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RACE NIGHT: The only place to be on this coming Friday night (26th Nov) is in the Stacks Clubhouse. For the past number of weeks our hardworking Finance Committee have been asking us all to join our fellow Rockies for the social event of the year – The Austin Stacks Gala Race Night.
After nearly two years in hibernation, the great re-emergence of the Rockie faithful will take place in the clubhouse for what promises to be a wonderfully entertaining night of banter, betting and beverages!
Our 2021 Race Night is a hugely important fundraising event for Austin Stacks to help cover the costs of running the largest juvenile boys & girls Club in Kerry, to finance pitch maintenance & upgrade works, and to support our Senior Men’s team for what we hope will be a long and prosperous winter campaign!
The Race Night highlights include ten races on multiple screens, special auction and legend races, €1,500 in cash prizes to be won, full bar and finger food and best dressed lady and gent competitions.
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SENIOR FOOTBALL: Austin Stacks 2-9; St. Brendans Board 1-12.
What an evening it was in Austin Stack Park in the first of this season’s Co. Championship semi finals.
After a very even first half, with both sides scoring three points each and having four wides each, it was level again at the end of normal time (1-6 to 0-9) and level at the end of extra time (2-9 to 1-12) to send the game to a penalty shoot-out.
Two years ago we won the Co. League Final after that game went to a penalty shoot-out (4-3). And on this occasion the same thing happened, winning this time by 5-3.
And on both occasions it was Kieran Donaghy himself who scored the winning goals – and this on his 62nd Co. Championship appearance.
Right up to the 54th minute there was only one man on the score-sheet for us and that was Darragh O’Brien with three each from play and frees. The sides were level on six points each at that stage.
Then, a minute later, Darragh’s free was touched into the net by Michael O’Donnell but then, with almost nine minutes of additional time being played Brendans added three good points to bring the game to extra time.
We looked to be on the road to victory when we led by four points at half time in extra time (2-8 to 0-10 – Seán Quilter with a goal and a point and Brendan O’Sullivan with a point. But St. Brendans reversed that in the 2nd half of e/t when they scored 1-2 to our solitary point from another Seán Quilter free.
The penalty shoot-out was brilliant with all our five being converted – Seán Quilter, Adam Curran, Michael O’Donnell, Michael O’Gara and Star himself with the last one. But you could say it was Wayne Guthrie’s brilliant save of Brendans’ first penalty that won the day for us.
Great credit to the players from both sides for what Marty Morrissey called an intriguing and pulsating game – a game which started at 5.30 and ended with the last penalty at 7.50pm.
Team: Wayne Guthrie, Colin Griffin, Dylan Casey (Capt), Jack O’Shea, Paul O’Sullivan, Conor Jordan, Ronan Shanahan, Joseph O’Connor, Greg Horan, Michael O’Gara, Shane O’Callaghan, Fiachna Mangan, Brendan O’Sullivan (0-1), Kieran Donaghy, Darragh O’Brien (0-6 – 3 frees).
Good to see Niall Fitzmaurice making his Senior Co. Championship debut. Also let us hope that Ronan Shanahan recovers in time from the injury which sidelined him at half time.
Subs used: Armin Heinrich (ht), Michael O’Donnell (42m) (1-0), Seán Quilter (47m) (1-2 two frees), Barry Shanahan (53m), Adam Curran (54m). In extra time: Barry Walsh (65m), Niall Fitzmaurice (70m).
And what a final it’s going to be – with Rahillys overcoming Crokes in the second semi-final on Sunday. This will be the first time since 1936 that the Rock and Strand Rd. will meet in a Co. Final and we have to go back to 1963 to find two Town teams in a final – Mitchels and Rahillys on that occasion.
And finally on football what a performance David Mannix (scorer of two great points from play and a third from a free) and his team (St. Judes) gave in the Dublin Co. Final on Sunday, leading for most of the game, but being pipped at the post by Kilmacud who scored the winning point in the closing seconds of the game.
