Champions might miss out as Dingle face easier road trip

DEFENDING champions Austin Stacks have it all to do to stay on course for a successful title defence, as the final round of Group 2 fixtures has handed the Rockies a tough trip to Killarney to face Legion.

Legion’s loss to Dingle last weekend leaves the Killarney club in a precarious position as regards topping the group and qualifying for the club final, but it’s not impossible. However, they will not only have to beat Stacks, but they will need their East Kerry neighbours, Kilcummin, to do them a huge favour in beating Dingle, and that’s where Stacks’ problems arise too.

With Legion - at least theoretically - still in the hunt, Stacks will expect nothing easy from Stephen Stack’s team, but even if the Tralee club come away from Killarney with the necessary win, it’s what happens out the road in

Kilcummin that could decide Stacks’ fate. A win for Dingle and Stacks will leave both on five points, and as their head to head result (a draw) won’t separate them, the next criterion for splitting them will be scoring difference. Going into the weekend they are both on +2, but one has to feel that Dingle - with Conor and Paul Geaney in particular in fine scoring form - can pip Stacks in the regard when the final table is complete.

Kilcummin will be desperate to get their first points of the competition, but even a win, coupled with a Legion loss, won’t keep them off the bottom of the table, as they lost their game with Legion, and so will be the bottom placed team in Group 2 no matter what, and face the prospect of a relegation play-off in order to preserve their senior club status.

It’s impossible to see anything other than a Dingle win, while the other game is much harder to call, and should be a close run thing. Stacks can win, but even if they do they’ll probably relinquish their title with Dingle advancing to the final.

Kerry Petroleum Senior Club Football Championship Group 2

Saturday, August 8

Killarney Legion v Austin Stacks in Dirreen, Killarney at 5pm

Referee: Jonathan Griffin Kilcummin V Dingle in Kilcummin at 5pm Ref: Eamonn Moran