Gavin O’Connor gives his verdict on who’ll take home the Bishop Moynihan Cup today…
More of the same this Sunday? Austin Stacks fans celebrate at the final whistle against Dingle in the semi-final. Photo by Dermot Crean
ON Sunday, Austin Stacks will be looking to bridge a gap of 20 years without a county title when they face Mid Kerry in Austin Stack park at 3pm.
This is a final that has observers mainly giving the nod to Mid-Kerry, but really there isn’t a whole pile in it.
The main focus will be on how Mid-Kerry handle, Kieran Donaghy. They saw what happend in the semi-final when the ‘Star’ was left run riot. Surely, Mid-Kerry won’t be as lax with their tactics as Dingle?
You would fully imagine they will double up on the recent All-Star winner.
Mid-Kerry have their danger men also; Darren and Sean O’Sullivan, Gavin O’Grady, and Donnchadh Walsh, make this divisional side tick going forward.
Kerry U21, Greg Horan, has had a tremendous year for The Rock and is one the county’s emerging talents. This could be a coming of age performance for the young man as he may be tasked with curbing Darren O’Sullivan’s influence on the game, who despite injuries, showed against Shannon Rangers he has not lost his eye for goal.
Austin Stacks, team manager, Stephen Stack will have his men bursting out the gate on Sunday against Mid Kerry. Photo by Dermot Crean.
The Kerry captaincy is also up for grabs, something Donaghy has said in the last couple of weeks would be a great honour for him.
You can be sure as well that Cromane and Mid-Kerry’s, Donnchadh Walsh will also being eyeing up that prize.
The fact that Donaghy will be almost certainly utilised at full forward will mean that William Kirby will likely start the game.
The veteran Kirby, who began playing senior football the year after Stacks last won the title in 94, now hasn’t the legs to finish a game so this could leave Stacks short with midfield talent in the closing exchanges, which is a worry.
Both sides are heaped with quality and the county championship is crying out for a great game so hopefully this delivers.
With not a whole pile between them it may come down to hunger in the end. Stacks, surely have the edge in this department.
With no offence intended towards Mid-Kerry, there is something deeper going on with Austin Stacks.
They are a club side, they have the tradition and they will fight like dogs to bring the Bishop Moynihan Cup back to Connolly Park Sunday evening.
If Donaghy is on song, it may not even come down to that.
Verdict – Austin Stacks by 3 points
