The Kerry Junior Football Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as Kerry Petroleum County Junior Football Championship and abbreviated to the Kerry JFC) is an annual Gaelic football competition organised by the Kerry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association and contested by the second highest ranked junior clubs in the county of Kerry in Ireland. It is the fourth tier overall in the entire Kerry Gaelic football championship system.
The championship began in 1971 as the Kerry Novice Football Championship. Following a restructuring of the entire Kerry Gaelic football championship system at all levels in 2016 the Kerry Premier Junior Football Championship was created which resulted in the Novice Championship being renamed the Kerry Junior Football Championship. As a result, the champions no longer enter the Munster Junior Club Football Championship.
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 Junior Championship, as well as being presented with the Cup, are promoted to the Kerry Premier Junior Football Championship.
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.
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 Premier Junior Football Championship.
Teams
2026 Teams Club Location ColoursDivision In championship since Championship titles Last championship title Asdee Asdee Black and amber Shannon Rangers 2025 0 — Ballylongford Ballylongford Blue and white Shannon Rangers 20250— Beale Ballybunion Green, red and black Shannon Rangers11980 Cordal Cordal Blue and yellow St Kieran's11986 Cromane Cromane Maroon and white Mid Kerry0— Finuge Finuge Green and Gold Feale Rangers 3 2004 Kilgarvan Kilgarvan Red and white Kenmare District 0— Knocknagoshel Knocknagoshel Green and yellow St Kieran's 0— Lispole Lispole Green and yellow West Kerry 2 2018 Moyvane Moyvane Green and gold Feale Rangers 0— Scartaglin Scartaglen Maroon and white St Kieran's 0— Skellig Rangers Portmagee Green and yellow South Kerry 2024 1 2008 Sneem-Derrynane Derrynane and Sneem Tangerine and black South Kerry 1 (as Sneem) 1997 St Michael's/Foilmore Ballinskelligs Green and red South Kerry 2023 1 2001 Tuosist Tuosist Green and red Kenmare District 0— Valentia Young Islanders Valentia Island Red and yellow South Kerry 2023 1 1981
List of finals
YearWinnersRunners-upClubScoreClubScore 2026 Finuge 0-13 Knocknagoshel 0-12 2025 Tarbert 2-13 Beale 3-09 2024 Duagh 2-11 Tarbert 1-11 2023 Reenard 1-14 Tarbert 0-06 2022 Firies 1-17 Cordal 0-11 2021 Castlegregory 3-17 Firies 0-12 2020 Annascaul 2-16 Castlegregory 0-10 2019 Ballyduff 2-09 Renard 0-12 2018 Lios Póil 1-11 Beale 1-08 2017 Listry 2-12 Castlegregory 2-11 2016 Fossa 2-12 Beale 0-08 2015 Templenoe 1-14 Glenbeigh-Glencar 1-06 2014 Brosna 0-08 Dromid Pearses 0-07 2013 Keel 1-09 Glenbeigh-Glencar 1-07 2012 Kenmare Shamrocks 0-13 Na Gaeil 0-10 2011 Dromid Pearses 0-08 Duagh 1-03 2010 St Mary's Dromid Pearses 2009 Castlegregory Beaufort 2008 Skellig Rangers Beale 2007 Keel Castlegregory 2006 Duagh Renard 2005 Ardfert Cordal 2004 Finuge Lispole 2003 Annascaul Currow 2002 Finuge Castlegregory 2001 St Michael's/Foilmore Dromid Pearses 2000 Gneeveguilla Finuge 1999 Listowel Emmets Beaufort 1998 Rathmore Finuge 1997 Sneem Beale 1996 St Senan's 1995 Tarbert Beaufort 1994 St Patrick's, Blennerville St Senan's 1993 An Ghaeltacht Rathmore 1992 St Senan's 1991 Kilcummin 1990 Milltown/Castlemaine Tarbert 1989 Brosna Knocknagoshel 1988 Currow Rathmore 1987 Ardfert 1986 Cordal 1985 St Senan's An Ghaeltacht 1984 Lispole 1983 St Mary's Cordal 1982 Moyvane Ardfert 1981 Valentia Young Islanders Lispole 1980 Beale St Mary's 1979 Annascaul St Mary's 1978 Gneeveguilla St Mary's 1977 Beaufort Gneeveguilla 1976 An Ghaeltacht 1975 Templenoe 1-05 Moyvane 1-03 1974 Castlegregory 1973 Kilcummin 1972 Listowel Emmets Glenflesk 1971 Dingle
Roll of honour
By club # Team Titles Runners-Up Winning years Losing years 1 Finuge421982, 2002, 2004. 20261998, 20002 Castlegregory341974, 2009, 20212002, 2007, 2017, 2020 Annascaul301979, 2003, 2020, 2026—4 St Mary’s231983, 20101978, 1979, 1980 Tarbert231995, 20251990, 2023, 2024 Lispole221984, 20181981, 2004 An Ghaeltacht211976, 19931985 Gneeveguilla211978, 20001977 Duagh212006, 20242011 Kilcummin201973, 1991— Listowel Emmets201972, 1999— Ardfert201987, 2005— Keel202007, 2013— Brosna201989, 2014— Templenoe201975, 2015—16 Beale1519801997, 2008, 2016, 2018, 2025 Beaufort1319771995, 1999, 2009 Cordal1319861983, 2005, 2022 Rathmore1319981988, 1993, 1996 Dromid Pearses1320112001, 2010, 2014 Reenard1220232006, 2019 St Senan's311985 1992 19961994 Currow1119882003 Firies1120222021 Dingle101971— Valentia Young Islanders101981— Milltown/Castlemaine101990— St Patrick’s, Blennerville101994— Sneem101997— St Michael's/Foilmore102001— Skellig Rangers102008— Kenmare Shamrocks102012— Fossa102016— Listry 1 0 2017— Ballyduff 1 0 2019—36 Glenbeigh-Glencar 0 2— 2013, 2015 Knocknagoshel 0 2—1989, 2026 Glenflesk01—1972 Moyvane01—1975 Na Gaeil01—2012
See also Kerry Senior Football Championship (Tier 1) Kerry Club Football Championship (Tier 1) Kerry Intermediate Football Championship (Tier 2) Kerry Premier Junior Football Championship (Tier 3) Kerry Novice Football Championship (Tier 5)
References