DEATH OF AODHÁN Ó CONCHÚIR: Everyone in the Club extends sincere sympathy to the family, friends, school and playing colleagues of Aodhán Ó Conchúir who died at the week-end as a result of the accidental injury he picked while playing in the Russell Cup football game last week. Aodhán has strong connections with our Club. He was a nephew of former Club players, Martin and Brian McKivergan, and Caitriona Chester (current Ladies Club Registrar) and a first cousin of current Club players, Maebh, Donagh and Eoghan McKivergan and Luke Chester.
SYMPATHY: Sincere sympathy is also offered to the families of the following who died during the past week – Dora Counihan (nee Brosnan), O’Rahilly’s Villas; Sister Baptist Kirby, Our Lady of Fatima Nursing Home and formerly of Duagh and Castletownbere; Edward (Eddie) O’Brien, O’Rahilly’s Villas (see Cards); Timothy (Tim) Leen, Connolly Park and formerly of Arabella, Ballymacelligott (Uncle of former Club Footballer, Kenneth Leen); and Margaret (Peggy) Carroll, Balloonagh Estate (mother of former Club player, Danny and grandmother of current players, Shane, Danny, Eoghan and Ronan).
LIBRARY EXHIBITION: Our Photographic Exhibition – Ag Féachaint Siar – highlighting the events of our Centenary year, continues in Tralee Library until this Saturday (3rd March). It’s well worth a visit and can be viewed at any time during normal Library hours.
SENIOR FOOTBALL: Austin Stacks 1-14; Ardfert 0-10.
With our side already through to the Town League Final, Wayne and his colleagues continued to use their squad in this fifth and final round of the League played at a dry but bitterly cold Connolly Park on last Sunday morning (game threw in at 11.40). In the five games now played they have used a total of 36 players and every one of the 36 could rightfully claim a place on the starting 15 of the next game.
Sunday’s game was only 16 seconds old when Mikey Collins pointed into that very strong cold breeze after Michael O’Donnell won the throw-in and found Jack O’Shea on the attack who put Mikey through. Mikey was making his first start of the season and he played during the first half as if it was his first season. In fact he was starting his 20th season with the Senior team (he made his Senior debut on 27th June 1999 – that was before three of Sunday’s team were born – Shane Walsh, David Fitzmaurice and Donagh McKivergan) and he went on to score four points in total during that first half. Our second score of the half came in the 4th minute when Ferdia O’Brien was at the end of a slick move (started by Shane Walsh with Jack O’Shea and Shane O’Callaghan also involved) to flick the ball to the net, which turned out to be the only goal of the game. Ferdia added a point late in the half and two well-taken pointed frees by Darragh O’Brien left us four ahead at the break, despite playing into that near gale-force wind (1-7 to 0-6).
The second half became a little fractious at times with referee Eddie Barrett showing all three colours (black, yellow and red cards) to a number of players from both sides. We went on to have the upper hand however, scoring a further seven points during this period, to four for the opposition.
Despite playing well as a unit there were also some fine individual performances, especially from some of our new-comers like Brandon Patterson, Shane Walsh, David Fitzmaurice and Donagh McKivergan.
Team: David Hennessy, Colin Griffin, Barry Walsh, Brandon Patterson, Pa McCarthy, Jack O’Shea, Shane Walsh, Shane Guthrie (Capt), Michael O’Donnell (0-1), Seán Ryan, Darragh O’Brien (0-3 – 2 frees), Fergal Ryan, Michael Collins (0-4), Shane O’Callaghan (0-1), Ferdia O’Brien (1-3 – one free).
Subs used: David Mannix (ht) (0-2), Theo Diggin (32m), David Fitzmaurice (43m), John Dennis (53m), Paul Galvin (54m), Donagh McKivergan (56m).
We will now face John Mitchels in the Town League Final which goes ahead in Austin Stack Park on this Friday night (2nd March) at 7.30pm. Well done to the Tralee Town Board and the participating Clubs for running off this competition as scheduled and a special thanks also to the John Mitchels Club who facilitated this in no small way by providing its pitch for many games during the inclement (weather-wise) month of February.
