SENIOR FOOTBALL: Austin Stacks 4-8; Kerins O’Rahillys 2-8.
This second game of the season (round 3 of the Town League) played on a dry Saturday afternoon (9th Feb) in Connolly Park produced some good passages of play by both sides.
Shane O’Callaghan opened the scoring with a pointed free in the 4th minute but we then had four uncharacteristic wides during the next eight minutes before Rahillys struck for their opening score in the 13th minute, a well-taken goal, followed by a point two minutes later.
Points from Darragh Scanlon, Gearóid Fitzgerald and Shane O’Callaghan (free) to one for the visitors had us still trailing by a point (1-2 to 0-4) with eight minutes of the first half remaining. But two goals in the space of four minutes gave us an advantage that we never relinquished from then on.
The first came in the 23rd minute when a beautifully floated ball by Wayne Guthrie was won by Shane O’Callaghan who made his way through the Rahillys defence for our opening goal of the game.
Then it was Calla again on target, this time from the penalty spot after he himself was fouled. As half time approached Fiachna Mangan had a point and then deep in added time Rahillys got through for their second goal to leave us three ahead at the break (2-5 to 2-2).
The Strand Road boys had a very good start to the second half, scoring two points inside the first two minutes, to reduce our lead to the bare minimum (2-5 to 2-4).
Our opening score came in the 35th minute, another Shane O’Callaghan pointed free, followed a minute later by our third goal of the game – put away beautifully by Gearóid Fitzgerald who was one of our chief MF goalscorers during the past two seasons (14 goals in 2017 and 19 in 2018). Donagh McKivergan was our first substitute to be introduced in the 37th minute and he was just a minute on the pitch when he put over.
Our last two scores of the game came from that Man of the Match, Shane O’Callaghan. The first was from a pointed free in the 41st minute and then in the 50th it was Donagh Mac who put him through for our 4th goal of the afternoon and Calla’s hat-trick – the second hat-trick of his Senior career, to add to the one he secured in a Co. League game against Castleisland Desmonds two years ago.
It was good to see last year’s All Ireland MF medal winner, Seán Quilter, making his Senior Club debut and he did very well when introduced during the second half.
Team: Barry Galvin, Colin Griffin, John Dennis, Paul Galvin, Jack O’Shea, Ronan Shanahan, Ciarán O’Connell, Wayne Guthrie, Conor Jordan (Capt), David Fitzmaurice, Fiachna Mangan (0-1), Darragh Scanlon (0-1), Shane O’Callaghan (3-4 – one penalty goal and four frees), Gearóid Fitzgerald (1-1), Fergal Ryan .
Subs: Donagh McKivergan (37m) (0-1), Paul Barrett (44m), Seán Quilter (48m), Shane Kelliher (54m), Andrew Morrissey (57m), Eoghan Galvin (57m).
The 4th and last round of the League, away to Ballymac, is scheduled to go ahead on Sunday week (24th Feb).
MINOR FOOTBALL: Austin Stacks 2-15; Kerins O’Rahillys 1-8.
Last week in the opening round of the Town League we had 15 points to spare at the end. On yesterday afternoon (10th Feb), in round 2 of the competition, we had a ten points winning margin. Despite frequent heavy hail showers all morning and right up to throw-in time it stayed dry during the game, but a howling bitterly cold gale blew down the pitch for the whole afternoon.
We played into that gale in the first half and despite this we led at half time by 2-6 to 1-7. Our first goal came straight from the throw-in which was won by Seán Quilter (who had just made his SF debut the previous afternoon).
Sean passed to Daniel O’Rourke who found the on-running Shane Bastible and Shane placed his shot to the corner of the net with aplomb. This was followed a minute later by a Dara Barry Walsh point.
However, once O’Rahillys settled they dominated the next ten minutes, scoring three unanswered points. Then, in a two minute spell (10th to 12th minute) we cancelled out those with three of our own, all from play, the first from Conor Myers and the other two by our goal-scorer, Shane Bastible.
