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:16
Title Holders: East Kerry
Currentordinal:11
Super:th
Most Titles: Austin Stacks (13 titles)
Dr. Crokes (13 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 Austin Stacks and Dr. Crokes who have both won a total of 13 titles.

East Kerry are the title-holders, defeating Mid Kerry by 2-10 to 0-15 in the 2023 final.

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

Format

Group stage

The 8 clubs and 8 divisional teams are divided into four groups of four. Over the course of the group stage, each team plays once against the others in the group, resulting in each team being guaranteed three group games. Two points are awarded for a win, one for a draw and zero for a loss. The teams are ranked in the group stage table by points gained, then scoring difference and then their head-to-head record. The top two teams in each group qualify for the quarter-finals.

Knockout stage

Quarter-finals: The 4 group winners and 4 group runners-up contest this round. A group winner will play a group runner-up of another group. The two winners from these two games advance to the semi-finals.

Semi-finals: The four quarter-final winners contest this round. The two winners from these two games advance to the final.

Final: The two semi-final winners contest the final. The winning team are declared champions.

Relegation

Divisional teams are immune from relegation. The two bottom-placed clubs from the group stage of the Kerry Club Football Championship play-off, with the losing team being relegated to the Kerry Intermediate Football Championship.

Qualification

At the end of the championship, the winning club qualify to the subsequent Munster Senior Club Football Championship. If a divisional team win the championship, the winners of the Kerry Club Football Championship qualify instead.

Teams

2024 Teams

TeamLocationClub/DivisionClub's Divisional SideColoursIn championship sinceChampionship TitlesLast Championship Title
DingleDingleClubWest KerryRed and white200561948
Dr CrokesKillarneyClubEast KerryBlack and amber1986132018
East KerryEast KerryDivisionN/ARed and white1925112023
Feale RangersNorth KerryDivisionN/AGold and blue195632007
Kenmare ShamrocksKenmareClubKenmare DistrictBlack and red20170
Mid KerryMid KerryDivisionN/AGreen and red194742008
Milltown/CastlemaineMilltownClubMid KerryGreen and white20240
Na GaeilTraleeClubSt Brendan'sWhite and green20220
RathmoreRathmoreClubEast KerryRed and white20230
Shannon RangersNorth KerryDivisionN/ABlue and white194051977
South KerrySouth KerryDivisionN/AGreen and gold1925102015
SpaKillarneyClubEast KerryBlue and gold20210
St Brendan'sTraleeDivisionN/AGreen, black and white0
St Kieran'sCastleislandDivisionN/AGreen and white198811988
TemplenoeTemplenoeClubKenmare DistrictBlue and white20200
West KerryWest KerryDivisionN/ARed and white192431990

Clubs eligible for divisional teams

DivisionClubs eligible for divisional team
East KerryEast Kerry: Firies, Fossa, Glenflesk, Gneevguilla, Listry, Kilcummin, Killarney Legion
Kenmare District: Tuosist, Kilgarvan
Feale RangersClounmacon, Duagh, Finuge, Listowel Emmets, Moyvane, St. Senan's
Mid KerryBeaufort, Cromane, Glenbeigh-Glencar, Keel, Laune Rangers
Shannon RangersAsdee, Ballydonoghue, Ballyduff, Ballylongford, Beale, Tarbert
South KerryDromid Pearses, Renard, Skellig Rangers, Sneem-Derrynane, St. Mary's, Valentia Young Islanders, Waterville, St.Michaels/Foilmore
St Brendan'sSt Brendan’s: Churchill, St. Patrick's Blennerville, Ardfert
Tralee: Austin Stacks, John Mitchels, Kerins O'Rahillys
St Kieran'sBallymacelligott, Brosna, Castleisland Desmonds, Cordal, Currow, Knocknagoshel, Scartaglin
West KerryAnnascaul, 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

