STRICTLY COME DANCING 2014
Our thanks to Club Secretary, Elma Nix, who penned the following report:
Right from the start there was a buzz of expectation in the air! The queues had formed, the dome was looking splendid, the dancers under the tutorage of Jackie O’Mahony had the work done, Terry Healy had the BBQ lit, our 4 judges – Aidan O’Carroll, Elma Walsh, Tim Moynihan and Honor Hurley were in position and Morgan O’Connell, Siobhan Naughton and Maria Hickey had our team of volunteer helpers ready to step into action.
As it turned out spectators were not to be disappointed.
Twelve couples took to the floor, each offering something different. The dancing was exceptional with varied routines and some fun elements also thrown in.
We are getting good at this dancing lark! And everyone was in agreement that the bar had certainly been raised by this year’s contestants. Sarah Griffin and Sean Hannafin were the judges favourites – the couple achieving four perfect 10’s for their Liddy Hop routine.
But the Strictly Come Dancing format is: 20% vote goes to the judges and 80% to the audience; who on this occasion would have their say.
When the voting boxes were opened and counted one couple stood out clearly from the rest: Clair Mc Evoy and Leon Diggins for their PasaDoble routine.
Wild scenes of celebration followed their announcement as our Strictly Come Dancing 2014 winners. Thanks to Joanie Barry and Johnny Dowling for presenting the winners trophies.
The €500 winning charity as chosen by Clair & Leon was Kerry Palliative Care.
We leave the last words to our club Chairman, Aidan O’Connor; “Like all such ventures it takes a lot of effort and expertise to put together and showcase an evening’s entertainment which is in every aspect polished and professional. The input of the participants and of our volunteers is a tribute and recognition of their unselfish efforts to contribute to the needs and welfare of Austin Stacks GAA Club”.
We thank you for dancing!
And when the formalities were completed it was then over to the one and only Francie Breen who, as Adrienne McLoughlin put it in her addendum to her montage of wonderful photographs of the event, ‘‘had the crowd still out dancing ‘til the wee hours’’.
SENIOR FOOTBALL: St. Michaels/Foilmore will be the opposition when we travel to Ballinskelligs on next Sunday afternoon (31st Aug) to play our back round 8 game in the Co. League. Throw-in 2pm.
JUNIOR B FOOTBALL: Our B team are in for a busy few weeks. We are due to play Ballymac in Connolly Park on this Monday(25th Aug) in the semi final of the Town League. Throw-in 7pm. Then on next Friday evening we were to play Dr. Crokes in the semi final of the Co. Championship (Molyneaux Cup) but this has now been refixed for next Monday (1st Sept). Throw in at 7pm in Connolly Park (Kilcummin and Dingle contest the second semi final). Our other definite fixture is the Co. League final against Legion which has been fixed for Saturday, 13th September.
U21 FOOTBALL: Austin Stacks 5-19; Ballydonoghue 3-12
This first round game of the County Club Championship, played in ideal conditions at Coolard on last Wednesday evening (20th Aug), had everything.
We led by 13 points at half time (3-8 to 0-4). Five minutes into second half we had increased that lead to 16 points (3-12 to 0-5).
Sometimes in a situation like that a team with that lead will drop its guard, and that is what happened. In an 18m period (35th to 53rd minute) Ballydonoghue had outscored us by 3-6 to 0-4, thus reducing our lead to just 5 points (3-16 to 3-11).
But what will have pleased Team Mentors, Tim McMahon, Colm Mangan and John O’Sullivan is the manners in which our boys responded to this potential crisis – as in the closing eight minutes of the game we upped our performance again – scoring a further 2-3 to 0-1.
We started in brilliant fashion with Darragh O’Brien scoring what must be the quickest hat-trick of goals in Gaelic Football, and all three consecutively.
The first came from the throw-in which Michael O’Donnell (just a day back from the USA) won. He found Greg Horan and his perfect pass was gathered by Darragh who netted after just 12 seconds.
The second came two minutes later when a brilliant run by Ciarán O’Connell was put away by Darragh. Colm Mangan timed Darragh’s 3rd goal at 7m 33 seconds and this surely must create a GAA record (Robbie Fowler did score a hat-trick for Liverpool against Arsenal in December 1995 in 4m and 33 seconds – but that is all they do in soccor – score goals).
By the 20th minute it looked as if Darragh was the only forward on the pitch as, by that stage, he had added a further 3 points to leave us ahead by 3-3 to 0-2.
But then others got in on the act and by half time Ciarán Flanagan, Michael O’Donnell, Greg Horan and Eamon McAllen (2) had added to Darragh’s tally to leave the half time score 3-8 to 0-4.
Then we had that bizarre second half described above. Ciarán O’Connell and Seán Dukes added to our goal tally in the closing minutes to restore our 13 points half time lead when referee Jim O’Connor blew the final whistle.
Darragh O’Brien finished the game with 3-9, an incredible score – with 3-8 of this coming from play and his 9th point from a brilliantly converted 45. In fact 5-18 of our total score came from play.
So now we are into a quarter final at least, and with seven teams in total to contest the quarter finals, one will obviously get a bye to the semi final, but that’s for another day.
None of the other six first round games went ahead last week. Four of these are due to take place on this Wednesday evening. The 5th game (Mitchels .v. Gaeltacht) is fixed for this Friday, with the 6th and final game (Glenflesk .v. Kilcummin) not due to take place until the following Wednesday (3rd Sept). So our boys will have some wait until their next game.
Team: Patrick Fitzgibbon, Paul Galvin, Barry Walsh, Colin Griffin, Tom McLoughlin, Conor Jordan, Ciarán O’Connell (1-0), Michael O’Donnell (0-2), Alan Duggan, Ciarán Flanagan (0-1), Greg Horan (0-1), Breandán Caball (0-2), Kyle Fitzgibbon, Darragh O’Brien (3-9 – one 45), Eamon McAllen (0-2).
Subs used: Seán Dukes (ht) (1-2), David O’Sullivan (35m), Dylan Harnett (40m), Seán Fitzmaurice (40m).
KERRY GAA: Well done to the Kerry Minors, who, of the five Kerry teams on duty at the weekend, were the only ones to come away with a victory.
Congrats also to the Seniors on that brilliant come-back, aided and abetted by the brilliant Star and best of luck in the replay. Commiserations to the Kerry Juniors, the Kerry Ladies and the U21 Hurlers who were just piped at the post in their respective outings.
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.
LOTTO: Last Monday week’s (18th August) Jackpot worth €5,000 was not won. The numbers drawn were 2, 11, 21 and 22.
The €20 Prizes went to Michelle Carroll, and Jim Gannon, both c/o Club Rockies, Josephine Casey c/o Charlie Healy; Pat Goodwin, c/o The Club; and Jeremiah Clifford, c/o Carmel O’Neill.
SYMPATHY: Sincere sympathy is offered to the families of the following who died recently – Brian Foley, London and late of Castle Street and Woodlee; Bridget Daly (nee Trant), Caherslee and late of Lixnaw; and Kevin Sweeney, Upper Rock Street and late of Racecourse Road.
