Kerry Senior Football Championship Explained

Kerry Senior Football Championship
Currentlyrunning:	2024 Kerry Senior Football Championship
Irish:	Craobh Sinsear Peile Chiarraí
Code:	Gaelic football
Region:	Kerry
Trophy:	Bishop Moynihan Cup
Teams:	17 (9 clubs) (8 divisional teams)
Title Holders:	Dr. Crokes
Currentordinal:	14
Super:	th
Most Titles:	Dr. Crokes (14 titles)
Sponsors:	Garvey's SuperValu
Tv:	TG4, RTÉ 2

The Kerry Senior Football Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as Garvey’s SuperValu Senior Football Championship) is an annual Gaelic football competition organised by the Kerry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1889 for the top Gaelic football teams in the county of Kerry in Ireland.

The series of games are played during the summer and autumn months, with the county final currently being played in either Austin Stack Park or FitzGerald Stadium in October. Initially played as a knock-out competition, the championship currently uses a double elimination format whereby each team is guaranteed at least two games.

The Kerry County Championship is an integral part of the wider Munster Senior Club Football Championship. The winners of the Kerry county final join the champion clubs of the other five counties to contest the provincial championship. The winning team of the county championship also has the honour of naming the captain of the Kerry senior team for the following year.

The title has been won at least once by 22 different teams. The all-time record-holders are Dr. Crokes who have both won a total of 14 titles, the most recent being in 2024.

The winners receive the Bishop Moynihan Cup, named for Denis Moynihan, Catholic Bishop of Kerry in 1952–1969.^{[1] [2] [3]}

Format

The Championship is contested annually by Kerry's Senior clubs for that year (the teams who compete in the Kerry Club Football Championship) and Kerry's divisional teams (currently 8 teams). The Championship has almost always being played using a knockout type format, with the exception being in 2022 and 2023 when a first round group phase was used to produce 8 quarter-finalists. The knockout type format has returned for 2024 with the first two rounds being a double-elimination format while a single-elimination format applies from then on.^[4]

Relegation and promotion

Relegation from and promotion to the Championship is based on the Kerry Club Football Championship each year. Divisional sides are not affected by relegation. Due to the expansion of the Club Football Championship beginning in 2025, no teams will be relegated from the Senior Championship in 2024 or 2025.

Future expansion

With the Kerry Club Football Championship expanding to 9 teams in 2025 and then 10 in 2026, the Kerry SFC will also increase its participants from 16 to 18 over the next two years. In this expanded format, the 8 divisional teams will play a double-elimination preliminary round which will see 6 of those teams join the 9 or 10 club sides in the first round proper of the Championship, which will then use a single-elimination format from then on.^[5]

Teams

2025 Teams

17 teams will compete in the 2025 Kerry Senior Football Championship: 9 clubs and 8 divisional teams.

Team	Location	Club/Division	Club's Divisional Side	Colours	Position in 2024	In championship since	Championship Titles	Last Championship Title
Austin Stacks	Tralee	Club	St Brendan's	Black and amber	N/A	2025	13	2021
Dingle	Dingle	Club	West Kerry	Red and white	Runner-up	2005	6	1948
Dr Crokes	Killarney	Club	East Kerry	Black and amber	Champions	1986	14	2024
East Kerry	East Kerry	Division	N/A	Red and white	Semi-finals	1925	11	2023
Feale Rangers	North Kerry	Division	N/A	Gold and blue	Round 2	1956	3	2007
Kenmare Shamrocks	Kenmare	Club	Kenmare District	Black and red	Quarter-finals	2017	0	—
Mid Kerry	Mid Kerry	Division	N/A	Green and red	Round 3	1947	4	2008
Milltown/Castlemaine	Milltown	Club	Mid Kerry	Green and white	Round 3	2024	0	—
Na Gaeil	Tralee	Club	St Brendan's	White and green	Round 2	2022	0	—
Rathmore	Rathmore	Club	East Kerry	Red and white	Quarter-finals	2023	0	—
Shannon Rangers	North Kerry	Division	N/A	Blue and white	Round 3	1940	5	1977
South Kerry	South Kerry	Division	N/A	Green and gold	Round 2	1925	10	2015
Spa	Killarney	Club	East Kerry	Blue and gold	Round 3	2021	0	—
St Brendan's	Tralee	Division	N/A	Green, black and white	Semi-finals		0	—
St Kieran's	Castleisland	Division	N/A	Green and white	Quarter-finals	1988	1	1988
Templenoe	Templenoe	Club	Kenmare District	Blue and white	Quarter-finals	2020	0	—
West Kerry	West Kerry	Division	N/A	Red and white	Round 2	1924	3	1990

