by Adam Moynihan

Club Championship Final

Templenoe v Kerins O’Rahillys

Sunday at 3pm

Fitzgerald Stadium

Last weekend, Kilmacud Crokes were crowned champions of Dublin following a narrow one-point victory over Na Fianna in the county final. With 5,000 members and 2,900 players to choose from (including a Footballer of the Year contender who recently transferred from his home club in Galway), Crokes’ success is hardly surprising. Being a superclub doesn’t guarantee success but it certainly helps.

Meanwhile, here in Kerry, an outfit who can perhaps be described as the antithesis of a superclub are preparing for a county final of their own.

Templenoe, a club from a tiny parish on the south side of the Iveragh Peninsula, have around 100 members and 30 senior players. Those figures are small even by Kerry standards. When compared with the likes of Kilmacud, you would have to assume that the two clubs are operating in different galaxies.

However, should they prevail in Sunday’s Club Championship final against Kerins O’Rahillys, Templenoe will be Kerry’s representatives in the Munster Club Championship. Should they manage to navigate the provincial competition and should Kilmacud do likewise in Leinster, the two will meet in the All-Ireland semi-final.

Of course, that’s looking too far ahead but it does put into context how remarkable Templenoe’s success to date has been. From Division 5 and the Novice Championship to Division 1 and the final of the Senior Club Championship in a decade or so - no time at all in the context of an 89-year-old club. Winning the Senior Club Championship shouldn’t really be possible for them, but now they’re on the brink.

It’s no fluke that they’ve made it to this final, by the way. In fact, their form in the competition so far has installed them as marginal favourites to prevail against a far more established Rahillys team. After defeating Kerry kingpins Dr Crokes and Austin Stacks and drawing against neighbours Kenmare, Templenoe advanced to the semi-final stage where they met Dingle. There, Killian Spillane kicked 0-5 to help them to a 0-14 to 0-10 win.

Injuries took their toll in the County Championship as they failed to progress beyond the group stage (with such a small playing population, any absentees are bound to be sorely missed) but now they appear to be approaching full strength. One of their four Kerry seniors, Gavin Crowley, is hoping to return from a calf injury.

On the other side of the coin, Kerins O’Rahillys are also coming into this final on the back of a disappointing County Championship. They were the ones put to the scythe in the Group of Death as heavy defeats to East Kerry, Dingle and Spa left them rooted to the bottom. Key players Jack Savage and Cormac Coffey were missed when they weren’t around – the pair have emigrated to Dubai – but they are expected to be available on Sunday.

The 2021 Kerry SFC finalists have plenty of talent at their disposal. David Moran, Barry John Keane and Tommy Walsh are household names and diminutive young forward Conor Hayes has caught the eye during his nascent senior career. It wouldn’t be at all surprising if things clicked for them in the Park on Sunday and they claimed their first Senior Club Championship title since 2010.

Templenoe have perhaps shown more promise over the course of this season, though. Another solid hour could be enough to complete their incredible ascension to the summit of Kerry football.

Verdict: Templenoe by one.