Paul Geaney-inspired Dingle end 77-year wait for Kerry SFC title

Paul Geaney scored 2-2 for Dingle as they defeated Austin Stacks

WEST IS BEST: Dingle defeated Austin Stacks to claim their first Kery SFC title since 1948. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Kerry SFC final: Dingle 2-13 Austin Stacks 1-12

ONLY Paul Geaney would do it. Running down the clock on Kerry’s SFC final and on a 77 year wait for football’s blue riband, a point was the smart play for Dingle with a two point lead over Austin Stacks.

Two minutes remained when the ball dropped menacingly into the corridor of uncertainty. When Dingle sub Ned O Riain engineered the ball back to his skipper, certainty took over. Geaney placed it tidily beyond the reach of Stacks keeper Michael Tansley to annex a first Bishop Moynihan success for Dingle since 1948. Strictly speaking, it is more historic than that. When Tom Long lifted the trophy in ’48, he was backed by an amalgam of support from neighbouring Lispole, Annascaul and even Gaeltacht. There will be no sharing this one. It’s worth noting that the top two tiers in Kerry football in 2025 were won by Dingle and Gaeltacht. Truly, the west is best.

Austin Stacks will be hurting but can’t really complain. In the algreba of what constitutes a defendable half-time lead after first use of the wind, five points ain’t what it used to be. Stacks were sporadically impressive in constructing a 0-8 to 0-3 lead in the Kerry SFC final Sunday with the sleeting rain at their back, but they never had Dingle pinned and suffering.

The west Kerry men were anything but slick in a first half where they lost Mark O’Connor to an early black card and Paul Geaney to a bang on the head – both for ten minutes. But they were crabbit and dogged and as they went down the tunnel must have been well pleased with their interval declaration, 0-4 to 0-8.

Stacks kicked an early two pointer via Armin Heinrich and another monster conversion from Joe O’Connor in the 11th minute. They were their only efforts from outside the arc in the first period. Paddy Lane looked sharp and nimble inside, and the score of the half came when Joe O’Connor fizzed a 50m delivery into Lane who turned with delightful economy to put the Tralee men 0-7 to 0-2 up after 19 minutes.

Mention too for teenage midfielder Ben Murphy, who landed two fine first half score. If you listened closely enough to the applause for same, you might have detected a few ‘He’ll be some loss’ headshakes. Brisbane and the AFL beckons.

That Dingle would outscore the Rock in the remaining ten minutes of the half was a damning reflection of Stacks’ territorial supremacy, Paul Geaney reducing the lead to four points just before the hooter.

But whatever Dingle could do against the wind and rain, Stacks could try likewise and with Dylan Casey an early second half introduction, they dominated the initial tempo after the break. Jordan Kissane knocked over a point that felt like more, but Dingle found their feet and Conor Geaney’s two point free in the 39th minute gave them the foothold, and the momentum, they needed. Stacks no longer had their pursuers at arm’s length – more like a hand apart – but in Murphy they had lively ammunition, and his third point restored a two point lead, 0-10 to 0-8 with 43 minutes gone.

It was still two when Conor Geaney went, and failed, with a two point attempt for a Stacks three up breach, but three minutes later their uncertainty evaporated. A long delivery from Tom O’Sullivan seeking Paul Geaney – how many times have the worked that tandem in their careers – ended up nestling in the Stacks’ net for the final’s first goal. Replays showed it was anything but fortuitous. O’Sullivan won the loose ball off the restart to point and make it 1-10 to 0-11. Dylan Geaney nailed a crucial two point free – 1-4 without reply now - to give Dingle room to focus on controlling the clock, but the edginess was back in the final on 55 minutes when Stacks’ Colm Browne was fouled by Dingle keeper and Cian Purcell drilled home the penalty – 1-13 to 1-11.

A break in play for an injury to Stacks defender Colin Griffin gave Dingle the time and space they needed to clear their head, not that Paul Geaney needed any time-out.

He was sitting in wait, with history in his crosshairs. “The Bishop,” he said in his victory speech, “is finally coming back west.” 

Scorers for Dingle: P Geaney (2-2), C Geaney (0-4, 1 2pf), D Geaney (0-3, 1 2ptf), T O’Sullivan (0-2), B O’Connor, T de Brún (0-1 each).

Scorers for Austin Stacks: B Murphy (0-3), C Purcell (1-0, pen), P Lane (0-3, 1 free), A Heinrich, J O’Connor (0-2 each), J Kissane, G Horan (0-1 each) DINGLE: G Curran; B O’Connor, P O’Connor, T O’Sullivan; T.L O’Sullivan, C Flannery, A. O’Connor; M O’Connor, B O’Connor; T de Brún, P Geaney (capt), N Geaney; C Geaney, F Flaherty, D Geaney.

Subs for Dingle: (D O’Sullivan for P Geaney, temp 7), N O Riain for B O’Connor, M Geaney for T de Brun (both 51), C Bambury for C Geaney (59), S Og Moran for TL O’Sullivan (60).

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

Subs for Stacks: J O’Shea for Carroll (half time), D Casey for Fitzmaurice (36), G Horan for C Horan (41), R Carroll for Kissane (51), C Browne for O’Donnell (54), Temp: J Murphy Griffin (59) 

Referee: S Joy (Laune Rangers).