Austin Stacks GAA Club News

Posted by

CENTENARY MEMBERSHIP DEAL:  We are asking existing members, players, former players, supporters, parents of juvenile players both boys & girls clubs, business owners and friends of Austin Stacks (living abroad or at home) to consider becoming a Member of the Club and also entry to the Austin Stacks Weekly lotto.

The total cost for this dual package is by direct debit €10 a month.  2017 Direct Debit Mandate membership/lotto forms are now available from all Executive Officers or can be posted out to anyone who wishes to join – emailSecretary.austinstacks.kerry@gaa.ie or text your name & address to Club Secretary on 086 1053300.  Please sign up and play your part in guaranteeing the financial future of our great club.

SENIOR FOOTBALL: Kerins O’Rahillys 0-8; Austin Stacks 1-6.

With two comfortable wins in rounds 1 and 2 of the Town League, against Ballymac and Mitchels, this 3rd round game at Ballyrickard on Sunday afternoon (12th Feb) was a much tighter affair with only one point separating the sides at the end.

A strong bitterly-cold wind favoured Rahillys in the first half and our side in the second period but, certainly on the score-board, it didn’t have any effect on the game, as scores were level at half time (1-2 to 0-5) and in the second half we just shaded it – with a score of 0-4 to 0-3.

With Rahillys ahead by three points to one after 21 minutes (Denis McElligott’s 4th minute point being our only contribution at that stage) the game was turned in our favour in the space of the next thirty seconds. First Alan Duggan put Darragh O’Brien through for a typical Darragh goal, and from the kick-out Shane O’Callaghan pointed, to put us in the lead for the first time.

However O’Rahillys fought back, scoring two quick points, to leave the sides level at half time.

It was tit for tat during the second half with the sides still level (1-5 to 0-8) as the game entered the final five minutes of normal time. Our three points up to then came from two frees (Michael O’Donnell and Darragh O’Brien) and one from play by Jack O’Shea.

Then, what turned out to be the winner came in the 56th minute when a brilliant effort from out near the sideline by Shane O’Callaghan sailed over the bar.

It was good to see Fearghal MacNamara and Michael O’Donnell making their first starts of the season and also good to see last year’s Minor, Fergal Ryan (younger brother of Seán and son of Fionán – a member of the 1977 All Ireland Club Championship winning team) making his Senior competitive debut, and he performed very well during the whole game.

Team: Pa Fitzgibbon, Barry Walsh, Fearghal MacNamara, Denis Costello, Jack O’Shea (0-1), Denis McElligott (0-1), Pa McCarthy, Wayne Guthrie, Shane Guthrie, Shane Carroll, Michael O’Donnell (0-1 free), Fergal Ryan, Darragh O’Brien (Capt) (1-1 – one free), Alan Duggan, Shane O’Callaghan (0-2).

Subs used: David O’Sullivan (ht), Ciarán O’Connell (34m), Dale Counihan (50m).

The 4th and final round, at home to Na Gaeil, is fixed for next Sunday (19th Feb) with a 12.30pm start.

WELL DONE: to Ronan Shanahan who served up a very good performance in his very first competitive game for Kerry in last Saturday night’s NFL game.  Ronan had to withdrawn with an injury 22 minutes into the second half but not before he had put his body on the line, seconds before that, to prevent a certain Mayo goal. We all wish Ronan a full and speedy recovery.

And also well done to Dr. Crokes on their semi final win over Corofin (Galway) in last weekend’s All Ireland Club Championship semi final. It now looks as if the Co. Board will be looking for an alternative date for our opening game in this season’s Co. League. We were due to play Crokes in that opener on 19th March, that’s two days after their All Ireland Final encounter against Slaughtneil on St. Patrick’s Day.

BEST WISHES: to Glenbeigh/Glencar as they take on Tyrone opposition (Rock Saint Patricks) in the All Ireland JF Final in Croke Park next Sunday (19th Feb) at 2pm.

MINOR FOOTBALL: By now our Minors should have had three games played in the Town League but only one game has been played so far – the round 2 game against Ballymac. Round 1 against Na Gaeil and round 3 against John Mitchels have not been played.

In the meantime the Co. League fixtures have come to hand. The first four rounds have been fixed for Saturday afternoons at 4pm – R1 away to Firies on this Saturday afternoon (18th Feb); R2 at home to Laune Rangers (4th March); R3 away to Dr. Crokes (11th March); and R4 at home to Na Gaeil (25th March).  The 5th and final round is fixed for Friday, 31st March at 6.30pm.  The top four in the group qualify for the semi finals with the winners going through to the Final.

CORN UÍ MHUIRÍ; This Munster Post Primary Schools semi final between Tralee CBS and Colaiste Chriost Rí looks like as if it might equal the Dublin/Meath saga all those years ago (1991). That Dublin/Meath encounter (1st round of the Leinster SF Championship) went to a 3rd replay before it was finally decided. The Tralee CBS game has now gone to a 2nd replay (likely to be next Saturday) and we wish them every success, including our own five players on the panel – Brandon Patterson, David Fitzmaurice, Joseph O’Connor, Gearóid Fitzgerald and David Couchman.

SENIOR SCÓR: Oifigeach Scór, Brian Caball informs us that the County Finals of Senior Scór will be held in Scoil Mhuire Gan Smál (Presentation Primary), Oileán Ciarraí, on Saturday next (18th Feb) at 8pm. And one of the participants in that final will be Mary Barry (wife of Paddy) after she won her heat in last Thursday’s semi finals in Solo Singing. Well done Mary and the best of luck in the Final.

The Senior Quiz County Final will be held at the same venue on the same day but at 6pm sharp. We are still looking for 4 volunteers for a table quiz team.

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  continue in the Clubhouse on every Monday and Thursday nights, commencing at 9.30pm each night.

LOTTO: Last week’s (6th Feb) Jackpot, worth €5,000, was not won. The numbers drawn were 4, 6, 8, 32. The €20 winners were: Jade Moynihan and Bryan McMahon, both c/o Carmel O’Neill; Mogs, c/o Rock Street PO; John Joe Sugrue, c/o Club Rockies; and  Josie O’Connor, c/o John Gentleman.

SYMPATHY: Sincere sympathy is offered to the families of the following who died recently – Philomena Higgins (nee Linehan), Portlaoise and late of St. Brendan’s Park (sister of former Club Player, Michael); Peggy Church (nee Cronin), Leedale, Caherslee (sister of the late Brendan Cronin, former Club Hurler and Club PRO); Cecil Dolan, Colliswood, Killeen and late of Carrick-on-Shannon; and Kerena (Catherine) Cavanagh, Oakview.

Comments are closed.

image