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Irish Examiner
3 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Armin Heinrich shines as Austin Stacks lay down marker against Templenoe
Kerry Senior Club Football Championship: Austin Stacks 1-18 Templenoe 1-5 With their entire tally coming from open play, Austin Stacks laid down a serious marker to all future opponents with an impressive victory over Templenoe in this Kerry senior club FC (Group 1) opener at Connolly Park in Tralee. On their return to the Kingdom's top club table after intermediate glory last season, Darragh Long's side built up a seven-point lead by the interval (0-9 to 0-2), and never looked back thereafter, against a visiting outfit who couldn't deal with their intensity levels. The Rockies were ravenous for turnovers from beginning to end and, when you consider that Kerry hero Joe O'Connor was only introduced for the second half, and that key figures like Jack O'Shea and Joey Nagle were absent, Stacks are likely to improve as the weeks go on. Kingdom squad member Armin Heinrich was simply magnificent, raiding forward from defence at every opportunity, and his five-point haul was, undoubtedly, what stood out. Growing from his involvement with Jack O'Connor's All-Ireland champions, he is primed for further development. Paddy Lane wasn't far behind his team-mate. The Kerry U20 forward operated in a much deeper playmaking role on this occasion, but it didn't restrict his scoring potential. His total of 1-4, including the game-clinching goal in the 50th minute, were all converted with aplomb. Templenoe, despite plenty of hard graft from the likes of Tadhg Morley and Gavin Crowley, were given an early second half lifeline by a thundering Adrian Spillane green flag. However, with Killian Spillane suffering from a lack of supply, and the close attention of Dylan Casey, they struggled for penetration. Lane's goal, created by O'Connor and Luke Casey, made it a nine-point game (1-12 to 1-3) entering the last ten minutes, and there was no way back for the visitors. Austin Stacks were able to utilize their bench to good effect, with another young gun in Daniel Kirby adding two points. With nine different players on the scoresheet by the game's conclusion, the winners will be more than satisfied with their collective work. A Tralee derby with Na Gaeil next weekend will whet the appetite even further on Rock Street. Scorers for Austin Stacks: P Lane 1-4 (1tp), A Heinrich 0-5, S Quilter (tp), D Kirby 0-2 each, R Shanahan, D O'Brien, S O'Callaghan, E Carroll, F Mangan 0-1 each. Scorers for Templenoe: A Spillane 1-0, G Crowley 0-2 (tp), T Morley, C Crowley, K Spillane 0-1 each. AUSTIN STACKS: M Tansley; C Griffin, A Heinrich, D Casey; P O'Sullivan, N Fitzmaurice, R Shanahan; L Casey, D Fitzmaurice; E Carroll, D O'Brien, F Mangan; S Quilter, S O'Callaghan, P Lane. Subs: J O'Connor for D O'Brien (ht), D Kirby for Carroll (38), J Murphy for O'Sullivan (45), C Browne for D Fitzmaurice (51), M O'Donnell for Shanahan (56). TEMPLENOE: M Looney; M Hallissey, K O'Neill, Ciarán Crowley; G Crowley, J Spillane, J Rice; S Sheehan, T Morley; C Crowley, M Casey, B Crowley; K Spillane, A Spillane, A Crowley. Subs: M Reilly for Casey (51), J Sheehan for Rice (56), R O'Byrne for G Crowley (60). Referee: B Griffin (Clounmacon).
Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Kerry Senior Club FC: Armin Heinrich on fire for impressive Austin Stacks against Templenoe
The Rockies looked like they were never away on their return to the top flight of Kerry championship football Austin Stacks 1-18
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
In a year of tragedy and suffering, Ballymacelligott minors put a smile back on everyone's face
Kerry MFL Division 1 final: Ballymacelligott 4-15 Austin Stacks 1-16. KERRY GAA vice-chair Liam Lynch paid tribute to a 'fantastic' Ballymacelligott minor football group who honoured their late friend and colleague Luke Silles with an historic first Kerry MFL Division 1 title in Tralee. Ballymac's eight-point win Friday night over favourites Austin Stacks helped lift the clouds that have hung over the area since minor footballer Luke Silles died in a tragic water accident in Fenit last May. And Kerry's vice chair Lynch spoke movingly after the final about the exemplary manner in which Luke's colleagues have conducted themselves on and off the pitch this season. The Ballymac minors blitzed their way to a stunning Division 1 success, beating Rathmore, Kenmare, Dr Crokes and Laune Rangers before accounting for Stacks in Friday's decider. They scored 8-29 between the semi-final and final, against two favoured opponents. Only a stone would not have been moved by the scenes of wild celebration at the final whistle at the John Mitchels club. Luke was beaming somewhere else. 'Leaving aside football for a moment, I want to say what a credit as individuals and as a club – everyone knows what I am talking about – ye all are to represent us as GAA people around the passing of Luke Silles. He was on everybody's mind here, and the way ye as young men have conducted yourselves over the last few months all the way up to the match tonight is remarkable. Ye are a credit to yourselves, to your parents, and your club. The future is bright for Ballymac.' It certainly appears that way as the minors delivered a statement performance full of fire and intelligence to overturn an early six-point deficit against Austin Stacks. IN MEMORY: Luke Silles' No 11 jersey was retired for the year by the Ballymac minor squad in memory of their friend and colleague The Tralee men, who were without star turn Ben Murphy, raced into a 1-3 to 0-1 lead with a Cormac Bastible goal, and led 1-6 to 0-3 before Ballymac got going. Dead-eye free-taking from Jack Joy into a tricky breeze kept them in touch before midfielder Mairtin McKivergan raced through to goal and level things up at 1-7 apiece. Stacks, with Kerry minors Ronan Carroll and Alex Tuohy leading, surged back in front, taking a 1-11 to 1-9 lead into the half time break though Ballymac points from Padraig Reidy and Gearoid Healy were key in minimising Ballymac's challenge going into the second half. However it was a different story after the break as Ballymac grabbed control of the game. A rapid passing move teed up Ciarán O'Connell for their second goal and when Jack Joy's free fell short two minutes later, Luke Griffin reacted quickest to flick their third. Ronan Carroll kicked a big two pointer for Stacks, but Ballymac had all the momentum now. Mike Quirke was a steady hand at centre forward, chipping in with four points in total to receive the man of the match award and significantly, they got a big bounce from all four substitutions. The Joy brothers – Kerry minors this year and last - controlled possession, while defensively Jackson Brosnan made a couple of key blocks to keep Stacks at bay. The victory rounded off a remarkable season for the Ballymac minors across the Club championship, Central Region and County League – they remained unbeaten over 60 minutes, losing only twice in extra time in the earlier competitions to Rathmore and Laune Rangers. They beat both convincingly en route to this maiden Division One title. Somewhere, quietly, Luke Silles, was fist pumping. BALLYMACELLIGOTT: C Harris; D McMahon, E Joy (0-1), S Turner; J Brosnan, E Moriarty, P Reidy (0-1); M McGivergen (1-1), C Savage; S Slattery, M Quirke (0-4), G Healy (0-2); J Joy (1-6, 1tpf, 1f), M Rodgers, C O'Connell (1-0). Subs: J Collins for Savage (40), M O'Connor for Healy (42), L Griffin (1-0) for Rodgers (49), L O'Rahilly for Slattery (55). AUSTIN STACKS: O Lata; E Mangan, F Ryan, A Horgan; D Lyons, G Casey, L Sweeney; A Tuohy (0-2), J Diggin; H Murphy, R Carroll (0-10, 2tp, 1tpf, 2f), B Litchfield; R Lynch, R O'Driscoll (0-3), C Bastible (1-1). Subs: J Carmody for Sweeney (47), J Moriarty for Litchfield (49). Referee: D Kennelly (Moyvane)
The Irish Sun
29-07-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Joe O'Connor overcame ACL injury hell to go from ‘token' captain to key Kerry cog in All-Ireland triumph
JOE O'Connor admits going from periphery to powerhouse has been a dream come true. The Austin Stacks star was nominated to captain Kerry for the 2022 season but failed to nail down a regular spot in Jack O'Connor's team as the panel he skippered 2 The Austin Stacks man also played for Munster Rugby at underage level 2 The 25-year-old was named captain of Kerry in 2022 having never started a game He was introduced in the 74th minute of their final win over Galway that July. Two months later, the midfielder suffered a torn ACL, which wiped out his 2023 campaign. But that same year, And the Tralee man has stepped it up again this season, culminating in his super Read more on GAA His 70th-minute goal sealed the 1-26 to 0-19 showpiece victory. And his journey made reaching his destination all the sweeter. O'Connor said: 'It was a tough injury. I wasn't getting games and a lot of doubts creep in — will I ever get in? . . . 'So you've to deal with that and keep ploughing on. In the 2022 final it was about two minutes I'd say off the bench. That was my role. 'I wanted to be a starter and try to be a big player. It was a tricky enough year probably being captain and getting token minutes and getting probably five or six minutes off the bench. It was just a weird position. Most read in GAA Football 'A couple of months later I did the cruciate. So I don't know what it's down to, but I accepted it and got the surgery and went from there. 'I just kept the head and kept going. But I always kind of knew what I wanted to do, I wanted to break in. I felt like I wouldn't stop until I'd be a starter.' David Clifford's son adorably hijacks RTE interview after dad dominates All-Ireland final O'Connor is one of the first names on the Kerry team-sheet now and after lifting Sam Maguire for a second time, he is set to win his first All-Star. Celtic Crosses are the only currency in Kerry, and he now has two. O'Connor said: 'It's very special. There's probably an expectation down in Kerry that you should be winning plenty of them, but we know that's not the case. 'You have to work so hard every year. You're never entitled to them so we really appreciate them. 'We see what happened there after 2022, in 2023 and 2024. It's so hard to win them and that's what makes it so special.'
