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Robbie Kiely won a Munster U21 football medal in 2010. Donall Farmer/INPHO
Signed And Sealed

Tipperary senior defender makes club move to last year's Cork championship finalists

Robbie Kiely is on the move to West Cork.

CORK SENIOR CLUB Carbery Rangers have pulled off a major transfer coup by snapping up Tipperary football defender Robbie Kiely from Arravale Rovers.

Kiely, who was red carded against Armagh in last Sunday’s Allianz Division 3 league game, has confirmed that he is joining last year’s beaten Cork county senior football finalists.

“I’m not sure if it’s gone through yet but I signed the necessary documentation before the start of the McGrath Cup,” revealed 24 year-old Kiely.

“Travelling took a fair toll on me last year and I still haven’t fully recovered from the season I had. It’s been a continuation into pre-season with Tipp but Rosscarbery is only 20 minutes away from Courtmacsherry, where I’m living.

“I had approaches from a number of clubs but Carbery Rangers were onto me for the last three years and it’s the best thing for me at the moment.”

Carbery team The Carbery Rangers team that contested last year's Cork senior football final. Donall Farmer / INPHO Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO

The addition of Kiely is a major boost to Carbery Rangers who include Cork senior footballers John O’Rourke and John Hayes in their ranks. Kiely, a student at NUI Galway, confirmed that he would continue to play intercounty football with Tipperary.

And the 2010 Munster U21 medallist admitted that leaving Arravale Rovers is a wrench.

“Very hard – I’ve been playing with the lads for ten years and grown up with them. They’ve great potential there as well with the Leahy brothers, Ger Mulhair and the Lowry brothers.

“The target was to win a county title with Arravale and them move on but the travelling was really taking a toll and I had to make a decision before I fell apart!”

Michael Mac Clonaith and Paddy Codd Tipperary and Armagh players during Sunday's league game Presseye / Russell Pritchard/INPHO Presseye / Russell Pritchard/INPHO / Russell Pritchard/INPHO

Kiely also expressed disappointment with last Sunday’s red card against Armagh – and is hopeful that video evidence will exonerate him.

“There were a few other off the ball incidents that seemed to slip by the referee (David Goldrick). There were yellow cards thrown out for similar things and mine was fairly minor compared to a few of the others.

“The Armagh player didn’t have a scratch on him but a few other lads had cuts on their faces. I was unlucky that the referee saw it in a different way to other people.”

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