Austin Stacks ready for rollercoaster of Tralee emotion in Kerry SFC final

One has to trawl the record books back to 1936 for a county final meeting between the Tralee gladiators, Austin Stacks and Kerins O’Rahillys

Austin Stacks manager Wayne Quillinan. Photo: Domnick Walsh

The harsh reality for both Tralee clubs, Austin Stacks and Kerins O’Rahillys, is that they have not appeared in too many senior county finals since the new millennium dawned.

As for winning, they have one Bishop Moynihan each over the past 21 years — O’Rahillys taking the 2002 decider while Stacks were victorious in 2014. One has to trawl the record books back to 1936 for a county final meeting between the Tralee gladiators.

So very little recent or historic form to go on.

Wayne Quillinan has been involved as a player and a manager with Austin Stacks, serving a four-year term until 2012, when Stephen Stack took over. He was also involved at minor level and many of the current squad, including captain Dylan Casey, were under his tutelage.

He returned for a second stint as senior manager in 2018 and hopes to end his fourth year in charge with a county final win.

There are family ties that cross the great divide between Stacks and Strand Road but Quillinan doesn’t believe his players will be distracted by the emotion coursing through the town.

“We have come far enough to realise that it’s a county final and it’s a huge occasion for us and we understand that. But you have to be able to manage your emotions because at the end of the day you always play better when you have a cool head. If you allow emotions or the occasion override what we need to be doing we won’t have cool heads on the day and that is a huge part in what we need to get right.

“It is the next game and we will prepare for it just the same as we did for the last game no matter who our opponents are.”

Still, he acknowledges the atmosphere will be special, as we witnessed when Kieran Donaghy kicked the winning penalty in the semi-final.

“I suppose the supporters who came onto the pitch when Kieran kicked that winning penalty the last day sums up the emotion. I think it comes from the fact that over the last two years, the supporters from Strand Road and Stacks haven’t had moments like that.

“But both clubs are playing the game and Bishop Moynihan is the final prize and we have to realise that we have an opportunity to provide that kind joy and support that people haven’t had in the last two years.

“Whether that involves bringing black and amber or blue and white flags, or flares, or horns, the supporters are in the moment and somewhere where they could not have been over the past two years so it’s been so enjoyable for us and I am sure Strand Road is the same — that sport has given them some release from the tough effects of the pandemic.

“We love our sport and we wouldn’t, nor would Strand Road, sacrifice it for anything and both of us want to win. But what the last two seasons have proved is that there is more to life than sport. So I am encouraging every Rockie out there to wear the black and amber because we will need ye on Sunday.”