Winners of the Austin Stacks Strictly Come Dancing, Pat Reidy and Jacinta Hobbert, in The Dome on Saturday. Photo by Dermot Crean
STRICTLY COME DANCING: Our thanks to Adrienne McLoughlin for the following Report and for her brilliant photographs of the event which can be viewed, as usual, on our club website:
“Strictly Come Dancing” has become a social event not just for the Austin Stacks Hurling & Football Club but for the town of Tralee. It has become an important fundraising event in the development of playing facilities at the Club and 2016 marked the 6th year of this very successful event. But to make it all happen takes a lot of hard work and organising, congratulations and well done to all involved.
The standard of competition has risen every year, and the choreographic and dance teaching skills of Jackie O’Mahoney must be acknowledged for putting the 12 couples through their paces and serving up an excellent show at the Festival Dome.
But there can only be one winner and this year’s couple treated us all to brilliant performance of “The Rumba.” Jacinta Hobbert (sponsored by Kerry Wedding Store) and Pat Reidy (sponsored by the Huddle Bar) won the public’s vote and their act brought the house down. They were presented with the Helen Dowling and Jimmy Barry Memorial Cups and a cheque for €500 for their chosen charity, Kerry/Cork Health Link Bus.
Francie Breen’s disco got underway and the Strictly Come Dancing party continued into the small hours. Thanks to everyone from Tralee and beyond who supported the event, we hope you enjoyed the night!
(Click here and here for TraleeToday.ie’s photos from the event)
SENIOR FOOTBALL: As we write fixtures have to be confirmed for our final round game of the Co. League, away to Templenoe this coming weekend and for the Club Championship Final against Dr. Crokes. Also our Co. Championship quarter final clash against Kenmare District is due to be confirmed at CCC Meeting on this Wednesday night.
MIXED LUCK: for the Kerry teams on Sunday. Congrats to Ferdia O’Brien and his colleagues on that great Minor win, thereby creating a little bit history in being only the second Kerry Minor side ever to reach three All Ireland Finals in succession. The first and last time they achieved that was in 1931, 1932 and 1933. And of course they won those three-in-a-row finals. Let’s hope they can do the same in a few weeks time. And well done to Ferdia also when he slotted over that 56th minute point, after being on the pitch for just a minute at that stage – beautifully taken.
On the other hand it just wasn’t to be for Kieran Donaghy and his Kerry Senior colleagues as they just came up short in their semi final encounter. It was an historic day for Star as he was making his 60th Senior Championship appearance for the Kingdom, since making his Championship debut in Páirc Uí Chaoimh away back in July 2005 in Kerry’s Munster Final win against Cork.
SENIOR HURLING:
As we write our Hurlers are still awaiting dates for the three Finals which they have qualified for – the South Kerry SH Championship Final (against Kilgarvan), the South Kerry JH Championship Final (against St. Pats) and finally the Co. League (Div 3) Final (against Duagh). Check Website for updates.
B FOOTBALL: Austin Stacks 3-11; Na Gaeil 2-10.
This keenly contested Town League semi final, played in Connolly Park (Nuns Field) on last Monday evening (22nd Aug) ended in a four points win for us after some brilliant football by both sides.
Mikey Collins opened the scoring with a well-taken point after 90 seconds following good play by Ciarán O’Connell and Dale Counihan, but less than two minutes later Na Gaeil took the lead when they converted a penalty.
We responded well, and by the 9th minute had built up a four points lead, with points by Mikey Collins (2 frees) and Louis Ryle and a super goal by team captain, Seamus Bastible following good work by Andrew Morrissey and Sean Dukes. But Na Gaeil were back on level terms with a goal and a point as the game moved into the second quarter (1-4 to 2-1).
During that second quarter we added afurther 2-4 to 0-5 for the opposition. The first goal came from a move started by Paul Gavin out of his own defence, taken further by Andrew Morrissey, who found Cian Liston, Cian they passed to Louis Ryle and Louis’s shot across goal was tapped into the net by Dale Counihan. Two pointed frees by Mikey Collins followed after fouls on Sean Dukes and Cian Liston and then wing back, Darragh Scanlon sent over from play before Sean Dukes secured our third goal in the 21st minute..
Na Gaeil came more into the game in the closing minutes of the half, adding three more points to just one more for us, another Mikey Collins effort from play, to leave us five in front at the break (3-8 to 2-6).
We had no wides in that half with Na Gaeil having just one, from the very last kick of the half.
The second half didn’t yield as much, from a scoring point of view at any rate, with the visitors scoring four to just three for us. Mikey Collins, with one, and two lovely efforts by Seán Dukes (one from a well-taken forty five).
