Kerry SFC: Austin Stacks hit 3-20 without reply in almost farcical victory over Milltown/Castlemaine

The wind was a major factor at Austin Stack Park as the last two Kerry IFC winners met in the county championship.

Sat, 04 Oct, 2025 - 18:36

John O’Dowd

Kerry SFC round 1: Austin Stacks 4-29 Milltown/Castlemaine 0-17

Hitting a hard-to-believe 3-20 without reply, with the benefit of the strong wind at their backs, Austin Stacks were home and dry by half-time of this almost farcical Kerry SFC game against Milltown/Castlemaine at Austin Stack Park.

When Brendan Casey fired over a fine point from play in the seventh minute, the Mid Kerry side were just a point adrift of their opponents (0-3 to 0-2), and there was the possibility of a real contest breaking out in this meeting of the last two intermediate winners.

That hope didn’t last long. With the elements making it almost impossible for Milltown/Castlemaine to get out of their own half and, with the Rock Street men generally razor-sharp in their shot execution, the scores piled up for Austin Stacks.

Kerry star Joe O’Connor and, especially, exciting prospect Ben Murphy, were in control of the midfield sector and, as a result, the shooting opportunities were plentiful for the likes of Cian Purcell, Daniel Kirby, Paddy Lane and Jordan Kissane.

By the end of the first quarter, even after orange flags from O’Connor and Kirby, the lead for Austin Stacks wasn’t anything out of the ordinary (0-9 to 0-2), but the rest of the half was an unmitigated disaster for Milltown/Castlemaine.

The first Austin Stacks goal arrived in the 17th minute after a swift move involving Purcell and Ronan Shanahan ended with Lane fisting off the crossbar, and the lively Purcell was first to react in bundling the rebound into the net.

Green flag number two would be soon on the way. Indeed, the Tralee club only had to wait five minutes, with Purcell embarking on a penetrating run in along the right wing, and when his progress was brought to a halt, Lane tapped home with consummate ease.

By the 24th minute, when the impressive Murphy affected a turnover, setting in motion an attack that culminated in the inter-county U20 star expertly assisting defender Niall Fitzmaurice for a punched finish at the back post, the Stacks’ runaway train was unstoppable.

Heading out on the resumption a mammoth 30 points behind (3-23 to 0-2), Milltown/Castlemaine attempted to restore some semblance of pride. Pa Wren, David Roche and Dara Hogan kept plugging away, while Eanna O’Connor was sharp from placed balls.

The losers did manage to win the second half (0-15 to 1-6), but that was scant consolation by the final whistle. Austin Stacks sauntered home with a massive amount to spare, with substitute Jack Murphy slotting home their fourth goal in the 55th minute.

Scorers for Austin Stacks: P Lane 1-6 (1tpf, 1tp, 0-1f), J Kissane 0-7 (3tp), D Kirby 0-5 (2tp), C Purcell 1-2 (0-1f), N Fitzmaurice, J Murphy 1-0 each, A Heinrich 0-3 (1tp), J O’Connor 0-2 (tp), B Murphy, E Carroll, M Tansley (f), R Shanahan 0-1 each.

Scorers for Milltown/Castlemaine: E O’Connor 0-10 (0-4fs, 3tpf), D Hogan 0-3 (0-1f, 1tp), B Casey 0-2 (0-1f), P Wren, G Horan 0-1 each.

AUSTIN STACKS: M Tansley; C Griffin, L Casey, N Fitzmaurice; E Carroll, A Heinrich, R Shanahan; J O’Connor, B Murphy; C Horan, D Kirby, M O’Donnell; J Kissane, C Purcell, P Lane.

Subs: C Browne for Murphy (44), G Horan for C Horan (44), J Murphy for Lane (50), B O’Sullivan for O’Donnell (50), J Nagle for Fitzmaurice (55).

MILLTOWN/CASTLEMAINE: C Leane; A Dinham, P Wren, S Roche; A Kelliher, D Roche, J O’Connor; M Lynch, D Dennehy; D Quirke, B Casey, D O’Neill; D Hogan, E O’Connor, C Moriarty.

Subs: G Horan for Lynch (ht), K Kerins for Quirke (40), C O’Connor for Dennehy (42), K O’Carroll for S Roche (44), S Hogan for O’Neill (50).

Referee: E Moriarty (Dingle).