SPORT: Donaghy The X-Factor In Stacks’ Triumph

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Abbey Inn

Gavin O’Connor reports from Austin Stack Park where Austin Stacks booked their place in the county final in two weeks time

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Kieran Donaghy watches as the ball is turned into the Dingle net by Dingle’s Mark O’Connor. Photo by Dermot Crean

Austin Stacks 2-13

Dingle 1-9

KIERAN Donaghy was the main man for Stacks as they beat Dingle by seven points to book their place in the county final.

Players that also stood out for Stacks were Shane O’Callaghan and Mikey Collins, but the defence as a unit performed exceptionally well also.

A fairly soft penalty awarded to Dingle made the scoreboard look more respectable for the men from the west, when in truth the game all but ended in the 36th minute when Dingle defender Mark O’Connor touched the ball into his own net.

Continued below…

Kerins 4

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Action from the Austin Stacks V Dingle game. Photo by Dermot Crean

Donaghy started the game at full forward and remained there for the majority of the game. High ball was sent into him right from the beginning and it wasn’t long before he started to make it count.

The opening ten minutes were quite tetchy with both sides exchanging scores. Stacks keeper, Darragh O’Brien, also made two very important saves, stopping Paul Geaney at close range both times. If they had went in, it could have all been very different.

It wasn’t until around the 20 minute mark, with the scores 0-5 to 0-3 to Stacks, that it began to take off for the Rock. First, O’Callaghan linked up with Donaghy firing a perfect pass which the inter-county man then laid of to David Mannix who kicked it over.

O’Callaghan and Donaghy would link up again for the first real hammer blow of the game. From out on the wing Shane Carroll let in a high ball which Donaghy plucked from the sky laying the ball off with those quick hands to O’Callaghan, who coolly slotted the ball into the net. A move reminiscent of ‘Star’ and Gooch in their heyday

Stacks added five more points in the half to leave the scores at the break, 1-11 to 0-3.

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Wayne Guthrie rises highest for the ball during the match on Sunday. Photo by Dermot Crean

Six minutes into the second half, Stacks struck for a goal again when O’Callaghan made a terrific run down the wing, he passed the ball to the on rushing Donaghy in the square, but in attempt to clear the ball, Dingle defender haplessly palmed the ball into his own net. The scores now, 2-12 to 0-5.

With the foot now off the gas, Stacks only notched one more point in the entire second half, Dingle went on and got five more scores which included a penalty which Geaney slotted home.

O’Brien in goal, pulled off two more great saves in this period. If one had went in it could have made for a nervy ending.

Stephen Stack and his charges now have another final to plan for in the county championship in two weeks.

 

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