Austin Stacks denied by late rally in Kerry county final

After one of the best county finals of recent vintage, the common emotion running through both Austin Stacks and Mid Kerry camps is one of relief, tinged with disappointment at not having finished the job yesterday.

Neither side could be separated after a dramatic conclusion to a quality contest.

Stacks will probably feel that they let the game slip as they sought to bridge a 20-year gap without a senior title.

They led by four points, 1-9 to 1-5, early in the second half and had the advantage of a swirling wind at their backs; but Mid Kerry, in typical fashion, somehow wrested back the initiative to earn a draw, with Donnchadh Walsh, Darran O'Sullivan and young Kerry minor Liam Carey to the fore.

And with the game teetering on a knife-edge, both sides missed glorious chances of grabbing victory late on.

Stacks, who were led superbly by experienced campaigners Kieran Donaghy and Daniel Bohan, dominated the early exchanges after recovering from a sixth-minute Mid Kerry goal, registered by the excellent Gavan O'Grady, who grabbed a high Gary Sayers centre and slotted the ball home.

This gave Mid Kerry a 1-1 to 0-1 lead after eight minutes, but with Wayne Guthrie and Bohan driving Stacks forward, they took over in the midfield and added four points without reply from Pat McCarthy, Shane Carroll (free) and Bohan (two).

Bohan only returned to the team for the final after an injury-ravaged year.

Controlling the contest

Gary Sayers and Walsh kept Mid Kerry in touch but Stacks were controlling the contest and three points were added before Donaghy struck in the 22nd minute.

The towering full forward forward fielded a Shane Carroll centre inside the defender and finished to the net after his first effort was blocked. Stacks now led 1-8 to 1-3 and Mid Kerry looked in big trouble.

However, the introduction of Kerry minor star Carey saw the divisional side rally and points from O’Sullivan and O’Grady left Stacks leading 1-8 to 1-5 at the break.

When Donaghy set up Pat McCarthy for a point from the throw-in, it appeared curtains for Mid Kerry, but two O’Grady frees kept them in touch.

Then Mid Kerry got the break they needed in the 40th minute when a Walsh effort for a point dropped over the goalkeeper’s head and into the net. Suddenly the sides were deadlocked at 2-7 to 1-10.

O'Grady gave Mid Kerry the lead but back came Stacks, with points from Mikey Collins, Shane O'Callaghan and Donaghy to put them two points clear with eight minutes remaining.

Gilt-edged

O’Grady then equalised with two further points but he also missed two gilt-edged chances from the right to give Mid Kerry the lead.

However, Stacks also had two late wides and, in the final action of the game, Shane Carroll had a free to win it for the Tralee side but his effort drifted wide.

The replay will be on Sunday, November 2nd at a venue to be decided by the C when they meet tomorrow evening.