STRICTLY COME DANCING: Lights, Camera, Action…Austin Stacks 7th production of Strictly Come Dancing – Dancing through the Decades – was a resounding success, with 1400 patrons attending the Festival Dome on Saturday 26th August.
Very popular winners on the night were Norma O’Connor (representing Kirby’s Brogue Inn) and Kevin Cotter (representing M.J.’s Diner.) Norma is the current captain of the Austin Stacks Ladies Senior Football team.
Norma and Kevin’s chosen charity, Cuan Mhuire, received a cheque for €500. The Jimmy Barry Memorial Cup was presented to Kevin by Paddy Barry and the Dowling Memorial Cup was presented to Norma by Stephanie Mulvihill, daughter of John Dowling and the late Helen.
The Dance Instructor/Choreographer again was the superb Jackie O’Mahoney, and the whole event was co-ordinated by Bernie Mannix and her extensive organising committee. Thanks to everyone involved in making this year’s event such a successful fund-raising event for the pitch developments at Austin Stacks Club in Centenary Year.
Thanks to Adrienne McLoughlin for the above Report.
The contestants in the Austin Stacks Strictly Come Dancing on Saturday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
SENIOR FOOTBALL: With the Kerry Seniors now out of the All Ireland it’s ‘all systems go’ for the conclusion of the Co. League and the Co. Championship. The final round of the League is now due to go ahead next Sunday with all relevant games fixed for 1.30pm.
We are due to travel to Rathmore, a game which has no consequence for us but is vital for Rathmore as a win for them will keep them in contention for a place in the League Final.
We understand the Co. Championship quarter finals will be a double header in both Fitzgerald Stadium (Dr. Crokes .v. Kenmare Shamrocks and Rathmore .v South Kerry) and Austin Stack Park (Stacks .v. West Kerry and Kerins O’Rahillys .v. East Kerry). Dates and times have yet to be confirmed as we write.
B FOOTBALL: Rathmore 1-16; Austin Stacks 0-11.
We travelled to Barraduff on last Friday evening (25th Aug) for the semi final of the Co. Championship (Molyneaux Cup) with just the bare 15 players and despite lining out without many who had played all season we put up a very good show against a strong Rathmore side. Four of our all-conquering Minors (Michael Linnane, Shane Kelliher, Odhran Liston and Harry O’Callaghan) who, just 48 hours previously, had won the MF Co. League, were among the fifteen as well as team mentor, Eamon O’Reilly who was making his playing debut.
Rathmore led by 1-9 to 0-4 at half time – our points coming from two Mikey Collins frees and one each from play by William Kirby and Odhran Liston.
In the second half we matched the home side score for score – both sides scoring seven points each. In addition to that at least six of our shots came off the post and the bar during the course of the game. On the other hand Michael Linnane made at least four superb saves to keep the score-line in reasonable shape.
Five of our second half points came from Mikey Collins (two from frees) with the other two coming from Cian Liston from play. Another stat which we can’t remember seeing before was not registering one wide during the 63 minutes of play.
So well done to the whole squad and to the team mentors on the night, Eamon O’Reilly and Kieran Kelliher with valuable assistance from David Kirby from our U12 team, John Walsh (Senior team mentor) and John O’Sullivan (Minor team mentor).
Team: Michael Linnane, Shane Kelliher, Denis Costello, Paul Galvin, Odhran Liston (0-1), Colin Griffin, Eoghan Galvin, William Kirby (0-1), Seamus Bastible, Dale Counihan (Capt), Michael Collins (0-7), Micko Horan, Harry O’Callaghan, Cian Liston (0-2), Eamon O’Reilly.
MINOR FOOTBALL: Austin Stacks 3-13; Dr. Crokes 0-13.
Our Minors, with one of the great displays by any team this season, won the Club’s 6th Co. League title (our previous wins were in 1973, 1979, 1994, 2000 and 2013) to add to Div 1 County titles won recently by our U14s and U16s and of course the Ladies Intermediate title.
When we met Crokes in the earlier round of the League in Lewis Road last March we had a two goals win over the Killarney boys (3-8 to 1-8). On last Wednesday evening (23rd Aug) in Milltown we did even better, winning on this occasion with three goals to spare.
Seán Quilter opened the scoring in the 3rd minute with a beautiful long-ranged effort from play. Ten minutes had elapsed before Crokes got their opener. Then Dara Barry Walsh won the kick-out, was fouled and his resultant free found Michael Slattery who pointed. Just at the end of the first quarter Crokes equalized again.
Three minutes later Dylan Casey started a move from his full back position. Joseph O’Connor won possesion at mid-field, raced through the Crokes defence, and his rasper of a shot was parried by the Crokes keeper, but the ever-alert Gearóid Fitzgerald was on hand to volley the rebound to the net.
Seán Quilter put over his 2nd point in the 20th minute and then, three minutes later, Gearóid Sheehan was fouled in the square but Michael Slattery’s rising penalty shot clipped the cross-bar for a point.
