FESTIVAL-LIKE MATCH FEVER

IF Saturday night’s game is anything to go by then clearly Tralee doesn’t need to wait for one week in August every year to prove it’s the best town in Ireland. An atmosphere to beat the band is how the throngs of spectators described Saturday’s concert-like atmosphere in Austin Stack Park.

Any pre-match nerves were kept to a minimum thanks to Liam O’Connor, who kept the crowd in the stand on their feet with probably one of the longest versions ever of ‘Óró, Sé do Bheatha Abhaile’ during the chilly moments before the throw-in.

With the greatest respect to Fitzgerald Stadium, you would have needed The Who backed by The Rolling Stones to generate the same pulsating atmosphere that Tralee produced on Saturday night.

The Dublin supporters were in the real capital in their droves, as they packed the Mitchels’ end of the ground making full use of the new covered stand to make themselves heard.

The match wasn’t too bad either as Kerry and Dublin went at it hammer and tongs, producing the kind of football seldom seen in February – or any month for that matter. Kerry led for most of the game, and they played like youth was the only show in town.

Everyone expected Dublin to come storming back in the final minutes, which they did. But Kerry sealed the deal with a late score to send everyone home happy and looking forward to another joust under the floodlights against Mayo on March 16. After the final whistle the buoyant mood in the stadium was soon replicated downtown with thousands of Kerry and Dublin fans thronging the town’s pubs and late bars.

The Dub influx led to a bumper weekend for Tralee’s pubs, hotels, cafes and restaurants with many delighted business owners reporting their busiest and most profitable night in months.

Indeed such were the crowds that some bars and take-aways actually ran out of food and drink. Overall the reaction to the weekend has been overwhelmingly positive with many locals describing Saturday night’s crowds and craic as being akin to the Rose of Tralee festival in its heyday.

Up for the big match were Orla Coyne, Marie Molyneaux, DJ Downey, Carmel Godfrey and Tim O’Connor. Donagh, Eileen and Cian O’Sullivan from Valentia

Peter, Valerie, Paul, Joe and Brian Lenihan from Fenit ahead of the big League showdown with Dublin on Saturday evening.

Linda Daly with Emma and Jason Dyland ahead of the game.

Joe Costello with sons Tommy and Hugh at the match.

Jackie O’Neill and Saoirse Ahern out in support of the Kingdom on Saturday night.

LEFT: Denis Coffey and Michael Curran full of smiles on their way into Austin Stack Park on Saturday. BELOW: Donal McCarthy, John Creedon, Donal Breen, Emma McCarthy and Daniel Creedon. All photos by Joe Hanley