REPORT/PHOTOS: Austin Stacks Claim Kerry Ladies Junior ‘A’ Championship In Cracking Decider

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Paddy White reports on the Randles Bros Nissan Junior A Championship Final between Austin Stacks and Kilcummin on Friday night (photos by Adrienne McLoughlin)…

Dave Randles of Randles Bros. (Nissan Dealers) presented the Kirbys Brogue Inn Perpetual Cup to Austin Stacks captain, Karena Slattery. Photo by Adrienne Mc Loughlin.

Dave Randles of Randles Bros. (Nissan Dealers) presented the Kirbys Brogue Inn Perpetual Cup to Austin Stacks captain, Karena Slattery. Photo by Adrienne McLoughlin.

Austin Stacks 3-17

Kilcummin 2-15 (AET)

Austin Stacks started the stronger with 1-3, the goal coming soccer-style from Marina Barry Walsh and 3 points from her daughter Caoimhe as well as from Aoife Brick and Breda Slattery.

In the opening 10 minutes as they dominated, but Kilcummin settled and by the end of the first quarter the sides were level as Aislinn O’Donoghue raised the green flag and Debbie Murphy with 2 points and 1 from Eilish O’Leary.

Stacks again found the net in the 20th minute as Megan O’Brien – who proved to be a constant thorn in the Kilcummin defence – stole inside her marker and finished it well to the Kilcummin net.

Continued below…

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Action from the Kerry Ladies Gaelic Football/Randle Bros. Junior 'A' Championship Final between Austin Stacks v Kilcummin. Photo by Adrienne Mc Loughlin.

Action from the Kerry Ladies Gaelic Football/Randle Bros. Junior ‘A’ Championship Final between Austin Stacks v Kilcummin. Photo by Adrienne McLoughlin.

In the closing minutes of the first half, both sides traded further points and Stacks held a lead of four at half time. Austin Stacks 2-7 Kilcummin 1-6.

In the 2nd half, Stacks went five ahead on 40 minutes. But Kilcummin had two points from frees and then worked the ball well and raised the green flag to level matters with 10 minutes remaining.

Both sides again traded points as Nikki Sheehy and Breda Slattery converted and these were cancelled out by Kilcummin’s Debbie Murphy and Kilcummin’s last point from Aislinn O’Donoghue forced the game into extra-time, 2-11 apiece.

In the first period of extra time, Stacks held a lead of three by half time as Molly Carroll, Laura Rogers and Megan O’Brien found the target. Kilcummin’s two efforts came from Zara Blackwell and Eilish O’Leary to leave three between the sides, 2-16 to 2-13.

However, the second half of extra time wasn’t for the faint hearted and both sides raised the tempo and showed true grit as Kilcummin – with two points again from Zara Blackwell and Debbie Murphy – reduced the deficit to one and with spectators from both sides giving vocal support that wouldn’t go amiss in Croke Park, it fired up both teams.

Megan O’Brien, had another point from play as Stacks went two ahead, but it was Austin Stacks Meadbh McKivergan who sealed victory for the Rockies as she drilled the ball low past the Kilcummin keeper and followed it with a point, which sealed the victory for the Tralee side.

The final score; Austin Stacks 3-17 Kilcummin 2-15.

Stacks captain Kerana Slattery collected the Randles Bros sponsored Junior “A” Cup from Dave Randles of Randles Bros.  Austin Stacks now go forward into the Munster MLGFA Junior Club championships in the coming weeks. Scroll down for photos…

The victorious Austin Stacks after accepting the Kirbys Brogue Inn Perpetual Cup. Photo by Adrienne Mc Loughlin.

The victorious Austin Stacks after accepting the Kirbys Brogue Inn Perpetual Cup. Photo by Adrienne McLoughlin.

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The Austin Stacks team that lined out in the out in the Kerry Ladies Gaelic Football/Randle Bros. Junior 'A' Championship Final. Photo by Adrienne Mc Loughlin

The Austin Stacks team that lined out in the out in the Kerry Ladies Gaelic Football/Randle Bros. Junior ‘A’ Championship Final. Photo by Adrienne McLoughlin

The Kilcummin team that lined out in the Kerry Ladies Gaelic Football/Randle Bros. Junior 'A' Championship Final. Photo by Adrienne Mc Loughlin

The Kilcummin team that lined out in the Kerry Ladies Gaelic Football/Randle Bros. Junior ‘A’ Championship Final. Photo by Adrienne McLoughlin

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