JOB MATCH: is a successful Austin Stacks initiative where we work with both Club Members/parents on one side and prospective employers on the other to identify and avail of suitable employment opportunities. If you are looking for full/part time employment or a change, please send your CV to jobmatch@austinstacks.ie asap as we will have our 2016 launch imminently. All applications will be dealt with in the strictest confidence. See Club website austinstacks.ie for further details. Job Match – Keeping local GAA players and members employed locally.
SPORTS FORECAST COMPETITION: This is a reminder that the closing date for the submission of your Sports Forecast Sheets is next Monday week (7th March). Completed sheets may be given to Club Treasurer, Mike Kenny or handed in to Des Griffin in the Bar.
MINOR FOOTBALL: Firies 0-12; Austin Stacks 1-8.
We are now definitely sounding like a broken record. Yes – it was the weather again that stole the show in Farranfore on Saturday evening (20th Feb), although Firies did, deservedly, take the honours with a one point win in their first ever venture into Division 1 of the Minor Co. League.
We played with the aid of the very strong wind and the sweeping rain in the first half and our one point lead at half time (0-7 to 0-6) usually wouldn’t be sufficient in such circumstances. And so it turned out to be. Ferdia O’Brien put over four of those seven (three from frees) with Padraig Looney, Conor Lowe and Donagh McKivergan scoring the other three.
Half way through the second half we still had that one point lead when both sides achieved only one point each in that third quarter – ours coming from a lovely effort by Harry O’Callaghan, making his first start in the Minor grade (he already made his debut last July, coming on as a sub in a Central League game against Dingle in Connolly Park).
With the elements in their favour the home side dominated the final quarter, scoring five points without reply to put them four points clear as the game entered added time. But our lads will always play to the very end and in one last attack Cian Liston was at the end of a brilliant move to slot the ball to the net and leave the minimum between the sides.
Well done to Firies who have a fine bunch of players and could have been further ahead but for some brilliant defending by our six defenders, including Dylan Casey who was making his Minor debut. Simon Draghici did very well in goals, an unaccustomed position for him. We were unfortunate to lose the services of Shane Walsh who failed a fitness test after the warm-up. It was also good to see Joe Looby making his Minor debut. Joe was a valued member of the Senior team’s back-room staff during their very successful 2014 season.
And one man needs special mention – that’s Team Manager, Wayne Quillinan. Wayne was hospitalized some hours before the game after picking up a hand injury in a Charity Basketball game. What did he do but sign himself out and arrived in Farranfore as the game got underway and then returned to hospital again after the game. What commitment. We are glad to learn that recovery is well on the way.
Team: Simon Draghici, Dylan Casey, Brandon Patterson (Capt), Tomás Sheehy, Pádraig Looney (0-1), Ciarán O’Reilly, Odhran Liston, Philip Quilter, David Fitzmaurice, Conor Lowe (0-1), Ferdia O’Brien (0-4 – 3 frees), Fergal Ryan, Donagh McKivergan (0-1), Cian Liston (1-0), Harry O’Callaghan (0-1).
Subs used: Cian Talbot, Shane Kelliher, Joe Looby, Alan Dore, Keelan Pierse.
Our remaining games in the Co. League are away in rounds 2 and 3 – against Listowel (5th March) and Gneeveguilla (12th March) and home game in rounds 4 and 5 – against Kerins O’Rahillys (on Easter Saturday, 26th March) and Dr. Crokes (Friday, 1st April).
Our postponed Round 2 game (of 3) of the Town League V Na Gaeil will not go ahead this weekend as Na Gaeil .a Co. League fixture.
SENIOR FOOTBALL: For the second weekend in a row our Town League fixture fell victim to the weather – this time our R2 game against Na Gaeil. However, Stephen and his colleagues did manage to get a very useful challenge game played last Sunday, away to Killarney Legion. They also have a very appetizing challenge game lined up for the coming weekend.
Added to that, Round 3 of the Town League, away to Ballymac, is fixed for next Sunday (28th Feb) with a 12.30 pm start (this may go to 2pm – check website for updates) and a R4 game, away to Kerins O’Rahillys, on the weekend of the 13th March. In between the postponed round 1 game against John Mitchels has been re-fixed for Friday, 4th March at 8.30pm at the Mitchels Pitch under lights. But, as in the past, all this is contingent on an improvement in the dreadful weather that we have now endured for almost the past four months.
COLLEGES GAA: Hard luck on David Mannix’s DCU team who, after a very impressive Sigerson Cup semi final win last Friday in which David performed excellently, just came up short in the Final some twenty four hours later – going down to neighbours UCD by just two points.
However congratulations to Club player, Breandán Caball who was part of his Marino College team that won the Junior Colleges Final against Magee College (Derry).
And the best of luck to Breandán and his Marino team as they now turn their thoughts to Hurling on this coming weekend when they take part in the Junior section of the Fitzgibbon Cup in Cork.
WEDDING ANNIVERSARY: All in the Club and the local community extend congratulations and best wishes to Mike Carmody (former mentor of many Club teams down the years) and his wife Kate (Connolly Park) who celebrated their Golden wedding anniversary last week.
BIRTHDAY GREETINGS; She is the Club’s oldest living former player and she celebrated her 104th birthday last Friday (19th Feb) at her Community home in Dublin – yes 104. Birthday greetings are extended to Sister Jessica Doyle, who played Camogie when the Club had a very good Camogie team in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Sister Jessica (who was 4 years old when the Easter Rising took place in 1916) is related to the late Miko and John Paul Doyle, former Club and County footballers. She still has relatives living in Tralee, including Joe Doyle (former Kerryman Horse Racing correspondent), Madeline Kelly and Anne Lacey (wife of Eddie).
CONGRATULATIONS: to Mícheál Ó Ceallacháin and Lesley Harris (former Club Scór Singer) on the recent birthday of a baby boy named Ryan.
CLUBHOUSE: As always the Clubhouse is available for all types of Parties. For Bookings phone Des Griffin at 086 402 0808.
CARDS: The 45 Card Sessions continue in the Clubhouse on every Monday and Thursday nights, commencing at 9.30pm each night. All at the Cards were sad to learn at the weekend of the death of a former card player, Con Danaher (see sympathy).
LOTTO: Last Night’s (22nd Feb) Jackpot, worth €5,000, was not won. The numbers drawn were 6, 16, 17, and 32. The €20 Winners were: Carmel Quilter, c/o The Club; Michael & Joan Casey and Terry Healy, both c/o Club Rockies; Chloe Smith & Charley Healy, c/o Richard Healy; and David O’Sullivan, c/o Carmel O’Neill.
SYMPATHY: Sincere sympathy is offered to the families of the following who died recently – Nora O’Donnell (nee O’Connor), Blennerville; John Francis O’Mahony, Station Road, Ardfert (brother-in-law of John King of our Bingo and Field Committee); James Quirke, Curraheen; Con Danaher, St. Brendan’s Road and late of Castlemahon (see Cards); Mary O’Halloran (nee MacMahon), Ballyard and Catherine (Babs) McElligott (nee Leen), Cloondara, Oakpark (mother of former Club Footballers John L. and Brendan).