Dylan Casey: 'This guy epitomises what we want an Austin Stacks footballer to be'
Kieran Donaghy and Austin Stacks captain Dylan Casey. Picture: Domnick Walsh
When Austin Stacks manager Wayne Quillinan was deciding on a team captain for the 2021 season, he could have played it safe and gone for any of the ‘old reliables’ – experienced campaigners like Kieran Donaghy, Ronan Shanahan, Greg Horan, Conor Jordan, Fiachna Mangan, or even current senior inter-county panellist Joseph O’Connor.
However, when they face off against arch Tralee rivals Kerins O’Rahillys in the Kerry SFC final (Sunday, 3pm), it is 21-year-old full-back Dylan Casey who will be leading the ‘Rockies’ into battle. Some people might be surprised to see the responsibility of leadership bestowed upon such a young player, but it was an easy decision for Quillinan.
“I’m doing this now, 14 years or 15 years, managing teams and coaching teams, and the first thing I will say is that I have never come across a better fella. His football speaks for itself but, as a person, he’s a fantastic guy. You’re talking about commitment and drive and hunger, and it’s not just on the field, it’s off the field as well. He’s constantly, constantly pushing and pushing and pushing,” he said.
“How long am I with Dylan now? Seven years? We’re not sick of each other yet, so we must be doing something right. It was an easy call, to be honest with you. It just felt right that this guy, we want to set a tone in the team, we want to set a culture in the club, age didn’t really matter, it didn’t come into it. This guy epitomises what we want an Austin Stacks footballer to be, both on and off the field.
“I have seen it since he’s been about 15 or 16 years old. He is the old school defender. The way the game is gone, you talk about a number five or a seven, and the first thing you talk about is him getting up the field. Dylan Casey is different. It’s defending first.”
Currently in his final year of studying for a commerce degree at UCC, the Austin Stacks defender is an individual that clearly relishes a challenge. In recent months, he has gone toe-to-toe with Kenmare’s Sean O’Shea in the club championship decider and, most notably, East Kerry’s David Clifford when the defending two-in-a-row champions were dethroned on the opening weekend of the Bishop Moynihan Cup race.
“David Clifford speaks for himself. I played with him at minor when I was 16 or 17, he’s a phenomenal player. But it was 15 battles across the field. We knew that they were the benchmark in Kerry, two championships on the trot,” said Casey.
“It’s easy to boast about three-in-a-row club championships, but we hadn’t had a bit of momentum in the county championship, so it was probably time to show up, and there was no better place than against the reigning champions to see where we were at.
“It’s obviously nice to be marking those names and seeing where I see myself. I challenge myself on a weekly basis, but there are five other forwards and five other defenders sitting in front of me that are probably in the exact same battle as I am.
“But yeah, it’s good to be involved in that, and I suppose it was a massive honour for me to be given the captaincy at the start of the year. Just before we headed back onto the field for our first game, I learned that I was going to be captain, and it’s an honour to be captain of this club.”
Having overcome three divisional outfits on their path to Sunday’s final, Austin Stacks are now preparing to get up close and personal with their first club opposition in this campaign, which just happens to be their Strand Road neighbours. Casey is determined to switch off from all the hype in Tralee.
“Growing up, there wouldn’t have been a massive rivalry from my age group, but obviously you hear around the club the rivalry that would have been there before me.
“I presume there will be a lot of talk around the town. It’s a massive build-up and it’s been 85 years since we last played each other in the county championship final. Thankfully, I’m above in Cork in college, I can stay away from all the talk and make sure that I get my own body right, and mindset right, for the game.”
Having worn the Kerry jersey at minor and U20 level, Casey appears to be a racing certainty for promotion to the senior fold in the new year. For now, though, the Stacks skipper has more important things on his plate. Let’s leave the final words to talisman Donaghy, a figure 17 years his elder, on the young, steely captain.
“We’ve known how good he is for the last number of years, and I think people are starting to notice now that he has a very bright future ahead of him. I couldn’t be happier to follow anybody else into a county final really, to be honest, inside in the squad.”
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
