*Éire Óg goalkeeper Darragh Stack. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.
HELPING ÉIRE Óg’s historic hurling season to become a reality has been the performances of shot stopper Darragh Stack.
In arguably their toughest encounter of the year, Stack produced a man of the match display and one of the finest goalkeeping performances in Cusack Park this decade when the Ennis side overcame Kilmaley 1-14 1-12 in the Clare SHC semi-final.
Goalkeepers can often be portrayed as hot-headed firebrands but Darragh is a calm, composed figure who has recently commenced studies as a psychology student at the University of Galway. “I’m enjoying it, I was a bit late going to college, I took my time figuring out what I wanted to do and I’m liking my course so far”.
His older brother Conor qualified as a neuromuscular therapist in 2019 and runs Stack Pain and Injury Solutions from the Friary Car Park in Ennis. In time, the potential of a Stack collaboration between a future psychologist and current neuromuscular therapist may be on the horizon. “We’re jacks of all trades,” quipped the youngest of the three Stack brothers.
Another perception levelled at the custodians is that they can be very analytical. “It was actually a weak point of mine in that I didn’t buy too much into things, I just went out and played my own game and have a bit of fun. Since coming into senior level, there is emphasis on tactics, studying the game a bit and you have to or else you are going nowhere, as a goalkeeper you need to be tactical and analytical, it is definitely a point that I still need improving on,” Darragh reflected.
On their campaign to date, he said, “It’s been an unreal run, I wasn’t expecting to be playing this time of year but I’m loving it and taking it as it comes”.
Within this run was a six week block between the Clare SHC final win over Clooney/Quin and the Munster club semi-final against Loughmore-Castleiney. “There was a huge high and a six week break, we had massive celebrations, it was very hard to come back to reality, I don’t think a few of us wanted to go back to the reality really but you have to go back to the grindstone before the next game and I find it easier for the next game coming because we’re back in the routine of a game every two weeks, I find it easier than the six week break”.
He added, “I can see it both ways. It can be a huge positive, you’ve a huge break, time to rest, time to celebrate for a week or two, time to get everything right but then there’s a downside with Loughmore coming out of competitive hurling before our game”.
Beating Loughmore-Casteliney 2-20 1-16 was a milestone win for the club in reaching a first provincial decider since 1990 but it also marked the first time Darragh picked up a yellow card since he started playing in goals. “I never thought about whether it was my first yellow but as a goalie it was my first. I was quite taken back by it at the time, looking back I can see where he was coming from, I shouldn’t have come out first of all, I didn’t think it was as far out as it was and he met the ball before I met the ball, we took each other out so I can see where the yellow card was, I think the ref was actually sorry to give it to me because he apologised before he gave it to me but I can understand it”.
Handed his Clare SHC debut in 2024, Darragh had been learning the ropes from his predecessor Philly Walsh before making the breakthrough. “I was with the Junior A team, I don’t know if I started for my first year but when I got my place I really enjoyed, it was great craic, then at the back of my mind I wanted to be playing at the highest level I could, I tried to work hard, get my place, Philly Walsh was a brilliant goalkeeper at senior, he still is an unreal goalie and to be honest I’d be nowhere without him, it wouldn’t make a difference if he had to step in the next day. The training he provides me is brilliant”.
Speaking to The Clare Echo, Stack felt mixing playing in goals and outfield at underage has made him a better goalkeeper. “I was always outfield and I used to play in goals for older teams, when the Clare teams came around U14 I got put through as a goalkeeper, I was surrounded with goalkeeper training and I really enjoyed it. I was still playing outfield for my own age which I wanted to and in goals for older ages, when it came to adult level I had my choice made up and in goals was where I wanted to be”.
Brian Cooney is to credit with putting Darragh forward for county trials at U14 as a goalkeeper. “It is good for a keeper to experience outfield, I know a lot of great goalkeepers in the country play outfield for their club, it is definitely beneficial and our trainers know that, they are often putting me outfield for drills, the way the game has gone you have to be good at in-play too”.
During an interview with Nicholas Rynne of Clare TV following one Clare SHC this season, the amount of young supporters flocking around the goalkeeper was remarked on by the interviewer to which Stack pointed out they were waiting for sliotars not autographs. Since lifting the Canon Hamilton, he is getting asked for autographs as well as the sliotars, “I think they are looking for autographs off everyone, they are still looking for balls, I’ll stick with that”.
Within the past fortnight, Darragh turned twenty two, “there was no celebrations, the college library was about it,” he confessed.
In advance of Sunday’s Munster Final against Ballygunner he won’t shirk away from thinking over the game. “I like thinking about a game coming up to it, every game can be different, some games I’m really thinking about it before and others I’m not, the results differ either way. I enjoy the buzz, a small bit of the butterflies and if you can put them in the right direction they can be like a superpower”.
Such a mindsight is why he is embracing the chance to line out in Semple Stadium for the first time. “I’m really looking forward to it, it is an opportunity to play in a ground I’ve never played in before where a lot of great hurlers before me have played, I’m buzzing and exciting to play in Thurles”.
