All Ireland Ticket Requests
We have a book in operation in the Club bar where all ticket requests should be entered. Only applications from fully paid-up club members will be considered.
We are unlikely to be able to meet all demands as we understand the club allocation will be down on previous years. Priority will be given to front-line voluntary activists and those fulfilling key committee and other positions in the club. As usual, there will be a ticket draw for those in the Friends of Strand Road Supporters Group (FOSR).
You still have time to join the FOSR by leaving a contact request and mobile number in the book in the bar or by contacting any Senior Committee or FOSR Sub-Committee member. The cost of FOSR membership is a direct debit of €15 per month and the funds go directly to juvenile development and the day-to-day running costs of the club.
Roddy O’Donnell, Lee Strand Senior Championship Semi Final
Austin Stacks 1-9 Kerins O’Rahillys 0-10
This game was played in Connolly Park on Saturday evening last, with a sprightly wind favouring the home side in the first half and with an early shower making conditions difficult for both sets of players. Ryan Carroll opened the scoring in the second minute when he pointed a close range free after a foul on Gearóid Savage. This was followed by a period of scrappy play, not helped by the elements, with both teams kicking some wides. O’Rahillys were also operating with a five-man attack for the most part and employing a spare man in defence. Stacks drew level from play in the ninth minute, but Conor Hayes restored O’Rahillys’ lead two minutes later when he converted a free from 30 metres. A promising Strand Road move down the right flank was then turned over and Stacks worked the ball from left to right before slipping over the equalising point in the 11th minute.
The teams exchanged points by the 15th minute – the Rock replying with a converted free to a Conor Hayes point from 25 metres after a period of Strand Road possession worked the ball into the corner forward who came off his man, turned and split the sticks. The O’Rahillys’ half forward line of Seán Walsh, Aaron Roche and Páidí Griffin were playing very deep at this stage, leaving space for the inside line, but a feature of the first half was that both teams were employing similar tactics with 29 players in the Stacks’ half of the pitch at one stage before a solo run from the influential Con Barrett drew a foul and Tom Hoare clipped over the free from 13 metres.
Carroll extended O’Rahillys’lead when he converted another placed ball from 20 metres after some very patient build-up play in the middle-third culminated in a superb delivery from Carroll to Savage who was fouled. Stacks rallied though as half time approached and closed the gap with a fisted point after a marvellous block of the original effort by Shane Brosnan. They then equalised with the last kick of the half from a 30-metre free to send the sides in at the break on five points each.
Both sides turned over possession in the opening phase of the second half before Stacks worked the ball down the right and then shifted play inside for a good point. Strand Road snapped back upfield almost immediately and another marauding run from Barrett saw him feed Carroll whose pinpoint pass to Hoare was rewarded when the full forward curled over his effort to make it 0-6 each. However, the game’s only goal came after five minutes when an injury to Carroll required treatment. After the stoppage O’Rahillys seemed to lose concentration as Stacks fed the ball to Shane O’Callaghan in the next phase and despite a super save from Gary Kissane at point-blank range, the rebound fell for the attacker who drilled it home. Carroll reduced the deficit with a fine pointed free from 45 metres and Tom Hoare immediately converted another placed ball after Stacks were penalised after a short kickout.
By the ninth minute, Strand Road were level when a slide-rule pass from Brosnan found Savage who picked out Hoare who was fouled 20 metres out and he converted himself to level the match at 1-6 to 0-9.
O’Rahillys introduced Donagh O’Brien for Aaron Roche at this stage and aided by the breeze, were now enjoying most of the possession as Stacks pulled their forces back into their own half. The Rock were content to operate on the counter though and pointed a free in the 20thminute to regain the lead. Strand Road then suffered a decisive double-blow two minutes later when through injury, they lost both the experienced Danny O’Sullivan and Tom Hoare who had been a thorn in the side of the home side’s defence, with Johnny Keane and Barry Foley entering the fray.
Stacks’ strategy again paid dividends in the last minute of normal time as Strand Road were stripped of possession as they tried to move the ball down the right and Stacks kicked a point to double their lead. They repeated the trick two minutes into injury time when they regained possession and transitioned well to sweep down the right wing and kick a fine score. A minute later, Carroll pointed a 35-metre free to make it a two-point game, but despite the best efforts of Carroll, Barrett, Ross O’Callaghan and Darragh McElligott, O’Rahillys were unable to reduce the deficit any further and Stacks advance to the final.
