DEATH OF J.J. MURPHY: There was great sadness in the Club and in the local community on last Friday morning when news broke of the death of J.J. Murphy.
J.J. was one of our esteemed Vice Presidents and he and his family were involved in the Club going away back to the forties and fifties.
J.J., together with his brothers Thomas and Oliver, played with the football teams of that era.
Later he was instrumental in starting Card playing in the Club and organised regular sessions in places like Benners Hotel before we got a home of our own in Connolly Park in 1989.
In recent times his regular card partners were usually John Murrihy on a Monday night and Jimmy O’Sullivan on Thursdays. He celebrated his 86th birthday last May.
His sons John (current proprietor of Celsius Mensware, Russell St.) and Michael also played as did his grandchildren, notably Frankie and currently Matthew Browne who is a member of this year’s Minor Football team.
Matthew is also involved in videoing our Senior games and, along with his sister Aishling regularly operates our scoreboard.
Aishing, of course also plays with our Ladies U12s and her granddad, J.J., was very proud, earlier this year, when Aisling had great success at the County and Munster Table Tennis competitions. One of the Club’s great Senior Footballers of the late seventies/early eighties, Billy O’Carroll (who now resides in Boston, but who comes home regularly) is a nephew of J.J.
We extend sincere sympathy to J.J’s wife, Noreen, his brother Thomas (San Francisco) his daughters Joan, Mary and Martina, his sons John and Michael, and all his grandchildren, including the aforementioned Frankie, Matthew and Aisling and to all his extended family (including his aforementioned nephew, Billy O’Carroll) and friends.
SYMPATHY: Sincere sympathy is also offered to the families of the following who died recently – Denis Joseph Flynn, Caherina and formerly Leicester; Stuart Smith, Clonmel, Tralee and Lancashire; Barney Dowling Abbeydorney and formerly Mounthawk; Marlene Fernane, Highfield Grove and Listellick (daughter of Jackie and Kay and niece of Máiread, Club Chairperson and grand-daughter of the late Gary, the Club’s long-serving Juvenile President 1979-1994).
WELLDONE: to Tim McMahon, Michael Lynch and everyone in the Juvenile Section for another brilliantly organized Denny O’Connor/U13 Lee Strand Tournament.
Hard luck on our own boys who staged a great comeback in the Cup Final only to lose out by two points at the end. Congrats to the winners Clontarf and to Oranmore who won the Shield and Na Gaeil, winners in the Plate Final.
A special thanks to Noel O’Connell, John Breen and their band helpers who had the pitches in perfect condition. And a final thanks to Lee Strand for their continuing support and sponsorship – 33 continuous seasons now at the helm of one of the most prestigious Tournaments in the land.
SENIOR FOOTBALL: Best of luck to the Kerry team in next Saturday’s replay in Croke Park. Assuming that there will be a result on the day then the Co. Championship gets into full swing on the following week-end .
Two of the eight round 1games go ahead on Saturday evening (21st Sept) with the remaining six games taking place on the following day. Our game, away to Dingle, is one of the Saturday games with the throw-in at 5pm and with extra time and a result on the day in operation.
We will be well aware that it was this Dingle team that knocked us out of last year’s Championship at the quarter final stage – having a three goals winning margin at the end (3-9 to 0-9).
B FOOTBALL: Austin Stacks 2-16 (22); Kenmare 4-9 (21).
After a rip-roaring contest at Currans Centre of Excellence on last Friday evening (6th Sept) our B team qualified for their first Molyneaux Cup final since 2012 after this narrow one point victory against a strong Kenmrae side.
The final, against Dr. Crokes who had a comfortable win against Beaufort in their semi final encounter (1-18 to 1-4), is fixed for this coming Thursday evening (12th Sept) in Currans Centre of Excellence at 7.30pm.
B FOOTBALL: Austin Stacks 6-18 (36); Cromane 2-6 (12).
With Knocknagoshel already promoted this game in Connolly Park and Kilgarvan’s home game against Asdee were the only two games of consequence in this last round of the Co. League. We could have done nothing more in our treble score win against a Cromane side who weren’t in contention for a qualifying place.
A Kilgarvan win would have put us through to the play-offs but it was Asdee who came out on top and will now contest that play-off game along with Kilgarvan and with Beale and Sneem/Derrynane from Div. 5A (Scartaglin have already been promoted from Div. 5A).
We were in total command all through in this game and led by 4-11 to 0-2 at half time. Cromane did put on a better show in the second half scoring a further 2-4 (to 2-7 for us).
