClassicTour.ie.

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