GOLF FUNDRAISER: The British Open is now upon us with the players once again teeing it up at the home of golf at St Andrews on this Thursday (14th July). The field is complete with the cream of the golf descending on the east coast of Scotland for what is now the final major of the season.

Last year we ran a very successful fundraiser based around the event with John Fox taking down the big €1k prize. More importantly this is a fundraiser for the club with the revenue generated going towards the continuous development of the Austin Stacks Club and its facilities.

The format is largely the same as last year with one difference. This year you pick six and count four just to give players a little bit of leeway in their selections. Once again players can play online, find link on club website & all our social media platforms or alternatively cards will be available from sellers.

Once again players will be able to log on to our live scoreboard to see not only how their players are doing but also how they are progressing on the competition leaderboard. Best wishes to all players and thanks for your support.

 

SENIOR FOOTBALL: Spa (Killarney) 1-9; Austin Stacks 1-10.

This final round game in this season’s Co. League saw both sides in control at different stages of the game with no more than three points separating the sides at any one time. For example twenty one minutes into the first half we led by three points while 21 minutes into the second half it was Spa who led by those three points and the sides were level on six different occasions throughout the hour.

The home side were first off the mark with a point after two minutes. However, straight from the kick-out Brendan O’Sullivan (good to see Brendan back in action again after being away since the end of April on family duties and great to hear his sister’s recent good news also) put Michael O’Donnell through for our opener. Our remaining four points of the first half came from frees – three from David Mannix and one by Jordan Kissane. This left us ahead by two at the break (0-5 to 0-3).

Spa came more into the game during the second half and had drawn level on eight points each after 20 minutes. Our three points during this period were scored by Conor Horan and Michael O’Gara from play and a David Mannix free in between. But a minute later Spa burst through for a well-taken goal. We responded well, however, and a minute later Ronan Shanahan put Conor Horan through for his second point of the half and in the 56th minute second half substitute, Gearóid Fitzgerald, was at the end of a great Stacks attack to put us back in the lead with a great goal. A second Michael O’Donnell point one minute into added time increased our lead to two but the home side never gave up, getting the final point of the game to leave us with that narrow one point victory.

It was also great to see Colin Griffin back in action again after that injury he picked up in Semple Stadium in mid January and David Mannix making the starting 15 after the injury he picked up in the round 7 game against Rathmore. We wish Joey Nagle a speedy recovery from the injury he sustained early in the second half.

Team: Wayne Guthrie, Colin Griffin, Barry Shanahan, Joey Nagle, Eoghan Carroll, Ronan Shanahan, Adam Curran, Michael O’Gara (0-1), Michael O’Donnell (0-2), Armin Heinrich, David Mannix (0-4 frees), Conor Horan (0-2), Jordan Kissane (0-1 free), Brendan O’Sullivan, Greg Horan.

Subs used: Darragh O’Brien (36m), Cian Purcell (42m), Gearóid Fitzgerald (46m) (1-0).

With Dr. Crokes, Dingle and ourselves all finishing on 17 points each a play-off is required and in Monday evening’s draw ourselves and Dingle will meet in the semi final on the coming week-end (not confirmed as we write), while Crokes have gone straight to the Final.

 

CONGRATULATIONS: to former Club Footballer and current Juvenile Mentor, Martin Courtney and his new Bride, Orlagh Begley, who got married in Tralee last week. And congrats also to Kerry on  that fabulous win over the Dubs. Many regard it as one of the greatest games ever witnessed with Sean O’Shea’s 76th minute winner the greatest score of all time.

 

B FOOTBALL: Austin Stacks 4-14; Beale 2-14.

With the result having no significance from our point of view, unfortunately we are gone down to division 5 for the next season, this final round of the Co. League, played in Connolly Park on this overcast Friday evening (8th July), turned out to be the best Club game of our season so far. If we played like that in our previous ten games of the Co. League we would be in Division 3 without a shadow of a doubt in 2023. At half time we were ahead by two points (2-8 to 2-6).

During the second half we continued to out-score our opposition by 2-6 to 0-8.

We started the game with a super goal by Calvin Foley after just17 seconds. No more than four points separated the sides during this half, with the sides level on four different occasions.

We never lost our half time lead and just five minutes into the second half we had increased that to six points and that was still the difference between the sides when referee, Eoghan Moriarty, blew the final whistle at 9.34pm.

This was one of the greatest defensive displays witnessed in a long time. On any other day the Ballybunion boys could have scored at least six goals during this second half but for the brilliance of our lads, with Ben Quilter just shaded by Calvin Foley for the Man of the Match Award. All our six forwards got on the score sheet with our goals coming from Calvin (2) and one each from Donagh McKivergan and Conor Myers. Our final score of the game came in the 62nd minute when our corner back, Ruairí O’Connell raced up-field to put over.

Team: Ben Quilter, Ruairí O’Connell (0-1), David Burke, John Burke, Greg Scanlon, Paul Barrett (Capt), Cian Dillane, Dara Barry Walsh, Ciarán O’Connell, Daniel O’Rourke (0-1), Gearóid Sheehan (0-2), Shane Bastible (0-2 – one free), Calvin Foley (2-0), Donagh McKivergan (1-3 – one free), Conor Myers (1-5 –three frees).

