Austin Stacks 1-13
Mid Kerry 2-10
BOTH sides will feel they left this game after them in what was a thrilling, Garvey’s Super Valu Senior Football Championship Final, in Austin Stack Park.
Next Sunday is the date for the replay, but the venue is as yet to be decided.
It could have so easily ended in heartbreak for Stacks. With three minutes left on the clock, Mid Kerry corner forward, Gavin O’Grady, spectacularly missed a 15 yard free.
There was also a chance for Shane Carroll, to win it for Stacks with the last kick of the game, but his shot from 45 metres off the hands went well wide of its target.
With 8 minutes left, it looked as though the Rock were going to finally reach the promised land when they rattled off three brilliant points in a row from the boots of Mikey Collins, Shane O’Callaghan and Kieran Donaghy to pull the town side two points ahead.
The first half ended 1-8 to 1-5 in favour of Stacks. Mid Kerry were the first to hit the net, when the impressive Gary Sayers punted it long to Gavin O’Grady, who expertly caught the ball outside the square and turned and shot past Darragh O’Brien in goal.
Continued below…
The Stacks goal came in similar fashion and there was no surprise who was on the end of it.
Kieran Donaghy, who started the game in midfield, but moved in full-forward after 10 minutes, soared into the air and caught the ball, when he turned his shot was stopped by Mid Kerry’s keeper, Micheal Moriarty, but the ball trickled over the line on the rebound.
Mid Kerry’s second goal came in the 11 minute of the second half and was scored by, Donnchadh Walsh. The Kerry star, looked to be going for a point, but his shot ended up lobbing O’Brien, in goal.
Austin Stacks kicked only one wide in the first half while Mid Kerry missed numerous chances. After the break, roles were reversed with Stacks notching up 7 wides, to Mid Kerry’s 3.
On the balance of it, Austin Stacks were the better side and will be disappointed they did not push on and win. Some of the football was of a very high quality and if we have anything as good for the replay, we will be in for a treat.
Scorers
Austin Stacks: S Carroll 0-5, (4f), K Donaghy 1-1, D Bohan 0-2, P McCarthy 0-2, S Callaghan 0-1, D Mannix 0-1, M Collins 0-1.
Mid Kerry: G O’Grady 1-6 (0-4f), D Walsh 1-1, G Sayers 0-1, Darran O’Sullivan 0-1, J Long 0-1.
Teams
Austin Stacks: D O’Brien, F MacNamara, B Shanahan (C), Ronan Shanahan, P McCarthy, C Jordan, G Horan, W Guthrie, W Kirby, S O’Callaghan, S Carroll, D Bohan, D Mannix, K Donaghy, Mikey Collins.
Subs: Darragh O’Brien for W Kirby (46), 12. Fiachna Mangan for D Bohan (58), 21. Denis McElligott for G Horan (61)
Mid Kerry: M Moriarty, M J O’Connor, F Griffin, G Hartnett, R Murphy, P Kilkenny, A Cahillane, C McGillicuddy, T Ladden, G Sayers, D O’Sullivan, D walsh, G O’Grady, J Long, Kieran Courtney.
Subs: Jeremiah Hoare for MJ O’Connor (16). Liam Carey for J Long. Sean O’Sullivan for K Courtney (41). Danny O’Sullivan for A Cahillane (53).