Match Report by Tommy Naughton
Saturday 9th December 2024
Intermediate Club Championship Final Replay
Austin Stacks v Laune Rangers
Venue; Fitzgerald Stadium
Although there was a trophy to be won, for Austin Stacks the bigger prize was regaining their Senior Championship status which they did with a hugely dominant display against Laune Rangers in Fitzgerald Stadium. Many neutrals will say that Laune Rangers never got going but huge credit must be given to this Austin Stacks team who never let Rangers get into the game at any stage, with Stacks winning not only winning the encounter but every individual battle throughout the 70 plus minutes played.
Stacks started the game brightly and after a sweeping move that started with Michael Tansley and involved seven more players it ended with Greg Horan kicking the first score within the opening two minutes of the match. Stacks were dominating the early possession stakes and should have been further ahead only for a Paddy Lane wide and a Donagh McKivergan effort that hit the upright. In the eight minute Greg Horan got his second from play after weaving his way past two defenders he kicked a great score from 30 yards out.
The first goal chance of the game came when Greg Horan nearly got on the end of a under hit shot from Daniel Kirby. Joe O’Connor and Donagh McKivergan both registered wides for the Stacks before Laune Rangers had their first attempt on goal in the 13th minute which saw Gearoid Hasset send his free well wide. Joey Nagle extended the Stacks lead with a well taken score from a very tight angle to leave the Stacks three points up after 18 minutes. A minute later Greg Horan kicked a wide from the right wing and from the resulting kick out we saw one of the defining moments of the game. Gearoid Hasset fielded at midfield before driving at the Stacks defense where he off loaded to Daire Cleary. Cleary with the goal at his mercy, released the ball and before it hit his boot in came an unbelievable last man tackle from Jack O’Shea to deny what looked to be a certain goal.
Donagh McKivergan kicked his first score from a free, three yards from the right sideline on the twenty one yard line to put the Stacks four points up after 21 minutes. Laune Rangers registered their second wide of the game just before Daniel Kirby kicked a wonderful long range effort to extend the lead to five points. In the 24th minute of the game Rangers got on the scoreboard after a mix up in the Stacks defence saw John Tyther kick over from close range.
Stacks responded well and should have regained their four point lead but Michael O’Donnell’s goal effort was deflected wide and from the resulting 45, Michael Tansley saw his effort go wide of the far post. Another wide by Stacks from a McKivergan free but from the next kickout Paddy Lane stole possession and was awarded a free which he kicked over from close range. Laune Rangers got the final score of the half from a free by Eoin Hassett.
Although Stacks were only four points up on the scoreboard at half time the gulf between the two sides on the field of play was very evident for all to see.
HALF TIME: Austin Stacks 0-06 Laune Rangers 0-02
The first chance of the second half fell to Laune Rangers which saw David Mangan kick wide from distance. Dylan Casey opening the scoring in the second half with an excellent score of his left leg. Less than a minute later Greg Horan came on the loop around Fiachna Mangan to kick another great score to put the stacks 0-08 to 0-02 ahead. Laune Rangers kicked their second score from play from Patrick Daly which would turn out to be their final score from play for the game in the 37th minute.
Paddy Lane showed great footwork to evade the Rangers defense to kick over after a great long-range pass from Greg Horan. Laune Rangers pulled a point back from a free by Patrick Daly to leave Austin Stacks five points up with fifteen minutes remaining. Stacks responded with Donagh McKivergan kicking a close range free and a minute later Armin Heinrich kicked over from the left wing. Stacks were now in a very commanding possession having a seven point lead with just over ten minutes remaining.
Donagh MvKivergan kicked his third of the game with another superbly taken free after Paddy Lane was hauled down. Laune Rangers needed goals now and to be fair with the brilliance of the Stacks defence it never seemed likely to happen. Darragh O’Brien just off the bench with his first touch, turned his marker before kicking over to put the Stacks nine ahead with five minutes of normal time left.
A free from Eoin Hasset was the last score for Rangers to reduce the lead to eight. The final nail in the coffin for Laune rangers came with less than two minutes remaining after Joe O’Connor burst through the Rangers defence, he passed to Cian Purcell and he slotted the ball past the keeper with brough a huge cheer of joy and relief from every super rockie in Fitzgerald Stadium. The final score of the game came from another substitute Brendan O’Sullivan .
FULL TIME: Austin Stacks 1-14 Laune Rangers 0-05
This win was thoroughly deserved for the Stacks with keeper Michael Tansley looking comfortable all game. The back line of Colin Griffin, Jack O’Shea, Paul O’Sullivan Dylan Casey, Joey Nagle and Armin Heinrich were incredible and while they only conceded two points from play, they also managed to register three points between them on the scoreboard. Michael O’Donnell and Joe Connor worked superbly as a partnership in midfield. The Stacks half forward line was immense with the ever reliant Fichna Mangan , Man of the match Greg Horan and Daniel Kirby who may be young in years doesn’t show it with his growing experience. Our full forward line registered four points and caused huge trouble to the Rangers defense with their constant movement and work rate. When you add in the five substitutions, two in defense Ronan Shanahan and Colm Browne who would start in most senior club sides and three forwards Darragh O’Brien, Brendan Sullivan and Cian Purcell who scored 1-02 between them it makes you start to understand why this group of players and the club are back as a Senior Club Side.
JOB DONE.
AUSTIN STACKS: Michael Tansley; Colin Griffin, Dylan Casey 0-1, Joey Nagle 0-1; Armin Heinrich 0-1, Jack O’Shea, Paul O’Sullivan; Michael O’Donnell, Joe O’Connor; Fiachna Mangan, Greg Horan 0-3, Daniel Kirby 0-1; Donagh McGivergan 0-3 (3f), Shane O’Callaghan, Paddy Lane 0-2 (1f).
Subs: Cian Purcell 1-0 for Shane O’Callaghan (40), Ronan Shanahan for Paul O’Sullivan, Darragh O’Brien 0-1 for Fiachna Mangan (54), Colm Browne for Colin Griffin (59), Brendan O’Sullivan 0-1 for Paddy Lane (59).
LAUNE RANGERS: Jason Browne; Shane Clifford, Oisin Daly, Sean Cleary; Patrick Carey, Eoin Clifford, Calum Moriarty, Shane Daly, Gearoid Hassett, Stephen Sealy, John Tyther 0-1, Patrick Daly 0-2 (1f), Dáire Cleary, Eoin O’Sullivan, Matthew Leslie.
Subs: Eoghan Hassett 0-2 (2f) for Eoin O’Sullivan (inj, 16), David Mangan for Matthew Leslie (27), John Burke for John Tyther (37), Ryan Diggin for atrickP Daly (50), Stephen Gannon for Calum Moriarty (59)
REFEREE: Padraig O’Sullivan (Firies)
Images by Adrienne McLoughlin
