History
At a subsequent club meeting attended by Messrs. Michael O'Sullivan, Tim McElligott,Pete Hanafin, Tim Sweeney and Mick Healy, the following team was selected to represent Ardfert on Sunday, May 14th 1933 against Castleisland in the District League:
Johnny Collins (Ardfert Captain), John Hanafin (Ardfert) Dan Keane (Station Rd.), Tim Hayes (County Council), James Kelly (Tubrid), James Riordan (Tubrid), Tom Wallace (Cloonglebe), Guard James Henderson,Ml. O'Sullivan(Tralee Rd), Jackie Dowling (The Square), Pete Hanfin, Willie Hussey, Joe Riordan, Pat N.Dowling (Banna), Pat Connell, Joe Sullivan (Tralee Rd), P.J. Dowling, Mike Dowling( The Square)
During the 1930s and 1940s Ardfert competed in the junior county championship, the Tralee District League and the St. Brendans District Board Competitions. The only success came in the latter, in competitions which were promoted largely due to the backing of Monsignor Tom Collins, Ardfert who donated a number of trophies to the Brendans Board over the years.
THe next major football hightlight came in 1953 when the St. Brendans District Team won the county minor football championship for the one and only time to date. They had little difficulty beating iveragh by 3-7 to 0-3 in the final played at Tralee. 3 goals from Xavier Lovett and good displays from Connell, Collins and Leary helped fashion this unique victory. The successful team was:
T.Crean (Spa), Brendan Brosnan (Abbyedorney), John Murphy(Fenit), John Collins( Kilmoyley), E.Crean Spa), Moss Connell (Abbeydorney), Danny Doyle(Fenit), Tom Collins (Kilmoyley), Pat Hickey (Fenit), Willie Leary (Kilmoyley), Denis Treacy(Kilmoyley), Mike Doyle (Ballyheigue), Batt McElligott(Spa), Jimmy Moloney (Abbeydorney), X.Lovett (Kilmoyley).
The achievement of contesting a Kerry county senior football championship came twice to the St.Brendans Board team in the 1950s. On Sunday October 26th 1957 St.Brendans faced up to Kerins O'Rahillys, Tralee in the county final. The St.Brendans side was badly hit by flu so had to field without five first choice players(Tom Collins, Florry O'Carroll, Brendan O'Shea, Billy McCarthy, and Timmy O'Sullivan). The replacements were not up to scratch, and could not prevent a 1-11 to 3-1 defeat in what the Kerryman termed
Four players were sent off, two from each side, football often took on secondary importance but in the end:
The unsuccessful St.Brendans side was
Liam Fitzgerald (Ardfert), Danny Doyle (Fenit), John Collins (Kilmoyley), S.O'Brien, Tim Mcelligott (Ardfert), Sean Lovett (Kilmoyley), Diarmuid Lawlor (Kilmoyley), Bobby Buckley(Ballyheigue), Ned Lawlor (Kilmoyley), John Joe O'Donnell (Spa), Seamus Griffin Spa), Patrick O'Sullivan (Ardfert), Tom Lawlor (Kilmoyley), Batt McElligott (Spa), Paul Lenihan (Spa)