Austin Stacks manager, Stephen Stack, will have plenty to think about ahead of The Rocks senior football county championship match this Sunday against Dingle. Photo by Dermot Crean.
IF you were going to pick the dream match-up of the round before the semi-final draw was made, it would have been this one.
Both sides have a panel of full of young, quality players and established stars to make it a hotly anticipated encounter.
Dingle remain the only side to have beaten Stacks in 2014 making this county semi-final a very difficult one to call.
Austin Stacks and Dingle have crossed paths twice this season with both games played back west. In the club championship in May, Dingle blitzed Stacks with four goals and won by six points. In the league, Stacks got their own back and won by 0-15 to 0-7.
We look at three battles that could decide which team moves through to this year’s county final.
Continued below…
Kieran Donaghy v Paul Geaney
In club matches, teams will always look to their county men. Dingle did so last week against Legion in the quarter-final when, two points down, with the last attack of the game, Paul Geaney made a thirty yard run which split open the Legion defence.
The attack ended with ball in the net, saving Dingle when all had looked lost.
Donaghy, didn’t have to dig as deep for the Rock last weekend as his side coasted to victory, but he was a steady influence throughout.
The performance of these two men will be crucial. A moment of magic could be the deciding factor in what could be a tight game. With the Kerry captaincy also up for grabs, these two men will be chomping at the bit for their clubs.
Matthew O’Flaherty of Dingle and Pa McCarthy of Austin Stacks tussle for possession when the two sides met in the club championship in May. Photo by Adrienne McLoughlin
Conor Jordan v Matthew Flaherty
Make no mistake about it, Matthew Flaherty, is one of the most exciting prospects in Kerry football.
The versatile Dingle player has started to get a taste for victory this year as well having picked up a minor All-Ireland medal with Kerry (along with five of his teammates) and a Hogan Cup with Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne.
Assuming both players start against each other, Conor Jordan, a minor teammate of Flaherty’s last year, will be tasked with following the mobile Dingle man around the park.
Flaherty has proved to be decisive in this year’s championship, Conor Jordan is in fine form and is looking strong. A match up between these two young talents is something to look forward to.
The Middle Third
In both quarter-finals, the teams enjoyed midfield dominance in their games. Stacks were far too strong for West Kerry, while up against Legion, Dingle were allowed a good proportion of ball around the centre of the park.
Wayne Guthrie is one of the most improved players in the county this year. The former Kerry minor goalkeeper, is looking leaner and meaner and is coming into his own in midfield.
Though selected at full forward against West Kerry, Donaghy roamed around midfield providing a link for attacks. The Rock’s supporting cast in this area will be extremely important. They hoovered up breaks against West Kerry which was the bedrock of their dominance.
They will be coming up against a greater foe on Sunday. Dingle’s midfield of Mark O’Connor – who bagged himself a terrific solo goal last Saturday – and Darragh O’Sullivan were star men against Legion.
Also, Kingdom star, Mikey Geaney, has been influential as a sweeper in the half back line, something that Rockies boss, Stephen Stack will be well aware of.
Watch both of Dingle’s goals against Legion last Saturday…
