KIERAN DONAGHY CAPPED a pretty memorable personal 2014 campaign yesterday when he helped Austin Stacks to land the AIB Munster senior football club crown.
It’s been a remarkable transformation for Donaghy over the past three months. Before the Kerry Mayo drawn All-Ireland semi-final on August 24th, an injury-plagued year had seen him play less than 15 minutes of football for Kerry.
But his revival has seen him since then win an All-Ireland senior football medal, an Allstar, a first Kerry county senior title and a first Munster senior club crown.
Here’s his 11 steps in 2014 from injured sub to multiple champion.
1. On the bench for the first championship day out
Donaghy came on with three minutes left against Clare in Ennis back in June, a late introduction as Kerry ground out a Munster semi-final win. It was his first appearance of the year for Kerry after an injury-plagued 2014 that saw him battle a groin-hip injury before dislocating his shoulder in a club game in late April.
2. Sub again as Kerry are crowned Munster champions
Good day at the office for Kerry as they dismiss Cork with ease in the provincial final but Donaghy plays a peripheral role, coming on as a sub with five minutes to go.
3. Disappointment and frustration at no game time against Galway
Donaghy has described his journey home after this game as ‘a lonely old drive’ and revealed he ‘was in a bad place’. Kerry had seven points to spare over Galway but Donaghy didn’t feature against the Tribesmen.
4. Back in action as super sub against Mayo
Donaghy came on to make a major impact as he was fouled for a free that Bryan Sheehan converted and then set up James O’Donoghue for a priceless goal that saved Kerry as they rescued a draw.
5. Hitting the net in replay win over Mayo
Donaghy started his first game of the year and smashed home a first-half goal as well as making a major impact in an epic extra-time semi-final tie in the Gaelic Grounds.
6. Kerry land Sam as Donaghy strikes crucial goal
Kerry see off Donegal to land Sam with Donaghy netting at a crucial stage in the second-half. He seized a loose kickout by Paul Durcan to fire home a goal that propelled Kerry towards success.
7. A third Allstar arrives
He only started two championship games but Donaghy made a seismic impact to persuade the Allstar selectors that he deserved a place on the team. It was his third individual honour after previous wins in 2006 and 2008.
8. Austin Stacks just foiled in Kerry county title hunt
Donaghy fired 1-1 but Austin Stacks didn’t triumph again in a Kerry county senior final. The match wound up in a draw against Mid Kerry and a replay was on the cards.
9. No mistakes at second time of asking by Stacks
The 20-year wait for a Kerry county senior title ends for Austin Stacks. Donaghy had suffered final defeats in 2010 and 2013 but the Tralee club finally triumph here. He scores 1-2 and claims the man-of-the-match award.
10. Munster club campaign starts well
Austin Stacks grind out a win over Cork’s Ballincollig after extra-time in Tralee by three points as Donaghy and his teammates book a spot in the final.
11. Five goals, plenty mistakes and a Stacks win
It wasn’t pretty and was an error-ridden encounter but Stacks overcame a bad start and Shane Carroll’s sending-off to win out against Waterford’s The Nire. An All-Ireland club semi-final meeting with Derry’s Slaughtneil now awaits.
