Minor Co. League Div. 1
Austin Stacks 0-09 An Ghaeltacht 1-5
We emerged victorious with the minimum to spare in our first game in this season’s Co. League in Connolly Park on this Saturday afternoon (9th March). Playing well below par in the first half we only had two points on the board (to 1-1 for the visitors), although we were creating most of the chances, but most of those chances went a begging – with seven wides and seven efforts dropped short into the keeper. Our first score came in the 11th minute when Kyle Fitzgibbon pointed a free following a foul on Ciaran Flanagan.
It was Flan then that had our only other score of that half when he pointed from play in the 25th minute after good work by Dylan Hartnett and Sean Dukes. A minute later James O’Connor prevented an almost certain goal when, in a one to one on the edge of the square, he fielded brilliantly over the opposition’s full forward.
We played much better in the second half, even if it took us until the 48th minute to draw level for the first time and two minutes later to go ahead for the first time. After the opposition went three up with a pointed free two minutes after the resumption we came back quickly with two good points from play. The first came when James Galvin and Ciaran Flanagan put Sean Dukes through, who put over. And then a minute later (34th) a great run by James O’Connor found Flan himself who scored.
Two points each were then exchanged with Kyle on target with our two from frees after fouls on Eamon McAllen and Sean Ryan. And then in the 48th it was Kyle again, this time from play, who leveled the game. Two minutes later Eamon gave us that vital lead. It was now anyones game and when Gaeltacht leveled again in the 53rd it looked as if the game was heading for a draw. However, another converted free by Kyle put us back in the lead again. In the final six minutes the West Kerry boys pressed and pressed, but some tenacious defending by our lads kept them at bay for us to take all points.
Team: Brian Horgan, Dylan Hartnett, Eoghan McKivergan, Aidan McQuinn, Colin Griffin, Conor Jordan, Joseph O’Kelly, Greg Horan (Capt), James O’Connor, Ciaran Flanagan (0-2), Sean Ryan, James Galvin, Eamon McAllen (0-1), Kyle Fitzgibbon (0-5 – 4 frees), Sean Dukes (0-1).
We will have to use our alternative strip next Saturday (16th March) for the visit of Dr. Crokes, with our postponed round 1 game against Mitchels yet to be fixed.