Kerins O’Rahillys: G Kissane; D Murphy, R O’Callaghan, S Collins; D O’Sullivan, R Carroll, D McElligott; S Brosnan, C Barrett; A Roche, P Griffin, S Walsh; G Savage, T Hoare, C Hayes. Subs: S Foley, J Keane, D O’Brien, Rory O’Connor, B Foley, G Hartnett, Rob O’Connor, A Mangan, C Sayers, P Begley.
Town Junior League Semi Final
Na Gaeil 0-15 Kerins O’Rahillys 1-14
Played last Wednesday night in Killeen, with a strong wind blowing from left to right, this was a game of two halves. The scores were level after the first quarter at 0-04 apiece, following good scores from Aaron Roche, Gearóid Savage, Gearoid Dillane and Rory Molloy for Strand Road. Na Gaeil took control with the aid of the wind and went in at the short whistle leading 0-10 to 0-05 with the Blues last point coming from the boot of Donagh O’Brien.
A much-improved performance in the second half saw O’Rahillys quickly eat away into Na Gaeil’s lead with points from Savage (3), Molloy and O’Brien and a goal by Johnny Keane at the three-quarter mark bought the scores level at 0-13 to 1-10. The final quarter saw the sides swap scores twice, with Savage on target from play and a free. As we entered the final five minutes a great score from 50 yards from Rory Molloy saw us take a one-point lead and with time running out, Johnny Keane converted a ‘45’ to seal the victory. Na Gaeil had one more chance, but great defending by our full back line averted the danger.
Kerins O’Rahillys: Shane Foley; Barry Foley, Kieran Mangan, Jordan Foley; Cillian Gallagher, Rob O’Connor, Gearoid Hartnett; Jason O’Leary, Rory Molloy; Donagh O’Brien, Aaron Roche, Gearoid Dillane; Johnny Keane, Brian Scannell, Gearoid Savage. Sub: Tom McGrath
Co. Junior Cups
Beaufort v Kerins O’Rahillys – Friday 23rd August, @ 6.45 pm.
Our Round 1 Game v Beaufort will be played to a conclusion on the night. Teams get a minimum of two fixtures/games. The Round 1 fixture is a “qualifier” and it’s knockout thereafter with an open draw (fixture/venue) for each competition round. Round 1 winners qualify for Molyneaux Cup competition with the defeated team qualifying for the McElligott Cup Competition. Competitions are run on a “Blitz style” i.e. games played on consecutive Friday evenings e.g. 23rd and 30th August, 6th, 13th and 20th September with NO POSTPONMENTS accepted.
CÚINNE NA NÓG
U12 Boys
We travelled to Dingle last Monday evening in our second game of the Central Region hoping to make it two wins in a row and the lads duly , winning out in the end of an excellent game of football from both sides on a scoreline of 5-15 to 5-10. Having previously drawn with Dingle in the County League, we knew this was going to be a tight game as it proved to be, with only a few points separating the teams throughout the first half.
At half time we led on a scoreline of 4-6 to 5-2. Into the second half and Dingle started getting on top and looked like they would pull away, but credit to the lads they kept going and into the final 10 minutes we gradually got on top. Evan’s kickouts were finding our players, our backs and midfielders tightened up and cut out many Dingle attacks and our forwards took their chances when presented with them. We eventually ran out five point winners in the end. Every player put in a massive effort with Evan in goals making some very good saves and excellent with his kickouts. Our backs of Sean, Ruairi, Daniel, Conor and Cillian defended brilliantly and cut out many Dingle attacks. Our midfielders of Brayden and Breandain (2pts) worked tirelessly in winning ball and setting up many attacks for our forward line of Nick(1-1), Ryan(2 goals), Jude(2pts), Odhran(1pt) and Jamie (2-9) who all worked very hard in stopping Dingle coming out from defence with the ball and were very efficient when presented with chances. M.O.T.M was Sean’O Mahony in defence who fought for every ball and broke up many Dingle attacks. Our next game is Monday evening, 19th August in Castleisland at 7pm.
