Thread by @BlogIrish

SENIOR FOOTBALL RETURNING TO KERRY WITH @KerryFC

This thread will to take a brief look at seems the impending arrival of Senior Soccer in Kerry with Kerry FC, it’ll look note what it could mean for the region, what players could be looked at and how I’d possibly market them!

On the 2nd of June it was announced that @KerryFC had submitted their application to enter the licensing process for a Senior Football team, in what’s been seen as a huge boost to Irish Football particularly the Munster Region

https://twitter.com/SSEAirtricityLg/status/1532287892386893825

Kerry FC take major step towards inclusion in LOI rte.ie/sport/soccer/2… via @rte

Following several successful years running National League Underage Sides, the club have been backed by former Kingdom LOI man Billy Dennehy and US based directors Steven Conway and Brian Ainscough.

With their intention to bring LOI football to Mounthawk Park in February 2023."

There’s been much debate and discussion around a potential “Third Division” being introduced into Irish Football with LOI Director Mark Scanlon saying back in February that it was “Long Overdue” 👇👇👇

League of Ireland third division is ‘long overdue’ - Scanlon irishmirror.ie/sport/soccer/s…

Much is made about how “Dublin Centric” Irish Football is but the introduction of Kerry FC would mean a stronger Munster Region and a more balanced regional balance of teams… The senior LOI teams would be as follows

(1) Cork City
(2) Waterford FC
(3) Treaty United
(4) Kerry FC

Questions will be asked whether they can attract enough talent?

I don’t think it’ll be an issue? The likes of Darren and Billy Dennehy both hail from the Kingdom

They’ve continually produced players for Ireland underage assessments in recent times also which shows the talent

https://twitter.com/kerryfc/status/1549770831911235584

One name to take out of here is Daniel Okwute a striker who recently signed a professional contract for EFL club @StockportCounty after 19 goals in 19 games for the Kerry U19 side and spending time on trial with the likes of Blackpool and Stoke City

https://twitter.com/kerrydistrictlg/status/1422590998211870728

👇👇👇

https://twitter.com/stockportcounty/status/1565716185093754887

Here’s an excellent interview he did with Adam Moynihan which gives you an insight into Daniel and his mindset

https://twitter.com/AdamMoynihan/status/1570706301310869505

With that said, it made me think about squad building and how they’d approach it?

Here’s a very insightful article on how @TreatyUnitedFC build there squad in 3 days!

We’ll then discuss names which could be options in the future short, medium or long

bbc.com/sport/football…

(1) Kevin Williams (22): Kevin is a RB capable at RW and LB who was born in Tralee and is a former @CorkCityFCAcad Cobh and Inter Leipzig player currently plays for FSV Union Fürstenwald in the German 5th Division

Could a return to Senior Football in Kerry see him come home?👀

(2) Kennedy Amechi (18): A player we’ve highlighted! With O’Mahony and Umeh signing professional contracts the pathway at City will be difficult.However Kennedy would be a top striker for any FD club and Billy Dennehy could bring the best out of him like Daniel now at Stockport

https://twitter.com/blogirish/status/1561512964980703246

(3) Rian O’Sullivan (23): The LB and Tralee native spent time in the Brighton Academy from 2015-2018 playing with the likes of Connolly and Molumby before returning home to education. Rian capped at U17, 18 and 19 level has most recently played with UCC

https://twitter.com/JohnOShea1993/status/1247820405609553920?s=20&t=2nObz3KqroIX6ijz3AUN3g

(4) Brendan Moloney (33): Born in Beaufort, Moloney played top-level football with likes of Nottingham Forest + Northampton from 2006-2018 before retiring through knee-injuries. It’s a long-shot but he could line out for Kerry FC if managed correctly on a less intense schedule?

(5) Paudie Quinn (30): The former Ireland U17 player spent a one year scholarship at Fulham in 2009 before returning to Ireland. He’s since played for the likes of Limerick FC, Waterford FC and most recently Fairview Rangers

independent.ie/regionals/kerr…

(6) Sean Kennedy (19): Another Tralee man the former Sunderland and Cork City trainee looked like a prospect in the First Division last year. He left the club citing a change in direction but if Kerry FC could tempt him back the former U16, 17 and 18 could be a massive asset

(7+8) Shane + Darragh Lowth (24+21): The two Kerry brothers are both very talented footballers Winger Shane most recently of Treaty and now with Killarney. Lesser known younger brother Darragh spent time at Cobh + Killarney. Both played for Kidderminster

balls.ie/football/shane…

(9) Matt Keane (26): As recently as February the @TreatyUnitedFC star MF said that Kerry needed a League of Ireland team and he was hopeful it would happen in the near future …. As good of an omen if they can tempt him to leave high flying Treaty!

killarneyadvertiser.ie/sport/kerry-ne…

(10) Karl O’Sullivan (22): While he is Limerick born,the RB/RM/RW spent time at Kerry FC in 2016 and could be just the type of player they’ll want to tempt to the club in time! At 22 he’s already played nearly 100 games for Limerick, Finn Harps + Sligo while being a former 🇮🇪 U21

(11) Shane McLoughlin (25): Another for the distant future Morecambe FC moved to Kerry when he was 5 after being born in NYC! His football education came at Castleisland, Killorglin + St Brendan’s Park before signing for Ipswich in 2013 he’s also capped by Ireland at U16 + U18

(12) Gary O’Neil (27): The Tralee man and current Shamrock Rovers MF is the current standard bearer for Kerrymen in the LOI who briefly spent time in England before returning to UCD in 2014 so don’t 5 years at the club before signing for Rovers in 2019 where he’s been excellent

(13) David Clifford (23): While, I’m not suggesting the GAA superstar could be prized away from his code, not at all …

Gary O’Neill said he could’ve made the grade in the Premier League – as a CB!

Clifford has also spoken about missing the game

hoganstand.com/article/index/…

While it’s l impossible for Kerry FC to compete GAA, the cross appeal potential is epic! If Wexford can get Lee Chin why can’t they get Clifford for a few games?

Even if just for a friendly or a showcase game would be 👍🏻 marketing

More on that now ..

the42.ie/david-clifford…

Idea (1): Get Buff Egan a free season ticket and try and get him involved in the project! Say what you want about him but if he was on board and into it he’d bring phenomenal coverage to Kerry FC and their games via social media which would only be good for the club

https://twitter.com/BlogIrish/status/1348760400163172352

Idea (2): Tourism Partnerships, Kerry is one of the biggest tourism counties in the country from the lakes in Killarney, amenities like the Aqua-Dome, beaches, holiday homes and more! Kerry FC should be looking to partner with all of the attractions + more to get ticket deals

Idea (3): Not an idea really, but it’s important to mention! The club mustn’t try to compete against GAA but they should try to befriend them and work together through the likes of marketing campaigns, ticket deals, co-events/matches etc even if it was on the off-season!

Here’s 170 more ideas, a lot of which could be adapted and applied to Kerry FC in the future!

https://twitter.com/blogirish/status/1347910602501595143

In conclusion, I’m excited to see what the club can bring to the League of Ireland pyramid. They seem to have solid foundations and the right talent pool and structure to make a splash in Senior Soccer in Ireland similar to what the likes of Treaty has done since 2020

Here’s an excellent podcast if you want to know more about the Kerry FC project 👇👇👇

https://twitter.com/LOICentralPod/status/1535195566363115520