Another fantastic year of football came to a close for our Juvenile Academy on Sunday morning, as our young players enjoyed their final regular training session of the 2026 season.

The Academy caters for boys and girls from U6 up to U10 and has enjoyed a busy year both on and off the field.

The season began all the way back on 15 February, with our youngest players getting their year underway indoors at the MTU Sports Academy. 

As the weather improved, the Academy moved outdoors to Pat Healy Park, Ballyrickard on 12 April, where our boys and girls continued to develop their football skills throughout the spring and summer.

There has been much more than Sunday morning training along the way.

Our young players proudly represented Kerins O’Rahillys in the Tralee St Patrick's Day Parade, while throughout the season there were plenty of opportunities to put their developing skills into practice. Across the age groups, our boys and girls enjoyed games against clubs including Na Gaeil, Ardfert, Churchill, St Pat’s Blennerville, Castleisland Desmonds and Austin Stacks, both at home and away.

There were also some memorable trips further afield. Our U8 and U10 boys travelled to Cork for a football event hosted by Bishopstown, while September saw our U10 boys make the journey to Dublin for the St Jude’s U10 Mini All-Ireland. Both teams reached their respective semi-finals in Dublin after a fantastic day of football against clubs from around the country.

July was a particularly busy month. Our juveniles joined the wider club community for the Kerins O’Rahillys Sponsored Walk on 19 July, before our annual Summer Camp took place from 28–31 July. Open to boys and girls aged 5–12, the camp provided four brilliant days packed with football, games, skill development, teamwork and plenty of fun.

Throughout it all, the regular Academy sessions continued to provide the foundation for the year, with strong participation and plenty of opportunities for our youngest players to learn, develop and enjoy their football.

Sunday's final Academy session featured some warm-up drills before things got very competitive, with a series of entertaining and high-quality matches across the different age groups.

Our U8 boys also travelled to Connolly Park on Sunday to take on local rivals Austin Stacks. The boys performed very well and showed just how much their skills have developed over the course of the season.

A huge thank you goes to all of our coaches and volunteers who have given their time throughout the year, and to all the parents and families for their continued support.

Most importantly, well done to all of our young players for the enthusiasm, effort and enjoyment they have brought to the Academy throughout 2026.

But we're not quite finished yet!

We'll bring the juvenile year to a close with our Family Fun Day at Strand Road this Sunday, 11 October, from 10am.

There will be plenty happening throughout the morning, including:

The morning is free of charge, and families are welcome to come along and join in the fun.

📅 Sunday 11 October
⏰ From 10am
📍 Strand Road
🎟️ Free – just come along!

It promises to be a brilliant morning and a great way to celebrate another fantastic year for our youngest Kerins O’Rahillys players.

We look forward to seeing everyone at Strand Road on Sunday! 🔵⚪

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