Kerry’s two games in the 2014 Munster minor championship both ended in 32-point hammerings and officials within the county are understandably reluctant to rejoin the provincial hurling championship until such time as they believe the county can be competitive at that level.

“Obviously, we are trying to better the game in Kerry, to improve structures, and are anxious to get Kerry, at minor level, up to a higher standard,” began Kerry county board chairman Tim Murphy.

“Munster Council was very accomodating of us moving up. From our point of view, we don’t want to go up and not be competitive with the likes of Cork and Limerick. That would be the fear.

“There is a hurling steering group in Kerry and they would be the liaison between the minor management, the coaches, the coaching officier, and GDAs.

They would have collectively made the decision that it might have been a year or two premature to go up. To be up there is certainly what we are aspiring towards. We want to have all our ducks in a row before moving up.

Kerry won their Celtic Challenge division this year and the competition will remain their chief focus at U17 level next year. Munster Council chairman Liam Lenihan is optimistic Kerry will step up in the coming years.

“I’d love to see Kerry involved in the Munster minor championship,” said Lenihan. “They did five in a row at minor B level (2012-16) and I was hoping they’d take part in 2020. Hopefully, we will see them involved in the next year or two.”