SENIOR FOOTBALL: Austin Stacks 1-15; Kerins O’Rahillys 1-14.
With a shock defeat against Templenoe in the opening round last week this second round tie of the Club Championship in Connolly Park on this humid-hot Sunday afternoon (14th Aug) was a must win for us if we were to have any chance of retaining our Club Championship title. And great credit to both sides who gave the huge attendance such a pulsating game in such hot conditions.
The sides were level on seven different occasions throughout the game, including at half time (1-5 to 0-8) – our goal coming in the 5th minute- a super effort by Gearóid Fitzgerald after great support play from Joseph O’Connor and Conor Jordan. Our five points of the half all came from play and from five different players – David Mannix, Seán Quilter, Michael O’Gara, Jack O’Shea and team captain, Michael O’Donnell.
With the sweltering heat one could expect a lesser scoring tally during the second half, but that did not happen. Between them the sides scored 17 times during that second period (it was 14 during the first half) and no more than a point separated the sides on no less that twelve different occasions.
We added a further ten points to our tally during the almost 40 minutes of this half (a number of stoppages for injuries). A further four of our players got on the score sheet during this period – Greg Horan, Shane O’Callaghan, Armin Heinrich and Cian Purcell. Jack O’Shea, Michael O’Gara, Seán Quilter and David Mannix also added to the first half tally during this period.
We picked up a number of injuries during the course of the game – the most serious it seemed toGreg Horan. We all wish Greg a full and speedy recovery.
Team: Wayne Guthrie, Colin Griffin, Barry Shanahan, Niall Fitzmaurice, Conor Jordan, Jack O’Shea (0-3), Greg Horan (0-1), Joseph O’Connor, Michael O’Donnell (Capt) (0-1), Michael O’Gara (0-2), Shane O’Callaghan (0-1), Armin Heinrich (0-1), Seán Quilter (0-2 – one free), Gearóid Fitzgerald (1-0), David Mannix (0-3 – two frees).
Subs used: Jordan Kissane (465m), Adam Curran (52m), Cian Purcell (54m) (0-1), Conor Horan 61m), Luke Chester 64m).
And Joe O’Connor, just back on the Club scene after his sojourn with Kerry for the first seven months of the year, deservedly received the Celsius Mensware ‘Man of the Match’ Award.
We now travel to Lewis Road on next Sunday (21stAug) for the third and final round against Dr. Crokes and this has to be ‘a must win’ if we are to have a chance of qualifying for the knock-out quarter finals. Throw-in at 2.30pm.
LIAM KEARNS: It’s great to see our own Liam Kearns back in County SF Management again. Liam will be the Offaly Manager for the coming season. Before that he managed the SF teams in Limerick, Laois and Tipperary.
In 2016 he took Tipp to an All Ireland semi final, the first time they went that far in the competition since 1935. Liam won a MF Co. Championship with the Rock in 1980 – the last time we won the Minor Championship – and he was at midfield with Ger O’Keeffe six years later when the Rock won the SF Co. Final – defeating Killarney by 1-11 to1-7 (our 10th title at that stage). We now have increased that to 13 with wins in 1994, 2014 and 2021.
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/
CLUB CARDS: Our Card sessions continue in the Clubhouse on Monday and Thursday nights with the starting time at 9pm sharp.
CLUB LOTTO: Monday Night’s (15th August) Jackpot, worth €2,950 was won by John Galvin, c/o The Club. The numbers drawn were 3, 16, 18, 26.
Next Week’s Jackpot will be worth €2,000.
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., 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=X529#Anchor Kirby’s Brogue InnMaguire’s Butchers Hussey’s P. Commane Books.
SYMPATHY: Sincere sympathy is offered to the families of the following who died recently: Dermot (Diarmuid) O’Connor, Ballingowan; Margaret Burrows (nee Slattery), Leedale, Caherslee and formerly Woodlawn, Killarney; Joe Boylan, Kevin Barry’s Villas (one of the founding members of the famous Vanguard Six Showband); Sr. Baptist Leen, Mercy Convent, Balloonagh; Jimmy (James) Lynch, Barrow East and formerly Clahane, Ballyard; Fr. Joe McCarthy, Sacramento, California and formerly Racecourse Road; Paul O’Brien, Spa Road; Michael Greaney, Annagh and formerly Stacks Villas; Caroline Donovan, Ballyrickard Close and formerly Mitchel’s Crescent; Seamus Kennedy, Old Marian Park and formerly Mitchel’s Avenue; and Josephine Stack (nee Lyons), Connolly Park and formerly Dromartin, Ballyduff.