SUPPORTERS CLUB: Kevin O’Carroll and his colleagues in the Supporters Club would like to thank the lovely message received from our former SF Manager Stephen Stack (who was at the helm when we last won the Championship in 2014) congratulating the team for their win on Saturday night and wishing them every success in the final.
BEST WISHES: All in the Club send best wishes to Philip Healy, the outstanding C Team goalkeeper of the past, after his recent stint in hospital. Great to see Philip back on the road to recovery again.
FITNESS CLASSES: The Individual Pod Fitness Training sessions continues in the Clubhouse every Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 7pm to 8pm. All are welcome. Contact Diane at 087 7940531 for further information.
NOVEMBER IN THE PAST (22/11 to 30/11). On the field of play two significant events took place in Hurling during this week in the past. The first was in 1967 (26th Nov) when our Minor Hurlers were officially denied a MH Championship when a refeering decision denied us an official win against Causeway. We have claimed that title since then. And the following year our Seniors were also denied a Championship when the late Christy McQuinn’s last minute seventy was waved wide to deny us a 1-6 to 1-5 win over Crotta. Read pages 128 and 135 of our Centenary Book for full reports on both games.
Off the pitch in 2006 (22nd Nov) Kieran Donaghy became the 7th Club Player to receive an All Star Award, following in the foot-steps of Johnno Keeffe, Ger Power, Denny Long, Ger O’Keeffe, Mikey Sheehy and Pa Laide who were the other six to receive the awards.
Also off the field of play in 2013 (29th Nov) Elma Nix became the second female member to be elected Senior Club Secretary in succession to Catherine Ryan who was the first female to hold the possession during the previous three seasons (2011-2013 incl).
ONLINE CLUB SHOP: A reminder that our Club shop is open 24/7. Check out the newest ‘official’ Austin Stacks Club Merchandise – only available to order on this link (free delivery on any orders over €50) see www.oneills.com We would also like to introduce the new Austin Stacks Ganzee Club Clothing Collection, available in Mens/Unisex, Womens & kids check out all the style ranges in hoodies, t-shirts and sweatshirts on www.ganzee.ie/austin-stacks-gaa-clubs/
CARDS: Our Card are continuing with our usual twice weekly sessions (Mondays and Thursdays) and all participants seem to be happy with the earlier 9pm start on both nights.
CLUB LOTTO: Monday Night’s (22nd Nov) Jackpot, worth €3,300, was not won. The numbers drawn were 9, 20, 21, 22. The €20 winners were John Connelly, c/o The Hurlers; Pat McCarthy, Richard Moloney and Brendan o’Regan, all c/o The Club; and Mandy Furey, c/o OnLine.
Next Monday’s Jackpot will be worth €3,350.
Continued thanks to the following businesses for selling our Club Lotto tickets – Kevin Barry’s Shop, Commane’s Book Shop, O’Flynn Interiors, Hussey’s, Princess St., Terry’s Butcher’s, Oakpark The Burger Shack, Monavally as well as Maguire’s Butchers and Kirby’s Brogue Inn and continued thanks to everyone who purchase tickets week in, week out.
Austin Stacks lotto tickets are now also available to purchase on line on the following link: https://play.clubforce.com/play_newa.asp?ll_id=529#Anchor Kirby’s Brogue Inn Maguire’s Butchers Hussey’sP. Commane Books.
SYMPATHY: Sincere sympathy is offered to the families of the following who died recently: Dr. George Rice, Drumcondra and Tralee (brother of Dr. John – current Chairman of the Tralee GAA District Board); Michael Horgan, Knockanish (son of the late Johnny, former Club Footballer); Baby Caoinhe Bridget McCarthy, Killerisk Road; Eileen Relihan (nee Sheehy), Cloundara and formerly Ballinorig, Causeway; and Thomas Coffey, Pine Court, Ashleigh Downs and formerly Mitchel’s Crescent.
