Senior Men’s Match Report
County League Division 1 – Round 6 Austin Stacks 1-21 | Kerins O’Rahillys 1-13
Short a number of regulars — most notably full back Donagh Buckley and wing back Gearóid Dillane — we nonetheless produced a competitive first-half display into the breeze, built on strong work from our half-back line and sharp inter-play up front from Conor Hayes, Nick Lacey, and Darragh O’Connor.
Stacks opened the scoring, but our response was immediate. A slick move, with Nick Lacey heavily involved, carved open the defence and Conor Hayes finished coolly past Michael Tansley to raise the game’s first green flag.
From there the contest settled into a rhythm, each side enjoying spells of control. For Strand Road, Barry John, Shane McElligott (excellent in the unfamiliar No. 6 role), and Brayden Pierce were prominent; Stacks leaned on their physicality around the middle, where Greg Horan, David Fitzmaurice, and Ronan Shanahan exerted influence.
Trailing by just two at the break, 0-10 to 1-05, management would have been satisfied heading to the dressing room with the breeze to come.
However, the exertions of the opening half seemed to take their toll. Stacks seized control on the restart, tagging on two quick points before veteran substitute Shane O’Callaghan found the bottom corner to deliver a decisive blow.
From there we struggled to rediscover the zip and cohesion that marked our first-half performance.
It fell to Darragh O’Connor to keep the scoreboard moving, landing a pair of well-struck frees late on, but Stacks were full value for their win as they closed out the game with authority.
One clear positive, however, was the invaluable experience being gained by our younger players.
For Ruairí Kennedy, Brayden Pierce, and Nick Lacey, this is their first real exposure to the demands of Division 1 football, and each of them is growing game by game.
These minutes — earned in tough, physical contests like this one — will stand to them and to the club as the season develops.
With a two-week break ahead, the hope now is that injuries clear and key players return, allowing us to field a stronger, more settled side as the season unfolds.
.Munster U20 Champions!
A massive congratulations to the Kerry U20s who sealed a famous five-in-a-row with a thrilling 3-14 to 0-20 victory over Cork in Austin Stack Park last week.
Everyone at the club is immensely proud of our own Tomás Kennedy, who played a starring role and kicked 3 fantastic points (0-03) to help bring the cup home. Huge congratulations also go to Ruairi Kennedy who is on the extended panel, and our clubmen Maurice Horan and Mark Fitzgerald, who were instrumental on the sideline as part of the winning management team. Enjoy the celebrations, lads!
Juvenile & Academy News
Academy: We had an awesome showing of numbers at the academy on Sunday morning, especially considering it was the May bank holiday weekend! There was loads of energy on display and none of it spared in the efforts shown by the children. It is always great to see such genuine enthusiasm and joy for the game. Keep up the practice, everyone!
U8s: We had a great start to the U8 Go Games last Monday night. A big thanks to Ardfert GAA for coming in. Well done to all our boys on a great showing—keep up the practice at home!
.U10 Community Games: Huge congratulations to all our lads who took part in the football Community Games for Blennerville/Ballyard. A special shout-out to the U10 boys who won the county final and are now advancing to represent Kerry in the competition on June 28th. A fantastic achievement, well done!
.U12s: Our U12s played round 3 of the Go-Games last Sunday evening. Thanks to Na Gaeil for visiting us in Ballyrickard for this round. Our boys looked a little fatigued after their big trip to Clare the day before, but nonetheless displayed highly spirited performances in their matches. Good quality football was on show by all on a glorious evening.
Club Congratulations 🍼🎀
A huge congratulations to our Juvenile Secretary Claire, U6 Coach Sean Óg, and big brother Dara on the birth of their beautiful daughter, Ìde! Everyone in Kerins O’Rahillys sends their love and best wishes to you all on this very special occasion. Welcome to the world, baby Ìde!
Club Lotto
Results for the draw on 27/04/2026:
Numbers Drawn: 1 • 16 • 24 • 31
Jackpot: No Winner.
Next Week’s Jackpot: €4,700!
Congratulations to our Match 3 & Christmas draw entry winners. Tickets can be purchased locally from Betty’s Bar, Jimmy’s Foodstore, Der O’Sullivans Fine Foods, The Lakeside Cafe at Tralee Bay Wetlands, or online by scanning the QR code on our posters or following the link on our social media pages. Thank you for your continued support—every ticket supports our club and community! 🔵⚪️
Merchandise
For club merchandise, please visit the following link: https://www.mckeeversports.ie/collections/kerins-orahillys-gaa.
Keep in touch
As always, we’d love to hear from you with any noteworthy news or updates. Whether it’s personal achievements, community involvement, or club-related stories, your contributions help keep our connection strong and our community spirit alive. You can email us at: pro.kerinsorahillys.kerry@gaa.ie
