REPORT/PHOTOS: Austin Stacks Overcome Challenge From West Kerry Men

Gavin O’Connor reports on Austin Stacks’ win over West Kerry at Austin Stack Park tonight…

Austin Stacks 0-21

West Kerry 1-13 (16)

Shane O'Callaghan and Cathal Ó Lúing battle for the ball. Photo by Dermot Crean — Shane O’Callaghan and Cathal Ó Lúing battle for the ball. Photo by Dermot Crean

AUSTIN STACKS made into the quarter-finals of the Garveys Supervalu Senior Football County Championship after an open encounter with West Kerry in Austin Stack Park on Saturday evening.

What the game lacked in championship intensity, it made up for in quantity of scores. All but three of the Rock’s scores came from play, with an impressive ten different scorers.

West Kerry, on the other hand, relied on An Ghaeltacht’s Seán Micheál Ó Conchúir, who kicked 1-7 of the side’s overall total. His goal after 12 minutes was the score that kept West Kerry in the game, but in reality they never looked like causing an upset.

Continued below…

Austin Stacks spurned five gilt-edged goal chances that would have put this game beyond doubt earlier on. In the first half, Pa McCarthy, Daniel Bohan and Kieran Donaghy (twice) all should have netted. While in the second half it was Alan Nestor who fluffed his lines.

The match lacked the intensity you would expect for a championship encounter. West Kerry bore all the hallmarks of a rusty divisional side leaving huge gaps in defence for Stacks to exploit.

Pa McCarthy and Michéal Mac Gearailt in action. Photo by Dermot Crean

Kieran Donaghy once again was the driving force for the Rock as he gravitated from midfield to full-forward, but mainly spending his time around the middle.

The Rock got off to the perfect start, hitting three points without reply. It was mostly one-way traffic until the game was shook up by a Seán Micheál Ó Conchúir goal on 12 minutes.

The corner-forward fielded a long high ball sent in by Eamonn Hickson around the square. Ó Conchúir turned inside his man, Barry Walsh, who lost his footing allowing Ó Conchúir a free run at goal for him to finish to the net. Remarkably West Kerry were now 1-1 to 0-3 in front.

Seán Micheál Ó Conchúir nets West Kerry's first half goal. Photo by Dermot Crean — Seán Micheál Ó Conchúir nets West Kerry’s first half goal. Photo by Dermot Crean

The response was swift and emphatic from the Rock, who hit 0-5 without reply. The points coming from, David Mannix Shane O’Callaghan (0-2), Pa McCarthy (who should have netted) and Michael O’Donnell. After that flurry of points Stacks took a 0-8 to 1-1 with almost 20 minutes of the match played.

Pádraig Óg Ó Sé, son of the late Páidí, responded for West Kerry. That score was followed by a point from the evergreen, Mikey Collins, who finished with 0-3 all from play and Kieran Donaghy’s first score of the evening.

Mikey Collins launches a ball into the forward line. Photo by Dermot Crean

The first half ended with Austin Stacks with a commanding six point 0-13 to 1-4 lead.

West Kerry burst out of the blocks in second half hoping to peg back the deficit. They outscored Stacks 0-6 to 0-2 inside the first quarter, to pull the men from the west to within two points.

A big switch was made by the Rockie bench who brought on Wayne Guthrie who made an instant impact around the middle. Two points from play by David Mannix and 45 from Guthrie soon followed and Stacks were back out to a five point lead with just over 10 minutes left in the match.

Shane O'Callaghan fists the ball over the bar. Photo by Dermot Crean — Shane O’Callaghan fists the ball over the bar. Photo by Dermot Crean

West Kerry would match The Rock’s scoring in the final 10 minutes, both sides raising the white flag on three occasions as the game fizzled out.

It was a comfortable win in the end, Stephen Stack and his side are unlikely to face another game like it as the business end of the county championship beckons.

(Many more action photos below, watch the West Kerry goal here)

Scorers

Austin Stacks: David Mannix 0-5 (3f), Darragh O’Brien 0-3, Mikey Collins 0-3, Kieran Donaghy 0-2, Shane O’Callaghan 0-2, Michael O’Donnell 0-2, Wayne Guthrie 0-1 (45), Fiachna Mangan 0-1, Conor Jordan 0-1, Pa McCarthy 0-1

Austin Stacks

Darragh O’Brien; Barry Walsh, Conor Jordan, Sean Ryan; Pa McCarthy, Shane Guthrie, Fiachna Mangan; Michael O’Donnell, Kieran Donaghy; Daniel Bohan, Shane O’Callaghan, Mikey Collins; David Mannix, Darragh O’Brien, David O’Sullivan

Substitutes

Denis O’Neill for David O’Sullivan (Half Time)
Alan Nestor for Mikey Collins (40) Black Card
Wayne Guthrie for Fiachna Mangan (43)
Ferdia O’Brien for Darragh O’Brien (44)
Brian Mangan for Michael O’Donnell (59)

West Kerry: Seán Micheál Ó Conchúir 1-7 (4f), Declan Ó Súilleabháin 0-2, Marc Ó Sé 0-1, Pádraig Óg Ó Sé, Eanna Ó Conchúir 0-1, Jason Hickson 0-1

Tomás Mac an tSaoir (An Ghaeltacht); Cian Ó Murchú (An Ghaeltacht), Marc Ó Sé (An Ghaeltacht), Colm Ó Muircheartaigh (An Ghaeltacht); Caoimhín Ó Beaglaoich (An Ghaeltacht), Cathal Ó Lúing (An Ghaeltacht), Pádraig Óg Ó Sé (An Ghaeltacht); Micheál J Mac Gearailt (Lispole), Eanna Ó Conchúir (An Ghaeltacht); Eamonn Hickson (Annascaul), James Crean (Annascaul), Gavin O’Connor (Castlegregory); Seán Micheál Ó Conchúir (An Ghaeltacht), Jason Hickson (Annascaul), Shane Foley (Annascaul)

Substitutes

Donnacha Ó hUigin (Lispole) for Micheál J Mac Gearailt (25mins)
Gearóid Ó Nuanáin (Lispole) for James Crean (28mins)
Declan Ó Súilleabhain (Lispole) for Shane Foley (Half Time)

Referee – Padraig O’Sullivan (Firies)