Nemo Rangers (Cork) 2-17

Austin Stacks (Kerry) 0-5

Denis Hurley reports from Páirc Uí Rinn

NEMO RANGERS REMAIN on course for a 17th AIB Munster Club SFC title after they accounted for Austin Stacks at Páirc Uí Rinn on Sunday.

The Cork champions were far sharper throughout, having overcome Newcastle West last Sunday while Stacks, representing Kerry after winning the club championship, were playing their first championship game since a defeat to East Kerry in September.

Things might have been different had Fiachna Mangan made more of a first-minute goal opportunity for Stacks, but Micheál Martin in the Nemo goal saved well at the expense of a 45, which came to nothing.

Slowly, Nemo got going, Mark Cronin with the opening point after he had intercepted a Stacks kickout and further scores followed from Paul Kerrigan, Kevin O’Donovan and Jack Horgan before Shane O’Callaghan opened the Stacks account in the 17th minute.

Tempers flare between the sides. Oisin Keniry / INPHO Oisin Keniry / INPHO / INPHO

Nemo were well in control, though, with midfielder James McDermott excellent as they pressed the Stacks kickout, and the loss of full-back Barry Shanahan to injured further hampered the Kerry side.

The Nemo tally continued to build and Luke Connolly made it 0-9 to 0-1 as injury time dawned with a super effort from a tight angle on the right, set up by full-back Aidan O’Reilly. While Seán Quilter did pull one back for Stacks with a free after that, Nemo retired with a ten-point half-time lead, Kerrigan’s knifing run allowing him to set up Kevin O’Donovan for a well-taken goal in injury time.

Two Kerrigan points on the resumption ensured that there were no fears of a fightback while only a good Darragh O’Brien save from Connolly denied Nemo a second goal. Kerrigan, meanwhile, opted to fire over when a Connolly pass put him in.

A second goal did come just before the three-quarter mark from Alan O’Donovan, captain Barry O’Driscoll the creator, and Nemo had 18 points to spare by the end.

Jack O'Shea dejected at the full-time whistle. Oisin Keniry / INPHO Oisin Keniry / INPHO / INPHO

Scorers for Nemo Rangers: Paul Kerrigan 0-5, Kevin O’Donovan 1-2, Alan O’Donovan 1-0, Mark Cronin, Barry O’Driscoll 0-2 each, Stephen Cronin, Jack Horgan, Conor Horgan, Shane Martin, Ciarán Dalton, Luke Connolly 0-1 each.

Scorers for Austin Stacks: Fiachna Mangan, Shane O’Callaghan, Seán Quilter (free) David Fitzmaurice, Wayne Guthrie 0-1 each.

NEMO RANGERS

1. Micheál Aodh Martin

4. Alan Cronin
3. Aidan O’Reilly
2. Briain Murphy

5. Kevin O’Donovan
6. Stephen Cronin
7. Jack Horgan

8. Alan O’Donovan
9. James McDermott

14. Barry O’Driscoll
11. Paul Kerrigan
12. Colin O’Brien

13. Mark Cronin
10. Luke Connolly
15. Conor Horgan

Subs

19. Ciarán Dalton for Mark Cronin (48)
24. Ronan Dalton for O’Brien (48)
20. Kevin Fulignati for McDermott (48)
30. Kieran Histon for Murphy (50)
17. Shane Martin for Kevin O’Donovan (55)
18. Barry Cripps for O’Driscoll (55)

AUSTIN STACKS

1. Darragh O’Brien

5. Jack O’Shea
3. Barry Shanahan
4. Dylan Casey

2. Colin Griffin
6. Ronan Shanahan
7. Jack Morgan

8. Joseph O’Connor
9. Michael O’Donnell

12. Fiachna Mangan
11. Shane O’Callaghan
10. Ciarán O’Reilly

13. Seán Quilter
14. Kieran Donaghy
15. Wayne Guthrie

Subs

23. Michael O’Gara for Shanahan (23, injured)
17. Darragh O’Brien for Quilter (37)
19. Pa McCarthy for O’Reilly (37)
20. David Fitzmaurice for O’Gara (48, black card)
18. Shane Walsh for Griffin (50)
22. Gearóid Fitzgerald for O’Callaghan (52)

Referee: Seán Lonergan (Tipperary)