SENIOR FOOTBALL: After an absence of 20 weeks (our last game – in round 1 of the Co. League at home to Kenmare Shamrocks – was on the 8th March last) our Seniors are due to get back to competitive action on the week-end of 26th July with a game against Dingle in round one of the Club Championship.
Rounds two and three will then go ahead on the following week-ends against Kilcummin and Legion. As in previous years there are two groups of four (the teams in the other group are Dr. Crokes, Kenmare Shamrocks, Kerins O’Rahillys and Templenoe).
The top team in each group will go through to the final, the date for which has not been fixed yet and the bottom teams will play in the relegation contest with the loser exiting the Senior Co. Championship for 2021.
There will be a one week break then before the Co. Championship gets under way on the week-end of 23rd August. With a straight knock-out system involved this year and 16 teams competing the quarter finals are scheduled for the following week-end (30th Aug) with the semi finals to take place on the w/e of 13th Sept and the final down for decision on Sunday, 27th September.
And in the draw for the first round of the Co. Championship which was made on this Monday evening (29th June) we have been paired against Dr. Crokes in round one with dates, times and venues yet to be confirmed by the Co. Board (more about this next week).
The Co. Board states that the Co. League will not be played during the present Club Window Period. The CCC are to review this later and may decide to have a ‘slimmed down’ Co. League while the inter-county games are being played during October, November and December.
JUNIOR FOOTBALL: Competitions are also due to take place in the McElligott, Molyneaux and Barrett Cups competitions for our B and C teams but nothing concrete has come to hand on this yet.
U20/21 FOOTBALL: We understand that there will be no U20/21 Championship this season.
MINOR FOOTBALL: As in previous years the Minor Championship will be straight knock-out. There will also be a League competition with groups of 4 with each team having three games each. Both competitions will be run-off over seven weeks between 17th July and 5th September.
INTER-COUNTY: Before any Championship gets underway Kerry will be involved in the last two rounds of the NFL. Round 6 is away to Monaghan on the w/e of 18th October with round 7 going ahead a week later in Austin Stack Park against Donegal.
There will be no NFL Final this year with the team on top of the League table being declared the Div. 1 winners.
The Inter-County Senior Football Championship gets underway then on the week-end of 25th October, culminating in an All Ireland Final just eight weeks later. All games will be concluded on the day with extra time and penalty shoot-outs involved when necessary.
Kerry will have a tough start with a trip to Cork in the Munster semi final on the week-end of 8th November. The Munster Final is then fixed for a fortnight later (22nd Nov) with the Munster and Connacht Champions meeting in an All Ireland semi final on Sunday, 6th December (no quarter finals this year).
The All Ireland Final is then fixed for 19th December, just six days before Christmas Day. This will be the latest date ever for a Final to take place when played in the same calendar year.
Only on four other occasions did a SF Final take place in December and that was away back in the early years of the last century.
And Kerry was involved in two of those finals – winning both – against Louth in 1909 (5th Dec) and against Wexford in 1913 (14th Dec). Wexford was also involved in the other two finals – winning both – against Mayo in 1916 (17th Dec) and against Clare in 1917 (9th Dec).
STACKS 100: We continue to remind all club members that our Award Winning Stacks 100 website is now available to view – check out club memories, matches & podcasts – a great way to spend an enjoyable few minutes or hours and hours and hours . . . www.stacks100.ie.
ONLINE CLUB SHOP OPEN – check out the newest ‘official’ Austin Stacks Club Merchandise – only available to order on this link (free delivery on any orders over €50) see www.oneills.com
CLUBHOUSE: Our Bar and Clubhouse continue to remain closed until further notice.
ONLINE LOTTO: This new initiative, which was launched last week, is to reach out to a much wider playing audience locally, nationally and worldwide. Playing the Austin Stacks Club Fundraising Lotto online will be very straight forward. It takes just six easy steps to play.
All you need do is visit our club Website, Facebook Page or Twitter Account, click on the lotto links and follow the steps.
Online tickets purchased up to 6pm on a Monday will be included in that evening’s Lotto draw. Tickets purchased online after 6pm on a Monday will be included in the following Monday’s Lotto draw. Results of the Austin Stacks GAA Club fundraising Lotto draw are published weekly on our website, club notes and social media platforms.
LOTTO RESULTS: To Night’s (29th June) Jackpot, worth €13,400, was not won. The numbers drawn were 4, 15, 18, 21.
The €20 winners were – Aoife and Denis 0’Neill, both c/o Carmel Quilter; and Melissa White Maguire, Francie Breen and Mary Shanahan, all c/o The Club.
For the time being the Jackpot will be capped at €13,400 and of course if it’s won it will then restart at €2,000.
We would be delighted to continue to hear from any other businesses who wish to sell lotto tickets for Austin Stacks GAA Club. If interested please get in contact with Bernie on 086 0767415 and in exchange we will promote your business, special offers and products to our vast membership through our extremely popular social media outlets which command a very high following.
O’Flynn’s Interiors, Rock Street have now come on board as well as Hussey’s of Princes St., Kevin Barry’s and Paudie Commane’s.
SYMPATHY: Sincere sympathy is offered to the families of the following who died during the past week: Clare Sheehy (nee Foley), Caheranne and formerly Bandon; Timmy Evans, Kevin Barry’s Villas and formerly Mitchel’s Crescent; and Patrick (Pio) O’Brien, Balloonagh Estate.