Sub used: Dean Scanlon (32m).

We are due to play John Mitchels in Connolly Park at 7.30pm on this Tuesday evening in the opening game of this three round Tralee/St. Brendans League. Our two other games are both away to Ballymac (date to be fixed) and against Kerins O’Rahillys on next Tuesday (19th July).

 

THE C TEAM: Austin Stacks 1-7; Churchill 2-18;

Our C Team found themselves up against a very strong Churchill outfit in this opening round of this four-round Tralee/St. Brendan’s League played in Connolly Park on last Tuesday evening (5th July). Losing three of our starting 15 to injury during the first half did not help our cause  and we trailed by 1-9 to 0-2 at the break – our two scores coming from play by Dean Scanlon and Jack Doyle.

We had a better second half but were still outscored by 1-9 to 1-5 during this period. Our six scores during this half came from six different players – points from Joe Reidy, Dean Scanlon, Dara Moriarty, Kyle Fitzgibbon and Padraig Breen and our only goal of the game coming in the 53rd minute – a super goal by Daniel O’Rourke.

But this 14 points defeat would have been alot more but for at least six brilliant saves by Brian Horgan who, deservedly received the Celsius Man of the Match Award.

Team: Brian Horgan, James Quigley, Tom McLoughlin, Craig Teahan, Billy Stack, Conor Lowe (Capt), Shane Kelliher, Joe Reidy (0-1), Enda Cahill, Jack Doyle (0-1), Kayden Conway, Dean Scanlon (0-2), Dara Moriarty (0-1), Shane Bastible, Kyle Fitzgibbon (0-1).

Subs used: Fintan O’Connor (13m), Greg Scanlon (14m), Daniel O’Rourke (26m) (1-0), Pádraig Breen (37m) (0-1), James Charles (43m).

With O’Rahillys pulling out of the competition our two remaining games in the League are away to St. Pats on this Tuesday evening (12th July) and at home to Ardfert on the following Tuesday (19th July).

 

MINOR FOOTBALL: Fixtures have come to hand for this season’s Co. Championship. Twelve teams are taking part – seven Divisions teams and five Club teams (ourselves, Dr. Crokes, Kenmare Shamrocks, Laune Rangers and Rathmore). There are three groups involved with four teams in each group. In Group 1 we have East Kerry, North Kerry, Rathmore and St. Brendans. In Group 2 we have Laune Rangers, Mid Kerry, South Kerry and West Kerry and in Group 3 we have Austin Stacks, Dr. Crokes, Kenmare Shamrocks and St. Kierans. The three rounds take place on Monday, 18th July, Tuesday, 26th July and Monday, 1st August. Our three rounds are against Kenmare Shamrocks at Spa, Killarney; against St. Kierans in Connolly Park and against Dr. Crokes in Lewis Road.

 

ONLINE CLUB SHOP: A reminder that our Club shop is open 24/7. Check out the newest ‘official’ Austin Stacks Club Merchandise – only available to order on this link (free delivery on any orders over €50) see www.oneills.com We would also like to introduce the new Austin Stacks Ganzee Club Clothing Collection, available in Mens/Unisex, Womens & kids check out all the style ranges in hoodies, t-shirts and sweatshirts on www.ganzee.ie/austin-stacks-gaa-clubs/

 

CLUB CARDS: Our Card sessions continue in the Clubhouse on Monday and Thursday nights with the starting time at 9pm sharp.

 

CLUB LOTTO: Monday Night’s (11th July) Jackpot, worth €2,700 was not won. The numbers drawn were 9, 11, 17, 32. The €20 winners were Brendan Smith, Gerard Breen, Jill McNamara, Dell Whyte and Brian & Susan Shanahan, all c/o The Club.

Next Week’s Jackpot will be worth €2,750.

Continued thanks to the following businesses for selling our Club Lotto tickets – Kevin Barry’s Shop, Commane’s Book Shop, O’Flynn Interiors, Hussey’s, Princess St., The Burger Shack, Monavally as well as Maguire’s Butchers and Kirby’s Brogue Inn and continued thanks to everyone who purchase tickets week in, week out.

Austin Stacks lotto tickets are now also available to purchase on line on the following link: https://play.clubforce.com/play_newa.asp?ll_id=X529#Anchor Kirby’s Brogue Inn Maguire’s Butchers Hussey’s P. Commane Books.

SYMPATHY: Sincere sympathy is offered to the families of the following who died recently: Chris Cummins, Killeen Road and formerly Murroe (Co. Limerick); Nora King (nee Walsh), Clash West; Joan Murphy (nee O’Shea), Skehanagh and Banna Beach Hotel and formerly Keel, Castlemaine; Naomi Curtin; Doreen Sugrue (nee Naughton), Connolly Park (sister of former Club Footballers, Anne (Slattery) and the late John Joe and Aunt of Tommy, one of our current SF Mentors); and Aogán Ó Brosnacháin, Kevin Barry’s Villas.