TeamTitlesRunners-UpWinning yearsLosing years
1 Dr Crokes1391901, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1991, 2000, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 20181889, 1900, 1987, 1988, 1994, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2019
Austin Stacks1371928, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1936, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1986, 1994, 2014, 20211929, 1933, 1980, 1981, 2001, 2010, 2013
3 East Kerry1131965, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2019, 2020, 2022, 20231964, 1966, 1995
4 John Mitchels1071929, 1937, 1947, 1952, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 19661931, 1941, 1942, 1946, 1949, 1951, 1989
Laune Rangers1031889, 1890, 1892, 1893, 1900, 1911, 1989, 1993, 1995, 19961910, 1997, 2004
South Kerry1031984, 2007, 2017
7 Tralee Mitchels951896, 1897, 1902, 1903, 1907, 1908, 1910, 1917, 1919 1890, 1897, 1911, 1912, 1914
8 Kerins O'Rahilly's691933, 1939, 1953, 1954, 1957, 20021928, 1930, 1936, 1940, 1956, 1961, 1963, 2008, 2021
Dingle651938, 1940, 1941, 1943, 1944, 1948 1937, 1939, 1947, 2012, 2018,
10 Shannon Rangers551942, 1945, 1964, 1972, 19771948, 1953, 1955, 1971, 1974
11 Mid Kerry491967, 1971, 1992, 20081965, 1972, 1975, 1978, 1990, 2014, 2020, 2022, 2023
Ballymacelligott411891, 1894, 1895, 19181892
13 Feale Rangers361978, 1980, 20071959, 1962, 1977, 1982, 1983, 1985
West Kerry341984, 1985, 19901960, 1967, 1973, 1996
Tralee Division301925, 1926, 1927
16Killarney221949, 19831950, 1986
Kenmare District211974, 19872016
An Ghaeltacht212001, 20032000
19Caherciveen1318961901, 1904, 1905
Killarney Legion1219461945, 2015
Castleisland1219501943, 1944
Irremore1118971894
St Kieran's1119881998
Dick Fitzgeralds101951
24North Kerry031927, 1932, 1938
Keel021891, 1893
Kilcummin021903, 1913
Dingle Gascons021908, 1919
Farranfore021917, 1918
Listowel Selection021925, 1926
Lispole011907
Castleisland Desmonds011991

Performances by division

DivisionTitlesRunners-upTotal
Tralee District412667
East Kerry282048
Mid Kerry141428
West Kerry111324
South Kerry11617
Shannon Rangers8513
St Kieran's6511
Feale Rangers4913
Kenmare District213

