Munster club SFC: Stacks get there in the end

November 16, 2014

Austin Stacks' Shane O'Callaghan with Liam Jennings and Noel Galvin of Ballincollig.
©INPHO.

Austin Stacks (Kerry) 0-15
Ballincollig (Cork) 1-9
(After extra-time)

Austin Stacks recovered from a disastrous start to beat Ballincollig after extra-time in a titanic Munster club SFC semi-final at Austin Stack Park.

Finding themselves 0-1 to 1-4 in arrears after 20 minutes to the first-time Cork champions, the hosts fought back to take the lead, only for veteran John Miskella to kick a brilliant late point to level the scoring at 1-7 to 0-10 and force extra-time.

But scores from sub Darragh Long, Pat McCarthy and David Mannix had Stacks 0-13 to 1-7 in front at the end of the first period of additional time, and further efforts from Kieran Donaghy and Long in the second period secured Stacks'place in the Munster final for the first time since 1976.

Their opponents in the November 30 decider will be The Nire, who also required extra-time to overcame Cratloe in the other penultimate round tie.

Making their provincial championship debut, Ballincollig couldn't have asked for a better start as Cork star Paddy Kelly found the net and Cian Kiely and Cian Dorgan kicked some great points.

However, five unanswered points from the outstanding Greg Horan, McCarthy, Mannix (two) and Shane O'Callaghan left the Kerry champions trailing by the minimum, 0-6 to 1-4, at half-time.

With Shane Carroll accurate from frees, the Tralee men moved into a 0-10 to 1-5 lead before points from Sean Kiely and 2010 All-Ireland winner Miskella in the last 10 minutes forced extra-time.

But the black and ambers weren't to be denied as Ballincollig were restricted to just two points from Miskella and Cian Dorgan ('45') in the additional 20 minutes.

Austin Stacks - D O'Brien; R Shanahan, F MacNamara, C Jordan; P McCarthy (0-2), B Shanahan, D McElligott (0-1); W Guthrie, G Horan (0-2); S O'Callaghan (0-1), S Carroll (0-3f), D Bohan; D Mannix (0-3), K Donaghy (0-1), M Collins. Subs: F Mangan for M Collins, J Dennis for R Shanahan, D Long (0-2f) for S Carroll, C O'Connell for D Bohan, W Kirby for G Horan, G Horan for D McElligott, M Collins for D Mannix, D Bohan for F MacNamara, M Collins (BC).

Ballincollig - D Lordan; L Prendergast, S O'Donoghue, N Galvin; JP Murphy, L Jennings, C Kiely (0-1); S Kiely (0-1), C O'Sullivan; G Durrant, P Kelly (1-0), N Allen; J Kelly (0-1), C Dorgan (0-3, 1f, 1'45), J Miskella (0-3). Subs: P O'Neill for C O'Sullivan, C Moore for L Prendergast, D Tobin for N Allen, I Coughlan for J Kelly, D Kerstein for JP Murphy, JP Murphy for P O'Neill.

Referee - R Hickey.


Most Read Stories