Sunday stroll into Munster final for Austin Stacks

The Kerry champions dominated their Munster Club SFC semi-final against Newcastle West from start to finish

Kieran Donaghy of Austin Stacks in action against Darren O'Doherty, left, and Steven Hurley of Newcastlewest during the AIB Munster Club SFC semi-final at Austin Stack Park

AIB Munster Club SFC semi-final

Austin Stacks (Kerry) 1-15 

Newcastle West (Limerick) 0-8 

NOT for the first time this season, Austin Stacks utilised their superbly-organised defence as a springboard to secure a comfortable victory over Newcastle West in the Munster Club SFC semi-final at Austin Stack Park.

With captain Dylan Casey keeping close tabs on AJ O’Connor, Eoin Hurley operating far too deep, and the physical Mike McMahon being well marshalled by Barry Shanahan, the Limerick visitors only managed to trouble the scoreboard on one occasion in a terribly disappointing first half for Jimmy Lee’s charges.

To all intents and purposes, with Jack O’Shea sweeping up confidently for the Tralee side in the half- back line, the contest was done and dusted by the interval - the Kerry champions holding a decisive eight-point cushion (0-9 to 0-1), with Michael O’Gara’s playmaking ability seen to prominent effect throughout.

Newcastle West tackled hard, and in numbers but, as a consequence, found themselves penalised regularly by referee Sean Lonergan, with Darragh O’Brien his usual composed self from the resultant dead-ball situations and, unexpectedly, veteran Kieran Donaghy proving a nuisance at times for the visitors’ full-back line, notching two points in the opening half.

To give credit to the West Limerick men, they enjoyed a purple patch in the third quarter with three unanswered points, Iain Corbett kicking a wonder score from long range with the outside of his right boot, but any semblance of a fightback was soon ended.

In the 42nd minute, after strong work from the extremely solid Colin Griffin around the middle of the park, and a driving run by Joe O’Connor through the centre, Sean Quilter eventually drew the Newcastle goalkeeper before providing Brendan O’Sullivan for the simplest of flicked finishes to the net from close range (1-12 to 0-5).

That killer blow allowed the home team to cruise through the last quarter, setting the scene for a provincial meeting for Wayne Quillinan’s outfit with Cork champions, St Finbarr’s, in the middle of January.

Scorers for Austin Stacks: D O’Brien 0-8 (0-5 frees), B O’Sullivan 1-2, K Donaghy 0-2 (0-1 mark), S Quilter (free), G Horan, S O’Callaghan 0-1 each.

Scorers for Newcastle West: E Hurley 0-3 (frees), D Kelly 0-2, M McMahon (mark), I Corbett, C Sheehan 0-1 each.

AUSTIN STACKS: W Guthrie; C Griffin, B Shanahan, D Casey; P O’Sullivan, C Jordan, J O’Shea; J O’Connor, G Horan; M O’Gara, F Mangan, B O’Sullivan; S Quilter, K Donaghy, D O’Brien.

Subs: A Heinrich for O’Shea (42 mins), S O’Callaghan for Mangan (44 mins), M O’Donnell for Donaghy (51 mins), J Morgan for P O’Sullivan (53 mins), D Fitzmaurice for O’Gara (54 mins).

NEWCASTLE WEST: A Ruddle; M O’Keeffe, D O’Doherty, B O’Sullivan; E Murphy, J Kelly, S Brosnan; C Sheehan, I Corbett; B Nix, S Stack, B Hurley; AJ O’Connor, M McMahon, E Hurley.

Subs: D Kelly for B Hurley (29 mins), S Murphy for Brosnan (half-time), T Quilligan for Stack (39 mins), L Woulfe for J Kelly (46 mins), D Woods for McMahon (52 mins).

Referee: S Lonergan (Tipperary).