Kerry Premier Junior Football Championship

Last updated

Kerry Premier Junior Football Championship
Current season or competition:
Current event clock.svg 2025 Kerry Premier Junior Football Championship
Irish Craobhchomórtas Peile Príomh-Shóisearach Chiarraí
Code Gaelic football
Founded2016;9 years ago (2016)
Region Colours of Kerry.svg Kerry (GAA)
TrophyTom Keane Perpetual Cup
No. of teams16
Title holders Colours of Clare.svg Ballymacelligott (1st title)
First winner Colours of Down.svg Glenbeigh-Glencar
Most titles10 clubs (1 titles)
SponsorsKerry Petroleum
Official website Official website

The Kerry Premier Junior Football Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as Kerry Petroleum County Premier Junior Football Championship and abbreviated to the Kerry PJFC) is an annual Gaelic football competition organised by the Kerry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association and contested by the top-ranking junior clubs in the county of Kerry in Ireland. It is the third tier overall in the entire Kerry Gaelic football championship system.

Contents

The Kerry Premier Junior Championship was introduced in 2016 following a restructuring of the entire Kerry Gaelic football championship system at all levels. [1]

In its current format, the 16 participating club are drawn into four groups of four teams and play each other in a round-robin system. The four group winners and the four runners-up proceed to the knockout phase that culminates with the Final. The winner of the Kerry Premier Junior Championship, as well as being presented with the Tom Keane Perpetual Cup, qualifies for the subsequent Munster Club Championship.

The competition has been won by ten different teams.

History

Beginnings

The Kerry Premier Junior Championship was introduced in 2016 following a restructuring of the entire Kerry Gaelic football championship system at all levels.

Format

Group stage

The 16 clubs 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 and the bottom team in each group advance to the relegation playoffs.

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 and are promoted to the Kerry Intermediate Football Championship.

Relegation playoffs

Relegation semi-finals: The 4 group losers contest this round. The two losers from these two games advance to the relegation finals.

Relegation finals: The two semi-final losers contest the relegation final. The losing team are relegated to the Kerry Junior Football Championship.

Qualification

At the end of the championship, the winning club qualify to the subsequent Munster Junior Club Football Championship.

Teams

2025 Teams

ClubLocationDivisionColoursIn championship sinceChampionship titlesLast championship title
Colours of Laois.svg Annascaul Annascaul West Kerry Blue and white0—
Colours of Sligo.svg Ardfert Ardfert St Brendan's Black and white0—
Colours of Limerick.svg Ballyduff Ballyduff Shannon Rangers Green and white0—
Colours of Clare.svg Ballymacelligott Ballymacelligott St Kieran's 0—
Colours of Armagh.svg Brosna Brosna St Kieran's 0—
Colours of Kerry.svg Castlegregory Castlegregory West Kerry Green and gold0—
StFinbarrs.png Churchill Tralee St Brendan's Green and black0—
Colours of Cork.svg Currow Currow St Kieran's Red and white20240—
Colours of Galway.svg Dromid Pearses Dromid South Kerry Maroon and white12017
Flag of Rome.svg Duagh Duagh Feale Rangers Maroon and gold20250—
Colours of Laois.svg KeelKeel Mid Kerry Blue and white0—
Colours of Limerick.svg ListryListry East Kerry Green and white0—
Colours of Laois.svg Reenard Reenard South Kerry Blue and white20240—
Colours of Cork.svg St Patrick’s, Blennerville Blennerville St Brendan's Red and white0—
Colours of Clare.svg St Senan's Listowel Feale Rangers Blue and yellow0—
Colours of Cork.svg Waterville Waterville South Kerry Red and white0—

Sponsorship

Since 2019 the Premier Junior Championship has been sponsored by Kerry Petroleum. The competition was previously sponsored by Castleisland Mart.

Trophy and medals

The Tom Keane Perpetual Cup is the current prize for winning the championship. Colin McGillycuddy of Glenbeigh-Glencar was the first recipient of the cup when it was presented to him after the 2016 final replay. [2] In accordance with GAA rules, the County Board awards a set of gold medals to the championship winners. The medals depict a stylised version of the Kerry GAA crest.

