COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP RD2
Spa and East Kerry met in Fitzgerald Stadium on Saturday evening in Rd2 of the 2022 Garveys Co Championship. It was always going to be a tough encounter going up against the competition favourites, but at the end of the day it’s Spa that will rue our missed opportunities. East Kerry won out by 0-14 to 0-9, but Spa certainly stood up to the challenge and, had a few chances worked out, it could have been a different result. Full match report - click here
Wishing all our injured player a speedy recovery.
Next up is Kerins O’Rahillys in the third and final qualifying round. The game will be on in Spa next weekend with fixture details to be confirmed.
KERRY LGFA JUNIOR A CHAMPIONSHIP QUARTER FINAL
Spa 1-9 Firies 5-9. Our senior players had home advantage after finishing first in their group. We knew Firies would be very strong with three Kerry Senior players on the panel. We unfortunately were belt a blow when two of our star forwards Saoirse Kelly and Sarah Fleming were out of the starting 15 due to injury. However, management restructured the team and did what they did all year was go out and leave it all on the pitch. Spa started strong and held their own but some superb goals by Firies sank our dreams of the next round early on. We were very unlucky with some near misses but it just wasn’t our day. Mags Cronin slotted one between the posts late in the second half to narrow the deficit, but the gap was too wide and Firies deserved their victory in Spa. We bow out of the championship for 2022 but the girls and management can hold their heads up high as they performed magnificently all year. This was relatively a new team with some new, regular and welcome back faces. Manager Ann Marie Hickey, along with her selectors Timmy Fleming, Emma Daly and Thomas Daly have done a tremendous job with the girls in their first year and hopefully can build stronger for 2023.
O’SULLIVAN CUP EK JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
O’Sullivan Cup East Kerry Junior Championship begins this weekend Sept 24th / 25th with Spa home to Firies. Fixture details TBC.
FAMILY DAY AT SPA GAA CLUB
The strong sense of community in Spa GAA club was evident in the attendance at the local GAA club family fun day on Saturday afternoon. The weather was fabulous and the activities ranged from fun and novelty races to a tug-o-war, skills competition, hang tough challenge, face-painting and much more. There was a special visit from the Sam Maguire Cup so all our members, young and old, had an opportunity to hold the cup and get plenty of photos. The cooks were busy on the BBQ and there were also cakes, teas and coffees and plenty of treats!!! We would like to thank all who brought cakes and buns for our cake sale, the Spa Senior men and ladies who helped with the games and skills competition, Tim Jones butchers, Killarney Welding and all the volunteers who helped to make it a hugely successful day.
MINOR B CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP SPA V LISTOWEL EMMETS
Our Spa minors qualified for their third final of the year and this time it was the County Minor B Club Championship Final against Listowel Emmets. After two entertaining qualifying rounds, we travelled to Ballymacelligott GAA grounds on Saturday afternoon. Having met earlier in the year in the Minor Co League, and missing a couple of regulars, the team and management knew there was a big task ahead of them. In the first half both sides were evenly matched and went in level at the break, but a strong performance from the north Kerry side in the second half secured their victory by 0-9 to 3-10.
It was point for point in the opening quarter, Joey McCarthy opening the scoring with a lovely point before Aaron Carey and Robert Heffernan replied for Listowel. Timothy Moynihan curled a lovely shot just inside the post and added another two minutes later but Robert Heffernan punched over the next Listowel point to level the sides at 0-3 each. The first Listowel goal game in the 19th minute from midfielder Eddie Healy. Timothy Moynihan and Aaron Carey swapped scores before Spa were soon descending on the Listowel goal, Luke O’Neill’s effort flying just left of the post. Spa finished the half strongly, Timothy Moynihan (2) and Luke O’Neill points making it 0-7 to 1-4 at half time.
On the restart Conor Sweeney and Aaron Carey (2) quickly edged Listowel in front before their second goal in the 42rd minute, corner forward Conor Sweeney raising the green flag. Luke O’Neill responded with a point for Spa, but Listowel has begun to dominate the game and Aaron Carey and Conor Sweeney had two more points on the board. Timothy Moynihan kicked one final point for Spa but Listowel hit their third goal on 60 minutes, Aaron Carey the goal scorer and then Aaron kicked one final point before the final whistle, Listowel Emmets winning by 0-9 to 3-10. Hard luck to the team and the management of Paul Casey, Des Spillane, Adrian McCarthy, Denis Doolan and Mike Finnegan and wishing all our injured players a speedy recovery. Next competition for our minor squad is due be confirmed shortly.
SPA GAA LOTTO
Lotto Results 12.09.2022: Numbers Drawn 4, 18, 24, 28. No winner and €50 Lucky Dips to Joe Fox, Sinead Herlihy, John Sugrue and Jamie Lenihan. This Monday's JACKPOT is €7,800 and tickets on sale online on spagaa.com - click here - or in usual outlets. Many Spa lotto annuals are due for renewal in the coming weeks. Please check with your seller or ring Jim Gleeson at 087 6340581. Thank you for your continued support. New members always welcome.
CONDOLENCES
Our condolences to the Harrington and Finnegan families on the passing of Peggie Harrington RIP, Kenmare. May she Rest in Peace.
WEDDING CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations to Susan Gleeson and Eddie Lane who were married on Friday last.
ITEMS FOR NOTES
Any items for the Spa notes please contact the club PRO on 085 1216359 or pro.spa.kerry@gaa.ie before 8pm on Sundays.