Intermediate Club Championship Final
Sunday 8th September 2024
Austin Stacks v Laune Rangers
Fitzgerald Stadium Killarney
Match report by Tommy Naughton
Austin Stacks and Laune Rangers will need to meet again before we find out who will be crowned Intermediate club champions for 2024 after a tight battle where neither side could get over the line . While the game itself lacked the high scoring spectacle that both sets of supporters hoped for, it did keep everyone on the edge of their seat as neither side managed to pull away from the other. Both sides will feel like they could have won and lost this game with Stacks coming from behind in normal time before Laune Rangers grabbed a dramatic equaliser deep into injury time in extra time.
Stacks started the stronger and were 0-02 up after the two minutes thanks to two converted frees by Paddy Lane. Less than a minute later Laune Rangers in their first meaningful attack got in behind the stacks full back line and saw Matthew Leslie slot the ball passed the advancing Michael Tansley. Stacks were level within 30 seconds with Daniel Kirby kicking a wonderful long range score.
On the eight minute mark Michael Tansley put Stacks in front with an excellent 45 before Matthew Leslie levelled the game again in the eleventh minute which was to be the last score for either side until the 27th minute of the game. Cian Purcell put Stacks back in front before a Michael Tansley free from 60 meters out put the Rockies two points up at half time.
Half Time; Austin Stacks 0-06 Laune Rangers 1-01
Laune Rangers were quickest out of the traps in the second half and points from Matthew Leslie and Fiachra Clifford had the sides level again within four minutes of the restart. Paddy Lane restored the stacks lead with a well taken score from play but again Rangers responded thanks to a point from Eoghan Hasset. Midway through the second half Stacks restored their half time lead of two points when substitutes Donagh McKivergan (Free) and Michael O’Donnell sored to leave the scoreline looking like Austin Stacks 0-09 Laune Rangers 1-04.
Laune Rangers responded to the challenge and again got in behind the Stacks defence which saw Daire Cleary come in along the endline before passing to Sean Cleary who forced the ball over the line for Rangers second goal of the game and give them a one-point lead as we headed into the final ten minutes of the game. Donagh McKivergan picked up his second point of the game to bring the sides level again which left both sets of teams and supporters in for a frantic last eight minutes where neither side could get the vital winning score with Michael Tansley making a dramatic save to keep the Stacks alive.
Full Time in Normal Time; Austin Stacks 0-10 Laune Rangers 2-04
In the twenty minutes that followed only four scores were taking from both sides with one each from each team in each half. First was a great score from substitute Conor Horan which was cancelled out by Fiachra Clifford. Darragh O’Brien then had the Stacks back in front in the first minute of the second period of extra time before Laune Rangers Ryan Diggin fisted over in the second minute of injury time to ensure a replay would be needed.
With both sides now involved with District Sides for the County Championship the replay wont be fixed until both St Brendans and Mid Kerry are eliminated from the County Championship or the week of November 10th which would be one week after the County Championship final is fixed to be played unless that to goes to a replay.
AUSTIN STACKS: Micael Tansley (0-02, 1fs, 1’45), Colin Griffin, Jack O’Shea, Joey Nagle, Armin Heinrich, Dylan Casey, Paul O’Sullivan; Barry Shanahan, Joe O’Connor; Greg Horan, Fiachna Mangan, Daniel Kirby (0-01), Paddy Lane (0-3 , 2fs), Shane O’Callaghan, Cian Purcell (0-01).
Subs: Michael O’Donnell (0-01) for Barry Shanahan (ht), Donagh McKivergan (0-02, 2fs) for Daniel Kirby (39), Colm Browne for Paul O’Sullivan (48), Jordan Kissane for Shane O’Callaghan (52). Extra Time ; Conor Horan (0-01) for Fiachna Mangan (60), Darragh O’Brien (0-01) for Jordan Kissane (60), Niall Fitzmaurice for Jack O’Shea (62), Daniel Kirby for Colin Griffin (67), Adam Curran for Joey Nagle (78).
LAUNE RANGERS: Jason Browne, Shane Clifford, Oisin Daly, Sean Cleary (1-00), Calum Moriarty, Eoin Clifford, Oisin Birmingham, Eoin O’Sullivan, Tom Whittleton, Stephen Sealy, John Tyther, Fiachra Clifford (0-02), Eoghan Hassett (0-02 (1f), Daire Cleary, Matthew Leslie (1-01).
Subs: Ryan Diggin (0-01) for Oisin Birmingham (42), John Burke for Matthew Leslie (45), Patrick Carey for Calum Moriarty (50), Patrick Daly for John Tyther (56), D Mangan for Eoin O’Sullivan (60+2). Extra time; Rory O’Connor for Patrick Daly (67), Stephen Gannon for Daire Cleary (75), Niall O’Brien for Sean Cleary (80+3).
Referee: Edmond Walsh (Rathmore)
Match Images by Adrienne McLoughlin
