Austin Stacks GAA Club News

Posted by

SENIOR FOOTBALL: John Mitchels 0-11; Austin Stacks 1-9.

Our thanks to Tim Slattery for the following Report.

Playing with the wind in the first half we opened the scoring in the 4th minute from a David Mannix free after a foul on Darragh O’Brien. Mitchels hit back then with two, only for David Mannix to level again, and the same David put us back in the lead in the 14th minute with another one from play.

Mitchels went back in the lead again with two in a row before Shane O’Callaghan goaled after receiving a good pass from Wayne Guthrie. We added two more points before the break – Shane O’Callaghan on target from play and Wayne Guthrie from a well-taken forty five –  to leave us ahead at half time by four (1-5 to 0-4).

Austin Stacks, Conor Jordan lays off a pass. Photo by Gavin O'Connor.

Austin Stacks, Conor Jordan lays off a pass during Sunday’s game. Photo by Gavin O’Connor.

David Mannix, with another point just after the resumption, edged us five clear, but for the remainder of the game Mitchels outscored us by seven points to three. Two more Mitchels points were followed in the 40th minute by one from Jack Morgan after good work by Daniel Bohan.  Then Mitchels scored four unanswered points to level the game with eight minutes remaining.

Jack O’Shea (good to see Jack back after missing a few games through injury) edged us ahead again and Conor Jordan put us two clear shortly after from a David Mannix pass.

Mitchels kept pressing however and had the final score of the game deep in added time to leave us with that narrow one point victory.

Team: Barry Galvin, Seán Ryan, Fearghal MacNamara, Ronan Shanahan, Denis O’Neill, Conor Jordan (0-1), Jack Morgan (0-1), Wayne Guthrie (0-1 – forty five), Shane Guthrie, Fiachna Mangan, Shane O’Callaghan (1-1), Daniel Bohan, David Mannix (0-4 – 2 frees), Michael Collins, Darragh O’Brien.

Subs used: Jack O’Shea (44m) (0-1), Alan Nestor (44m).

It’s now in our own hands. Win our back round 5 game against Kerins O’Rahillys (fixed for Saturday week – 6th August at 7pm in Connolly Park) and, after that, our two remaining games – at home to Kilcummin (w/e 14th Aug) and away to Templenoe in the final round  (date to be confirmed) – and we are guaranteed a place in the Co. League Final.

Our next outing was to have been a home game against Na Gaeil in R2 of the Town League. This game was fixed for this Friday (29th July) but, as we write, there is a doubt about  the fixture.

BEST OF LUCK; to Ferdia O’Brien, Kieran Donaghy and their Kerry colleagues in their respective All Ireland quarter final games in Croke Park next Sunday (31st July). The Minors play Derry at 12 noon,  while the Seniors take on Clare for the second time in this season’s Championship at 2pm. Both sides met already in the Munster semi final with Kerry coming out on top by 2-23 to 0-17.

WELL DONE: to Michael O’Donnell and his Kerry JF colleagues on their win in Manchester last Saturday. They overcame Lancashire in the All Ireland semi final by 4-17 to 3-10 For the second year in succession Kerry will now face Mayo in the All Ireland Final on Saturday week next (6th Aug).

And well done also to Liam Kearns and his Tipperary stars who triumphed over Derry last Saturday, in what many termed as the best game in this year’s Championship to date.

This now means that in the 16 seasons of the Qualifiers at least three Munster teams will be involved in the quarter finals for the first ever (Kerry, Clare and Tipperary. And of course Cork could make it four if they overcome Donegal at the week-end in their Round 4B game.

B FOOTBALL: Austin Stacks 0-5; Duagh 1-13.

Duagh kept their promotion hopes very much alive with a comprehensive win over a weakened Stacks outfit in Connolly Park on this Sunday afternoon (24th July). With our Seniors playing away to Mitchels at the same time we were missing seven of the starting 15 that lined out in the victory in Knocknagoshel the previous week

Both sides had two wides each before Duagh went in front in the 7th minute. They then added four more in succession, before we registered our first score from a 20th minute free by Alan Duggan after a foul on Jessie O’Sullivan.

Duagh then responded with four more before we had our first and only score from play deep in added time, when William Kirby put Theo Diggin through. This left the North Kerry boys ahead by 0-9 to 0-2 at half time.

Positional switches at the break looked as if they would benefit us when Alan Duggan, who had moved to full forward, pointed after just 35 seconds of play after another perfect ball in from William.

But our hopes of any recovery were well and truly dashed five minutes after the resumption when a flowing Duagh move ended with a well-taken goal for the visitors. Between then and the end we could only muster a further two points, from an Alan Duggan free and a lovely effort from play by Oisín Fitzgerald.