Clubs eligible for divisional teams

Division	Clubs eligible for divisional team
East Kerry	East Kerry: Firies, Fossa, Glenflesk, Gneevguilla, Listry, Kilcummin, Killarney Legion
	Kenmare District: Tuosist, Kilgarvan
Feale Rangers	Clounmacon, Duagh, Finuge, Listowel Emmets, Moyvane, St. Senan's
Mid Kerry	Beaufort, Cromane, Glenbeigh-Glencar, Keel, Laune Rangers
Shannon Rangers	Asdee, Ballydonoghue, Ballyduff, Ballylongford, Beale, Tarbert
South Kerry	Dromid Pearses, Renard, Skellig Rangers, Sneem-Derrynane, St. Mary's, Valentia Young Islanders, Waterville, St.Michaels/Foilmore
St Brendan's	St Brendan’s: Churchill, St. Patrick's Blennerville, Ardfert
	Tralee: John Mitchels, Kerins O'Rahillys
St Kieran's	Ballymacelligott, Brosna, Castleisland Desmonds, Cordal, Currow, Knocknagoshel, Scartaglin
West Kerry	Annascaul, Castlegregory, Lispole, An Ghaeltacht

Note 1: Kenmare District no longer enter a divisional team so their affiliated clubs play for East Kerry.

Note 2: Tralee no longer enter a divisional team so their affiliated clubs play for St Brendan’s.

Roll of honour

By club

	Team	Titles	Runners-Up	Championships won	Championships runner-up
1	Dr Crokes	14	9	1901, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1991, 2000, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2024	1889, 1900, 1987, 1988, 1994, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2019
2	Austin Stacks	13	7	1928, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1936, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1986, 1994, 2014, 2021	1929, 1933, 1980, 1981, 2001, 2010, 2013
3	East Kerry	11	3	1965, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023	1964, 1966, 1995
4	John Mitchels	10	7	1929, 1937, 1947, 1952, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1966	1931, 1941, 1942, 1946, 1949, 1951, 1989
	Laune Rangers	10	3	1889, 1890, 1892, 1893, 1900, 1911, 1989, 1993, 1995, 1996	1910, 1997, 2004
	South Kerry	10	3		1984, 2007, 2017
7	Tralee Mitchels	9	5	1896, 1897, 1902, 1903, 1907, 1908, 1910, 1917, 1919	1890, 1897, 1911, 1912, 1914
8	Kerins O'Rahilly's	6	9	1933, 1939, 1953, 1954, 1957, 2002	1928, 1930, 1936, 1940, 1956, 1961, 1963, 2008, 2021
	Dingle	6	6	1938, 1940, 1941, 1943, 1944, 1948	1937, 1939, 1947, 2012, 2018, 2024
10	Shannon Rangers	5	5	1942, 1945, 1964, 1972, 1977	1948, 1953, 1955, 1971, 1974
11	Mid Kerry	4	9	1967, 1971, 1992, 2008	1965, 1972, 1975, 1978, 1990, 2014, 2020, 2022, 2023
	Ballymacelligott	4	1	1891, 1894, 1895, 1918	1892
13	Feale Rangers	3	6	1978, 1980, 2007	1959, 1962, 1977, 1982, 1983, 1985
	West Kerry	3	4	1984, 1985, 1990	1960, 1967, 1973, 1996
	Tralee Division	3	0	1925, 1926, 1927	—
16	Killarney	2	2	1949, 1983	1950, 1986
	Kenmare District	2	1	1974, 1987	2016
	An Ghaeltacht	2	1	2001, 2003	2000
19	Caherciveen	1	3	1896	1901, 1904, 1905
	Killarney Legion	1	2	1946	1945, 2015
	Castleisland	1	2	1950	1943, 1944
	Irremore	1	1	1897	1894
	St Kieran's	1	1	1988	1998
	Dick Fitzgeralds	1	0	1951	—
24	North Kerry	0	3	—	1927, 1932, 1938
	Keel	0	2	—	1891, 1893
	Kilcummin	0	2	—	1903, 1913
	Dingle Gascons	0	2	—	1908, 1919
	Farranfore	0	2	—	1917, 1918
	Listowel Selection	0	2	—	1925, 1926
	Lispole	0	1	—	1907
	Castleisland Desmonds	0	1	—	1991