Team: Martin Moriarty, John Murphy, Barry Walsh, Paul Galvin, Darragh Scanlon (0-1), Ciarán O’Connell, Andrew Morrissey, Denis O’Neill, Shane Crowley, Louis Ryle (0-1), Seán Dukes (1-2 – one forty five), Seamus Bastible (Capt) (1-0), Cian Liston, Michael Collins (0-7 – 4 frees), Dale Counihan (1-0).
Subs used: Dylan Harnett (ht), Alan Nestor (35m), Seán Fitzmaurice (36m), Brandon Patterson (45m).
B FOOTBALL: Dr. Crokes 0-12; Austin Stacks 0-10.
We travelled to Killarney on last Wednesday evening (24th Aug), for the semi final of the Co. Championship (the Molyneaux Cup), with just 16 players. For a variety of reasons, including some injuries, we were without at least six eligible players, some of whom would be on the first 15.
But despite this we pushed the home side all the way and were most unlucky not to have clinched victory in the closing minutes when we were going all out to notch the winning goal.
We started in confident fashion with Alan Duggan winning the throw-in and good work by Andrew Morrissey, Ciarán O’Connell and Dale Counihan found Seán Fitzmaurice who put over a beauty. With both sets of defences dominating, scores were at a premium, and after 20 minutes we led by just one (0-3 to 0-2) – our other two points coming from the boot of Alan Duggan (one from a free after a foul on Cathal O’Reilly).
However in the closing ten minutes of the half Crokes took control, adding four points without reply, to leave them ahead by three at the break (0-6 to 0-3).
At the end of the third quarter we found ourselves down by five points (0-11 to 0-6) – all our three points in this quarter coming from play, team captain, Seamus Bastible, with two and the other by Alan Duggan, his third of the game.
But our lads gave a brilliant display in the final quarter, holding the opposition to just one more point, while adding four ourselves, all from play and all under severe pressure from the Crokes defence. Seán Dukes put over the first, then Seán fed Dale Counihan for the second. The third was a superb effort by Louis Ryle after he received from an Alan Duggan free and the last score came from Seán Fitzmaurice, who was also responsible for the first score of the game after 43 seconds.
Then in one last attack we were going for the winner and were most unlucky to see our effort go narrowly wide.
Team: Martin Moriarty, John Murphy, Denis O’Neill, Paul Galvin, Louis Ryle (0-1), Ciarán O’Connell, Andrew Morrissey, Alan Duggan (0-3 – one free), Seán Dukes (0-1), Cathal 0’Reilly, Declan Clifford, Dale Counihan (0-1), Seán Hurley, Seán Fitzmaurice (0-2), Seamus Bastible (Capt) (0-2)
Sub: William Kirby (38m).
We now have at least three more games to play before the end of the season – The Town League Final and the last two rounds of the Co. League, away to Ballyduff (on a date yet to be fixed) and at home to Sneem/Derrynane, on this coming weekend.
MINOR FOOTBALL: Our Minors were due to play Kerins O’Rahillys in the 4th and final round of the Central League last week but the game was postponed to a later date. Check Website for details.
BEST OF LUCK: to Fr. Seán Hanafin, who has served as Parish Priest of St. John’s Parish for the past eight years and who has now taken a year’s sabbatical, after which he will be appointed to a new Parish in 2017. A Farewell Party in Fr. Seán’s honour will take place in the Meadowlands Hotel on this coming Friday night (2nd Sept).
CLUBHOUSE: As always the Clubhouse is available for all types of Parties. For Bookings, phone Maurice McNamara at 086 3747 642.
CARDS: The 45 Card Sessions will continue in the Clubhouse on every Monday and Thursday nights, commencing at 9.30pm each night.
LOTTO: Last week’s (22nd August) Jackpot, worth €5,000, was not won. The numbers drawn were 4, 5, 22, 23.
The €20 Winners were: Chris McKivergan, c/o John Breen; Timmy Sheehan, Martin Collins and Jerry Fitzmaurice, all c/o Club Rockies; and Brendan O’Regan, c/o The Club.
SMPATHY: Sincere sympathy is offered to the families of the following who died recently – Mike Marshall Jnr., Kilmoyley (cousin of former Club Footballer, John Culloty, Currovough); John Horgan, Nebraska (USA) and late of Rock Street (former MF Club goalkeeper of the late 1940s); James (Jimmy) O’Riordan, Annagh; Patrick (Patsy) O’Callaghan, Casement’s Avenue; Agnes Kennedy (nee Beatty), Oakpark, Cloonalour and late of Whiterock, Belfast; Martin Donovan, Mitchel’s Crescent and late of Galway; and Laura Shanahan, Gallowsfield.
