Valentia Young Islanders GAA

Infobox GAA club
club gaa =Valentia Young Islanders
irish =
crest =
founded =1905
province =Munster
county =Kerry
nickname =
colours =
grounds =
pattern_la= |pattern_b=_unknown |pattern_ra=
leftarm=FFFFFF |body=FFFFFF |rightarm=FFFFFF |shorts=FFFFFF |socks=FFFFFF
|

Valentia Young Islanders are a Gaelic Athletic Association club from Valentia Island, south County Kerry, Ireland. They play in Division 3 of the county league and in the County Junior Champions.

History

The 'Young Islanders' club was founded in 1905, though football was being played in Valentia in the 1800s. The 'Young Islanders' reached the County Championship semi-final in 1907 being beaten by Dingle and by Tralee Mitchel's in the final of 1908. The club won its first South Kerry Championship in 1939 beating Cahirciveen by 2-8 to 1-2 in the final. They added a second in 1945. A third Championship came in 1950 but that was about all the success there was in the 1950s. For seven years they fought without success to regain the South Kerry Championship title. In 1957 the Young Islanders broke a seven year deadlock and took the South Kerry title overcoming a much fancied Renard side. Centre-field for Valentia on that day was Mick O'Connell, a man who was destined to annex every honour the game has to offer. Between 1957 and 1964 Valentia won seven South Kerry Senior Championship titles and were South Kerry minor and senior champions in 1958 and 1961. Valentia were the first club to win the Kerry club championship in 1964, with victory over Ballymacelligott in the final. In 1959 the All Ireland and Munster Senior Championship Cups (Mick O'Connell being senior captain), the Munster Junior Championship Cup (John 'Dasher' Connor capt.) and the South Kerry Senior Championship Cup all came to the island.

After a long time without success Valentia won the Novice Football Championship Final in 1975 defeating Scartagin by 1-10 to 2-4 in Killarney. From 1979 to 1993 can certainly be considered as the golden era of Valentia football. After losing five consecutive South Kerry Senior Football Championship Finals from 1973 to 1977 the tide turned in 1979. Mick O'Connell made a comeback in 1979 and helped Valentia bridge a 15 year gap as Valentia won their first South Kerry Championship since 1964. Between 1979 and 1993, Valentia won nine South Kerry Championship titles, seven South Kerry League titles, the County Junior and Intermediate Championships and the County Club Championship. Valentia were strongly represented in the South Kerry County Championship winning teams of 1981 and 1982. Ger Lynch won three All-Ireland medals and an All-Star award with Kerry. Ger O'Driscoll won senior (two), Under 21 and Junior All-Ireland medals with kerry and Michael Anthony O'Connell also winning an All-Ireland Junior Football Championship medal.

In 1995 Valentia won their second County Intermediate Championship defeating Spa in a replay. In 2000 Valentia win the South Kerry Championship defeating favorites Sneem in the final. 2005 saw Valentia senior team win their 20th South Kerry Championship by defeating title holders Dromid Pearses in the final. In 2006 Paul O'Connor Captained South Kerry to Victory in the County Championship final win over Dr Crokes

Roll of Honour

*South Kerry Senior Championships 20 1939, 1945, 1950, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1993, 2000, 2005

*South Kerry Minor Championships 1958, 1961, 1972

*County Intermediate Champions 1986, 1995

*County Club Champions 1964,1986

*County Junior Champions 1981

*County Novice Champions 1975

*County League Division 1 1984

Kerry Junior Football Championship

Valentia have won the Kerry Junior Football Championship once

Kerry Club Football Championship

Valentia have won the County Club Champions 2 times

All-Ireland Medal Winners

Senior
*John McCarthy
*John Casey
*Mick O'Connell
*Ger O'Driscoll
*Ger Lynch

Under 21
*Ger O'Driscoll

Junior
*Ger O'Driscoll
*Michael A. O'Connell

Famous Players

*Mick O'Connell
*Ger O'Driscoll
*Ger Lynch