Performances by division

Division	Titles	Runners-up	Total
Tralee District	41	26	67
East Kerry	29	20	49
Mid Kerry	14	14	28
West Kerry	11	14	25
South Kerry	11	6	17
Shannon Rangers	8	5	13
St Kieran's	6	5	11
Feale Rangers	4	9	13
Kenmare District	2	1	3

List of finals

Year	Winners		Runners-up
	Club	Score	Club	Score
2024	Dr Crokes	3-08	Dingle	0-11	^[6]
2023	East Kerry	2-10	Mid Kerry	0-15	^[7]
2022	East Kerry	1-16	Mid Kerry	0-10	^[8]
2021	Austin Stacks	0-13	Kerins O'Rahillys	0-10	^[9]
2020	East Kerry	2-15	Mid Kerry	0-09	^[10]
2019	East Kerry	2-14	Dr Crokes	1-07	^[11]
2018	Dr Crokes	1-15	Dingle	0-12	^[12]
2017	Dr Crokes	0-17	South Kerry	1-12	^[13] ^[14]
2016	Dr Crokes	2-16	Kenmare District	1-12	^[15]
2015	South Kerry	1-13 (R)	Killarney Legion	1-12 (R)	^[16]
2014	Austin Stacks	2-13 (R)	Mid Kerry	1-07 (R)	^[17] ^[18] ^[19]
2013	Dr Crokes	4-16	Austin Stacks	0-12	^[20]
2012	Dr Crokes	2-13	Dingle	0-08	^[21]
2011	Dr Crokes	2-08	Mid Kerry	0-09
2010	Dr Crokes	1-15	Austin Stacks	0-11
2009	South Kerry	1-08	Dr Crokes	0-10
2008	Mid Kerry	1-07 replay	Kerins O'Rahilly's	0-09	^[22]
2007	Feale Rangers	1-04	South Kerry	0-06	^[23]
2006	South Kerry	0-12	Dr Crokes	1-08	^[24] ^[25]
2005	South Kerry	0-12	Dr Crokes	1-06
2004	South Kerry	1-13	Laune Rangers	2-05
2003	An Ghaeltacht	0-12 replay	Laune Rangers	2-04
2002	Kerins O'Rahilly's	0-14	Kilcummin	0-05
2001	An Ghaeltacht	1-13	Austin Stacks	0-10
2000	Dr Crokes	1-04	An Ghaeltacht	0-06
1999	East Kerry	0–10	Feale Rangers	1–06
1998	East Kerry	2–13	St Kieran's, Castleisland	1–10
1997	East Kerry	1–11	Laune Rangers	0–08 (Replay)
1996	Laune Rangers	2–07	West Kerry	1–09
1995	Laune Rangers	1–07	East Kerry	0–06
1994	Austin Stacks	0–12	Dr. Crokes	1–05 (Replay)
1993	Laune Rangers	1–15	Annascaul	1–08
1992	Mid Kerry	3–09	St Brendan's	1-10
1991	Dr Crokes	2–10	Castleisland Desmonds	1–10
1990	West Kerry	4–09	Mid Kerry	0–07
1989	Laune Rangers	2-13	John Mitchels	1-06
1988	St Kieran's	0-10	Dr Crokes	0-03
1987	Kenmare District	3-10	Dr Crokes	0-18 (R)
1986	Austin Stacks	1-11	Killarney	1-07
1985	West Kerry	0-11	Feale Rangers	1-05
1984	West Kerry	1-07	South Kerry	1-06
1983	Killarney	1-10	Feale Rangers	1-04 (R)	^[26]
1982	South Kerry	0-07	Feale Rangers	0-05
1981	South Kerry	1-12	Austin Stacks	0-11
1980	Feale Rangers	1-10	Austin Stacks	1-07
1979	Austin Stacks	1-11	Castleisland	0-09
1978	Feale Rangers	0-08	Mid Kerry	0-03
1977	Shannon Rangers	0-10	Feale Rangers	0-06
1976	Austin Stacks	1-14	Kenmare	0-07
1975	Austin Stacks	1-07	Mid Kerry	1-04
1974	Kenmare	2-12	Shannon Rangers	1-05
1973	Austin Stacks	2-08	West Kerry	1-06
1972	Shannon Rangers	2-08	Mid Kerry	1-07
1971	Mid Kerry	0-12	Shannon Rangers	1-06 (R)
1970	East Kerry	1-15	Waterville	0-15
1969	East Kerry	2-07	Waterville	1-08
1968	East Kerry	6-08	Waterville	1-09
1967	Mid Kerry	0-12	West Kerry	2-04
1966	John Mitchels	2-10	East Kerry	1-10
1965	East Kerry	0-10	Mid Kerry	0-04 (R)
