LADIES CELEBRATION: Forty years ago our Senior Lady Footballers won the first of their five Co. Championships when they overcame Castleisland Desmonds in the final in Connolly Park.
To mark that historic occasion they are holding a celebration in the Clubhouse on this Saturday night (30th Sept).
CENTENARY GALA DINNER: To celebrate Austin Stacks Hurling and Football Club’s centenary year, we are hosting a Gala Dinner on Saturday 14th October in The Rose Hotel, Tralee.
The night will kick off with a champagne reception at 7pm followed by dinner at 8pm.
Music will be provided by Keep in Touch followed by a disco with Austin Stacks resident DJ Francie Breen. Special presentations will be made on the night along with some fantastic spot prizes along the way.
Tickets on sale in the coming days €50 per person. Get yours early to avoid disappointment!
Tickets available from the following club members: Noreen Power 087 2461732; Mary McQuinn 087 0559455 and Lorraine Scanlon 087 2428282.
SENIOR FOOTBALL: West Kerry 1-17; Austin Stacks 0-14.
This season’s losing streak continued in Austin Stack Park last Saturday evening (23rd Sept) when we went down to a sharper, more focused West Kerry side, whose starting 15 contained twelve players from An Ghaeltacht Club, who had defeated us in the Co. League some six weeks previously.
West Kerry got off to a good start putting over three points in the first six minutes before Greg Horan opened our account in the 9thminute. Then a minute later West Kerry got through for the only goal of the game followed almost immediately by a fourth point.
With Greg Horan and Shane Guthrie doing well at centre field we shaded the second quarter scoring eight points to six for the opposition – five of those points came from David Mannix (four frees) and the other three from play by Darragh O’Brien. This left us adrift by four at the break (1-10 to 0-9).
However the boys from Corcha Dhuibhne kept up the pressure in the second half where they outscored us again by seven points to five. David Mannix with three more pointed frees and one each from play by Kieran Donaghy and Wayne Guthrie were our scorers in this second period.
Team: David Hennessy, Ronan Shanahan, Fearghal MacNamara, Seán Ryan, Pa McCarthy, Jack O’Shea, Jack Morgan, Gerg Horan (0-1), Shane Guthrie, Michael O’Donnell, Shane O’Callaghan (Capt), Shane Carroll, David Mannix (0-8 – seven frees), Kieran Donaghy (0-1), Darragh O’Brien (0-3).
Subs used: Wayne Guthrie (ht) (0-1), Barry Walsh (ht), Fiachna Mangan (36m), Daniel Bohan (45m), Darragh Scanlon (60m), Alan Duggan (61m).
So a very poor season, by our standards, has come to an end. Of the 23 competitive games played we won 8, drew 3 and lost 12.
Despite this no blame can apportioned to any of the 41 players who donned the Black & Amber during the season and neither should Pat Flanagan and his dedicated team of mentors take the blame.
The work put in by Pat, together with John Joe Sugrue, John Walsh, Brian Cuthbert, Wayne Murphy and Tommy Naughton and their equally dedicated backroom staff of John Tobin, Ger Mannix, Paudie McQuinn and Fionan Hallinan is second to none. They have been there day after day, night after night in all weather conditions.
Of the 41 players who lined out only Pa McCarthy played and started in all 23 games. He was closely followed by team captain, Shane O’Callaghan who lined out 22 times, with Jack O’Shea on 21 and Denis Costello and David Mannix on 20 each.
Kieran Donaghy created a bit of a record on Saturday evening.
He was playing his 53rd County Championship game which puts him into second place on his own, one ahead of his current colleague Mikey Collins and Ger Power who held the record since the late eighties.
Ger O’Keeffe, of course, still holds the record of all time appearances of 59 set in July 1992. And at the other end of the scale it was good to see Darragh Scanlon make his Senior Championship debut, after giving some very good performances all season.
B FOOTBALL: A date and venue for the Junior Town League final between ourselves and Na Gaeil has still to be fixed as we write. .
SENIOR HURLING: Like our B footballers, our Hurlers also await the remaining fixtures schedule from the South Kerry Hurling Board.
The Gary Scollard Tournament, originally fixed for last week-end, was postponed but now goes ahead on this Saturday (30th Sept). The Trevor Barrett Tournament is fixed for Saturday, 14th October.
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 (18th September) Jackpot, worth €6,600, was not won. The numbers drawn were 8, 14, 19, 28. The €20 winners were: Ger Mannix and Mikey Collins, both c/o Club Rockies; Diarmuid Trant and Nuala Ryan, both c/o The Club; and Joe O’Halloran, c/o Rock Street Post Office.
Tickets are on regular sale at the Rock Street Post Office and at the Stacks Clubhouse as well as from the other usual outlets.
SYMPATHY: Sincere sympathy is offered to the family of John Corkery, Connolly Park and formerly of Muckenagh, Lixnaw who died last week. John was one of our great Club supporters, helping, for example, as umpire on many occasions, mostly at hurling matches, especially with Paddy White as referee. John was also father of former Club footballer, Maurice Kelter.
