Match report by Tim Slattery
Stacks are through to the final after a rip roaring finish to the match which at one stage Stacks were ten points ahead.
This is Stacks third time in the final of the competition having previously won it in 2002 and runners up in 2003.
Stacks opened the scoring after three minutes with a Paddy Lane free and within a minute Paddy had his second also from a free.
Paddy made it a three point game after good work by Sean Og Brosnan and Damien Hogan with a fine catch added another on nine minutes.
Daniel Kirby from a Donnacha Sayers pass and Ben Murphy after a great run added points to make it a six point game.
South Kerry looked in trouble at this stage and to make matters worse Paddy Lane intercepted a loose ball out of the defence and quick as a flash had the ball in the back of the net leaving Stacks ahead by 1-6 to 0-0.
Fionan O’Sullivan had South Kerry’s first point on eighteen minutes and they added three more points from Ruairi Burns,Ben O’Donoghue and Emmet Daly fisted another to leave five points between the sides.
Paddy lane had his fourth point after good work by Ben Murphy and Cian Dillane split the posts after a great crossfield pass from Jordan Kissane and just before the interval Keith Brennan had a South Kerry point.
Half Time Austin Stacks 1-8 South Kerry 0-5
Alex Coffey fisted over the first point of the second half and within three minutes were awarded a penalty after Ben O’Donoghue was fouled in the square Ruairi Burns kick was high and wide of the post a let off for Stacks.
Colm Browne added a Stacks point and nine minutes later Jordan Kissane had Stacks second goal after good work by Damien Hogan and Cillian Litchfield.
Ronan Carroll with a point after a fine run by Ben Murphy increased Stacks lead to 2-10 to 0-6 with twelve minutes left in the game.
Game over surely but South Kerry had other ideas and rocked Stacks with two goals in a minute from Emmet Daly and Ben O’Donoghue to leave four points between the sides.
South Kerry were not finished yet and had three points in a row from an Ian O’Sullivan free,Ben O’Donoghue mark and Fintan O’Sullivan to level the match.
Deep in injury time Stacks went in search of the winner and were rewarded when Jordan Kissane was fouled and with his trusty left foot sent the ball over the bar for a dramatic winner.
Full Time Austin Stacks 2-11 South Kerry 2-10
Austin Stacks Team: Michael Tansley,Ben Murphy (0-1),Ruairi O’Connell,James Fisher,Joey Nagle,Cian Dillane (0-1),Sean Og Brosnan,Colm Browne (0-1),Conor Horan Capt,Daniel Kirby (0-1),Jordan Kissane (1-1f),Shane Bastible,Paddy Lane (1-4,2f),Damien Hogan (0-1),Donnacha Sayers.
Subs Cillian Litchfield for Shane Bastible,Ronan Carroll (0-1) for Donnacha Sayers,Sean Heaslip for James Fisher,Ryan O’Driscoll for Damien Hogan.
Referee Brendan Brosnan Glenflesk
Match images by Adrienne McLoughlin
Fan Zone images by Adrienne McLoughlin
