SENIOR FOOTBALL: Austin Stacks 0-21; West Kerry 1-13.
We took full advantage of the very strong wind that favoured us in the first half of this round 3 of the Co. Championship played at Austin Stack Park on last Saturday evening (9th July), notching up a total of 13 points at half time, while holding the opposition to just 1-4. Nine different players got on the score sheet in that half, and by the end of the game that had increased to 11 (10 of the starting 15 and the other from second half substitute, Wayne Guthrie from a 50th minute 45). Tim Slattery reminds us that this is a record number of scorers in Senior Championship football by us. The previous record was nine.
It was also one of our highest number of actual points (as against cumulative points) scored in Championship football. Only once have we surpassed it when we scored 22 in the 1994 game against Beale and the previous year we scored 21 against Shannon Rangers.
Stephen and his colleagues must be very impressed with the overall performance of the 20 who lined out. This was a very useful West Kerry team and a scoreline of 1-13 would win many a game. And every time they attacked they looked dangerous. But our defence, time after time, thwarted attack after attack, with all six defenders on different occasions, getting in those vital tackles which on other days would have yielded scores.
Team captain, Kieran Donaghy and Daniel Bohan were immense all through. The high fielding of Star, Michael O’Donnell and Wayne Guthrie was a joy to watch but in fairness we could list all 20 who performed superbly all through. Eighteen of our 21 scores came from play and with that tricky strong wind there were comparatively very few wides – we had seven in total to six for the opposition.
This game was still in the balance with three minutes of normal time remaining as only three points separated the sides at that stage, but points from Star and David Mannix (free) eased us through to our 7th quarter final in the last eight seasons.
Team: Darragh O’Brien, Barry Walsh, Conor Jordan (0-1), Seán Ryan, Pa McCarthy (0-1), Shane Guthrie, Fiachna Mangan (0-1), Kieran Donaghy (Capt) (0-2), Michael O’Donnell (0-2), Daniel Bohan (0-1), Shane O’Callaghan (0-2), Michael Collins (0-2), David Mannix (0-5 – 2 frees), David O’Sullivan, Darragh O’Brien (0-3).
Subs used: John Dennis (38m), Alan Nestor (41m), Wayne Guthrie (43m) (0-1 – forty five), Ferdia O’Brien (54m), Brían Mangan (58m).
It’s back now to Co. League duty for the time being. First up is a home game against Castleisland Desmonds ( R8) on next Saturday evening (16th July) at 7.30. Then on the following week we are away to John Mitchels (R9 w/e 23rd July). Then we have a break on the w/e of 30th July and then on the following Saturday (6th August) we are due to play our postponed round 5 game against Kerins O’Rahillys, who, like ourselves, also qualified for the quarter final of the Co. Championship last weekend.
WELCOME BACK: It’s nice to see both Ciarán O’Connell and Tommy Naughton back in the fold again. Ciarán has spent the last few month’s far away in Alaska on a work assignment, while Tommy has missed the last few games after undergoing minor surgery recently.
B FOOTBALL: Austin Stacks 4-8; John Mitchels 0-11.
Our B team made it two wins out of two in this Town League game played at Connolly Park on this Monday evening (11th July) with nine points to spare at the end of a very entertaining game. If Ferdia O’Brien could do it for the Minors last Friday (scoring 3-6) then Alan Nestor repeated that performance in this game. He started at full forward and had already scored 2-4 by the 15th minute of the first half. But when our two starting midfield men, Brían Mangan and William Kirby had to retire before half time due to injuries, Alan was moved to shore up the centre. Despite this he scored a further 1-2 in the second half after we led at half time by 2-6 to 0-5.
Team: Seamus Bastible (Capt), Eoghan McKivergan, Denis O’Neill, John Dennis, Darragh Scanlon, Ciarán O’Connell, Andrew Morrissey, Brían Mangan, William Kirby, Jessie O’Sullivan, Seán Dukes, Louis Ryle (0-1), Danny Carroll (1-0), Alan Nestor (3-6), Dale Counihan (0-1).
Subs used: Niall Carroll-Cane (9m), Seán Fitzmaurice (24m), Shane Crowley (26m), Paul Galvin (ht), Alan Griffin (50m).
We have a home game against Knocknagoshel in round 8 of the Co. League on next Sunday afternoon (17th July) at 2.30pm. The visitors (with two wins and one draw from their six games – they have one back game to play) are just two places above us on the League table (8th) while we, with our two wins to date (out of 7), are on 10th spot.
Then on next Monday evening (18th July) we also have a home game against Ballymac in round 3 (of 5) of the Town League. Throw in 7.30 but as we write this may be changed.
TREVOR BARRETT MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT: Despite some unavoidable withdrawls there was still some beautiful hurling witnessed at the Trevor Barrett Memorial Tournament which took place in Connolly Park last Saturday (9th July). A Causeway/ Dr. Crokes combination won the Cup Final with the minimum to spare against a very committed Stacks outfit (2-6 to 2-5).
The Organising Committee, which included Peter O’Regan, Ronan Gilsenan, Danny Maguire, Andrew Morrissey, Ger Scollard and Mike O’Halloran, left nothing to chance. Pitch conditions were perfect thanks to people like John Breen, Denis O’Connor, Noel O’Connelll, John King and Kevin O’Leary. Thanks also to referees Patrick Corridan, John Ross, Finbarr Canty and Paddy White who showed up on the day. The event was also attended by Trevor’s family and many friends who were there in numbers.
