Credit Union Senior County League 2014 Final, Connolly Park
Austin Stacks 2-9
Dr Crokes 0-13
Stephen Stack, players and fans celebrate the County League final win. Photo by Dermot Crean
AUSTIN STACKS have added a county league title to their 2014 haul by beating Dr Crokes in the deciding match of last year’s campaign.
Extra time was needed for the Rock to get one over their great rivals from Killarney, who, with Colm Cooper back in their ranks, could not stop the black and amber winning machine.
It was celebrated with gusto by the Rock faithful as Dr Crokes seemed to have the beating of Stacks in decisive games over the past few years.
Shane Carroll celebrates after knocking over the final point of the game. Photo by Dermot Crean
An own goal by Crokes, defender Mike Moloney, in extra time was the deciding moment in a game where tempers came to the boil on a few occasions.
Shane Carroll gave a man of the match display, kicking six points, including three on the bounce at the end of normal time to keep the Rock in the match.
Stacks got off to a flyer with a goal inside ten seconds by Kieran Donaghy. ‘The Star’, got onto a long punt from Barry Shanahan and flicked the ball to the net.
Action from the Austin Stacks v Dr Crokes game. Photo by Dermot Crean
It was a scrappy sort of a match, with some of the niggle you would expect from a Tralee v Killarney encounter.
The first half ended with Stacks leading by two points, 1-3 to 0-4, but it could have been more had Shane O’Callaghan, converted a penalty on 20 minutes after Donaghy was pulled to the ground.
Dr Crokes, flew out of the traps at the start of the second half and were the better side in this period. Crokes led by three points with seven minutes remaining. This is when Carroll scored three terrific points, one after another, to force extra time.
Colm Cooper in action during the game on Saturday. Photo by Dermot Crean
With the light beginning to fade and with the last play of the first half of extra time, Shane Guthrie drove in a ball into Donaghy only for the Dr Crokes full back, Mike Moloney, to fumble the ball to the net.
Try as they might, Dr Crokes, just couldn’t break down the Stacks defence who sat on their lead impressively to became the 2014 Credit Union County League Champions.
Barry Shanahan with the County League trophy. Photo by Dermot Crean
Austin Stacks: Shane Carroll 0-6 3f, Kieran Donaghy 1-0, David Mannix 0-1, Fiachna Mangan 0-1, Conor Jordan 0-1,
Own goal by Mike Moloney
Dr Crokes: Colm Cooper 0-7 7f, Kieran O’Leary 0-2, Dathi Casey 0-2 2f, Jordan Kiely 0-1, Brian Looney 0-1 1f
Austin Stacks: Jonathan Conway, Ronan Shanahan, Barry Shanahan (c), Denis McElligott, Ciaran O’Connell, Ferghal McNamara, Barry Walsh, Shane Guthrie, Conor Jordon, Daniel Bohan, Shane Carroll, Mikey Collins, David Mannix, Kieran Donaghy, Shane O’Callaghan
Dr Crokes: Alan Kelly, John Payne, Mike Moloney, Luke Quinn, David O’Leary, Aaron Murphy, Mike Milner, Eoin Brosnan, Johnny Buckley, Gavin O’Shea, Dathi Casey, Brian Looney, Colm Cooper, Jordan Kiely, Kieran O’Leary