1964	Shannon Rangers	1-10	East Kerry	1-05
1963	John Mitchels	4-04	Kerins O'Rahilly's	2-03
1962	John Mitchels	1-09	Feale Rangers	0-05 (R)
1961	John Mitchels	2-09	Kerins O'Rahilly's	0-08
1960	John Mitchels	1-11	West Kerry	0-03 (R)
1959	John Mitchels	3-09	Feale Rangers	1-10 (R)
1958	South Kerry	1-13	St Brendan's	1-05
1957	Kerins O'Rahilly's	1-11	St Brendan's	3-01
1956	South Kerry	1-11	Kerins O'Rahilly's	0-10
1955	South Kerry	2-05	Shannon Rangers	0-09 (R)
1954	Kerins O'Rahilly's	2-01	Kenmare District	1-02
1953	Kerins O'Rahilly's	1-04	Shannon Rangers	0-05
1952	John Mitchels	3-06	Kenmare District	0-06
1951	Dick Fitzgeralds	1-07	John Mitchels	0-03
1950	Castleisland		Killarney	(R)
1949	Killarney	2-07	John Mitchels	2-03
1948	Dingle	2-10	Shannon Rangers	0-05
1947	John Mitchels	2-05	Dingle	0-09
1946	Killarney Legion	0-07	John Mitchels	0-05
1945	Shannon Rangers	1-07	Killarney Legion	0-05
1944	Dingle	1-03	Castleisland	0-04
1943	Dingle	3-06	Castleisland	2-02
1942	Shannon Rangers	2-04	John Mitchels	1-03
1941	Dingle	3-06	John Mitchels	2-00
1940	Dingle		Kerins O'Rahilly's
1939	Kerins O'Rahilly's	2-08	Dingle	1-03
1938	Dingle	3-03	North Kerry	2-05
1937	John Mitchels		Dingle
1936	Austin Stacks	0-06	Kerins O'Rahilly's	0-04
1935
1934
1933	Kerins O'Rahilly's	5-05	Austin Stacks	0-05
1932	Austin Stacks	2-03	North Kerry	1-05
1931	Austin Stacks	2-07	John Mitchels	1-03
1930	Austin Stacks	4-04	Kerins O'Rahilly's	2-05
1929	John Mitchels	3-04	Austin Stacks	0-04
1928	Austin Stacks	3-04	Kerins O'Rahilly's	0-07
1927	Tralee Division		North Kerry
1926	Tralee Division	7-07	Listowel Selection	2-01
1925	Tralee Division	1-05	Listowel Selection	0-04
1924	Championship was not played
1923	Championship not finished
1922	Championship was not played
1921	Championship was not played
1920	Championship not finished
1919	Tralee Mitchels	3-03	Dingle Gascons	2-02
1918	Ballymacelligott		Farranfore
1917	Tralee Mitchels		Farranfore
1916	Not finished
1915	Not played
1914	Killarney Crokes	1-02	Tralee Mitchels	1-00
1913	Killarney Crokes	3-01	Kilcummin	1-00
1912	Killarney Crokes	1-06	Tralee Mitchels	0-00
1911	Laune Rangers	1-03	Tralee Mitchels	1-01
1910	Tralee Mitchels	3-04	Laune Rangers	0–04
1909	Combined with 1910 championship
1908	Tralee Mitchels	0-08	Dingle Gascons	0-04
1907	Tralee Mitchels	0-11	Lispole	0-01
1906	Not played
1905	Tralee Mitchels	W/O	Caherciveen
1904	Tralee Mitchels	W/O	Caherciveen
1903	Tralee Mitchels	W/O	Kilcummin
1902	Tralee Mitchels (Awarded)
1901	Killarney Crokes	1-02	Caherciveen	0-02
1900	Laune Rangers	3-04	Killarney Crokes	0-03
1899
1898
1897	Irremore		Tralee Mitchels
1896	Caherciveen and Tralee Mitchels (Shared)
1895	Ballymacelligott
1894	Ballymacelligott	W/O	Irremore
1893	Laune Rangers	1-01	Keel	0-02
1892	Laune Rangers	3-07	Ballymacelligott	1-07
1891	Ballymacelligott	1-08	Keel	0-01	^[27]
1890	Laune Rangers	1-04	Tralee Mitchels	0-01
1889	Laune Rangers	0-06	Killarney Crokes	0-03	^[28]

