CLUB MEMBERSHIP: The official closing date for the payment of membership 2016 is on this Thursday (31st March). A final registration night will be held in the club bar on this Thursday night from 8 to 9 o clock to facilitate anyone wishing to pay their membership. Anyone who hasn’t paid their membership by this date will forfeit the opportunity to be included in the list for All Ireland tickets should that arise later in the year.
GAELTACHT SCHOLARSHIPS: Applications are now invited for the GAA Gaeltacht Summer Courses Scholarship Fund 2016. Applications are open to Boys & Girls. The applicant must be a registered playing member of the Austin Stacks GAA club. Please text your child’s name, address, age and school to Brian Caball on 087 6606693 or email briancabll2@hotmail.com Closing date for applications is Friday 15th April.
2017 COMMEMERATION: Next year the Club will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of its foundation. For that purpose it is examining the feasibility of publishing a History of the Club and we would love to receive any memorabilia, photographs or any other material that people may have of former players etc. All material will, of course, be returned to their owners after being processed.
DEFIBRILLATOR TRAINING: Tim Murphy, Development Officer of the Kerry Co. Board’s Planning & Development Committee, informs us that a Defibrillator Training Session will take place in Austin Stack Park on next Tuesday (5thApril) commencing at 6.45pm sharp and concluding at 9.10pm.
Anyone interested in participating should email tomasstack@gmail.com immediately as numbers for this session are limited to 24. So it’s ‘first come, first served’.
1916 PROJECTS COMPETITION: Our thanks to Adrienne McLoughlin who submitted the following Report and whose brilliant photographs of the event can be seen on our website:-
Connolly Park residents held a Commemoration Mass (celebrated by Fr. Patsy Lynch) in the Clubrooms on Easter Monday, followed by food and refreshments for all present
A projects competition based on the theme “1916 Rising”, for younger members of the community, was held in the Clubhouse also. Local Politician, Toireasa Ferris, had the tough job of selecting the winners. All entrants received a prize but the first 3 places and prizes of a Tablet, signed Kerry Jersey and signed football, respectively, were awarded to: 1. Nia Ní Chíarba 2. Dara Ó Sé 3. Saoirse Ní Mhuircheartaigh.
The committee also held a raffle for 3 Easter Hampers (won by Paul O’Connor) and the funds raised will be used for the Senior Citizens Party later in the year. Newly elected T.D. Michael Healy-Rae also made an appearance at the gathering as well as some other local politicians, including Pa Daly, Norma Foley and Sam Locke.
Well done to the organising committee – Michael and Mary Hurley, Mary Whelan, Annette Carmody, Marian Clifford, Bernie Somers and Nora O’Connor.
SENIOR FOOTBALL: Austin Stacks 1-10; Glenbeigh/Glencar 1-7.
With both sides pointless after their first round encounters the previous weekend, this round two game of the Co. League, played at a damp and breezy Connolly Park on Easter Saturday evening (26th March), was bound to be keenly contested. And that’s the way it turned out. After a cautious first half both sides went in at half time on level terms (0-4 each). David Mannix with three (two frees) and a lovely effort from play by David O’Sullivan were our scorers.
Seven minutes into the second half we went back in the lead with three unanswered points, David Mannix was again on target with two frees and one from play by Shane O’Callaghan. But in the space of a minute the visitors were back in the lead with a point and a well-taken goal.
With both defences dominating, fifteen minutes elapsed before the next scores came – two more David Mannix points (one from a free). And when the visitors equalized , with two minutes of normal time remaining, it looked as if the spoils might be shared. But a sweeping move by our lads, started by full back, Fearghal MacNamara, eventually ended in the square and Fearghal was again on hand to dispossess the defender and wing back, Jack O’Shea, pounced on the breaking ball to volley to the net for his first goal at Senior level which restored our three points lead.
In added time both sides had a point each – ours coming from Shane O’Callaghan after good work by Colin Griffin, before referee, Donal Casey, blew the final whistle.
Team: Darragh O’Brien, Barry Walsh, Fearghal MacNamara, Colin Griffin, Pa McCarthy, Conor Jordan, Jack O’Shea (1-0), Barry Shanahan, Shane Guthrie, Shane Carroll, Michael O’Donnell, Seán Ryan, David Mannix (0-7 – 5 frees), Shane O’Callaghan (0-2), David O’Sullivan (0-1).
Subs used: Ciarán O’Connell (21m), Brían Mangan (43m), Shane Crowley (57m).
Our next Co. League outing will be another home game, this time against newly-promoted Kenmare, in round 3. The game is fixed for the week-end after next (9th/10th April).
B FOOTBALL: As we write no new date has been fixed for our game against Ballylongford which was postponed from last week. In round 3our Bs also have a home game against Rathmore on the weekend after next.
MINOR FOOTBALL: Austin Stacks 1-9; Kerins O’Rahillys 0-10.
