STRICTLY COME DANCING
After weeks and weeks of diligent training and practice our twelve Dancing Couples are ready and looking forward, as we all are, to this Saturday Night (23rd August) in the Festival Dome.
Some tickets are still on sale from the usual Outlets – Garvey’s Supervalu, the Greyhound Bar, Kevin Barry’s Rock St., the Austin Stacks Club bar and also from the Ticket Office at the Festival of Kerry. Price €20 or Juveniles €10 on the night.
Again our Organising Committee are encouraging all Club members and the parents of juvenile members to support this event. Please buy or sell a few tickets to friends and neighbours and make the night a great success. All monies raised will go towards the purchase and re-development of the Nuns Field.
SENIOR FOOTBALL
Austin Stacks 0-13; Kilcummin 0-12
Though by no means a classic, this top-of-the-table clash in round 9 of the Co. League played at a dry, but breezy, Connolly Park on last Sunday afternoon (17th Aug) kept the sizeable attendance on tender-hooks for the whole hour with our lads just shading it by a point in the end.
We had three good points on the board, all from play, with Shane Callaghan (2) and David Mannix on target before the visitors got their first of the afternoon from a 17th minute free.
We were unlucky to lose Daniel Bohan to a 7th minute injury but his replacement Pa McCarthy had very good game, including another of trademark points in the 27th minute.
Before that Darragh O’Brien had converted another and we put over two more just before break from Mikey Collins and Shane Carroll (free) to leave us ahead at half time by 0-7 to 0-3.
Kilcummin abandoned their defensive style in the second half and it paid dividends as they outscored us by nine points to six with some very good scores from distance.
But we were never headed in this game and, with some very good scores by Fiachna Mnagan, Shane Carroll (2), Mikey Collins (2) and one of the best of the game from full back Barry Shanahan, we kept ahead, thereby maintaining our unbeaten run in this season’s League to stay on top of the table on 15 points, one ahead of Dr. Crokes with Kilcummin now on 3rd spot with 12 points.
Team: Darragh O’Brien, Fearghal MacNamara, Barry Shanahan (Capt) (0-1), Ciarán O’Connell, Conor Jordan, Daniel Bohan, Greg Horan, Wayne Guthrie, William Kirby, Michael Collins (0-3), Shane Carroll (0-3 – 2 frees), Fiachna Mangan (0-1), David Mannix (0-1), Shane O’Callaghan (0-2), Darragh O’Brien (0-1).
Subs used: Pa McCarthy (7m) (0-1), Darragh Long (ht), Paul Barrett (48m), Ronan Shanahan (55m), Eamon McAllen (57m).
It was good to welcome back Ronan Shanahan from his stint abroad and we also wish Daniel and Wayne Guthrie a speedy recovery from the slight injuries picked up during the game.
We now have one more back game to play (Round 8) away to St. Michaels /Foilmore and this is scheduled to go ahead in Ballinskelligs on the weekend after next (30th/31st Aug).
JUNIOR B FOOTBALL
Austin Stacks 4-13; Rathmore 2-10
Our 2nd trip to Rathmore in the space of 9 days saw another outstanding game of football by both sides and another super result for our lads. The win in the first game qualified us for the Co. League Final. This evening’s (15th Aug) game was in the first round (quarter final) of the Co. Championship (the Molyneaux Cup).
In another high-scoring encounter we had a five points lead at half time (2-5 to 0-6) and at full time we had increased that lead to 9 points.
It would be simplistic to summarize the game as four goals scored by our lads at one end, and at least four brilliant saves at the other end by Darragh O’Brien, even though that was the case.
And Darragh’s saves came at crucial times in the game, which, if converted, would have given the home side a distinct advantage at those particular stages in the game. One of Rathmore’s goals came from the penalty spot, in the 3rd minute after the resumption.
All our six forwards got on the score sheet as well as two of our centre-backs, Jack O’Shea and team captain, Eoin Colgan (Eoin is an all-rounder, as he will be one of the Dancers at the forthcoming ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ event in the Festival Dome on Saturday, 23rd August).
Jack picked up an injury six minutes into the second half and had to be replaced, but we are glad to relate the injury is not as serious as first looked.
Half way through the second half Rathmore had reduced our lead to just two points (2-10 to 2-8) but we had a very good final quarter outscoring the opposition by 2-3 to 0-2.
