AUSTIN STACKS SAY “there is no greater privilege for a club than to nominate one of its own to be the Kerry captain” after Joe O’Connor was ratified in the role last night.
Last week, The42 reported that the Stacks midfielder was in line for the captaincy, with the reigning county champions nominating the skipper as per the long-standing tradition.
And this morning, the club confirmed that the appointment was made official at a county board meeting last night.
Austin Stacks released a statement, which opened with a reference to the ratification continuing “the Rock’s wonderful winter,” while chairman Shane Lynch said within:
“There is no greater privilege for a club than to nominate one of its own to be the Kerry captain. This is a very special moment for all in Austin Stacks and of course most especially for Joe, his parents Jim and Helen and family.
Joe has developed into a natural leader on the pitch in the way he drives the team forward at critical moments, and everyone on the Rock can’t wait to see Joe lead out the men in Green and Gold and drive the Kingdom on to glory this season.
“On behalf of all in the club, I would like to wish him, Dylan [Casey], Greg [Horan] and Jack [O'Shea] and all involved with the Kerry Senior Team the very best for the season ahead.”
O’Connor sustained a knee injury in the recent Munster club final defeat to St Finbarr’s, and while a cruciate setback was feared, Kerry boss Jack O’Connor ruled that out at a media briefing last week.
“It has been confirmed that it looks like cartilage problem more than ligaments so that is good news and that is about the best news that he could have got,” he said.
"there is no greater privilege for a club than to nominate one of its own to be the Kerry Captain"-
— AustinStacksGAA (@AustinStacksGAA) February 2, 2022
read Austin Stacks full Press Release here: https://t.co/gWPgUhpa3J pic.twitter.com/BziWhsCpGW
Seán O’Shea captained the side in Sunday’s Division 1 league opening-round draw with Kildare in O’Connor’s absence.
He has never started a game for the Kingdom, though saw limited action off the bench last year, scoring a goal in the league win over Roscommon.
Also a talented forward, O’Connor has established himself as a top player on the Kingdom’s club scene since making his league debut in 2017.
A former Munster youth rugby player, he won Club Player of the Year in 2019, and had a stunning individual campaign through Stacks’ run to glory in 2021, named Man of the Match in both the club and county championship finals.
“He’s one of the best,” as clubmate and Kerry great Kieran Donaghy told RTÉ 2fm’s Game On last week. “A really, really strong character. We were blessed with the choices we had as a captain this year, with the likes of Greg Horan and Dylan Casey there as well.
Joe’s willingness to learn is hugely admirable. After every game he’d come to me with clips of what he could have done or what we could do as a team. He’d talk through them and he’s a very astute, intelligent guy. He’s incredibly fit and strong.
“So Kerry have got a good one to lead them this year. He was there too last year, so he knows the group. The group like him. When he got the goal against Roscommon in the last league game up there, you could see the amount of players that ran towards him, particularly Tommy Walsh who would be from the rival club in the town but sees the huge qualities that Joe has as a player and a leader.
“Through his work this year for the club, and how good he was for us in the club championship, he’s now getting a huge honour in captaining Kerry.”
Congratulations 👏🏻 to our past pupil Joesph O ‘Connor @Kerry_Official new Kerry Captain ✨✨✨👏🏻👏🏻 #striveforexcellence #thegreen #GAA pic.twitter.com/ziN9s6nGSO
— CBS The Green - An Edmund Rice School (@thegreencbs) February 2, 2022