The beautiful food was again provided by Terry Healy and his family (Terry Butchers, Oakpark) and the catering superbly organized by Maurice McNamara and his regular Bar Staff (Tara and Vivienne), ably assisted Annette Carmody and Michael Nappies Healy.
Club Chairman, Liam Lynch,Andrew Morrissey on behalf of the Hurlers, and Trevor’s father, Richard thanked everyone for their support.
MINOR FOOTBALL: Austin Stacks 3-15; Kenmare District 2-11
A damp evening (Wed., 6th July) in Connolly Park couldn’t dampen the spirits of all present who witnessed a brilliant game of attacking free-flowing football, especially in the first half, in round one of the Co. Championship. A total of 21 scores (we led at the break by 2-10 to 1-8) and just four wides (three to us) meant a score, on average, every 87 seconds, with all but three coming from play.
Kenmare had a brilliant start, with two points from their danger-man, Kerry Minor captain, Seán O’Shea(who ended the game with seven in total) – the first after 11 seconds and the second after 56 seconds. But once we settled there was no stopping us. Our first score came in the 3rd minute. A beautiful build-up out of defence, started by Ciarán O’Reilly, continued by Shane Kelliher, found Joseph O’Connor who passed to Cian Liston and Cian’s assist was finished to the net by our Kerry Minor, Ferdia O’Brien. Ferdia was involved again, two minutes later, when he linked with Harry O’Callaghan and Gearóid Sheehan who found Cian Liston who pointed. Cian put over a second point a minute later, and then in the space of a minute Ferdia pointed and then lashed a second goal. But Kenmare responded immediately with a goal of their own, and with just eight minutes gone the score was 2-3 to 1-3 in our favour.
The game continued apace with three more points for us by the 12th minute, from Harry O’Callaghan, Cian Liston and a Gearóid Sheehan free. Kenmare then got two back before we went on to score a further three, all from the boot of Ferdia O’Brien (2 from frees after fouls on Cian Liston and Fergal Ryan). And, as before, Kenmare responded again with three more points, all from play.
The final score of a brilliant half came in the 28th minute when a super run by Dylan Casey found Ferdia and his pass was put over by Fergal Ryan to leave us five clear at the break (2-10 to 1-8).
On such a damp evening one couldn’t expect the teams to carry on with the same level of intensity in the second half. Consequently this half only produced half the scores as in the first – ten in total. In the second period we scored 1-5 to 1-3 for the opposition and we registered no wide in those remaining 30 minutes.
The visitors did have a very good start to the second half as well, and by the 7th minute, with a goal and a point, had reduced our lead to the bare minimum (2-10 to 2-9). But Wayne and his colleagues had a very strong bench on the night and their presence contributed to a very good second half performance as well. We extended our lead again with points from Cian, Gearóid and Ferdia (free after another foul on Cian), before Ferdia capped a Man of the Match performance with his third goal of the game. Ferdia had one more point in the 56th minute (his 4th from a free) to bring his total for the evening to 3-6, a superb contribution from a man who had to wait 63 minutes to see 42 seconds of action in last week’s Munster MF Final in Killarney. The final score of the game came from Fergal Ryan.
Again, our defence was superb, and they had to be, in order to curb a very good attacking Kenmare side who will still be a force to be reckoned with in the coming qualifiers.
Team: Robbie Murphy, Shane Kelliher, Dylan Casey, Brandon Patterson (Capt), Conor Lowe, Ciarán O’Reilly, Odhran Liston, Joseph O’Connor, David Fitzmaurice, Gearóid Sheehan (0-2), Fergal Ryan (0-2), Cian Liston (0-4), Harry O’Callaghan (0-1), Philip Quilter, Ferdia O’Brien (3-6 – four frees).
Subs used: Tomás Sheehy (20m), Donagh McMahon (38m), Gearóid Fitzgerald (41m), Michael Linnane (48m), Shane Walsh (58m).
We now move to round 3 of the competition where we also have a home game against Mid Kerry on this Friday evening (15th July) at 7pm. The winners of this game will go through to the quarter finals.
Footnote: We have found no Club player scoring a hat-trick of goals in a MF Championship game in the last quarter of a century at least. In that period only four players have scored hat-tricks in Minor games – Seán Fitzmaurice in a Town League game .v. Na Gaeil (April 2014); Mikey Collins in Co. League game .v. Waterville/Dromid (May 2000); Pádraig Sugrue in a Co. League game .v. Kilcummin (April 1999); and Pat Costello in an Urban League game .v. Dr. Crokes (June 1994). So take a bow Ferdia O’Brein on an unique record.
CLUBHOUSE: As always the Clubhouse is available for all types of Parties. For Bookings, phone Maurice McNamara at 086 3747 642.
CARDS: The 45 Card Sessions will continue in the Clubhouse on every Monday and Thursday nights, commencing at 9.30pm each night.
LOTTO: Last Night’s (11th July) Jackpot, worth €5,000, was not won. The numbers drawn were 7, 12, 18, 24.
The €20 Winners were: Pat Kissane, Mike Kenny and John O’Riordan, all c/o The Club; Helen Foran, c/o Carmel O’Neill; and Elsie Dennehy, c/o The Bingo.
SYMPATHY: Sincere sympathy is offered to the families of the following who died recently – Patrick (Patsy) Flahive, Potally, Rathanny; Jonathan O’Sullivan, late of Kevin Barry’s Villas; Edmond J. Stokes, late of Tralee and Rathfarnham; and Maura Hynes (nee Donagher), Rathnapish, Carlow (mother of Harry, former Club Bar Manager and current Bar Chairman).