14-man Austin Stacks claim Munster club football crown

Austin Stacks 3-5

The Nire 2-4

DESPITE A POOR start, 14-man Austin Stacks claimed the Munster Club SFC title as they overcame The Nire at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday afternoon.

After eight minutes, the Waterford champions had a lead of 1-3 to no score after a blistering start, but incredibly the remainder of the game would yield just 1-1 as poor shooting proved very costly for them.

Stacks weren’t always accurate in front of the posts themselves, and lost Shane Carroll to a 15th-minute red card, but once they got going they were the better side. Intense pressure on The Nire’s short kickouts proved fruitful for the Tralee side and, having managed to draw level by half-time, they pushed on.

After Michael O’Gorman pointed early on for The Nire, Shane Ryan added a brilliantly-taken goal from Séamus Lawlor’s handpass after Conor Gleeson’s crossfield pass. Further points from Brian Wall and Gleeson had The Nire in dreamland but Shane O’Callaghan got Stacks going with a fine goal, somehow wriggling through three defenders and slotting home after Carroll’s pass.

While Ryan’s free put The Nire ahead again, they would score only once more, even despite the sending-off of Carroll for a second booking. Stacks managed to get a second goal on 19, O’Callaghan feeding David Mannix to finish after a poor Nire kickout and then Mannix levelled with a free.

The first three minutes of the second half brought points from O’Callaghan and Mikey Collins to put Stacks ahead for the first time, but in the 39th minute The Nire seized the advantage again. It was a lovely move – though Stacks felt they should have a had a free after a challenge on Kieran Donaghy at the other end – with Craig Guiry and Lawlor linking to allow Michael Moore to finish. It would be their final score.

Stacks took the lead again when Greg Horan was only denied a goal by a footblock from Nire goalkeeper Tom Wall and Pa McCarthy slotted home the penalty. Despite creating chances, The Nire couldn’t take them and points from Mannix and sub Fiachna Mangan secured the win for Stacks, their second provincial title to go with the 1976 victory.

Scorers for Austin Stacks: David Mannix 1-2 (0-2f), Shane O’Callaghan 1-1, Pa McCarthy 1-0 (penalty), Mikey Collins, Fiachna Mangan 0-1 each.

Scorers for The Nire: Shane Ryan 1-1 (0-1f), Michael Moore 1-0, Brian Wall (0-1f), Michael O’Gorman, Conor Gleeson 0-1 each.

AUSTIN STACKS

1. Darragh O’Brien

2. Fearghal McNamara
3. Barry Shanahan
7. Denis McElligott

5. Pa McCarthy
6. Conor Jordan
19. Ciarán O’Connell

8. Wayne Guthrie
14. Kieran Donaghy

15. Mikey Collins
11. Shane Carroll
12. Daniel Bohan

10. Shane O’Callaghan
9. Greg Horan
13. David Mannix

Subs: 4. John Dennis for O’Connell (half-time), 17. Fiachna Mangan for Collins (44), 18. William Kirby for Guthrie (48), 20. Darragh Long for Mannix (55), 21. Michael O’Donnell for Bohan (60, injured).

THE NIRE

1. Tom Wall

4. Maurice O’Gorman
3. Thomas O’Gorman
2. Justin Walsh

7. Séamus Lawlor
6. Brian Wall
5. Diarmuid Wall

8. Craig Guiry
9. Shane Walsh

11. Michael O’Gorman
10. Michael Moore
12. Jamie Barron

13. Conor Gleeson
15. Shane Ryan
14. Liam Lawlor

Subs: 19. Keith Guiry for Walsh (41), 17. Tommy Cooney for Ryan (50), 18. Dermot Ryan for Séamus Lawlor (56-58, blood sub).

Referee: Conor Lane (Cork).

– First published 16.15, 30 Nov