‘We were prepared for, and got, a battle’

For a man reared on the winter wonders of the North Kerry Championship in his native Listowel, Stephen Stack knows the value of ‘winning football’ better than most.

Hence his indifference yesterday to the aesthetics of Austin Stacks’ Munster Club SFC semi-final victory over Cork champions Ballincollig.

“I’m not particularly worried what kind of a game it was now that we’re out the other side of it. Two teams going at it, both committed, both very worthy of winning their respective county championships. If we weren’t prepared mentally in the way we were, I think they could have beaten us,” the Stacks manager suggested. “We knew we were up against a very difficult side.”