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St Brendan’s wil be without the services Kerry U21 Jack Barry this Saturday against Dingle. Photo by Gavin O’Connor.
ST BRENDAN’S take on Dingle in the first game of the Super Valu Kerry Senior Football Championship 3rd round double header at Austin Stack Park this Saturday evening, throw-in 6pm.
The Saints defied all the odds in their last match in the county championship when they beat Currow away despite having to endure the loss of eight players who started the opening round defeat to Laune Rangers.
There was also controversy in the week running up to their game against Currow when John Mitchels pulled all their players from the panel. This was the tipping point for a lot of people to declare that they would be leaving the championship this year, but they are still here with manager Aidan Daly hoping to re-calibrate his charges once again.
Earlier this week St Brendan’s received a welcome boost with the return of the John Mitchels players who trained on Tuesday night, along with Ardfert hurlers Darren Dineen and John Egan who missed the Currow match.
But that is matched with the disappointing news that the Saints could be without two of their key-men against Dingle. Na Gaeil’s Jack Barry is definitely out and St Pat’s Kieran Hurley is fighting to remain fit.
“It was great to get the win against Currow and a chance to move on,” said St Brendan’s manager Aidan Daly.
“Dingle have a lot of experience there to go along with those young players, it will be a tough battle one that we are looking forward to,” said Daly.
Matthew O’Flaherty in possession against Austin Stacks is one of the four Kerry minors playing with Dingle. Photo by Adrienne McLoughlin
St Brendan’s will face a youthful Dingle team which includes in-form Kingdom sharpshooter Paul Geaney who starred in Kerry’s humbling of Cork last weekend.
The men from the west can also draw upon four minors that started Kerry’s fantastic minor win against Cork in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
Dingle are the only side this year to beat Austin Stacks when they dumped the Rockies out of the club championship in May. They also put in a good performance against Crokes in the semi-final of the competition.
Looking at the wealth of talent Dingle have at their disposal, it’s difficult to look past them, but Aidan Daly has shown that he can rally his troops against the odds.
Since the Currow game Brendan’s have seen the return of the Mitchels contingent, but they have lost one of their most important players in Jack Barry and Kieran Hurley is doubtful.
With so much chopping and changing through no fault of their own it’s difficult to see St Brendan’s get the win against a quality Dingle outfit.
Verdict: Dingle by 5 points
