Surprise as holders withdraw from West Kerry SFC

An Ghaeltacht's Franz Sauerland, Brian Ó Beaglaoich, Diarmuid Ó Séaghdha and Peter Paul Sauerland celebrate ©INPHO/Bryan Keane

An Ghaeltacht have opted out of the West Kerry SFC in protest over player welfare and fixture scheduling.

The holders - who are also the reigning All-Ireland club intermediate champions - made the surprise decision after their scheduled semi-final against Castlegregory last Saturday didn't go ahead. Attempts to refix the game for Bank Holiday Monday failed. A statement by An Ghaeltacht chairman and former Kerry star Dara Ó Cinnéide highlighted concerns regarding player welfare due to poor playing conditions and fixture arrangements.

"Some of our players had taken time off work to make themselves available for the game. More undertook journeys from Limerick, Cork and Dublin to play," he said.

"It is entirely unsatisfactory that games be administered in such a fashion and we believe as a club that it was time to draw a line in the sand and to refuse to accept such handling of our fixtures and of our games."

Castlegregory will now face All-Ireland senior club kingpins Dingle in the district board final.