Rahillys then were back in the game a minute later with a well-taken goal. Then in the 14th minute Daniel O’Rourke pointed after good work by Armin Heinrich and Seán Rusk. Three minutes later we extended our lead when Eoghan Carroll put Padhraic Linnane through for our second goal of the game.
Rahillys finished the half the stronger, scoring four points to one for us in the closing six minutes of the half – our point coming from Dara Barry Walsh. This left us ahead at the break by two points (2-6 to 1-7).
The second half, however, was all one-way traffic, with the opposition unable to cope with the elements, like we had done in the opening 30 minutes. We went on to score nine unanswered points in the second period with Rahillys scoring their only point of the half right on the stroke of full time.
So a good start to the season for Tim McMahon and his management team (TJ Sheehan, Colm Mangan and Mikey Collins) who will now face sterner opposition when they travel to Killorglin on next Saturday afternoon (16th Feb) to play Laune Rangers in the opening round of the County League. Our thanks to Rangers for facilitating our request to have the throw-in time brought forward to 2pm.
Team: Ben Quilter (Capt), Niall Fitzmaurice, David Burke, Joey Nagle, Dean Rusk, Dara Barry Walsh (0-3), Eoghan Carroll, Seán Quilter (0-3 – one free), Armin Heinrich, Craig Teahan, Daniel O’Rourke (0-2), Padhraic Linnane (1-0), Shane Bastible (1-2), Conor Myers (0-5 – one free), Cian Purcell.
Subs used: Mark Holden (39m), Greg Scanlon (39m), Tommy O’Farrell (39m), Conor Horan (48m), Ciarán Kelliher (53m), Matthew Browne (57m), Connor Kavanagh (57m).
CONGRATULATIONS: to the County’s two newest All Ireland Champions. Both Beaufort and Kilcummin did the county proud when winning their respective All Ireland titles in Croke Park last Saturday.
Beaufort made short work of the Sligo and Connacht Champions (Easky) to bring the JF title to Kerry for the 9th time (out of 18). Kilcummin had to fight a little bit harder to overcome the Antrim and Ulster Champions (Naomh Eanna) but they won it in style in the end.
This is the 6th time (out of 16) that the Intermediate title has come to the county. And remember Kilcummin will be our first opponents in this season’s Co. League, which is now just over three weeks away. And, as we know, they were the only team to defeat us last season in the League. So that will be some tough assignment for our boys. So keep celebrating Kilcummin – every day and every night – for the next three weeks and we might have some chance.
And of course the success didn’t end there on Saturday as Peter Keane’s Kerry continued their winning streak in the NFL by defeating the Dubs in round 3 at a thronged Austin Stack Park later that evening and on the following day our own Liam Kearns’s Tipperary overcame Donegal in Div. 2 of the NFL in Semple Stadium – not forgetting Ireland’s victory in the Rugby at Murrayfield. Well done to all for a perfect weekend.
THANKS: to everyone who donated and participated in the Club’s recent Clothes Recycling Fundraiser which was an outstanding success.
SCÓR SINSIR QUIZ: Brian Caball informs us that the Scór Sinsir Quiz will be held in Currans (An tIonad Barr Feabhais) on Friday, 8thMarch at 7pm. All entries are to be sent directly to the Secretary Coiste Scór Chiarraí by email to secretary.scor.kerry@gaa.ie.
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 (4th Feb) Jackpot, worth €10,400, was not won. The numbers drawn were 19, 23, 29, 30. The €20 winners were: Sarah Hobbert, Ronan Gilsenan and John & Phil Breen, all c/o The Club; and Kay Browne and Angela Flanagan, both c/o Rock Street Post Office.
LottoTickets are on regular sale at the Rock Street Post Office and at the Stacks Clubhouse, as well as from our other regular outlets.
SYMPATHY: Sincere sympathy is offered to the families of the following who died recently – Margaret Christina Langan (nee O’Brien), Ballycastle (Mayo) and formerly Tralee; and Brendan Cantillon, Páirc na Dún, Caherslee and formerly Churchtown (Cork) and Causeway.