Records and statistics

Teams

By decade

The most successful team of each decade, judged by number of Kerry Senior Football Championship titles, is as follows:

• 1880s: 1 for Laune Rangers (1889)
• 1890s: 3 each for Laune Rangers (1890-92-93) and Ballymacelligott (1891-94-95)
• 1900s: 4 for Tralee Mitchels (1902-03-07-08)
• 1910s: 3 each for Tralee Mitchels (1910-17-19) and Dr Crokes (1912-13-14)
• 1920s: 3 for Tralee Division (1925-26-27)
• 1930s: 4 for Austin Stacks (1930-31-32-36)
• 1940s: 5 for Dingle (1940-41-43-44-48)
• 1950s: 3 each for Kerins O'Rahilly's (1953-54-57) and South Kerry (1955-56-58)
• 1960s: 5 for John Mitchels (1960-61-62-63-66)
• 1970s: 4 for Austin Stacks (1973-75-76-79)
• 1980s: 2 each for South Kerry (1981–82) and West Kerry (1984–85)
• 1990s: 3 each for Laune Rangers (1993-95-96) and East Kerry (1997-98-99)
• 2000s: 4 for South Kerry (2004-05-06-09)
• 2010s: 7 for Dr Crokes (2010-11-12-13-16-17-18)
• 2020s: 3 for East Kerry (2020-22-23)

Gaps

Top ten longest gaps between successive championship titles:

• 78 years: Laune Rangers (1911-1989)
• 77 years: Dr Crokes (1914-1991)
• 45 years: Kerins O'Rahilly's (1957-2002)
• 37 years: Austin Stacks (1936-1973)
• 34 years: Killarney (1949-1983)
• 27 years: Feale Rangers (1980-2007)
• 27 years: East Kerry (1970-1997)
• 23 years: Ballymacelligott (1895-1918)
• 23 years: South Kerry (1958-1981)
• 22 years: South Kerry (1982-2004)

