by Eamonn Fitzgerald

Senior Club Championship

Dr Crokes v Austin Stacks

Sunday at 2.30pm

Lewis Road

The prospect of relegation will once again be staring Dr Crokes in the face if they lose to three-in-a-row champions Austin Stacks on Sunday.

Crokes have home venue and they will certainly need that advantage following two defeats at the hands of Templenoe and Kerins O’Rahillys in Rounds 1 and 2.

They were beaten by four points by Rahillys and lost out narrowly by a single point at a balmy Templenoe on Saturday last (1-6 to 0-10). Both sides kicked some dreadful wides and the county players were largely anonymous - obviously still drained after their All-Ireland win/celebrations.

The only two Kerry players who really shone were Gavin Crowley and Micheál Burns.

The outstanding footballer on the field was Templenoe’s Pat Clifford, who is not long back from England.

Crokes have now suffered four defeats in a row. Along with Stacks, the Killarney club are the most successful club team in Kerry. Crokes won seven Kerry SFC titles between 2010 and 2018. Now they are rebuilding a new team with a cohort of young players to be blooded.

However, that does not provide the total reason for their losses. They were close to a full team versus Templenoe, except for key player Gavin White who is out with a knee injury which could keep him out of football for the rest of the season if he needs surgery.

Micheál Burns and debutants Neil O’Shea and Cian McMahon kept Crokes in the game the last day. Fionn Fitzgerald also showed that he hasn’t lost the defensive skills he has honed in Croke Park and elsewhere. He confined Killian Spillane, Templenoe’s most dangerous player, to just one point from play. Burns did very well also.

The Rock also had a dreadful start to this year’s championship as they were hammered by Templenoe and just about got out of dodge on Sunday last against Strand Road.

This match at Connolly Park was a repeat of the 2021 Kerry SFC final. After their mishaps of losing their two top players at the start of last year’s county final, Rahillys put in a big effort to win the bragging rights. David Moran was unlucky to be injured last year but he made amends for it this time around.

As expected, Jack Savage scored from frees. Mush O’Brien scored their goal and Tommy Walsh popped up for three points, which included two marks.

Stacks battled on, however, and some of their younger players did well. The Stacks natives told me that Star Donaghy will not be playing this year “because he is nearly 40”.

Gearóid Fitzgerald’s goal got the Rock going and it was nip and tuck to the end with Stacks eventually winning by a single point.

Now Stacks are back in the mix for a semi-final berth, although they could still face the drop if their trip to Killarney is unsuccessful. Group leaders Templenoe (4 points) face Rahillys (2 points) at the same time in Strand Road.

Stacks (2 points) will secure a top two finish if they win and Rahillys lose.

If Rahillys and Stacks both win, the top three teams will be separated by points difference.

If Stacks lose on Sunday and Rahillys win, Stacks will finish joint bottom with Crokes, at which point their head-to-head record against Crokes will sentence them to the relegation playoff. However, if Stacks lose and Rahillys also lose, they and Crokes will be joint bottom and the fourth placed team will be decided by points difference.

One thing is certain: a further loss for Crokes will put them into a relegation battle, as happened last year. They won that game against Legion.

Brian McMahon will be looking for a big step-up in performance from the Crokes in this all black and amber clash at Lewis Road.