WALK FOR PAUL ~ RUN FOR THE ROCK: The 2022 Paul Lucey 5k/10k Walk/Run is back on track.This popular Rock Club event will commence at 11am on Monday next, May 2nd, the May Bank Holiday.

This is the 4th Paul Lucey Run for the Rock and is, perhaps, the most significant because, due to the pandemic, freedom, exercise and friendship have been so restricted over the past three years. We are inviting everybody….our under 7/8/9/10 boys and girls, teenagers, friends, fans, parents, grandparents, the dog and all family members….to enjoy and appreciate the outdoors in the company of each other on Monday.

One may walk, walk and talk, skip, skate, jog or run the 5k/10k! This wonderfully enjoyable event, i gcuimhne ar Phól Ó Luasaigh, will help to keep us fit, healthy and positive….aclaíocht, sláinte agus dearcadh dearfach….mens sana in corpore sano (look it up!)! Registration is via www.eventbrite.ie (search for ‘Paul Lucey Run’) or by registering at the Austin Stack Club between 9am and 10.30am on the morning of the event. Costas: U12s ~ €5; Over 12s ~ €10. Summer has arrived! Let’s enjoy life!

PEIL FAOI 7 (born 2015/16/17): Great football action took place, under the stewardship of Tom Tansley, at our club headquarters on Sunday morning last. Next Sunday’s Under 7 football session will take place as usual at 11am in Connolly Park.

We’ll continue our Sunday morning football in Connolly Park for the summer and we’ll be starting Thursday night football next week….on May 5th. The GoGames will also be coming up in the not-too-distant future. Exciting football action ahead! New footballers always welcome.

PEIL FAOI 9 (born 2013/14): It’s non-stop action for these super energetic U9 boys….the mentors are working hard to keep up with them! On Sunday last, we visited the Legion Club, Killarney, and outstanding football was played in the Little Oak Wood (Doirín). Have we great players? Yes! On Sunday next our own Páirc Uí Chonghaile will be the venue at which our young stars will display their silken skills once again….they’ll take on Na Gaeil Ghlasa ón gCillín. Thursday night football will commence on May 5th….an tseachtain seo chugainn.

Expected upcoming challenges: v Laune Rangers (May 10th), v Cill Chuimín (May 24th) and v Firies (June 7th). The big huge news on the U9 front is that we’ll be off to Dublin on May 22ndfor the prestigious Kilmacud Crokes Football Tournment….a trip not to be missed; these tournament games will take place in the grounds of University College Dublin (UCD). What a trip that’s going to be! Do you know that Kilmacud Crokes have won 9 Dublin county championships in senior football and 7 in hurling? They’ve won 2 All-Ireland football titles. Do you know the Kilmacud colours? Purple’n’Gold.

PEIL FAOI 11 (born 2011/12): (i) County League (sponsored by Lee Strand) – A and B teams: our lads played great football on Thursday 21st v Crócaigh Chill Airne i bPáirc Uí Chonghaile….well done, boys. This Thursday 28th April we travel over the mountain (Sliabh Mis, of course!) to challenge Milltown/Castlemaine.

On Thursday 5th May we expect to be taking on Na Mistéalaigh in their home pitch in Ballyseedy. We hope to challenge the Blue‘n’Gold of B/mac on Thursday 12thMay i bPáirc Uí Chonghaile.

SCÓR ’22: The Scór na bPáistí series of competitions (for primary school students) will take place in June and the finals will take place on Saturday 2nd July. Have we competitors/volunteers….a solo singer, a storyteller or reciter, a group of singers (cúigear), a group of musicians (cúigear), a figure dance group (ceathrar, seisear nó ochtar), a set (ochtar), a four-person quiz team….buachaillí agus/nó cailíní. Never venture, never win!

PEIL FAOI 13: (i) The 4th Round of the County League DIVISION 2 was played on Sunday last, 24thApril. Our Black Team travelled to the sunny south side of Sliabh Mis to challenge Baile an Mhuilinn/Caisleán na Mainge.

An exciting game was expected and that’s what it turned out to be! Our lads played great football and had a good and enjoyable outing/trip. (ii) The 4th Round of the County League DIVISION 10 took place on the 24th April, an Domhnach seo caite, when our Team Amber lads travelled to play Milltown/Castlemaine. Once again, these lads showed that we’ve great talent in our club; they played good football and, gan dabht, everybody had a good outing. Well done, lads!