Irish Times
29-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Joe O'Connor's talent comes through after early injury setbacks in Kerry career
The goal was a fitting final flourish to what had been a dream-like season for Kerry 's Joe O'Connor. In the dying seconds of Sunday's All-Ireland SFC final, O'Connor skipped by a Jamie Brennan tackle in front of the Hill 16 goal, eyed Shaun Patton and drilled the ball to the back of the Donegal net. The stadium erupted. The job done. It was his second goal of the summer – his first coming against Cork in the Munster semi-final. 'I actually was getting a good few goal chances during the season but I had to work on it because in the Tyrone game I was ballooning them over the bar and stuff, so I actually worked on it for the last few weeks and was chatting a good bit to the keepers and stuff,' says O'Connor. READ MORE What a performance it's been from Joe O'Connor👏 Sealing it with a goal 🏐 — BBC SPORT NI (@BBCSPORTNI) 'But it was a rush of blood really, I just had a pop. It was class feeling, at the Hill and just the way the game was probably over at that stage as well, it was very special.' The final whistle sounded seconds later, bringing an end to what was a special season for 25-year-old O'Connor, who despite making his championship debut in 2022 became something of an overnight sensation this summer. He started all nine of Kerry's championship games and the former Munster rugby player is almost certain to pick up an All Star before the year is out. But his story is one of resilience and perseverance. After starring for county champions Austin Stacks in 2021, O'Connor was nominated by his club to captain Kerry in 2022. However, it was a tricky season for O'Connor who suffered a knee injury in a Munster club final defeat to St Finbarr's of Cork in January and ultimately he had to be satisfied with coming in off the bench for Kerry that season. He was introduced in injury-time of the 2022 All-Ireland final but then in September, O'Connor suffered a cruciate knee ligament tear. 'It was a tricky enough year probably being captain and getting token minutes and getting probably five or six minutes off the bench, it was just a weird enough position for me,' he recalls. 'But I always kind of knew that I wanted to, I wasn't happy with that and I wanted to break in, and I just felt like I wouldn't stop until I would be a starter. I wanted to be a starter and try to be a big player.' Donegal's Hugh McFadden and Kerry's Joe O'Connor. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho The cruciate injury could have been a terminal setback but instead O'Connor used the time away from the pitch to work on other areas of his preparation while also trying to enjoy the downtime. 'I got to focus on other things as well. I was able to go off travelling for a month, I remember my brother's stag for his wedding that you'd never probably be able to go on. So those were things you were able to appreciate. 'I tried to flip it into a positive as much as I could. Then being able to train and get into as the best shape possible in your own routine, that was huge as well.' O'Connor's aerial ability and physical presence in the middle third made him an invaluable player for Kerry this year, but when he looked inside the sight of David Clifford looking for possession made his decision-making easier. 'His ceiling is so high. He's absolutely unbelievable player and a top man as well, so we're just lucky to have him, same with Seánie, Paudie, people double up on David, you've Seánie free or Paudie free. It's just the options we have.' O'Connor is now a two-time All-Ireland senior football championship winner. 'It's very special, to be honest. There's probably an expectation down in Kerry that you should be winning plenty of them but we know that's not the case, you have to just work so hard every year. 'You're never entitled to them so we just really appreciate them. It's so hard to win them and that's what makes it so special.'
