Austin Stacks GAA Club News

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Austin Stacks CrestGAELTACHT SCHOLARSHIPS: Applications are now invited for the GAA Gaeltacht Summer Courses Scholarship Fund 2016.  Applications are open to Boys & Girls.  The applicant must be a registered playing member of the Austin Stacks GAA club.  Please text your child’s name, address, age and school to Brian Caball on 087 6606693 or email briancaball2@hotmail.com   Closing date for applications is on this Friday (15th April).

SENIOR FOOTBALL: Austin Stacks 1-16; Kenmare Shamrocks 0-9.

Only fifteen seconds had elapsed, in this 3rd round Co. League game played in the Nuns Field, Connolly Park on last Saturday evening (9th April), when the visitors opened the scoring, and 37 seconds later the sides were level when David Mannix put over from play – the first of his 8 points scored throughout the hour.

By the 4th minute the sides were still level with a point each – David again on target for us.

Then in the 5th minute David pointed from a free after Conor Jordan was fouled and we never relinquished that lead from then to the end of the game.

Only a point separated the teams after 21 minutes (0-6 to 0-5) – three more from David Mannix (one from a free), with Shane O’Callaghan scoring the other.

However, in the closing ten minutes of the half we put some daylight between the sides when we scored four more points – Shane O’Callaghan and David Mannix with one each and two from our elusive wing back, Pa McCarthy.  At the break we were ahead by four (0-10 to 0-6).

The work done to date by Stephen and his colleagues really showed in the second half when we outscored the opposition by 1-6 to 0-2, without really breaking sweat. A goal and three of that total came from Greg Horan, with David Mannix adding a further two and Conor Jordan the other scorer.

There were also some noteworthy displays from players like Jack O’Shea, David O’Sullivan, Shane Guthrie, Conor Jordan and Shane Carroll. Late in the game Michael O’Donnell fielded, one handed, in the square and his exquisite shot, if on target, would have been the goal of the season (even better than his one against Crokes a few weeks ago) but it just went to the wrong side of the post.

Goalkeeper, Darragh O’Brien picked up an injury with eight minutes remaining and we wish Darragh a full and speedy recovery.

After being at the bottom of the league table after round one we now find ourselves on 4th spot after round three.

Team: Darragh O’Brien, Fearghal MacNamara, Conor Jordan (0-1), Colin Griffin, Pa McCarthy (0-2), Denis McElligott, Jack O’Shea, Shane Guthrie, Michael O’Donnell, David O’Sullivan, Fiachna Mangan, Shane Carroll, David Mannix (0-8 – 3 frees), Shane O’Callaghan (Capt) (0-2), Greg Horan (1-3).

Subs used: Barry Walsh (ht), Seán Ryan (44m), Michael Collins (50m), Alan Nestor (51m). Pa Fitzgibbon (52m), Brían Mangan (53m).

Prior to the game a minute’s silence was observed for the late Terry Healy Snr.. father of formers Club footballers, Michael, Kevin and Terry Jnr. (see sympathy).

Our next scheduled game is a home game, against Milltown-Castlemaine, in the first round of the Club Championship. At the moment it is fixed for next Saturday evening (16th April) at 6.30pm with extra time if necessary.

SF CO. CHAMPIONSHIP DRAW: We have drawn East Kerry (away) in the opening round of the Co. Championship to be played on the weekend of 14th/15th May. This will the first meeting between the sides since 2007.

B FOOTBALL: Austin Stacks 1-7; Rathmore 4-4.

This 3rd round game in the Co. League (Div 5) was played in a down-pour in Connolly Park (Nuns Field) on Sunday afternoon (10th April) and after twenty minutes of play we looked to be well in command with a lead of  0-4 to 0-1 at that stage. After Rathmore opened the scoring in the 5th minute we then added four consecutively with Alan Duggan on target from a free, Mikey Collins (good to see Mikey back again) with a lovely effort from play and two super points from Shane Guthrie, the first with his left and then with his right.

But in the space of six minutes (20th to 26th) Rathmore had put this game to bed with four goals. Seamus Bastible, with a point from play, and another Alan Duggan pointed free left the visitors seven clear at the break (4-1 to 0-6).

