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Gavin O’Connor has five things we learned about the county championship action at the weekend…
1. Kerins O’Rahillys are the form team
Strand Road have catapulted themselves into contention for a first county title in 15 years, shooting the lights out two weeks in a row.
The side have scored a combined total of 4-39 against Milltown/Castlemaine and East Kerry. It’s telling that ten different men got on the score sheet against East Kerry, showing that the blues have scorers all over the park and off the bench.
Legion will present a different proposition though. The Killarney side’s recent record over the blues does not make for good reading in Strand Road.
O’Rahilly’s midfielder Con Barrett breaks down a kick out against East Kerry. Photo by Dermot Crean.
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2. Rusty Stacks and Crokes fail to impress
The match of the round turned out to be a bit of a damp squib. Although the game did finish in dramatic fashion, with Eoin Brosnan scoring the winner in added time, the game lacked the fireworks we expected from these two.
Stacks were disjointed in the first half and it looked as though a repeat of the 2013 final could have been on the cards when Crokes stretched their lead to six points at one stage.
Still, some quality shone through on both sides. Daithí Casey was everything positive about the Crokes going forward, he certainly put himself in the shop window for another run with Kerry.
Austin Stacks Greg Horan is surrounded by Dr Crokes players. Photo by Dermot Crean.
3. Legion and O’Rahilly is tie of the quarter final
On evidence of both side’s performances over the weekend, O’Rahillys will be slight favourites, despite their worrying recent record against Legion who have knocked the blues out in successive years in the club championship.
The match will offer up plenty of inter-county stars, Barry John Keane, David Moran and Tommy Walsh will be expected to play a part with Strand Road, while Legion can call on James O’Donoghue, Jonathan Lyne and Brian Kelly.
Along with the senior contingent three of the finest emerging talents in the county, Cormac Coffey, Jack Savage and Conor Keane will also be on show.
James O’Donoghue, is the danger man for Legion. Photo by Dermot Crean.
4. O’Rahilly’s could do with a week off
We may be getting ahead of ourselves, but if Kerins O’Rahillys are to make to the promised land fatigue could well be an issue that holds them back.
If the blues get to a final, they will have done it the hard way playing five games in five weeks. With injuries beginning to mount already, the side could do with a week off to rest and regroup.
David Moran and Barry John Keane were called ashore with 15 minutes left on the clock against East Kerry. There was a considerable chance both men were not going to start the game – Barry John was suffering from an ankle injury and David Moran with hamstring and back issues.
Luckily for Strand Road, both men didn’t have to be at their best and David Moran was noticeably moving better than he did against Milltown/Castlemaine.
Barry John Keane races at the East Kerry defence on Saturday. Photo by Dermot Crean.
5. What next for Austin Stacks?
Despite being the knocked out of the championship, the season is still not over for the 2014 champs.
Incredibly, The Rock will fight for their senior status in a mini-league to help reduce the amount of club sides in the county championship. The games are scheduled to take place in November, so Stephen Stack still has work to do to try and keep his players tuned in.
Draws for the groups of three are unseeded so there is a chance that either Stacks, O’Rahilly’s or Legion could end up in a group with each other, with one side to be dumped down to intermediate. Yes, this actually could happen.
Club champions Dingle and beaten finalists Dr Crokes are spared of the dreaded mini-league and so will the eventual county champions should they be a club side.
Of course, if Stacks win their final two county league games, they’ll also get a chance to defend their title. County silverware for 2015 may stay in Connolly Park after all.
Austin Stacks, Shane Ryan, battles with Dr Crokes Gavin White. Photo by Dermot Crean.