THE SENIOR COUNTY LEAGUES: are just over a week away now – they get underway on the week-end of the 11th March. Our Seniors are in Division 2 this season with following 11 fixtures – R1 away to Kilcummin (11th March); R2 at home to Kenmare (25thMarch); R3 at home to Ballymac (tbc); R4 away to Glenflesk (13th May); R5 at home to Dromid (27th May); R6 away to Ardfert (10thJune); R7 at home to Currow (17th June); R8 away to Milltown (30th June); R9 at home to Listwel (14th July); R10 away to Na Gaeil (29th July) and R11 at home to Desmonds (tbc). This season’s Management team are Wayne Quillinan, Damien Ryall, Jonathan Conway, Eoin Colgan, John O’Sullivan and Tommy Naughton.
Our B team are in Division 5 again this season and this Division is divided into two groups this year. We have seven round robin games as follows – R1 at home to Kilgarvan (11th March); R2 away to Knocknagoshel (25th March); R3 away to Asdee (1st April); R4 at home to Scartaglin (13th May); R5away to Churchill (27th May); at home to Valentia (10th June) and R7 away to Kerins O’Rahillys (17th June); There will be a play-off then between the top two teams in each group with the two winners qualifying for the Divisional final. Our B team are managed this season by Brian Morgan, Paddy Barry, Kieran Kelliher and Eamonn O’Reilly.
BEST OF LUCK: to Club Footballer, Alan Duggan on the recent establishment of his Physical Fitness business – AD Fitness.
MINOR FOOTBALL: With the agreement of both Clubs our round 3 Town League game, away to John Mitchels, which was to have been played last Sunday, has been put back to Tuesday, 27rd March at 7pm.
So it’s now back to Co. League duty for the next three weeks. With a win in round one against Laune Rangers (2-12 to 1-8) we are due to travel to Lewis Road on this Saturday afternoon (3rd March) to play Dr. Crokes at 4pm. Crokes were narrowly defeated in a high-scoring game (1-19 to 1-16) away to Kilgarvan/Tuosist in their opening round.
We are away also on the following weekend (10th March) against Cordal/Scartaglin, and then on Monday, 19th March we have a home game against Killarney Legion in round 4 of the competition.
CLOTHES COLLECTION: Austin Stacks GAA Club’s Fundraising Clothes Recycling Collection takes place on Sat March 10th. GET COLLECTING NOW! We will accept: Men’s, Women’s & Children’s Clothing, Household Textiles i.e. Curtains & Towels, Soft toys, Shoe, Handbags, Belts. We cannot accept duvets or pillows. All items must be clean & dry and can be dropped to the Clubhouse Connolly Park between 10am and 12 pm on Saturday March 10th.
SCÓR: Congratulations to our Set Dancers (John Flynn, Bernie Mannix, Eamon O Reilly, Tracey Williams, Mike Hurley, Helen Enright, Tadgh Meehan and Joan Casey) on their Co Final win in Castleisland last Saturday (Feb 24th).
HAPPY RETIREMENT: to Martin Bracker O’Regan who recently retired from An Post after many years serving many local communities around Tralee.
CONGRATULATIONS: to former Club Footballer, Don Shanahan and his wife Karan on the recent birth of another baby daughter, Ella – a sister for Lucy and another grand-daughter for Ted and Mary Shanahan.
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.
All at the Cards were saddened to learn of the sudden death last Thursday of Eddie O’Brien, brother of our regular Card Players Mary O’Mahony and Joe (Dico) O’Brien and uncle of former Club Footballers Karl and Richard O’Brien and Seamus and Joe O’Mahony (see sympathy).
LOTTO: Last week’s (19th February) Jackpot, worth €7,700, was not won. The numbers drawn were 1, 3, 11, 22. The €20 winners were: Barry Walsh and Michael Godley Snr., both c/o The Club; Joseph Walsh and Colm Mangan, both c/o Club Rockies; and Katie McQuinn, 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 our other regular sellers.
