Laune Rangers 2-6, Austin Stacks 0-12
We’ll have to do it all over again! Laune Rangers & Austin Stacks will have to face off in a replay after their Kerry Petroleum Intermediate Championship Final finished level, and extra time could not separate the two teams.
Austin Stacks put up the first two scores on the board with a pair of Paddy Lane free kicks. However, Laune Rangers responded well with their first attack – Matthew Leslie collecting from Dáire Cleary before dispatching the ball to the net.
Daniel Kirby and Michael Tansley (45’) pointed put Austin Stacks ahead again but parity was restored through an Eoghan Hassett free a few minutes later. Chances were missed by both sides through the middle part of the first half but, after a 17 minute scoreless run, Austin Stacks took the lead again through Cian Purcell, while goalkeeper Michael Tansley added a long range free to give the Tralee men a two point lead at the break.
Half Time Score:- Laune Rangers 1-1, Austin Stacks 0-6.
Laune Rangers were level with early second half points from Matt Leslie & Fiachra Clifford, but Paddy Lane put his side ahead again with a point.
Eoghan Hassett levelled matters with an outstanding long range point, but Lane & substitute Michael O’Donnell pointed again to put Stacks ahead with fifteen minutes remaining.
A super run at goal from the right sideline by Dáire Cleary saw the forward cut through the defence before punching the ball off the upright – the ball falling into the square for his brother Seán to tap it into the net to give Laune Rangers the lead.
The final ten minutes was hectic but added little to the scoreboard. The one important change to the board, though, was the equalizing point for Austin Stacks as Donagh McKivergan slotted a free.
Chances were missed by both sides with Laune Rangers probably more rueful of theirs as Fiachra Clifford squeezed a shot through a miriad of defensive body parts only to see it go painstakingly wide of the posts. Extra Time beckoned.
End of Normal Time:- Laune Rangers 2-4, Austin Stacks 0-10.
Conor Horan gave Austin Stacks the lead early in extra time but Fiachra Clifford made amends for his previous miss by slotting a very similar effort (albeit this time at the other end against the breeze), and the sides switched sides still at a stalemate.
Half Time in ET:- Laune Rangers 2-5, Austin Stacks 0-11.
Donagh McKivergan put Austin Stacks ahead once more and, after John Burke’s shot at goal was saved excellently by Michael Tansley, the Tralee side seemed destined for victory.
Laune Rangers kept trying though and it was Ryan Diggin who punched the ball over for a levelling score after great work in the build up by fellow defenders Shane Clifford, Seán Cleary & Patrick Carey.
Full Time Score:- Laune Rangers 2-6, Austin Stacks 0-12.
The sides will have to go again to decide which club returns to the Senior ranks. The replay looks likely to take place on November 10th.
Laune Rangers:- Jason Browne, Shane Clifford, Oisín Daly, Seán Cleary (1-0), Calum Moriarty, Eoin Clifford, Oisín Birmingham, Eoin O’Sullivan, Tom Whittleton, Stephen Sealy, John Tyther, Fiachra Clifford (0-2), Eoghan Hassett (0-2, 1f), Dáire Cleary, Matthew Leslie (1-1). Subs: Ryan Diggin (0-1) for Birmingham, John Burke for Leslie, Patrick Carey for Moriarty, Patrick Daly for Tyther, David Mangan for O’Sullivan; Rory O’Connor for P Daly, Stephen Gannon for D Cleary Niall T O’Brien for S Cleary.
Austin Stacks:- Michael Tansley (0-2, 1f, 1 ’45), Colin Griffin, Jack O’Shea, Joey Nagle, Armin Heinrich, Dylan Casey, Paul O’Sullivan, Barry Shanahan, Joe O’Connor, Shane O’Callaghan, Fiachna Mangan, Daniel Kirby (0-1), Paddy Lane (0-3, 2f), Greg Horan, Cian Purcell (0-1). Subs: Michael O’Donnell (0-1) for Shanahan, Donagh McKivergan (0-2f) for Kirby, Colm Browne for O’Sullivan, Jordan Kissane for O’Callaghan; Conor Horan (0-1) for Mangan & Darragh O’Brien (0-1) for Kissane (both began extra time); Niall Fitzmaurice for O’Shea, Daniel Kirby for Griffin, Adam Curran for Nagle.