IT’S ALMOST HERE. Dr. Crokes v Austin Stacks, Gooch v Donaghy, Killarney v Tralee.
The last two Kerry senior football champions collide later today at Fitzgerald Stadium (3.30pm) and something’s got to give.
We haven’t reached the quarter-final stage in the Kingdom and yet one of these two footballing giants will bite the dust.
One interested onlooker will be Stacks man and Kerry legend Ger O’Keeffe, former Kerry All-Ireland SFC medallist and ex-selector alongside All-Ireland winning boss Jack O’Connor.
“They’ve been seen to be the glamour teams in the county over the last couple of years,” O’Keeffe notes.
“Crokes have had a very successful period of time even though they haven’t won an All-Ireland club.
“Stacks are a team with a fantastic tradition but haven’t matched it in recent years but last year’s win in the county championship was huge for the club.
“The mainstays of Kerry over the last couple of years have been Gooch (Colm Cooper) and (Kieran) Donaghy. They’re now in the twilights of their careers, other players are coming on and the older guard are slipping away.
“Now the younger generation are moving the Stacks and Crokes forward.
“Everybody’s waiting to see who’s going to step up or who has the underage talent coming forward able to keep both clubs in the premier position in Kerry football.
“There are a lot of other teams out there as well – Dingle have an up and coming team because of the success of the college (Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne). It looks like Crokes and Stacks won’t be have a monopoly.”
Dingle have already laid down a significant marker, beating Dr. Crokes last Sunday in the Kerry senior club football final.
Consequently, if a divisional team wins the Kerry county champions, Dingle will represent the Kingdom in the Munster club championship as amalgamations are not allowed to compete in the provincial competition.
Today, one of the frontrunners will exit stage left but O’Keeffe hasn’t noticed the last 16 fixture capturing the imagination at local level.
“It has lost its significance because we’ve not even reached the quarter-finals but if Stacks lose, they’ll have lost their county crown at a very early stage of the championship.
“If Crokes lose, they’ll have lost a club final and their chance of a county championship in the space of a week.
“Interest mightn’t be fantastic in the county because we’re only at this stage but there’s obviously huge interest from both clubs.
“Hopefully the players won’t have hangovers from Kerry’s demise – it’s a fortnight now.
“And they’re playing with the guys they grew up with, socialise with, went to school with. That will invigorate some of the senior players to give their all for their clubs.”