List of finals

YearWinnersRunners-up
ClubScoreClubScore
2023East Kerry2-10Mid Kerry0-15[4]
2022East Kerry1-16Mid Kerry0-10[5]
2021Austin Stacks0-13Kerins O'Rahillys0-10[6]
2020East Kerry2-15Mid Kerry0-09[7]
2019East Kerry2-14Dr Crokes1-07[8]
2018Dr Crokes1-15Dingle0-12[9]
2017Dr Crokes0-17South Kerry1-12[10] [11]
2016Dr Crokes2-16Kenmare District1-12[12]
2015South Kerry1-13 (R)Killarney Legion1-12 (R)[13]
2014Austin Stacks2-13 (R)Mid Kerry1-07 (R)[14] [15] [16]
2013Dr Crokes4-16Austin Stacks0-12[17]
2012Dr Crokes2-13Dingle0-08[18]
2011Dr Crokes2-08Mid Kerry0-09
2010Dr Crokes1-15Austin Stacks0-11
2009South Kerry1-08Dr Crokes0-10
2008Mid Kerry1-07 replayKerins O'Rahilly's0-09[19]
2007Feale Rangers1-04South Kerry0-06[20]
2006South Kerry0-12Dr Crokes1-08[21] [22]
2005South Kerry0-12Dr Crokes1-06
2004South Kerry1-13Laune Rangers2-05
2003An Ghaeltacht0-12 replayLaune Rangers2-04
2002Kerins O'Rahilly's0-14Kilcummin0-05
2001An Ghaeltacht1-13Austin Stacks0-10
2000Dr Crokes1-04An Ghaeltacht0-06
1999East Kerry0–10Feale Rangers1–06
1998East Kerry2–13St Kieran's, Castleisland1–10
1997East Kerry1–11Laune Rangers0–08 (Replay)
1996Laune Rangers2–07West Kerry1–09
1995Laune Rangers1–07East Kerry0–06
1994Austin Stacks0–12Dr. Crokes1–05 (Replay)
1993Laune Rangers1–15Annascaul1–08
1992Mid Kerry3–09St Brendan's1-10
1991Dr Crokes2–10Castleisland Desmonds1–10
1990West Kerry4–09Mid Kerry0–07
1989Laune Rangers2-13John Mitchels1-06
1988St Kieran's0-10Dr Crokes0-03
1987Kenmare District3-10Dr Crokes0-18 (R)
1986Austin Stacks1-11Killarney1-07
1985West Kerry0-11Feale Rangers1-05
1984West KerrySouth Kerry
1983Killarney1-10Feale Rangers1-04 (R)[23]
1982South Kerry0-07Feale Rangers0-05
1981South Kerry1-12Austin Stacks0-11
1980Feale Rangers1-10Austin Stacks1-07
1979Austin Stacks1-11Castleisland0-09
1978Feale Rangers0-08Mid Kerry0-03
1977Shannon Rangers0-10Feale Rangers0-06
1976Austin Stacks1-14Kenmare0-07
1975Austin Stacks1-07Mid Kerry1-04
1974Kenmare2-12Shannon Rangers1-05
1973Austin Stacks2-08West Kerry1-06
1972Shannon Rangers2-08Mid Kerry1-07
1971Mid Kerry0-12Shannon Rangers1-06 (R)
1970East Kerry1-15Waterville0-15
1969East Kerry2-07Waterville1-08
1968East Kerry6-08Waterville1-09
1967Mid Kerry0-12West Kerry2-04
1966John Mitchels2-10East Kerry1-10
1965East Kerry0-10Mid Kerry0-04 (R)
1964Shannon Rangers1-10East Kerry1-05
1963John Mitchels4-04Kerins O'Rahilly's2-03
1962John Mitchels1-09Feale Rangers0-05 (R)
1961John Mitchels2-09Kerins O'Rahilly's0-08
1960John Mitchels1-11West Kerry0-03 (R)
1959John Mitchels3-09Feale Rangers1-10 (R)
1958South Kerry1-13St Brendan's1-05
1957Kerins O'Rahilly's1-11St Brendan's3-01
1956South Kerry1-11Kerins O'Rahilly's0-10
1955South Kerry2-05Shannon Rangers0-09 (R)
1954Kerins O'Rahilly's2-01Kenmare District1-02
1953Kerins O'Rahilly's1-04Shannon Rangers0-05
1952John Mitchels3-06Kenmare District0-06
1951Dick Fitzgeralds1-07John Mitchels0-03
1950CastleislandKillarney(R)
1949Killarney2-07John Mitchels2-03
1948Dingle2-10Shannon Rangers0-05
1947John Mitchels2-05Dingle0-09
1946Killarney Legion0-07John Mitchels0-05
1945Shannon Rangers1-07Killarney Legion0-05
1944Dingle1-03Castleisland0-04
1943Dingle3-06Castleisland2-02
1942Shannon Rangers2-04John Mitchels1-03
1941Dingle3-06John Mitchels2-00
1940DingleKerins O'Rahilly's
1939Kerins O'Rahilly's2-08Dingle1-03
1938Dingle3-03North Kerry2-05
1937John MitchelsDingle
1936Austin Stacks0-06Kerins O'Rahilly's0-04
1935
1934
1933Kerins O'Rahilly's5-05Austin Stacks0-05
1932Austin Stacks2-03North Kerry1-05
1931Austin Stacks2-07John Mitchels1-03
1930Austin Stacks4-04Kerins O'Rahilly's2-05
1929John Mitchels3-04Austin Stacks0-04
1928Austin Stacks3-04Kerins O'Rahilly's0-07
1927Tralee DivisionNorth Kerry
1926Tralee Division7-07Listowel Selection2-01
1925Tralee Division1-05Listowel Selection0-04
1924Championship was not played
1923Championship not finished
1922Championship was not played
1921Championship was not played
1920Championship not finished
1919Tralee Mitchels3-03Dingle Gascons2-02
1918BallymacelligottFarranfore
1917Tralee MitchelsFarranfore
1916Not finished
1915Not played
1914Killarney Crokes1-02Tralee Mitchels1-00
1913Killarney Crokes3-01Kilcummin1-00
1912Killarney Crokes1-06Tralee Mitchels0-00
1911Laune Rangers1-03Tralee Mitchels1-01
1910Tralee Mitchels3-04Laune Rangers0–04
1909Combined with 1910 championship
1908Tralee Mitchels0-08Dingle Gascons0-04
1907Tralee Mitchels0-11Lispole0-01
1906Not played
1905Tralee MitchelsW/OCaherciveen
1904Tralee MitchelsW/OCaherciveen
1903Tralee MitchelsW/OKilcummin
1902Tralee Mitchels (Awarded)
1901Killarney Crokes1-02Caherciveen0-02
1900Laune Rangers3-04Killarney Crokes0-03
1899
1898
1897IrremoreTralee Mitchels
1896Caherciveen and Tralee Mitchels (Shared)
1895Ballymacelligott
1894BallymacelligottW/OIrremore
1893Laune Rangers1-01Keel0-02
1892Laune Rangers3-07Ballymacelligott1-07
1891Ballymacelligott1-08Keel0-01[24]
1890Laune Rangers1-04Tralee Mitchels0-01
1889Laune Rangers0-06Killarney Crokes0-03[25]