The Man of the Match was corner forward, Gearóid Fitzgerald with a hat-trick of goals and points throughout the hour. All our six starting forwards go on the score-sheet as well as full-back, Shane Walsh. Two of our second-half substitutes, Gearóid Sheehan (goal)and Dean Scanlon (point) were also on target.
Team: Shane Bastible, Shane Kelliher, Shane Walsh (0-1), John Murphy, Brandon Patterson, Paul Galvin, Andrew Morrissey (Capt), Ciarán O’Connell, Cathal O’Reilly, David Couchman (0-2), Pa McCarthy (1-1), Daniel O’Rourke (0-2), Donagh McKivergan (0-3), Shane Carroll (1-5 – two frees), Gearóid Fitzgerald (3-3).
Subs used: Gearóid Sheehan (ht) (1-0), Dara Barry Walsh (ht), David Burke (ht), Rory Forbes (ht), Dale Counihan (ht), Dean Scanlon (33m) (0-1), Tom O’Farrell (42m).
THE C TEAM: Austin Stacks 2-18; Ballydonoghue 2-8.
A ten points winning margin might indicate an easy enough win in this quarter final of the Barrett Cup in Connolly Park on last Friday evening (6th Sept). But this game was there to be won by both sides well into the second half.
The sides were level at half time (1-8 to 2-5) and with six minutes remaining we were still only three points ahead (1-14 to 2-8). But in those closing six minutes were added a further goal and four points while keeping the opposition scoreless to progress to the semi next week.
We got off to the perfect start when Conor Lowe won the throw-in and Mikey Collins jinked his way through the Ballydonoghue defence to drive low shot to the net after just 19 seconds. Mikey was involved again in our second score in the 2nd minute when he was fouled and David Courtney put over the resultant free.
The visitors opened their account in the 5th minute and then during the next seventeen minutes we had added a further six points to three for the opposition. The first of these came from another David Courtney free.
James Quigley, who was having an excellent game, made another dashing run up-field and took a heavy knock as he was going through and had to be replaced as a result. We all wish James a full and speedy recovery.
The other five came from play – two each from Mikey Collins and Jason Mitchel and the fifth from Conor Lowe. This left us with a six points lead at that stage (1-7 to 0-4). But in the next four minutes the Bally boys had turned that right around, scoring 2-1 which gave them a one point lead for the first time in the game.
Another David Courtney pointed free, two minutes before the break, left the sides level at half time (1-8 to 2-5).
The opening 20 minutes of the second half was an exact repeat of the first half when we scored a further six points to three for the opposition – two of our first half scorers, Mikey Collins and David Courtney, added a point each and the other four coming from three new scorers – Michael Godley (2) and one each from two second half substitutes, Darragh Long (free) and the evergreen Seamus Smith.
This left us three points ahead (1-14 to 2-8) with six minutes remaining and anything could happen in those closing minute. And it did. We added 1-4 without reply to give us that ten points win.
The goal came first, and it was a cracker. Craig Teahon’s shot was well saved by the Bally keeper but full forward Ger Teahon was on hand to lash the breaking ball to the net. Our remaining four points came from David Courtney, Craig Teahan, Darragh Long and Conor Lowe, all from play.
Team: Philip Healy, Tommy Costello (Capt), TJ Hogan, James Quigley, Craig Teahan (0-1), Michael Godley (0-2) Brian Phelan, Jason Mitchel (0-2), Conor Lowe (0-2), Pádraig Breen, Michael Collins (1-3), Joe Looby, David Courtney (0-5 – three frees), Ger Teahon (1-0), David Walsh.
Subs used: Jack McGrath (12m), Seamus Smith (ht) (0-1), Darragh Long (49m) (0-2 – one free), Ricky Moloney (55m), Joey O’Shea (56m), Ger Breen (57m).
We have drawn An Ghaeltacht in the semi final with Knocknagoshel and Annascaul in the other semi final Both games are fixed for this coming Friday evening (13th Sept) with our game going ahead in Annascaul at 6.45pm.
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 extend sincere sympathy to the family of J.J. Murphy who died last weekend. See tribute above.
LOTTO: Last Night’s (9th September) Jackpot, worth €12,050, was not won. The numbers drawn were 2, 4, 17, 25.
The €20 winners were: Ian O’Shea, Paul Brennan and Michael Harris, all c/o Carmel O’Neill; Brendan Reidy, c/o The Club; and Rose & Tom Dillon, c/o Rock Street Post Office.
Lotto Tickets are on regular sale at the Rock Street Post Office and at the Stacks Clubhouse, as well as from our other regular outlets.