Sunday 18th May 2025
Kerry GAA Credit Union County League Division 1
Spa Killarney v Austin Stacks
Venue; Spa GAA Grounds
Throw-in; 2-00pm
Report by Tommy Naughton
Austin Stacks suffered their first defeat of the season on Sunday away against Spa Killarney. The home side fully deserved the win as they never trailed in a game that saw the Stacks lacking any intensity especially in the opening 30 minutes along with a number of poor decisions when the game was in the balance.
Spa Killarney started the quicker and were three points ahead after four minutes with a free that was followed by their first two pointer from play. Shane O’Callaghan got the first score for the rock men when he kicked over from close range.
Spa regained their three point lead from the next kick out and a Conor Horan free shortly after had the gap at two again. After a sloppy period of play from both sides Spa kicked over a free from the 21 yard line but the sides were level on the quarter hour mark after Colm Browne managed to squeeze the ball home to raise the green flag.
The sides exchange points with Shane O’Callaghan getting the Stacks score before Spa kicked over a two point free from Cian Tobin. Shane O’Callaghan who seem to be the stacks main threat kicked over two more points to have the sides level again as the game headed towards injury time.
Stacks had the chance to go ahead only for Conor Horan’s short range free to miss the target and from the next play Spa kicked over their third two-point of the half to go two points up. Conor made up for his earlier miss with the last score of the opening half.
Half Time; Spa Killarney 0-10 Austin Stacks 1-06
Spa started the second half just like the first and had the first two scores from play to extend the gap to three points. Conor Horan reduced the gap with a score from play before stacks kicked four wides in a row in the next five minutes. The gap was three again before Adam Curran fisted over and this was followed quickly by a point from Greg Horan.
What was to be a theme of the day was that every time the Stacks got close Spa went down the field and scored with ease. Spa were next to score again with this followed by a free from Ferdia O’Brien. Again Spa scored next and when Brendan O’Sullivan kicked over with ten minutes remaining the visitors must of taught the would be able to scrape another tight wing.
Adam Curran fired over to bring the sides level but disaster struck when Spa scored a goal from what seemed like an impossible angle but somehow it was squeezed home at the near post. Credit to stacks who kept trying and they were level again with five minutes remaining after a two pointer from play from Ferdia O’Brien and a free from Ryan O’Driscoll.
As the game passed into injury time Spa struck again with a point and then their second goal a minute later when Evan Cronin somehow ghosted in along the endline to score. Ferdia O’Brien with a free and Ryan O’Driscoll from play had the gap at two with the home crowd screaming for the full time whistle. There was still time for one last attack and when Shane O’Callaghan fisted the ball high across the goalmouth it was punched goalward by Gearoid Fitzgerald but somehow it was cleared of the line followed by the final whistle.
Thier will be a lot to digest for the Rockies who know they can perform so much better and will have too with some big games coming up starting with Glenflesk coming to Connolly Park next Sunday.
Full Time; Spa Killarney 2-16 Austin Stacks 1-17
Austin Stacks; Ben Quilter, Colin Griffin, Jack O’Shea, Sean og Brosnan, Niall Fitzmaurice, Ronan Shanahan, Colm Browne (1-00), Greg Horan (0-01), Luke Casey , Conor Horan (0-03 (1f)) , Armin Heinrich, Eoghan Carroll, Shane O’Callaghan (0-04), Brendan O’Sullivan (0-01), Gearoid Fitzgerald.
Subs; Ferdia O’Brien (0-04 (1x2pt, 2f)) for Armin Heinrich (41 min), Adam Curran (0-02) for Colm Browne (41 min), Ryan O’Driscoll (0-02 (1f)) for Brendan O’Sullivan (50 min), David Fitzmaurice for Luke Casey (54 min).
Spa Killarney ; Shay O’Meara, Eric O’Donoghue, Eoin Fitzgerald, Rian O’Neill, Conor Stack, Gary Vaughan, Liam Spillane (0-02 (1x2pt)), Dara Moynihan, Ciaran Spillane (0-01), Evan Cronin (1-04 (1x2pt)), Michael Foley (0-02), Timmy Moynihan (0-01), Cian Tobin (0-04 (1x2ptf, 2f)), Joey McCarthy (0-01), David Spillane (0-01).
Subs; Oran O’Neill for Eoin Fitzgerald, Luke O’Neill for David Spillane.
Referee; Padraig O’Sullivan (Firies)