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:

Gaps

Top ten longest gaps between successive championship titles:

See also

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 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Web site: Austin Stacks win all Tralee decider to take 13th title. rte.ie. 5 December 2021. 4 February 2024.
  7. Web site: 26 September 2020 . David Clifford wonder goal as East Kerry make wasteful Mid pay . 26 September 2020 . The Irish Examiner.
  8. Web site: 10 November 2019 . David Clifford goal helps East Kerry win first title in 20 years . 11 November 2019 . The Irish Examiner.
  9. News: Dr Crokes claim record 13th Kerry title with win over Dingle. The Irish Times. 28 October 2018. 4 February 2024.
  10. News: Garveys Supervalu Senior Football Championship Final . en-GB . 2017-10-24.
  11. Web site: 23 October 2017 . Sixth Kerry title in eight years for Dr Crokes . 25 October 2017 . The Irish Examiner.
  12. Web site: 22 October 2016 . Crokes make final their own as Kenmare struggle to cope . 27 October 2016 . Irish Independent.
  13. Web site: 23 November 2015 . South Kerry land the killer punch . 23 November 2015 . Irish Examiner.
  14. Web site: 27 October 2014 . Mid Kerry spurn late chances and save Stacks . 27 October 2014 . The Irish Examiner.
  15. Web site: 2014-11-02 . Donaghy stars as Stacks crowned Kerry champs . 2014-11-02 . rte.ie.
  16. News: 2 November 2014 . Kerry SFC final replay: Donaghy the destroyer as Stacks end wait . . 2 November 2014.
  17. Web site: 21 October 2013 . Dr Crokes 4-16 Austin Stacks 0-12 . 22 October 2013 . Irish Independent.
  18. News: 29 October 2012 . Crokes cruise to three in-a-row . . 30 October 2012.
  19. 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.
  20. News: 25 November 2012 . It's Captain Galvin for Kerry as Feale land title . Irish Independent .
  21. 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.
  22. News: 25 November 2012 . Fitz injury fails to halt champions . Irish Independent .
  23. Web site: A glorious memory when town rivals teamed up - and won. killarneytoday.com. 19 February 2021. 18 January 2024.
  24. 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.
  25. 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.