The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
County titles for Stacks and Southern Gaels
RANDLES BROS COUNTY INTERMEDIATE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL Austin Stacks 1-14 Na Gaeil 1-13
WHEN two local rivals go head to head you can always expect a tight tense battle, and we certainly got that in Strand Road last Saturday evening as Austin Stacks were crowned Randles Brothers Intermediate Ladies County champions after an excellent one point victory over Tralee rivals Na Gaeil.
Austin Stacks will point to a golden 10-minute period early in the second half, when they put over five points on the bounce, as being central to their victory. Up to that point the Stacks girls had struggled to get a grip on the game , but this spell gave them me the belief that they could go on to win the title.
Stacks were much more economical in front of the posts, shooting just 4 wides on the day whilst Na Gaeil will look back on the 12 wides that they shot as being detrimental to their challenge.
Na Gaeil did look the better side for long periods of the game and raced into a 0-5 to 0-2 lead after 11 minutes, with two each from Sibeal Casey and Eilis O’Connor, and one from the livewire Megan Sheehy. Austin Stacks kept in touch with scores from Caoimhe Barry Walsh and a Megan O’Brien free kick. Marina Barry shot another over the bar for Stacks, but the impressive Jadyn Lucey replied with two good points to push Na Gaeil 0-4 ahead.
Austin Stacks were struggling, but received a massive boost when they were awarded a penalty in the 20th minute . Na Gaeil netminder Laura Fitzgerald had made a good save , but as the ball bobbled around the small rectangle, referee Sean Joy spotted an indiscretion and awarded Austin Stacks a penalty. The deadly accurate O’Brien stuck the spot kick away with aplomb, and suddenly Stacks were within a single point, 1-3 to 0-7, of their rivals.
Ten time All Ireland winner Marina Barry pointed afterwards to level the game for Stacks, but Na Gaeil struck for a goal of their own through the lively Sibeal Casey. Eilis O’Connor pointed for Na Gaeil straight afterwards, but once again Austin Stacks hit a purple patch and added three more points from O’Brien (2) and Barry again. Na Gaeil then struck the crossbar twice in a row on the stroke of half time, and Na Gaeil went in at the break leading by just a single point, 1-8 to 1-7.
Na Gaeil started the second half brightly and Megan Sheehy from a free, and Jadyn Lucey from play, pushed them three ahead. Sensing that the game was slipping away, the Stacks management moved Laura Rogers to centre half forward and the Kerry star went on to have a major impact on the rest of the game. Stacks hit three points on the bounce, with two from O’Brien and one from Breda Slattery to level the contest again.
Stacks took a firm stranglehold on proceedings and Rogers put over two points as the Na Gaeil challenge appeared to falter. Jadyn Lucey from a free and Clare Brennan from play traded points before Sibeal Casey put over for Na Gaeil to bring it to a one point game. Na Gaeil were then unlucky to hit the crossbar before their excellent full forward Eilis O’Connor scored the best point of the day to level the contest.
There was still time for more drama, and when Rogers was fouled after another searing run, O’Brien stepped up and pointed the resultant free to send the Austin Stacks supporters into raptures. As the final whistle sounded straight afterwards, Austin Stacks were crowned the Kerry Intermediate champions.
The remarkable Marina Barry now has the full collection of Championship medals in Kerry with junior, senior and an intermediate honours in her collection. What makes it extra special for the Austin Stacks legend is that she was playing alongside her daughter Caoimhe Barry Walsh in Saturday evenings victory.
Best for Austin Stacks were Laura Rogers, Sarah Higgins, Aoife Dillane, Megan O’Brien, and arina Barry whilst Na Gaeil’s best were Sarah Quigley, Sheila O’Riordan, Jaydn Lucey, Mary O’Connell and Eilis O’Connor.
AUSTIN Stacks: Deborah Mangan, Karena Slattery, Norma O’Connor, Sarah Higgins, Deirdre O’Shea, Catriona Horgan, Ellen O’Connell, Laura Rogers (0-2), Aoife Dillane, Breda Slattery (0-1), Caoimhe Barry Walsh (0-1), Karina Quilter, Maeve McKivergan, Marina Barry (0-4), Sarah O’Brien (1-5; 1-0 pen, 1f). Subs: Ciara Rogers for N O’Connor, Clare Brennan (0-1) for C Horgan, S Hoare for D O’Shea.
NA Gaeil: Laura Fitzgerald, Sarah Quigley, Susan Fernane, Sheila O’Riordan, Muireann Moriarty, Nora O’Connell, Brid O’Connor, Ayesha Roche, Kate Ann O’Connor, Jadyn Lucey (0-4, 1f), Mary O’Connell, Megan Sheehy (0-2, 1f), Mairin Maher, Eilis O’Connor (0-4), Sibeal Casey (1-3).
REFEREE: Sean Joy (Laune Rangers)