U16 Boys
We played Kenmare in the County League Division Three final on Wednesday evening last and maintained our unbeaten run after a great win with a score of 2-10 to 2-9. We got off to a shaky start in the first half where after six minutes we trailed 1-2 to 0-1 – the point coming from the boot of Jack Savage. We struggled through the first half where we were dominated in many areas and struggling to get into the pace of the game totalling only five points which was our lowest return from any half of any game all year while our opponents clocked up 1-08 – our other scorers of the half were Sam Mc Carthy (2 points) Sean Healy (1 point) and Danny Hennessy (1 point – free). Our best player of the half was Sam Patuch while Danny Hennesse, Jerome Daly and Eric McMahon also impressed.
The second half saw us return a different team. Kenmare scored the first point of the half and this was to be their last point of the game. Between the sixth and eight minutes, Danny Hennessy scored 1-01 from placed balls, the goal being fortuitous but deserved after a few decisions going against us. In the twelfth minute we drew level after Sam McCarthy crashed the ball into the net with a powerful shot. Five minutes later we went ahead after Danny Hennessy pointed a free. We never gave up this lead and soaked up everything Kenmare threw at us proving that we are a team that never gives up, even when team captain, Jerome Daly (who was leading by example from centre back) was shown a harsh black card. We finished the game with three more points by Jack Savage (2) and Darragh O’Connor and at full time were leading by four. Deep into the seven minutes of injury time Kenmare scored a goal but the kick out was greeted by the final whistle and celebrations from players and supporters alike. Our man of the match was undoubtedly Sam Patuch followed closely in second place by each and every player.
Kerins O’Rahillys: Sean Collins; Sam Patuch, Eric Mc Mahon, Jake Foley; TJ Heaphy, Jerome Daly, Matthew Higgins; Danny Hennessy, Jack Savage; Gearoid Meehan, Sean Healy, Ben Hanafin; Ben O’Brien, Sam McCarthy, Darragh O Connor. Sub: Alan O’Connor for Jerome Daly
LADIES NOTES
U8 AND U10 GIRLS
Last Saturday we hosted the MLGFA U8 and U10 blitz for the second year in a row in Healy Park, Ballyrickard. We had over 30 teams participating in this FUN blitz with teams from Kerry, Cork and Limerick enjoying the fun.
Thankfully the weather wasn’t too bad and we just had two torrential downpours. Many thanks to Noel from the MLGFA for his help on the day and to the three Franks. Thanks also to our young refs, coaches, parents and to our shopkeepers Katie, Eadrea and Kelly who worked hard all day.
U12 GIRLS
Next Saturday, we will be participating in the U12 MLGFA blitz In Fossa. More details to follow.
Last Tuesday evening our girls made a short journey across town to Na Gaeil. 13 players were in attendance and everyone played their part on a damp misty evening. Week on week the girls have been improving and last Tuesday saw us play the best football of the year. All the skills were put on display by the girls – fielding, scoring, blocking and kick passing. The girls and their coaches were very proud of their performance on the evening.
U14 GIRLS
This Thursday, we are away to Abbeydorney in round 2 of the North Kerry League. Best of luck to everyone.
U15 CHAMPIONSHIP
Congrats to our girls and their coaches on their superb win on Sunday evening when they played Legion in the Championship Final back in Firies. Match report to follow.
U16 GIRLS
Training continues on Tuesday and Thursday at the same times.
SENIOR LADIES
For our next game in the North Kerry League we play John Mitchels – more details to follow.
GIRLS DAY OUT
This Wednesday we are heading to Castlegregory for our day out. The girls will have various water activities as well as a surfing lesson and food afterwards.
SNIPPETS from “top of the right”
· Mike Mangan was looking for reports of the Snippets Man at the Stacks game on Saturday night last. Seemingly he was spotted in the capital at the Tyrone game and in the South-East in the days after that – but no sightings since. He’ll surely show for an All Ireland ticket though!
· Congrats also to David Moran and Tommy Walsh, who featured to telling effect in Kerry’s All Ireland semi-final win over Tyrone. Both are surely certain to be involved in the matchday squad for the final and let’s hope they’ll be joined by fellow clubman, Gavin O’Brien.
· Please note re Credit Union Co Senior Football League Round 11 – with Kerry now in the All-Ireland Senior Football Final, this Round will be played on the weekend of September 7th/8th as per Fixtures Calendar.