However, our second goal did come a minute later and it was Gearóid Fitzgerald again who was at the end of another brilliant Stacks move to net his second goal of the game and his 10th of the season. Brilliant stuff Gearóid.
We could have had a third goal in the 27th minute but Seán Quilter’s bullet of a shot went over the bar. Crokes got their 3rd point of the game deep in added time from a forty five, which left our lads with eight points to spare at the break (2-5 to 0-3).
We went further ahead two minutes into the second half when, after a patient build-up, Michael Slattery pointed.
Crokes were now coming more into the game and by the 40th minute had put over four points without reply. When Michael Slattery pointed a free in the 43rd minute Crokes went on to put over two more to reduce our lead to four points as we entered the final quarter.
That was still the margin with six minutes of normal time remaining after both sides had put over two points each, ours coming from another Michael Slattery one from play and a beauty from a Michael Linnane free.
The final eleven minutes (there was five minutes of added time) of the game could be classified as the ‘Michael Slattery Show’ as he really made his case for a starting place in next month’s All Ireland Final with Kerry team Manager, Peter Keane, looking on. In those closing minutes Crokes added just two more points but Michael scored a further 1-3 to bring his total for the game to 1-8 which made him easily the ‘Man of the Match’.
Sean Quilter also pointed late on to mark a fine performance for the 16 year old.
This was really a brilliant display by all 17 who lined out on the evening. Robbie Murphy didn’t have much to do in goals due mainly to the six men in front of him. He was, however, superb under a number of dropping balls and his kick-outs were equally as good.
Crokes most dangerous forward was their nifty number 13 but he was well marshaled all through by Shane Kelliher who never put a foot wrong. Our other two players on the Kerry panel, Dylan Casey and Ciarán O’Reilly, were superb.
Odhran Liston and team captain, Shane Walsh made significant turn-overs on numerous occasions and the other 16 year old on the team, Dara Barry Walsh set up numerous attacks and really couldn’t have gone home without winning a medal as he would have to endure some slagging from his mother (Marina) and his sister (Caoimhe) both of whom who had won County Championship medals when the Ladies won the Intermediate title just three weeks ago.
Joseph O’Connor and David Fitzmaurice controlled the centre and some of their clean fielding was a joy to watch. Even though they didn’t get on the score sheet on this occasion both Gearóid Sheehan and Donagh McMahon were constant threats and linked superbly with their other four forward colleagues. Likewise both Harry O’Callaghan and David Couchman did their part when introduced for the last ten to fifteen minutes of the game.
And none of this could have happened without the overall squad who got us to this position with their displays all through the season in the earlier rounds of the competition.
And neither could it have happened without that brilliant management team of John O’Sullivan, Eoin Colgan, Jonathan Conway , Kieran O’Callaghan and of course that team manager supreme, Wayne Quillinan.
The win was a noteable achievement in Wayne’s management career with the Club as he became the only Club Manager to have won Co. League titles with both the Senior team (2011) and now the Minors, in the Club’s 100 year history. Well done Wayne.
Team: Robbie Murphy, Shane Kelliher, Dylan Casey, Odhran Liston, Shane Walsh (Capt), Ciarán O’Reilly, Dara Barry Walsh, Joseph O’Connor, David Fitzmaurice, Seán Quilter (0-4), Gearóid Sheehan, Michael Linnane (0-1 free), Donagh McMahon, Gearóid Fitzgerald (2-0), Michael Slattery (1-8 – one pointed frees and one pointed penalty).
Subs used: Harry O’Callaghan (50m), David Couchman (52m).
The second last round of the Central League, against Laune Rangers, is due to go ahead in Connolly Park on this Monday evening (28th Aug). Check Club Website for detailsThe final round (the postponed game away to Na Gaeil) has not been refixed as we write.
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 (21st August) Jackpot, worth €6,400, was not won. The numbers drawn were 4, 17, 21, 23. The €20 winners were: Daniel Bohan and TJ & Mary Sheehan, both c/o Club Rockies; Jonathan Magnier and Michelle O’Dowd, both c/o The Club; and Mary O’Connell, c/o John O’Riordan.
Tickets are on sale at Rock Street Post Office and at the Stacks Clubhouse.
SYMPATHY: Sincere sympathy is offered to the families of the following who died recently – Joe Griffin, New Marian Park and formerly of Mitchel’s Avenue and London; John Griffin, Castlemaine and formerly of Liscannor (Clare) and Caherina Upper; Mary O’Carroll (nee Butler), Skahanagh; Breda O’Sullivan (nee Moran), Strand Street; Margaret Cullen (nee Corcoran), Kerins Park and Millstreet (grandmother of Club Minor Footballer, Gearóid Sheehan and Mother-in-Law of U16 Team Mentor, TJ Sheehan); Edward (Eddie) Goodwin, Harefield, Middlesex and formerly Caherina; and Myles Gibbons, Racecourse Lawn and Ballinskelligs and formerly of Louisburgh (Mayo).
