Final Score - Austin Stacks 2-09 St Brendan's Board 1-12 AET
Austin Stacks won 5-3 on penalties
Former Kerry Captain Kieran Donaghy scored the winning goal in a penalty shoot out to send Austin Stacks to the Garvey's Supervalu County Senior Football Final.
In a hum-dinger of a match the Rockies were twice pegged back by St Brendan's Board under the lights at Austin Stack Park, Tralee.
The game ended at approximately 7.50pm - over 2 hours after the battle began.
Early dominance from the Rockies was unrewarded but St Brendan’s Board’s first attack, which came in the 5th minute resulted in the first score of the game – a point from Stefan Okunbar.
Darragh O’Brien’s point from play levelled things for the Club champions after a nice fisted pass from Kieran Donaghy set up the shooting opportunity.
A physical opening quarter saw yellow cards being shown to Damien Bourke and Trevor Wallace.
St Brendan’s Board’s second attack drew a foul and a point from the free.
At the first water break, it was 2 points apiece with neither side being put under major pressure.
In a tight game, there wasn’t a score again until the 28th minute when St Brendan’s substitute Ivan Parker’s first act was to find the target.
The lead was short-lived as Darragh O’Brien scored from a free after the next Austin Stacks attack.
Half-time Austin Stacks 0-03 St Brendan’s Board 0-03
Amid a smoke-filled Austin Stack Park from the flares in the sideline terrace, Diarmuid O’Connor was an early casualty for St Brendan’s Board after injuring his hand in the opening play of the second half.
There also a change in personnel on the Austin Stacks side with Armin Heinrich replacing Ronan Shanahan at the break.
Ivan Parker and Darragh O’Brien exchanged points in the early minutes of the half as the game continued to be a tight affair.
A fabulous Andrew Barry point from 45 metres out was followed by a swift St Brendan’s Board attack after winning the kick-out but the Austin Stacks ‘keeper Wayne Guthrie made a great save.
Darragh O’Brien scored his and Austin Stacks’ fifth point to level things again 11 minutes into the second half.
Ivan Parker’s third point was the difference between the sides at the second water break with St Brendan’s Board leading 0-06 to 0-05.
Darragh O’Brien certainly kept the Rockies in the game with his sixth point coming in the 55th minute of the game drawing them level again.
Some ill-discipline from the St Brendan’s Board defence began to creep in giving away a free to Austin Stacks.
Darragh O’Brien mis-kicked the free but the dropping ball found Michael O’Donnell’s fist and he punched it into the net for a goal.
Austin Stacks 1-06 St Brendan’s Board 0-06.
Ivan Parker responded with a free to bring St Brendan’s Board within two and their next attack was duly cleared by Wayne Guthrie to keep the Club champions in front.
Six minutes of time was added at the end, mostly because of the injury picked up by Diarmuid O’Connor.
St Brendan’s Board reduced the margin to a point and their goalkeeper had two chances to take it to extra time.
Eoghan O’Brien’s first effort from nearly 50 metres out went out for a 45 which he converted to make it 1-06 to 0-09 at the end of normal time.
Extra-Time
Sean Quilter was the first to make a statement for Austin Stacks in the first period of extra time with a lovely point from a free. It was followed quickly by a point from play from Brendan O’Sullivan to open a two-point lead.
Ivan Parker was on target again for St Brendan’s Board when the Churchill man pointed from a free to close the gap to the minimum again.
The men in white missed a great chance to draw level when Ivan Parker kicked a close-in free wide of the target.
Then, on the stroke of half-time, a Sean Quilter kick from the right deceived the St Brendan’s Board ‘keeper and went into the back of the net.
Half Time Extra Time – Austin Stacks 2-08 St Brendan’s Board 0-10
Wing Back Thomas Kerins was the first to score in the second period of Extra Time to put St Brendan’s Board within 3 of the Club champions.
David O’Callaghan of St Pat’s Blennerville reduced the gap to two points with a fine score from play.
Austin Stacks were duly punished for resting on a two point lead when Ivan Parker rifled the ball past Wayne Guthrie for the goal that put St Brendan’s Board a point in front with seconds remaining in extra-time.
The clock ticked into added time when Sean Quilter drew Austin Stacks level with a point from a free.
He nearly won it moments later when the last kick of the game came off the post before the referee blew the final whistle.
Penalty Shoot Out
Austin Stacks - Sean Quilter: Goal (1-0)
St Brendan's Board - Ivan Parker - Saved by Wayne Guthrie (1-0)
Austin Stacks - Adam Curran - Goal (2-0)
St Brendan's Board - Mikey Kelliher - Goal (2-1)
Austin Stacks - Michael O'Donnell - Goal (3-1)
St Brendan's Board - Jack Barry - Goal (3-2)
Austin Stacks - Michael O'Gara - Goal (4-2)
St Brendan's Board - Andrew Barry - Goal (4-3)
Austin Stacks - Kieran Donaghy - Goal (5-3)
Final Score - Austin Stacks 2-09 St Brendan's Board 1-12 AET
Austin Stacks won 5-3 on penalties