Despite the defeat it was good to see two former stalwarts back on the playing pitch again. Martin Moriarty’s last game in a Black & Amber jersey was back in June 2013 when he lined out with the Seniors in a Co. League game in Milltown.

Team Mentor, Jonathan Magnier came on a sub  and, unbelievably, it’s over 11 years since Jonathan last lined out for the Club. And like Martin it was also with the Seniors in a Co. League game against Dr. Crokes, on the 3rd July 2005.

Team: Martin Moriarty, Paul Galvin, John Murphy (Capt), Dylan Harnett, Andrew Morrissey, William Kirby, Jessie O’Sullivan, Shane Crowley, Alan Duggan (0-3 – 2 frees), Theo Diggin (0-1), James Sugrue, Declan Clifford, Oisín Fitzgerald (0-1), Seán Fitzmaurice, Seán Hurley.

Sub: Jonathan Magnier (44m).

We now have two more rounds of Co. League games to play, both at home, against Ballyduff and Sneem/Derrynane. Fixtures may not go ahead as scheduled, however, following the Ballyduff Hurlers progress in the SH Co. Championship at the weekend.

In the meantime we also have two more rounds to play in the Town League. The first of these is away to Kerins O’Rahillys on this Wednesday evening (27th July) at 7.30pm with the final round at home to Ballymac on Monday week (8th Aug). St. Pats, we understand, have withdrawn from the competition.

MINOR FOOTBALL: Austin Stacks 3-12; Laune Rangers 0-9.

For three quarters of this game (round 2 of the Central League) played at a damp Connolly Park on last Thursday evening (21st July) no more than two points separated the sides at any stage.

Rangers raced into an early lead with two points inside the first three minutes. In the 4th minute Gearóid Fitzgerald found Michael Linnane and Michael lashed to the net to put us in the lead, But two more points by the 6th minute put the visitors ahead again. We shaded the rest of the half and with four points from Gearóid Sheehan  (2), David Fitzmaurice and Harry O’Callaghan (to two more for the opposition) we led by just one at half time (1-4 to 0-6).

The same margin separated the sides twelve minutes into the second half  with each side scoring three each, ours coming from Ciarán O’Reilly, David Fitzmaurice and Donagh McKivergan.

But in the final quarter we took complete control, holding the opposition scoreless while adding a further 2-5 in the closing 15 minutes. Points from Donagh McMahon, Philip Quilter, David Fitzmaurice and two pointed frees by Donagh McKivergan was capped by two great goals by Gearóid Fitzgerald and Seán Tansley to give us a clear-cut victory.

Seán Tansley was playing in his first game of the season, with Joe Looby making his first start of the and Cian Talbot playing his first game since last March. Good also to see James Quigley making his Minor debut.

Team: Robbie Murphy, Shane Kelliher, Brandon Patterson (Capt), Donagh McMahon (0-1), Joe Looby, Ciarán O’Reilly (0-1), Shane Walsh, Philip Quilter (0-1),David Fitzmaurice (0-3), Harry O’Callaghan (0-1), Michael Linnane (1-0), Jason Roche, Donagh McKivergan (0-3 – 2 frees), Gearóid Fitzgerald (1-0), Gearóid Sheehan (0-2).

Subs used: David Couchman (ht), Seán Tansley (55m) (1-0), James Quigley (55m), Alan Dore (57m), Cian Talbot (58m).

We now have two more rounds to play in the Central League. We are away to Na Gaeil on this Thursday (28th July) in round 3, and in the 4th and final round we have a home game against Kerins O’Rahillys (fixed at the moment for 25th August).

CLUBHOUSE: As always the Clubhouse is available for all types of Parties. For Bookings, phone Maurice McNamara at 086 3747 642.

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

LOTTO: Last week’s (18th July) Jackpot, worth €5,000, was not won. The numbers drawn were 3, 6, 21, 30.

The €20 Winners were: Elma Nix, c/o Club Rockies; John Tobin & Lorraine Healy, c/o Richard Healy; Luke McNamee, c/o Carmel O’Neill; and Tommy Hickey and Patsy O’Donoghue, both c/o Castleisland Desmonds.

SYMPATHY: Sincere sympathy is offered to the families of the following who died recently – Eithne McLoughlin. Cois Coille and late of St. Brendan’s Park sister of former Club Footballers, Damien, Tony, Colm, Dell (Whyte) and Aileen (Kelliher), and daughter of the late Tommy (former Club Footballer and Club Official); Bill Shanahan, Knockmoyle and late of Ardfert and Tramore; and Paddy Molloy, Kerins Park (father of former Kerins O’Rahilly’s footballer, Ollie).

Comments are closed.

image