Kerry SFL: Austin Stacks still sweating as Dr Crokes join Legion on top

Legion needed a 68th minute point from Kerry U20 star William Shine to grab a point in a 1-16 apiece draw with Gneeveguilla who are battling relegation and will play Stacks in their final game.

SHINING LIGHT: Legion's William Shine grabbed a late equaliser for his club on Sunday in Gneeveguilla.

Last year Austin Stacks lost their Kerry SFC status and will play intermediate club championship later this summer - they are now also in a relegation dogfight to avoid the drop into Division 2 of the SFL after a 1-13 to 1-11 away loss to Milltown/Castlemaine. 

Stacks are in eleventh place in the table on six points with only Desmonds below them on three and looking doomed with just two rounds of the league left. Stacks will face Kilcummin in two weeks' time and they are still in contention for league honours after ending Ballymac’s six-game winning run by 2-15 to 1-14. Gneeveguilla, Spa and Dingle are also in peril on seven points so it makes a thrilling climax to the league.

Stacks raced 0-3 to 0-0 in front against Milltown/Castlemaine thanks to points from Sean Quilter (free), Donagh McKivergan and Mike O’Donnell (free) but the home side soon leveled thanks to a brace from Eanna O’Connor and a fine effort from Sean Hogan. Cillian Litchfield and Eanna O’Connor swapped points and it was even enough until half time with a late Ryan O’Neill point giving Milltown/Castlemaine an 0-8 to 0-7 half-time lead.

When Quilter levelled, Stacks might have kicked on but Milltown/Castlemaine hit 1-3 without reply with Cathal Moriarty scoring the goal and points from Eanna O’Connor, Pa Wrenn and Moriarty giving the home side a six point lead at the three quarters stage. A Jack Murphy goal gave Stacks hope and points from Shane O’Callaghan and Donagh McKivergan closed the gap to two but the Mid Kerry side held on for two crucial points.

Dr Crokes move level with neighbours Legion on top with 13 points each though Legion has a game in hand. Crokes were always in control in Dingle winning 0-13 to 0-7 in a tetchy affair where both sides lost two players to red cards. Crokes led 0-8 to 0-3 at half time thanks to points from Daithi Casey (2), Tom Doyle (2) and one each from Mikey Casey, Billy Courtney, Alex Hennigan and Brendan Coppinger while Cathal Bambury (2) and Conor Geaney were on the mark for Dingle.

Legion needed a 68th minute point from Kerry U20 star Will Shine to grab a point in a 1-16 apiece draw with Gneeveguilla who are also battling relegation and will play Stacks in their final game. Legion led 0-11 to 0-6 at half time but the home side then closed the gap to one with four unanswered points before Jack Alada scored a Legion goal.

But two Connie O’Connor points and Paudie O’Leary goal leveled the contest and it was nip and tuck all the way to added time where John O’Leary appeared to have won the game for Gneeveguilla before Shine's intervention.

Ballymacelligott lost on the road after six wins when Kilcummin recovered from trailing 1-9 to 0-6 at half time with Cathal Dunne getting the Ballymac goal. But during a crazy opening seven minutes of the second half, Kilcummin turned the game on its head with a 2-3 salvo without reply, the goals from Shane McSweeney and Garry O’Leary.