Austin Stacks GAA Club News

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SENIOR FOOTBALL: Austin Stacks 0-16; St. Kierans 1-13 (aet).

Level at the end of normal time (0-14 to 1-11) both sides could still not be separated at the end of extra time in this first round of the Co. Championship played in Connolly Park on last Saturday evening (13th May).

Kierans got off to a blistering start and were 1-3 to no score ahead after 12 minutes. Greg Horan opened our account a minute later, followed almost immediately by another from a David Mannix free.

But Kierans pressed on from there, scoring five more points without reply to leave them nine points ahead after 20 minutes. We then added two more points in the 22nd and 26thminutes, with Michael O’Donnell on target from play and another from a David Mannix free. Kierans got the last score of the half to leave them ahead at half time by eight points (1-9 to 0-4).

Kieran Donaghy, who didn’t start as a result of a niggling injury picked up in the game against Strand Road two weeks ago, was introduced at the start of the second half and he made a major impact for the rest of the game.

During the first 21 minutes of the second half we had wiped out Kierans 8 points half time lead while holding them scoreless as well during this period – David Mannix (4 pts – two from frees), Jack Morgan, Michael O’Donnell, Greg Horan and Shane Callaghan scoring our eight points. The visitors first score on this half came in the 55th minute – a pointed free, to be followed within seconds by one from play.  But we responded with two late points from David Mannix (one from a free) to sent the game to extra time.

Kierans shaded the opening half of extra time, scoring two points from play while our only contribution came from another David Mannix free, to leave Kierans ahead by one (1-13 to 0-15) at the extra time interval.

Thirty eight seconds after the resumption David Mannix pointed another free, following a foul on Kieran Donaghy to level the game for the third and, as it turned out, final time. Understandably with both sides tiring that was the only score of that second half.

While not playing to our full potential the never-say-die attitude of this team really shone through, coming back from the dead on three separate occasions, and were unlucky not to have snatched victory in the closing minutes of extra time.

Team: David Hennessy, Barry Walsh, Fearghal MacNamara, Ronan Shanahan, Pa McCarthy, Denis McElligott, Jack O’Shea, Shane Carroll, Wayne Guthrie, Fiachna Mangan, Greg Horan (0-2), Michael O’Donnell (0-2), David Mannix (0-10 – seven frees), Shane O’Callaghan (Capt) (0-1), Darragh O’Brien.

Subs used: Jack Morgan (16m) (0-1), Kieran Donaghy (ht), Seán Dukes (42m), Mikey Collins (52m), Alan Duggan (54m), Denis Costello (at the start of extra time), John Dennis (66m), David O’Sullivan (75m).

The replay has been fixed for next Saturday (20th May) at 6.30pm in Scartaglin. The winners of this game will progress to round 2A where they will meet the winners of the other drawn game last weekend (Kenmare Shamrocks or Killarney Legion).

The losers of our game next Saturday will have an away game against West Kerry in round 2B.

LAST GAME IN SCARTAGLIN: The last time our Seniors played in Scartaglin was over a quarter of a century ago – Saturday, 2nd November 1991. On that bad, rainy, windy day Gneeveguilla defeated us  (6-6 to 3-3) in the first round of the Club Championship.

What significance the Club Championship had at that particular time of year we have forgotten. This is the team that lined out: John Browne, Gene O’Donnell, Denny Walsh (Capt), Eddie Dowling, John Galvin (1-0), Liam Liddy (0-1), Seamus Smith, Jerry Fitzmaurice, Eamon O’Brien, Charles McMahon, Pa Laide, Denis Sayers (1-1), TommyRyan, Owen Moynihan (1-1), Billy O’Lehan.

WELL DONE:  to the hard working field committee who had Connolly Park looking so splendid last night, everyone who help stewarding, the lotto ladies, Tralee Printing who provided complimentary match programmes, and MC Eddie Barrett & singer Aoife O Donoghue.

CONGRATULATIONS: to Niamh and Darragh Long on the recent birth of a baby daughter – Aoibhin and to Grace and Jonathan Magnier on the birth of a baby son, Seán Kevin.

JOBSMATCH 2017: Summer, Part Time & Full Time Employment Opportunities

With huge success for the last 2 years we are now taking CV’s for Summer, part time and full time employment.  Please consider this golden opportunity where you will receive all the tools to update your CV and direct help with interview techniques from the Jobmatch Mentors. Feedback from employers continues to be very positive. Please email jobmatch@austinstacks.ie.

MINOR FOOTBALL: Well done to the Kerry Minors (including our own Dylan Casey, Ciarán O’Reilly and Michael Slattery) on their big win against Cork in the Munster MF semi final last week.

They will now meet Clare on the first Sunday in July for what will be the very last Munster Final at Minor level (the competition will be Under 17 next year). And it’s ironic that Clare will be the opposition as they were the first Munster Champions away back in 1929 and they went on later in the year to win the very first All Ireland Final.

In the meantime the Co. League semi finals are due to go ahead next Friday (19th May) at 7pm. We will be at home to Firies while Dingle will host Dr. Crokes in the other semi final.

CLUBHOUSE: As always the Clubhouse is available for all types of Parties and Functions. Enquiries about Club Bookings should be made by contacting Harry Hynes at 087 2467286.

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 (8th May) Jackpot, worth €5,650, was not won. The numbers drawn were 2, 16, 25, 32. The €20 winners were: Seán Myers and Gerard Crean, both c/o Club Rockies; Mark Lucey, c/o Carmel O’Neill; Tom Leonard, c/o The Club; and Caroline Hutchinson, c/o Rock St. Post Office.

SYMPATHY: Sincere sympathy is offered to the families of the following who died recently – Mai Reidy, Gort an Riain, Croogorts; and Alena Zupkova, Shanakill.

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