An Gaeltacht claimed their first Kerry Senior Football title with a comprehensive 1-13 to 0-10 win over Austin Stacks in Killarney this afternoon. Both sides boasted several inter-county stars in their ranks and Aodan Mac Gearailt was first to make an immediate impact for An Gaeltacht with a superb point from play to settle his side's early nerves. His inter-county colleague Dara Ó Cinnéide followed suit with several excellent scores, from play and frees, as the West Kerry side dominated the early exchanges.
The enforced early retirement of captain Pa Laide through injury certainly didn't help Stacks, but Darragh Long's effort from distance reduced the deficit to five points at the interval, with the Tralee based club facing an uphill battle in the second half. However, on the restart, centre-half back Tomas Ó Sé displayed his undoubted talent with a tremendous point following a surging run from inside his own half to edge An Gaeltacht further clear again.
Mac Gearailt then delivered a killer blow to Stacks' title aspirations with a fisted goal following a goal-mouth scramble to end the game as a contest in the final quarter, and although Stacks stayed in touch, the honours headed West for the first time in An Gaeltacht's history.
Meanwhile, in the AIB Leinster Club Football Championship, Wicklow's Rathnew overcame Newtown Blues of Louth by 0-13 points to 1-07 in Aughrim. O'Hanrahan's of Carlow proved too strong for Kilkenny's Muckalee, emerging 4-15 to 1-06 winners in Carlow, while Portarlington of Laois recorded a 1-09 to 1-08 win at home to Longford's Fr Manning Gaels.
Elsewhere, Cavan Gaels edged past St Eunan's of Donegal by 0-09 to 0-08 in the Ulster Club Football Championship at Breffni Park.
Filed by Shane Murray
