Austin Stacks are back - 'but we can't be thinking we're the bees' knees either'
Austin Stacks players and mentors savour their Kerry IFC final replay win over Laune Rangers at Fitzgerald Stadium on Saturday. Pic: @AustinStacksGAA
THERE were no manic, over-the-top celebrations from Austin Stacks on Saturday. Instead, a quiet sense of satisfaction filtered through the winning squad as they digested their return to the Kerry county senior football championship in 2025.
Bishop Moynihan Cup champions as recently as three years ago, their subsequent relegation from the top tier was a huge body-blow to the famed Tralee club. Bouncing back following this convincing intermediate final replay victory over Laune Rangers saw the pressure valve released.
“We’re obviously delighted to be back, but it’s more of a relief for us," said captain Greg Horan. "I don’t know if that sounds bad, but that’s the way we were looking at it. We always felt that we were a senior club, but the intermediate championship in Kerry is no joke.
“I just felt that we were probably better prepared for today, and I think the game probably showed that. Physically and mentally, we weren’t sloppy, and we were certainly a bit sloppy the first day. We wrote those wrongs right.”
After a nine-week gap between the drawn encounter on September 8 and the return meeting, it was Austin Stacks who hit the ground running second time around. With Horan leading the way, notching the game’s opening two points, they were four to the good at half-time (0-6 to 0-2).
With seven wides registered before the break, the side’s perceived Achilles heel was keeping the Killorglin outfit in reasonably close attention, but continuing to keep control on the resumption, Billy Lee’s charges were full value for their eventual 12-point victory.
“You belong where you earn to belong. The club have earned the right to go back senior. Laune Rangers didn’t give it to us easy, nor did Glenbeigh/Glencar, nor did Legion, nor did John Mitchels or An Ghaeltacht,” said Stacks boss Lee.
“Laune Rangers have had knocks and injuries, and we certainly didn’t see the real Laune Rangers out there. Liam (Hassett) has done a good job, and I know they’re a young team. Their day will come, there is no question about it.”
The man who lifted the Sam Maguire Cup for Kerry in 1997 was philosophical after the final whistle. Shorn of vice-captain Fiachra Clifford (working in Australia), injured midfielder Tom Whittleton, and with Eoghan Hassett not fit to start, Laune Rangers then lost Eoin O’Sullivan in the opening quarter.
“We’ve no excuses, we were beaten by a far superior team. Our boys, we tried things, and we kind of contained them early on. Then, on the other side, things just didn’t go right for us. The goal threat that we had, through Daire Cleary, they snuffed that out,” said Hassett.
“With a young team, we just needed a few green shoots to keep things going. In the first half, we just struggled to make an impact, and it was all Stacks. We regrouped at half-time, but they just have power and pace, they shut you down.
“Even the fellas that came off the bench made a huge impact for Stacks, and just drove the wedge in even further. They’re worthy champions, and we wish them well in the senior county championship. It’s great to have a club like Stacks back up there,” he added.
After getting a tally of 0-5 from four different substitutes in the drawn clash two months ago, Austin Stacks used their bench to great effect again on Saturday. Darragh O’Brien and Brendan O’Sullivan kicked a point apiece, while Cian Purcell applied the icing on the cake with a 59th minute goal.
“Firstly, we have to show a bit of humility, in the sense that it’s only three years ago that we were senior champions. It’s very hard to get out of intermediate, and you’ve got to enjoy the fruits of your labour. We can’t be going around thinking that we’re the bee’s knees either,” stressed Lee.
Next stop for Austin Stacks is a Munster intermediate semi-final on November 24. Their journey might have a bit to run yet.
G Horan (0-3), D McKivergan (0-3, frees), (1-0), P Lane (0-2, 1f), J Nagle, D Kirby, D Casey, A Heinrich, D O’Brien, B O’Sullivan (0-1 each).
E Hassett (0-2, frees), P Daly (0-2, 1f), J Tyther (0-1)
M Tansley; C Griffin, D Casey, J Nagle; A Heinrich, J O’Shea, P O’Sullivan; M O’Donnell, J O’Connor; F Mangan, G Horan, D Kirby; D McKivergan, S O’Callaghan, P Lane.
: C Purcell for O’Callaghan (40), R Shanahan for O’Sullivan (48), D O’Brien for Mangan (54), C Browne for Griffin (59), B O’Sullivan for Lane (59).
J Browne; S Clifford, O Daly, S Cleary; P Carey, E Clifford, C Moriarty; S Daly, E O’Sullivan; P Daly, D Cleary, J Tyther, M Leslie, S Sealy, G Hassett.
: E Hassett for O’Sullivan, inj (17), D Mangan for Leslie (27), J Burke for Tyther (38), R Diggin for P Daly (50), S Gannon for Moriarty (59).
: P O’Sullivan (Firies).
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