GAELIC GAMES/Kerry County football final:It's endgame in the county-final season and fitting that Kerry has saved the best until last. Sunday's football final features a classic north-south rivalry and several All-Ireland medallists, and even though the winners don't get to play in the Munster championship there's plenty at stake, including the Kerry captaincy for 2008.
For South Kerry it's about winning a fourth county title in succession and showcasing some of the county's finest football talent - including Declan O'Sullivan and Bryan Sheehan and possibly even Maurice Fitzgerald. For Feale Rangers it's about winning back the title after 17 years and re-establishing the football tradition of north Kerry.
"Sure this is the biggest game of the year in Kerry - outside of the All-Ireland, that is," says the Feale Rangers manager, Johnny Mulvihill. "It's a pity the winners don't get to play in the Munster championship, but there's still everything to play for."
Both teams are divisional, drawn from several clubs. South Kerry are an amalgam of nine; Feale Rangers are drawn from five - Listowel Emmets, Duagh, Finuge, Moyvane and St Senan's.
A glance at the records reveals Feale Rangers' distinguished past and puts in context their desire to regain their status as a major force in club football.
They've won two county titles, in 1978 and 1980, backboned by county stars such as Jimmy Deenihan and the late Tim Kennelly. The 1980 win, over Austin Stacks, was memorable for Kennelly's brilliant marking of Ger Power, despite playing the last 15 minutes with a broken collarbone and an arm in a sling.
Mulvihill himself was a key member of those winning teams and also collected All-Ireland medals with Kerry in 1978 and 1985. Given Feale Rangers last made the final in 1999, he believes Sunday's game is long overdue.
"When we met at the start of the year we felt we could make a bigger impact this year. We've a good panel with plenty of experience. There had been a drop-off in North Kerry in recent years, and it's been too long since we made the final. There was probably more emphasis on the North Kerry championship . . . but this year we did feel we could give the county title a good crack."
Feale Rangers lost their first game, against Mid Kerry, however, and - via the back door - later beat An Ghaeltacht in the quarter-final and Kilcummin in the semi-final. (As the last non-divisional team, Kilcummin get to play in the Munster championship, taking on Lissycasey of Clare this Sunday.)
"That's one of our problems," adds Mulvihill, "in that it does take us a while to get going, but I think we do get better the more we progress. There has been a big delay as well with all the replays (South Kerry played Mid Kerry three times in their semi-final). We've also had a few players involved with Lixnaw in the hurling final."
Those dual players include Paul Galvin, who has been carrying a shoulder injury but is expected to be fine for Sunday, and the former All-Ireland winner Eamonn Fitzmaurice, who is just back from his honeymoon. Another former winner, Noel Kennelly, is still a key member of the team, as are the former Kerry panellists Brendan Guiney and Kieran Quirke.
Galvin is the obvious candidate for the Kerry captaincy should Feale Rangers prevail, but obviously that's talk for another day.
South Kerry are formidable opposition, and are likely to nominate Bryan Sheehan for the captaincy should they win.
Fitzgerald came out of retirement for the semi-final replay against Mid Kerry, and though he didn't play he's quite a reserve. There's also Kerry's Killian Young, Ronan O'Connor and Ronan Hussey to contend with.
The four-in-a-row has only once been bettered; John Mitchell's of Tralee won five from 1959. The only other team to win four is Laune Rangers (1887-1890).
"South Kerry will start as warm favourites," admits Mulvihill. "They're the form team, and work very hard for each other. But we're looking forward to it . . . I think we have been getting stronger with every game."
Whoever does win in Tralee can celebrate; they won't have the Munster championship to worry about. For that they can blame East Kerry, who won three county titles from 1968 and the All-Ireland in 1971 - which prompted the rule barring divisional teams from provincial championships. Still, everything to play for on Sunday.
