Austin Stacks hold on against St Kierans to seal back-to-back Kerry U21 football titles

Irish Examiner

25-06-2025

Austin Stacks 1-14 (1-1-12) St Kierans 0-14 (0-2-10)
Austin Stacks secured back-to-back Kerry U-21 Football Championship titles as they hung on against St Kieran's on Wednesday and gained sweet revenge for last year MFC final defeat.
The cohesion and interplay between the players of the club side was very evident from the outset as Stacks dominated the midfield exchanges thanks to the powerful fetching of Ben Murphy, Daniel Kirby and Gavin Casey while Jack Murphy was hovering up breaking the ball.
Stacks opted to play against the wind in the opening half and despite falling behind to a Killian Dennehy free, after Cathal McElligott had been fouled, that was the only time St Kierans led the holders for the rest of the final.
Stacks almost found the net a minute later when Ben Murphy, with a trademark run through the midfield, saw his goal bound effort pushed onto the crossbar by St Kieran's keeper Conor Wilkinson.
But once Daniel Kirby leveled in the fifth minute, Stacks took over and three Paddy Lane points and a fine effort from Donnacha Sayers had them 0-5 to 0-1 in front and St Kieran's were struggling to stay in touch.
A two pointer from Cathal McElligott helped to close the gap to two but that was as good as it got for the combo as Stacks, with the Murphy brothers and Casey brothers prominent, powered on.
Paddy Lane fired over a two pointer, Sayers followed with a free and points from Ben Murphy and Lane saw Stacks move six clear, 0-10 to 0-4.
Dennehy added two frees but Stacks then struck for the killer goal, created by sixty metre upfield run by Colm Browne and dispatched to the net by Paddy Lane.
Stacks led 1-10 to 0-6 at half time and it looked game over. An early Paddy Lane free increased the Tralee side's lead as Michael Tansley denied Ruairi Bourke from point blank range.
In fact, it was the story of the second half as St Kieran's created six goal chances, three were saved by Tansley, and Killian Dennehy crashed the ball against the underside of the crossbar in the 53rd minute.
Michael Horan then shot wide, and when the game was in the balance, Jack Murphy took a Cathal Brosnan cross off the line with Cathal McElligott steaming in behind him.
It was all going Stacks way until the 50th minute when they led 1-14 to 0-8. But the introduction of Kian Downey appeared to spark St Kieran's into life with two frees soon converted.
Dennehy converted another as Stacks began to turn over the ball and Cathal Brosnan kicked a massive two pointer and suddenly the fat was in the fire.
Stacks were fortunate that Jack Murphy and keeper Michael Tansley came to their rescue late on, as they held on by three points to complete the two in a row.
Scorers for Austin Stacks: P Lane (1-6, 2pt, 2fs), D Sayers (0-4, 3fs), R O'Driscoll (0-2, 2fs), B Murphy and D Kirby (0-1 each).
Scorers for St Kieran's: K Dennehy (3fs), and C McElligott (1f, 2pt) (0-4 each), C Brosnan (2pt) and C Downey (0-2 each), M Nolan and C Mangan (0-1 each).
Austin Stacks: M Tansley; S Óg Brosnan, C Browne, J Murphy; B Murphy, L Casey, G Casey; F Ryan, D Kirby; C Dillane, P Lane, R Carroll; D Sayers, D Hogan, R O'Driscoll.
Subs: Cillian Litchfield for D Hogan (40), S Heaslip for C Browne (49).
St Kieran's: C Wilkinson (Castleisland Desmonds); S O'Sullivan (Brosna), I Brosnan (Castleisland Desmonds), O O'Connor (Currow); R Bourke (Castleisland Desmonds), J McElligott (Knocknagoshel), R Dennehy (Cordal); J Brosnan (Knocknagoshel), K Dennehy (Cordal); M Nolan (Brosna), C McElligott (Knocknagoshel), R Brosnan (Currow); C Mangan (Knocknagoshel), C Brosnan (Currow), M Horan (Scartaglen).
Subs: T Conway (Castleisland Desmonds) for J Brosnan (24), J O'Sullivan (Brosna) for R Bourke (39), M Lane (Brosna) for C Mangan (40), C Downey (Castleisland Desmonds) for T Conway (43), J O'Connor (Currow) for R Brosnan (58).
Referee: C O Dhúbhda (Kilcummin).