It was good to see Denis O’Neill back for his first Club game since he lined out with the Senior team in April 2012 and his first game with the B team since July 2011.
Team: Darragh O’Brien, Dylan Harnett, Barry Walsh, Nicholas Gogarty, Tom McLoughlin, Jack O’Shea (0-1), Eoin Colgan (Capt) (0-1), Brían Mangan, Paul Barrett, Dale Counihan (0-1), Darren Tiernan (1-3 – 2 frees), Breandán Caball (0-1), Eamon McAllen (2-2), Ciarán Flanagan (1-1), Seán Dukes (0-3).
Subs used: Denis O’Neill (ht), Niall Carroll-Cane (36m).
Our B team are having a great season so far. In their 12 games todate in all competitions they have amassed a total of 30 goals and 153 points which has put them in the Co. League final (against Legion on a date to be fixed), in the semi of the Town League (against Ballymac, to be played in Connolly Park on Wed, 27th Aug) and now in the semi final of the Co. Championship along with Kilcummin and Dingle, with the 4th quarter final (between Kerins O’Rahillys and Dr. Crokes) yet to be played.
U21 FOOTBALL
We get our U21 Club Championship campaign underway on this Wednesday evening (13th Aug), with a trip to Coolard to play the local side, Ballydonoghue. With seven teams to go through to the next round the winners are guaranteed a quarter final spot and maybe a semi final spot as one the seven winners will get a bye to the next round.
BEST WISHES
to former Club Vice Chairman, Pat Joe McQuinn, who, we are glad to relate, is making good progress after a recent hospitalization.
BIRTHDAY GREETINGS
To the one and only JJ Barrett who celebrated his 71st birthday with a surprise party at the weekend.
Joe Joe was joined by family, friends and former playing colleagues for the occasion. Earlier in the year we were speculating who was the youngest player to make their Senior County Championship debut with the Club, At first we thought it was Mikey Sheehy (17 yrs, 3 days).
Then we found it was Shane Carroll (16 yrs, 299 days). But with JJ’s dob now revealed we can confirm that the youngest was none other than Joe Joe himself, who was just 15 yrs and 295 days when he made his debut on the 7th June 1959 and scored 2 points in the Club’s 2-11 to 1-3 victory over Ballymac in round 1 of that season’s Championship.
Incidentally making their Championship debut on that same day were John Barry (former Sports Editor with the Kerryman) and the late Aengus Fanning (Editor of the Sunday Independent).
BINGO
Resumes on this Saturday night (23rd Aug) at 8.30pm and will continue on each Saturday night from now on.
CLUBHOUSE
As always the Clubhouse is available for all types of Parties. Phone Ian from 7pm at 066 7126942 for bookings.
CARDS
The 45 Card Sessions continue in the Clubhouse every Monday and Thursday nights at 9.30pm.
All at the Cards extend sincere sympathy to Pat Skeff Sheehy on the death of his brother, Joe (see Sympathy Column)
LOTTO
Last Monday week’s (11th August) Jackpot worth €5,000 was not won. The numbers drawn were 1, 6, 14 and 19.
The €20 Prizes went to Neil O’Shea, c/o Charlie Healy; Laura O’Regan and Eileen Sugrue, both c/o Brendan O’Regan; Noreen Power, c/o The Ladies; and Colm Mangan, c/o Club Rockies.
SYMPATHY
Sincere sympathy is offered to the families of the following who died recently – Joe Sheehy, Mallow and late of Tralee (brother of former Club Footballer, Pat Skeff); Morgan O’Connell, Caherslee and late of Bun Talún (former Club Footballer of the 1950s); Kathleen O’Connor (nee Lawlor), Casement View, Ardfert and late of Ballynasare (sister of the late Club Footballer, Jacko Lawlor); Iris O’Boyle (nee Buckley-Colgan), Clogherbrien and late of O’Connor’s Terrace, Boherbee; Annette Murphy (nee Buckley), Mitchel’s Crescent; Christy Tobin, St. Joseph’s Estate and late of Mary Street (father of former Club footballer, Alan); Denis Clifford, late of St. Brendan’s Park, who died at his home in France (first cousin of Club member, Denis O’Connor, Connolly Park) and Maurice Carroll (former Juvenile player, and brother of Billy, former Senior footballer) who also died at his home in France.