Six minutes after the resumption we gave ourselves a life-line when a Mikey Collins cross into the square was punched to the net by Colin Griffin. But Rathmore responded with three more points by the 43rd minute and the last score of the game – an Alan Nestor point form play – came in the 46thminute.

Such were the atrocious conditions that neither side registered a score in the last 17 minutes of play (three minutes of added time).

As well as Mikey Collins it was also good to see both TJ Hogan and Paul Barrett back in the fold again – This was Paul’s second game0f the season  after missing all of the 2015 season but it was TJ’s first game since the 2013 Co. Final.

Team: Paddy Fitzgibbon, John Murphy, Colin Griffin (1-0); Paul Galvin, Alan Nestor (0-1). Shane Guthrie (0-2); TJ Hogan, Brían Mangan, William Kirby, Seán Ryan, Alan Duggan (0-2 frees); Seamus Bastible (0-1), Seán Dukes, Mikey Collins (0-1), Dale Counihan.

Subs used: Paul Barrett (ht), Louis Ryle (ht); Dylan Harnett (ht), Andrew Morrissey (46m), Eoin Colgan (52m), Oisín Fitzgerald (58m).

Our B Team have a round 2 back game to play against Ballylongford and no date has been fixed for this as we write.

MINOR FOOTBALL: Ourselves, together with Dr. Crokes, Firies and Gneeveguilla, are the four teams who will contest the MF Co. League semi finals. Even though that is the situation our final round 5 game, at home to Dr. Crokes, has been fixed for this Friday evening (15th April) at 6.45pm. .

Let us take this opportunity to wish the Kerry Minors (including our own Ferdia O’Brien) the best of as they take on Waterford in Dungarvan on this Wednesday evening (13th April). Kerry, of course, are the current Munster and All Ireland Champions.

WELL DONE: to the Kerry Seniors (including our own Kieran Donaghy) who qualified for the NFL Final by virtue of their semi final win last Sunday and hard luck on the Kerry U21 Footballers (including our own Greg Horan and Michael O’Donnell) who were just pipped at the post by Cork in the Munster Final last week.

CONGRATULATIONS: to Donnacha Sayers (son of Denis & Marion) who celebrated a Munster Boxing Championship win on Saturday 19th March at the Southside Academy, Limerick.  Donnacha beat Michael Mongan of the Kilfinora boxing club by a unanimous decision to win the 44 kg’s Boy 1 title. Donnacha boxes out of the Cashen Vale club.

CLUBHOUSE: All frequenters of the Bar are sorry to see Bar Manager, Des Griffin moving on after some ten months at the helm. We all wish you the best Des for the future and thank you for your kindness, courtesy and efficiency during your period in the Connolly Park Clubhouse.

CARDS: The 45 Card Sessions will continue in the Clubhouse on every Monday and Thursday nights, commencing at 9.30pm each night.

And well done to Christy Murphy of our Card Players on the deserved honour bestowed on him recently by the Charity Concern for his more that 40 years as a fundraising volunteer for the Group.

Also, all at the Cards extend sincere sympathy to Pat Skeff Sheehy on the death of his sister-in-law, Eileen Sheehy in Mallow (see sympathy).

LOTTO: Last week’s (4th April) Jackpot, worth €5,000, was not won. The numbers drawn were 3, 11, 14, 21.

The €20 Winners were: Tom Cantillon and Tommy Healy, both c/o Carmel O’Neill; Denis O’Connor, Richard Moloney and Brendan O’Regan, all c/o The Club..

SYMPATHY: Sincere sympathy is offered to the families of the following who died recently – Helen McSwiney (nee Milner), Oakview, O’Connor’s Terrace, Boherbee and late of The Courthouse; Eileen Sheehy (nee O’Connor), Mallow (see Cards); Terry Healy Snr., Connolly Park (father of former Club Footballers, Michael, Kevin and Terry Jnr.); Josephine O’Rourke (nee Burkett), Fairway Heights and late of Cloghers, Ballymacelligott (mother of former Club Footballer, Tim and grandmother of current U16 player, Daniel) and An tAthair Donncha Ó Laocha (Fr. Denis Leahy), Knockmoyle and late of Reacaslagh, Brosna.

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