(iii) Traenáil/cluichí: Training will be held in Connolly Park on Tuesday evenings from 5pm to 6.30pm and on Thursday evenings from 6.30pm to 7.45pm; our home games will (generally) be played on Sundays. (iv) Phase 2 of the County League will commence on 22nd May. (v) Rock players for the future: Killian Coffey, Kyle Yoxhall, Nathan Hurley, Tadhg Somers, Mateusz Mikolajczuk, Jayden O’Dowd, Luke O’Connor, Karol Kowalczyk, Ewan Canty, Jack Walsh, Mohammad Zakrit, Ediart Topali, Gearóid Corcoran, Conor Hanafin, Albi Gaxha, Seán McCannon, Séamus Keenan, Noah Reidy, Eliot Calleja, Nathan O’Connor, David Ahern, Tadhg Somers, Mark Foley, Jayden Foley, Ryan McCord, Diarmuid Hennessy, Oisín Cotter, Joe O’Halloran, Conor Murphy, David Ahern, Matthew Guerin, Oran O’Donoghue, Liam Swords.

PEIL FAOI 15: (i) Our U15s continued their County League (Division 1) campaign with a convincing away victory over Na Mistéalaigh. The match was played at the John Mitchel Club grounds on Wednesday evening (20th).

Our stalwarts started well, played wonderful flowing football, showed good composure when in possession, got some great scores and led comfortably, nó nach ionadh, at half-time. They continued their good form into the second half, kept up the pressure on the opposition and ran out convincing winners. A great performance, boys! Well done!

An fhoireann bhuacach: Gabriel Nosidlak, Max Nosidlak, Liam O’Connell, Tomás O’Connell, Fionán Ryan, Alex Tuohy, Naode Derege, Rory Lynch, Oliver Lata, Gavin Casey, Max Grzybowski, Leon O’Connor, Ronan Carroll, Ryan O’Driscoll, Cormac Bastible, Jake Carmody, Rian Walsh, Bao Foley, Jack Diggins, Seán Clifford, Paddy Lucid. (ii) On Thursday evening our Division 9B footballers continued their football campaign with a hard-fought seven-point win over Cill Chuimín in Connolly Park.

We began strongly, played superbly, combined brilliantly and led by 0-11 at the break….4-7 to 1-5. Our opponents made several comeback bids in the second half but our strong and brave defenders kept us in the game by repelling many dangerous East Kerry onslaughts.

Our forwards managed to clock up vital scores, all skilfully scored from play, in the second half and took a lead that was never relinquished. Kilcummin attacked repeatedly but could not penetrate our stonewall defence and the Black’n’Amber was victorious at the end of a mighty battle.

A great but hard-fought win! We make special mention of Liam O’Connell whose hat-trick of goals proved vital to this fine victory. Final score…AdeS: 6-10; Cill Chuimín: 5-6. Foireann bhuacach na Carraige: Seán Clifford, Eoghan Murphy, Rian Walsh, Jay Sweeney, Jayden Moriarty, Max Grzybowski, Brian Kavanagh, Tadhg Falvey, Jack Shanahan, Jack Diggins, Rory Kavanagh, Jake Carmody, Vinny Moriarty, Brendan Maunsell, Denis Griffin, Liam O’Connell, Adam Johnston, Gabriel Nosidlak. (iii) Our next fixtures: on Wednesday evening we are at home to Killarney Legion in both Division 1A and Division 9A. Both of these Connolly Park games will have a throw-in time of 7pm. Come on, The Rock!

LOTTO: Thanks to all who support our club lotto: (i) O’Flynn Interiors, Lower Rock Street, (ii) The Brogue (Kirbys), Lower Rock Street, (iii) Terry’s Butcher Shop, Upper Oakpark, (iv) Husseys’ Deli, Prince’s Quay, (v) The Burger Shack, Monavalley, (vi) Maguire, Butchers, Caherslee, (vii) Kevin Barry’s Shop, Upper Rock Street, (viii) Paudie Commane’s Bookshop, Rock Street, and (ix) www.austinstacks.ie.

ASH AND LEATHER: Players who have worn the Black‘n’Amber and who still swing the ash and play the skilful game: Cillian Litchfield, Luke Chester, Andrew Morrissey, Paul Daly and Ciarán Breen. Gura fada buan iad!

CIARRAÍ FAOI 20: Comhghairdeachas le Joey Nagle, Armin Heinrich, Adam Curran, Jordan Kissane agus buachaillí Faoi 20 Chiarraí ar a mbua iontach v Corcaigh. What an honour for our club…to have four players wearing the Green‘n’Gold in a Munster Final.