The 2018 Kerry Senior Football Championship was the 117th edition of Kerry GAA's premier gaelic football tournament for senior teams in County Kerry, Ireland. The tournament consists of 17 teams (8 club teams and 9 divisional teams), with the winners representing Kerry in the Munster Senior Club Football Championship if they are a club team. If the winners are a divisional team the winners of the Kerry Club Football Championship represent the county.
The championship has a back-door format for the first two rounds before proceeding to a knock-out format. Generally, any team to lose two matches will be knocked out of the championship.
This was An Ghaeltacht's return to the senior ranks, meaning they will no longer provide players to the West Kerry District panel for this season. Kilcummin (who were relegated to the I.F.C. for 2018) will provide the East Kerry Divisional side with players for the S.F.C.
Dr. Crokes were the 2017 champions after they defeated South Kerry in the final.
Format Structure Change 8 club teams and 9 divisional teams (17 in total) will take part in this year's S.F.C. It was decided that only 8 divisional sides would take part in the competition proper so the 2 lowest ranked divisional sides from the previous 5 years would play off in a qualification match with the winner entering the draw for the 2017 County Championship proper.
Relegation (See below): The club team to be relegated from the Senior County Championship will be the same team to be relegated from the Senior Club Championship (The 8 senior clubs play off against each other in Round 1 of the Club Championship. The 4 losers enter a relegation playoff with the losers entering a relegation final. This loser will be relegated to the I.F.C. for 2017. Should a club reach the final of the County championship they will be exempt from the Relegation process in the Club championship).
The winner of the 2017 I.F.C. will be promoted to the 2018 Senior County and Club Championships.
Team changes To Championship
Promoted from the Kerry Intermediate Football Championship An Ghaeltacht
From Championship
Relegated to the Kerry Intermediate Football Championship Kilcummin
Participating teams The teams taking part in the 2018 Kerry Senior Football Championship are:
Team Team Location Club/Divisional Club's Divisional Side An Ghaeltacht Ballyferriter, Dunquin, Feohanagh, Gallarus & Ventry Club West Kerry Austin Stacks Tralee Club St. Brendan's Dingle Dingle Club West Kerry Dr. Crokes Killarney Club East Kerry East Kerry xDivisional (Firies, Fossa, Glenflesk, Gneevguilla, Kilcummin, Listry, Spa) x Feale Rangers x Divisional (Clounmacon, Duagh, Finuge, Listowel Emmets, Moyvane, St. Senan's) x Kenmare District xDivisional (Templenoe, Tousist, Kilgarvan) x Kenmare Shamrocks Kenmare Club Kenmare District Kerins O'Rahillys Tralee Club St. Brendan's Killarney Legion Killarney Club East Kerry Mid Kerry xDivisional (Beaufort, Cromane, Glenbeigh-Glencar, Keel, Laune Rangers, Milltown/Castlemaine) x Rathmore Rathmore Club East Kerry Shannon Rangers xDivisional (Asdee, Ballydonoghue, Ballyduff, Ballylongford, Beale, Tarbert) x South Kerry xDivisional (Derrynane, Dromid Pearses, Renard, Skellig Rangers, Sneem, St. Mary's, St. Michael's/Foilmore, Valentia Young Islanders, Waterville) x St. Brendan's xDivisional (Ardfert, Churchill, John Mitchell's, Na Gaeil, St. Patrick's Blennerville) x St. Kieran's xDivisional (Ballymacelligott, Brosna, Castleisland Desmonds, Cordal, Currow, Knocknagoshel, Scartaglin) x West Kerry xDivisional (Annascaul, Castlegregory, Lispole) x
Results Preliminary round
Round 1
Round 2A
Round 2B
Round 3
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final
Relegation
The club team to be relegated from the Senior County Championship will be the same team to be relegated from the Senior Club Championship. The 8 senior clubs play off against each other in Round 1 of the Club Championship. The 4 losers enter a relegation playoff with the losers entering a relegation final. This loser will be relegated to the I.F.C. for 2019. Should a club reach the final of the County championship they will be exempt from the Relegation process in the Club championship.
Championship statistics
Top scorers
Overall
Rank Player Club Tally Total Matches Average1Paul GeaneyDingle9-184567.502Ivan ParkerSt. Brendan's3-253456.80Tony BrosnanDr. Crokes1-313448.504Bryan SheehanSouth Kerry2-232947.255David CliffordEast Kerry5-132847.006Darragh RocheEast Kerry4-112354.60Shane RyanRathmore1-202337.66Jack SavageKerins O'Rahilly's0-232345.759James O'DonoghueKillarney Legion2-152137.0010Paudie CliffordEast Kerry3-112054.00David ShawDr. Crokes2-142063.66Kieran O'LearyDr. Crokes2-142063.66
In a single game
Rank Player Club Tally Total Opposition1Tony BrosnanDr. Crokes1-1417An Ghaeltacht2Ivan ParkerSt. Brendan's2-0814Mid Kerry3Paudie CliffordEast Kerry3-0413St. Brendan's4Shane RyanRathmore1-0811Killarney Legion5Paul GeaneyDingle3-0110East KerryDavid CliffordEast Kerry2-0410Dingle7Darragh RocheEast Kerry2-039DinglePaul GeaneyDingle2-039Austin StacksDarragh RocheEast Kerry2-039South KerryIvan ParkerSt. Brendan's1-069East KerryJames O'DonoghueKillarney Legion1-069Mid KerryBryan SheehanSouth Kerry1-069East KerryTony BrosnanDr. Crokes0-099Killarney LegionDara Ó SéAn Ghaeltacht0-099Dr. Crokes
Miscellaneous Colm Cooper and Eoin Brosnan win a record 8th SFC medal. Dr. Crokes overtook Austin Stacks to go top of the roll of honour for the first time with a 13th title. Dr. Crokes set a new record of seven titles in a single decade. An Ghaeltacht returned to the senior championship for the first time since 2009.
References