See also

• Kerry Club Football Championship
• Kerry Senior Hurling Championship
• Munster Senior Club Football Championship
• Kerry Intermediate Football Championship (Tier 2)
• Kerry Premier Junior Football Championship (Tier 3)
• Kerry Junior Football Championship (Tier 4)
• Kerry Novice Football Championship (Tier 5)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Kerry SFC: Round 1 times, dates and venues confirmed. 25 August 2023. Independent.ie.
2. Web site: Juvenile Club Notes 8th March, 2022.. 8 March 2022. austinstacks.ie.
3. Web site: Bishop Denis Moynihan. Lux Occulta.
4. Web site: Kerry Senior Football Championship draw. The Kerryman. 12 August 2024. 13 August 2024.
5. Web site: Kerry GAA delegates fully endorse proposal to increase to 10 the clubs in the County SFC and club championship. The Kerryman. 19 April 2024. 20 August 2024.
6. Web site: Dr Crokes hit stunned Dingle for three goals to turn game and add another Kerry crown. The Kerryman. 27 October 2024. 27 October 2024.
7. Web site: Kerry SFC final - East Kerry make it four titles in five years after nervy win over Mid Kerry. Irish Independent. 5 November 2023. 19 January 2024.
8. Web site: David Clifford decides the issue as East Kerry cruise to third title in four seasons . 2022-10-30 . independent . 30 October 2022 . en.
9. Web site: Austin Stacks win all Tralee decider to take 13th title. rte.ie. 5 December 2021. 4 February 2024.
10. Web site: 26 September 2020 . David Clifford wonder goal as East Kerry make wasteful Mid pay . 26 September 2020 . The Irish Examiner.
11. Web site: 10 November 2019 . David Clifford goal helps East Kerry win first title in 20 years . 11 November 2019 . The Irish Examiner.
12. News: Dr Crokes claim record 13th Kerry title with win over Dingle. The Irish Times. 28 October 2018. 4 February 2024.
13. News: Garveys Supervalu Senior Football Championship Final . en-GB . 2017-10-24.
14. Web site: 23 October 2017 . Sixth Kerry title in eight years for Dr Crokes . 25 October 2017 . The Irish Examiner.
15. Web site: 22 October 2016 . Crokes make final their own as Kenmare struggle to cope . 27 October 2016 . Irish Independent.
16. Web site: 23 November 2015 . South Kerry land the killer punch . 23 November 2015 . Irish Examiner.
17. Web site: 27 October 2014 . Mid Kerry spurn late chances and save Stacks . 27 October 2014 . The Irish Examiner.
18. Web site: 2014-11-02 . Donaghy stars as Stacks crowned Kerry champs . 2014-11-02 . rte.ie.
19. News: 2 November 2014 . Kerry SFC final replay: Donaghy the destroyer as Stacks end wait . . 2 November 2014.
20. Web site: 21 October 2013 . Dr Crokes 4-16 Austin Stacks 0-12 . 22 October 2013 . Irish Independent.
21. News: 29 October 2012 . Crokes cruise to three in-a-row . . 30 October 2012.
22. News: 30 November 2008 . Kerins O'Rahilly's 0-09 Mid Kerry 1-07 . RTÉ News . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081204062929/http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2008/1130/club_football.html . 4 December 2008.
23. News: 25 November 2012 . It's Captain Galvin for Kerry as Feale land title . Irish Independent .
24. Web site: Archived copy . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110622111047/http://archives.tcm.ie/thekingdom/2006/11/17/story22438.asp . 2011-06-22 . 2009-03-03.
25. News: 25 November 2012 . Fitz injury fails to halt champions . Irish Independent .
26. Web site: A glorious memory when town rivals teamed up - and won. killarneytoday.com. 19 February 2021. 18 January 2024.
27. Web site: 1891 | Laune Rangers History . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150106073447/http://history.launerangers.ie/?p=1058 . 6 January 2015 . 30 January 2015.
28. Web site: 1889 Laune Rangers History . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150106073523/http://history.launerangers.ie/?p=1054 . 6 January 2015 . 2017-10-24 . history.launerangers.ie . en-US.