This Saturday night, December 3rd the Kerry Ladies GAA Awards Dinner takes place in the Dromhall Hotel, Killarney from 8pm.
For three Castleisland Desmonds / Kerry players it will be a very special occasion.
Gemma Kearney will receive her U-14 Munster Championship medal which she won when Kerry defeated Cork, Limerick and Tipperary.
They were unlucky to lose to a very strong Kildare team in the All Ireland Final.
Labhaoise Walmsley and Kayla O’Connor will collect their Munster Championship and All Ireland Medals after a successful season playing with the Kerry U-16 team that defeated Dublin in the All Ireland Final by 20 points.
Kayla O’Connor played at wing back and she is still underage and will be a leading light again in 2017.
Labhaoise Walmsley will be collecting her third All Ireland inter-county medal. Playing this year at centre half forward for Kerry she had a fantastic season. She will now move up to the minor grade and will be hoping that more success comes her way in 2017.
Desmonds Juniors Fall to Ballydonoghue in Final
Desmonds Junior team finished their 2016 season on Sunday last when they played Ballydonoghue in the North Kerry intermediate cup final in Duagh.
Ballydonoghue started the game at a very fast and lively pace when they went into an early lead with scores from Stephen Foley, Padraig Lyons with Gerard Kisssane scoring four points from frees.
Immense Pressure
Desmonds backs were under immense pressure from the Ballydonoghue forwards. The scoreboard would have shown the North Kerry men further in front at half time only for some good defending by Shane Walsh, Neilus Lyons and David Lynch.
Desmonds, Steven Bartlett scored their first point of the half on the 21st minute with a free kick when Graham O’Connor was fouled. Stephen was to add two more scores from frees to see them go in at half time trailing on the score of 0-7 to 0-3 and you felt they were still in the game if only slightly.
Ballydonoghue started the second half straight away with a well taken point from their captain and midfielder Martin O’Mahony.
No Luck Near Goals
Desmonds at this stage were chasing the game but were having no luck in front of goals and this caused them to fall further behind with scores from Ballydonoghue’s Dermot O’Connor and Brian Mason.
Desmonds got their scores from the boot of Steven Bartlett with three points and Cian O’Connor added his name to the scoreboard with a point from play.
Then, Ballydonoghue scored their only goal from substitute Eric O’Connor late in the second half and the game looked well and truly over for the Desmonds.
But they still kept attacking and this was to see Desmonds substitute Chris Brosnan score their only goal in injury time.
Great Season for Desmonds
It was too late and with time running out, the Ballydonoghue team was crowned North Kerry Intermediate Cup Champions for 2016 on a score of 1-13 to 1-07.
Overall, it has been a great season for the Desmonds Junior team having reached three finals during the year winning one of them, great credit must go to all of the players and management of Edmund Hartnett, Colm O’Shea and Niall O’Connor.
Club Lotto at The Shoemaker’s Tonight
Castleisland Desmonds GAA Club lotto takes place tonight, Saturday December 3rd in the Shoemaker’s Bar for a Jackpot of €2,400 Tickets on sale at €2 or three for €5.
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