The Kerins O'Rahillys club has proposed a major change to the Kerry GAA county football championship. The club was relegated from senior level in the Kingdom on Saturday after losing to Na Gaeil. It leaves Na Gaeil as the only senior football side in Tralee.
Kerins O'Rahillys - the club of David Moran and Tommy Walsh - are the reigning Munster club champions. Earlier this year, they faced Kilmacud Crokes in the All-Ireland semi-final.
The Kerry county championship, often referred to as cut-throat, has just eight senior clubs who compete alongside eight divisional teams comprised of players from clubs in the Intermediate, Premier Junior and Junior Championships.
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In a statement posted on the Kerins O'Rahillys club website, it's said "the sense of disappointment was tinged with anger and ire that this situation could occur whilst we are still the reigning Munster senior club champions.
"Anger with the county board and their sense that 8 senior clubs is the maximum allowed at county championship level and ire at the special status afforded to divisional sides who are exempt from relegation/demotion from the top tier."
8 January 2023; David Moran of Kerins O'Rahilly's in action against Kilmacud Crokes players, from left, Aidan Jones, Ben Shovlin and Craig Dias during the AIB GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Club Championship Semi-Final match between Kilmacud Crokes of Dublin and Kerins O'Rahilly's of Kerry at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile
The club proposes that the county championship be increased to 16 clubs with divisional teams playing at intermediate level.
Kerins O'Rahillys Kerry GAA SFC proposal
Their "solution" is as follows:
- Existing 8 senior clubs be joined in the senior county championship by the 8 quarter finalists from this years intermediate championship
- The remaining 8 intermediate clubs be joined by the 8 divisional sides who will compete with only junior clubs available to them - this may require some tweaking as Mid Kerry would be shorn of 4 clubs leaving them with just 2 to pick from but its not insurmountable
- Relegation/demotion to take place at senior county championship level with the divisions remaining sacrosanct and if good enough progressing to intermediate and then onto to senior.
It's added that, "this makes sense as it affords the divisional sides a place in the championship at a level where they can be more competitive - currently this is not the case for the majority as none of West Kerry, South Kerry, Feale Rangers, Shannon Rangers, St Brendans picked up any points this year.
"It also prevents “super powers" emerging at divisional level - no disrespect to the backroom teams of Mid & East Kerry but with each having 4 intermediate sides in their ranks, it's no surprise that this year’s county final is a repeat of last years.
"This will level the playing field, provide more meaningful competition and bring back spectators - compare the crowds in Austin Stack Park last Saturday night and Sunday with the attendances at the two county senior semi finals - think back to the meeting of Castleisland Desmonds and Fossa this year where over 3,000 people attended."
Former Kerry county board chairman Sean Kelly, now an MEP, also recently called for changes to be made to the county championship.
Kerins O'Rahillys add that the proposal is "not a knee jerk reaction to seeing Tralee reduced to one senior club, it will benefit all sides and looking at the bigger picture it may well benefit the county team too".
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