Routine home win for Austin Stacks
GARVEY’S COUNTY SFC ROUND 1
Austin Stacks 2-22 Kenmare District 0-6
PRETTY routine stuff for Austin Stacks on home turf last Saturday evening as they were never threatened by a Kenmare District side that travelled with only eighteen players to Connolly Park on Saturday evening.
It was hard to get a full sense of Stacks’ worth with the one-sided nature of proceedings, but they did look a lot fresher in their endeavours with some of the new faces that have been introduced this year.
It took barely fifteen seconds for Kieran Donaghy to register their first score in an ominous sign. The Tralee side’s first goal came in the seventh minute, Greg Horan picking out Donaghy with the ideal high ball as the visitors were left with no option but to foul him for a penalty.
Pa McCarthy converted the spot-kick to put the hosts 1-3 to 0-1 ahead. They extended their lead to nine points at the end of the first quarter, a fine link-up between Horan and Ferdia O’Brien the pick of their scores as the latter put the hosts 1-7 to 0-1 ahead.
Dylan Casey prevented Donal O’Sullivan fisting into the net at the other end in a rare opportunity for the divisional outfit as Greg Horan made up for an early missed opportunity in finishing to the net with conviction in the 21st minute for a lead of 2-8 to 0-3.
Darragh Siochrú did draw a save from Stacks goalkeeper Robbie Murphy, but they could only reduce the deficit at the break to 2-9 to 0-6 after a ‘45 from Adrian Spillane and a point from the lively Siochrú.
The visitors could register no further scores in the second period as not even an early black card for Wayne Guthrie could knock Stacks off their stride. Tadhg Morley had been doing his best to keep tabs on Kieran Donaghy in the first period, but Morley found himself in an advanced position in the second period and an effort at goal was blocked by a Stacks leg with a
penalty awarded to the visitors. Murphy was equal to the spotkick by Killian Spillane, however, as it turned into a procession for Stacks from there.
Darragh O’Brien put over a ‘45 as both Ferdia and himself ended up on five points apiece with substitute Shane Carroll the 11th different scorer for Stacks in a 22-point success as full-back Conor Jordan’s point was the pick of their second-half scores.
They did have Greg Horan dismissed for another black card in the final 10 minutes. However, it was inconsequential at that stage as the goalpost preventing another chance at goal for Kenmare District’s Daniel Casey really did sum up the evening for the visitors.
Shane O’Callaghan brought his own total to four points before the final whistle as Stacks can take a lot of positives from their opening outing of the new campaign.
Much tougher tests will come for the 2014 winners not least this weekend in facing South Kerry in a repeat of a meeting at a similar stage (Round 2A) two years ago that needed a replay in Connolly Park before the visitors eventually emerged victorious.
For Kenmare District though, the difficulties of their position were laid bare on Saturday evening. Their three clubs are progressing as best they can, but arguably without the Shamrocks players they are on a hiding to nothing in seeking to be competitive at this level.
A trip to face An Ghaeltacht will be no less daunting for them this weekend you feel.
AUSTIN STACKS: Robbie Murphy; Dylan Casey, Conor Jordan (0-1), Ronan Shanahan; Pa McCarthy, Jack O’Shea (0-1), Ciaran O’Reilly; Michael O’Donnell (0-1), Joseph O’Connor; Greg Horan (1-2), Darragh O’Brien (0-5, 4f, 1‘45’), Wayne Guthrie (0-1); Ferdia O’Brien (0-5, 4f), Kieran Donaghy (0-1), Shane O’Callaghan (0-4) Subs: Shane Carroll for Wayne Guthrie (black card), Ciaran O’Connell for Jordan, Shane Guthrie for O’Donnell, Denis Costello for Casey, Fiachna Mangan for Horan (black card), Barry Walsh for O’Shea
KENMARE DISTRICT: Stephen O’Sullivan (Tuosist); Liam Twomey (Kilgarvan), Tadhg Morley (Templenoe), Keith Harrington (Kilgarvan); John Spillane (Templenoe), Gavin Crowley (do), Josh Crowley-Holland (do); John Mark Foley (Kilgarvan), Gearóid Fennessey (do); Darragh Siochrú (Tuosist, 0-2), Adrian Spillane (Templenoe, 0-1, 1’45’), Colm Brosnan (Tuosist); Daniel Casey (Kilgarvan), Killian Spillane (Templenoe, 0-3f), Donal O’Sullivan (Kilgarvan) Subs: Daniel O’Shea (Tuosist) for Twomey
REFEREE: Jonathon Griffin (Glenbeigh / Glencar)