Roll of honour

By club

#TeamTitlesRunners-UpWinning yearsLosing years
1 Colours of Limerick.svg Na Gaeil 1220192016, 2018
Colours of Clare.svg Ballymacelligott1120252023
Colours of Kerry.svg Gneeveguilla 1120212020
Colours of Dublin.svg Firies1120242017
Colours of Down.svg Glenbeigh-Glencar 102016—
Colours of Galway.svg Dromid Pearses 102017—
Colours of Clare.svg Beaufort 102018—
Colours of Limerick.svg Ballydonoghue 102020—
Colours of Down.svg Fossa 102022—
Colours of Kilkenny.svg Listowel Emmets 102023—
11 Colours of Tipperary.svg St Senan's 02—2019, 2025
Colours of Clare.svg Skellig Rangers 01—2021
Colours of Limerick.svg Listry 01—2022
Colours of Sligo.svg Ardfert 01—2024

By division

DivisionTitlesRunners-upTotal
Colours of Cork.svg East Kerry 336
Colours of Mayo.svg Mid Kerry 202
Flag of Torhout.svg St Brendan’s Board 134
Colours of Clare.svg Feale Rangers 123
Colours of Kerry GAA.svg South Kerry 112
Colours of Limerick.svg St Kieran's 112
Colours of Laois.svg Shannon Rangers 101
Colours of Clare.svg Kenmare District 000
Colours of Cork.svg West Kerry 000
Colours of Sligo.svg Tralee District 000

List of finals

Legend

List of Kerry PJFC finals

YearWinnersRunners-upVenue#
ClubScoreClubScore
2025Ballymacelligott2-17 (AET)
(pens:4)		 St Senan's 3-14 (AET)
(pens:1)		 Austin Stack Park [3]
2024 Firies 0-16 (AET) Ardfert 1-11 (AET) Austin Stack Park [4]
2023 Listowel Emmets 0-24Ballymacelligott1-18 (AET) Austin Stack Park [5]
2022 Fossa 4-15 Listry 0-22 FitzGerald Stadium [6]
2021 Gneeveguilla 0-12 Skellig Rangers 0-09 FitzGerald Stadium [7]
2020 Ballydonoghue 3-20 Gneeveguilla 3-18 Austin Stack Park [8]
2019 Na Gaeil 3-14 St Senan's 1-10 Austin Stack Park [9]
2018 Beaufort 4-13 Na Gaeil 2-18 Austin Stack Park [10]
2017 Dromid Pearses 0-17 Firies 1-11 J. P. O'Sullivan Park [11]
2016 Glenbeigh-Glencar 1-16, 1-06 (R) Na Gaeil 0-12, 0-09 (R) FitzGerald Stadium [12] [13]

Team records and statistics

Performances by divisions

DivisionTitlesRunners-upYears wonYears runners-up
East Kerry332021, 2022, 20242017, 2020, 2022
Mid Kerry202016, 2018—
St Brendan’s1320192016, 2018, 2024
Feale Rangers1220232019, 2025
South Kerry1120172021
St Kieran’s1120252023
Shannon Rangers102020—

See also

References

  1. ↑ O'Mahony, John (20 October 2014). "GAA proposes major SFC surgery". Killarney Today. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  2. ↑ Hurley, Denis (5 December 2016). "Glenbeigh-Glencar regroup to keep Kerry's title grip". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  3. ↑ O'Dowd, John (13 September 2025). "Ballymacelligott claim elusive Kerry Junior Premier title after penalty shoot-out win over St Senans". The Kerryman . Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  4. ↑ "Firies ignite to extinguish Ardfert". The Kerryman. 26 October 2024. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  5. ↑ Stack, Damian (29 October 2023). "Kerry Premier JFC Final: Jack McElligott-inspired Listowel Emmets hold off Ballymacelligott revival to take title". Irish Independent. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
  6. ↑ O'Dowd, John (14 November 2022). "Fossa boss Adrian Sheehan's dream comes true with Premier Junior glory". The Kerryman. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  7. ↑ Murphy, Murt (20 November 2021). "Gneeveguilla gain redemption in extra time to claim Kerry Junior Premier title". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  8. ↑ O'Dowd, John (6 September 2021). "Night of high drama as Ballydonoghue win Premier Junior title with late, late Kennelly penalty". The Kerryman. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  9. ↑ Brennan, Paul (11 May 2019). "No luck needed for Na Gaeil who lift title at third time of asking". The Kerryman. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  10. ↑ Brennan, Paul (12 May 2018). "Brilliant Beaufort scale Premier Junior heights in six-goal extra-time thriller against Na Gaeil". The Kerryman. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  11. ↑ "Piarsaigh na Dromada: Junior Premier Champions 2017". Kerry GAA website. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  12. ↑ "Junior Premier Champ Final: Glenbeigh-Glencar 1-16 Na Gaeil 0-12". Kerry GAA website. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  13. ↑ O'Connor, Gavin (16 October 2016). "Culloty Rescues Draw For Na Gaeil Against 13 Man Glenbeigh/Glencar". Tralee Today. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
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