Munster Intermediate Club Football Championship Final
Saturday December 7th 2024
Austin Stacks v Aherlow
Venue; Mallow GAA Sports Complex, Cork.
Throw in 1-00pm
Match Report By Tommy Naughton
Austin Stacks are the Munster Intermediate Club Football Champions for 2024 after cruising to victory against Aherlow from Tipperary. In the pre game build up this game was being described as a David and Goliath affair but this time it seemed like David forgot to bring his sling as Aherlow failed to leave any impression on the strong Stacks outfit.
The Kerry Intermediate Club Champions have won 16 of the last 18 Munster Intermediate titles which will once gain draw attention to the set up in Kerry where there has been only 8 senior club teams for the past number of years which will now be raise to nine and then ten by the end of 2025, but is that still enough? .
Although Stacks will be delighted with the win, they know they must improve especially with their shooting accuracy as they registered 8 wides in the opening 30 minutes while also dropping two attempts short and hitting the post from a close range free.
Stacks dominate the game from the outset with the first point coming from a free by Donagh McKivergan after two minutes. Three minutes later Colin Griffin fisted over after a great pass from Armin Heinrich. It took another eight minutes before Stacks got the next score having wasted a number of great chances with Paddy Lane getting his first from a close range free.
Cian Purcell kicked the scored of the game on the quarter hour mark with a huge kick from the left wing . The first goal chance came in the 22nd minute when Daniel Kirby’s close range effort was blocked by a number of Aherlow defenders throwing their bodies on the line but the referee brough the play back for an earlier free which was converted by Donagh McKivergan.
Just before the half time whistle Paddy Lane was to raise the green flag after a driving run through the Aherlow defense by Joe O’Connor saw him off load to Lane who made no mistake when given the opportunity. Paddy Lane also raise the white flag for a point from play but this was overturned by the referee at half time.
Aherlow only managed to get one attempt on goal in the opening thirty minutes when a long range free by Barry Grogan went harmlessly wide and any hope of a second half comeback was dealt a huge blow when Cathal Dillon picked up his second yellow card and was sent off.
Half Time: Austin Stacks 1-05 Aherlow 0-00
Playing into the strong wind in the second half Stacks goal of to the best possible start with Paddy Lane kicking over another close range free and when Darragh O’Briens effort was saved, Joe O’Connor followed up to get the Rockies second goal of the game in the 34th minute.
Aherlow got on the scoreboard in the 38th minute when Grogan kicked over a free from the left wing. Two goals from Cian Purcell followed with the first a great solo effort which saw him run from the half way line and then he was on hand to finish off after Shane O’Callaghan’s effort was blocked.
Stacks emptied the bench and it was substitute Sean Quilter who was next to score when he first to the back of the net with seven minutes remaining to leave the score 5-06 to 0-01. Quilter followed this with a point before another substitute Shane O’Callaghan got Stacks sixth goal when he tapped home after the Aherlow keeper denied Jordan Kissane.
Just as the clocked ticked over the hour mark Aherlow got their second score of the game from Mark Russell but their was still for Cian Purcell to bag his hat trick to end a very one sided Munster Final.
Full Time: Austin Stacks 7-07 Aherlow 0-02
Austin Stacks; Michael Tansley, Colin Griffin (0-01), Barry Shanahan, Joey Nagle, Armin Heinrich, Jack O’Shea, Paul O’Sullivan, Michael O’Donnell, Joe O’Connor (1-00), Fiachna Mangan, Greg Horan, Daniel Kirby, Donagh McKivergan (0-02, 2f), Cian Purcell (3-01), Paddy Lane (1-02, 2f).
Subs; Darragh O’Brien for McKivergan 25 mins, Ronan Shanahan for O’Donnell 39 mins, Shane O’Callaghan (1-00) for Heinrich 42 mins, Jordan Kissane for Lane 51 mins, Sean Quilter (1-01) for Kirby 51 mins, Adam Curran for O’Brien 55 mins temporary.
Aherlow; Jack Whelton, Mark Hanley, Raymond Hennessy, Tom O’Donoghue, Tadhg Carew, Laurence Coskeran, Darragh O’Brien, Diarmuid Looby, Mark Russell (0-01), Michael Elligott, Ben Carey, Jack O’Halloran, Cathal Dillon, Bary Grogan (0-01, 1f), Gary Quirke.
Subs; Bernard O’Brien for Elligott half time, Liam Carew for Quirke half time, Sean Mullins for Coskeran 36 mins, Thomas Fahey for Hanley 42 mins, Paddy Chapman for O’Donoghue 51 mins.
Referee; Niall Quinn (Clare)