On this historic Easter weekend a little bit of history was also made in James Connolly Park on last Saturday afternoon (26th March) when our Minors were the first team to play a competitive game in our brand newly developed pitch, colloquially known as ‘The Nuns Field’. And they marked the occasion with a good, if hard-fought, win in round 4 (of 5) of the Co. League. The pitch was immaculate but the weather not so good. As a result scores were hard to come by early on with both sides scoring only three points each in the first 24 minutes – all ours coming from placed balls – the opener from a well-taken 45 by Donagh McKivergan and two frees by Ferdia O’Brien. Two of the Rahillys points came from frees also.
In the closing three minutes of the half Ferdia added three more (two from frees) with good work from midfielders, Philip Quilter and David Fitzmaurice and great support play from Fergal Ryan, Cian Liston, Michael Linnane and Harry O’Callaghan.. This left us ahead by 0-6 to 0-3 at half time.
At the end of the third quarter Rahillys had reduced our lead to the bare minimum (0-8 to 0-7) with Ferdia (free) and Donagh again on target for us. Then in the 46th minute we were awarded a penalty and Ferdia sent the keeper the wrong wayand steered the ball low into the far corner of the net.
However the visitors kept on pressing and in the final quarter added a further three points to leave the minimum between the sides as the game entered the final minutes.
However, great defending by our lads ended in one last attack and Fergal Ryan, who has a splendid game all through, was at the end of a great move to put over the final score of the game for a well-deserved two points win. A win which now leaves us on top of the League table with six points (three wins out of four), along with Dr. Crokes who will be our opponents in the 5th and final game of the League. This game, which was to take place next Friday, has been postponed to a later date due to the Colleges Final on next Saturday (see below).
Corner back, Shane Kelliher, took a hard accidental knock, half way through the first half, and had to be replaced. We wish Shane a full and speedy recovery.
Team: Robbie Murphy, Shane Kelliher, Dylan Casey, Brandon Patterson (Capt), Shane Walsh, Ciarán O’Reilly, Odhran Liston, Philip Quilter, David Fitzmaurice, Donagh McKivergan (0-2 – one 45), Fergal Ryan (0-1), Michael Linnane, Cian Liston, Ferdia O’Brien (1-6 – penalty goal; five frees), Harry O’Callaghan.
Subs used: Tomás Sheehy (15m), Gearóid Fitzgerald (58m).
GOOD LUCK: to St. Brendan’s College (Killarney) when they play St. Patrick’s College (Maghera) in next Saturday’s (2nd April) Colleges A Final in Croke Park for the Hogan Cup. The game will be preceded by the B final between Ferbane (Offaly) and Mountbellew (Galway) for the Paddy Drummond Cup – named after the late Paddy Drummond (1912-1995) who was a Stacks hurler, footballer, mentor of many teams and Club Official, including Club Chairman (1948; 1955-1956). Paddy was a grand uncle of current Club Secretary, Elma Nix, and Juvenile Chairman, Tim McMahon.
NEW SCOREBOARD: Also on last Saturday our new Electronic Scoreboard came into play and long-serving Club Member/Official, Paudie Commane, had the pleasant task of operating it for the first time (future Quiz Buffs please note). The first scores he registered were points by Glenbeigh/Glencar’s Gavan O’Grady, with our own David Mannix coming next. The first goals to be registered came from Tommy Cahill (Glenbeigh) and then by our own Jack O’Shea late in the game.
THANKS: to all those unsung heroes who worked so hard to get our two pitches ready for last Saturday’s games after the heavy rain the previous night, especially John Breen, Denis O’Connor, Noel O’Connell and Club Chairman, Liam Lynch who were there from early morning and even managed to have our new scoreboard ready for that evening. Well done lads and to everyone else who lent a hand.
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 will continue in the Clubhouse on every Monday and Thursday nights, commencing at 9.30pm each night.
All at the Cards extend sincere sympathy to Hanna Brosnan on the death of her sister, Mary Hickey (see Sympathy),
LOTTO: This week’s (29th March) Jackpot, worth €5,000, was not won. The numbers drawn were 21, 23, 24, and 28.
The €20 Winners were: John Joe O’Sullivan, c/o Club Rockies; Brendan O’Riordan, c/o John O’Riordan; Mary Foley, c/o The Bingo; Derry Sugrue, c/o The Club; and Peter O’Regan, c/o Brendan O’Regan.
SYMPATHY: Sincere sympathy is offered to the families of the following who died during the past week – Marie O’Connor, The Cottages, Blennerville; Michelle Moran, Nenagh and Ballyvelly; Michael McDonagh, Ballinorig Close and late of Mitchel’s Road; Mary Hickey (nee O’Connor, Rathmore and late of Ballymacadam, Castleisland (see Cards); and Paul Dennehy, Woodbrook.