Paul Lucey Run/Walk for the Rock: will take place on Bank Holiday Monday May 1st. This year the run will be followed by a Family Fun day for adults and children of the club and wider community. (see details of fun day below). We are hoping to encourage as many kids, teenagers, parents, grandparents, friends and family members to get outdoors on Monday 1st May to run or walk 5km promoting health and positivity within the club and community and mark the start of summer. The event will begin at the entrance to the Austin Stacks’ Clubhouse at Connolly Park at 11am and taking in the traditional enjoyable route up Caherslee and down the Skinny Mile section of the Greenway. Registration is now open on https://www.eventbrite.com/e/paul-lucy-run-for-the-rock-5km10km-tickets-596763635097?aff=ebdssbcitybrowse&keep_tld=1
Austin Stacks Family Day takes place on Bank Holiday Monday 1st May in our club grounds in Connolly Park. Our Club Family Day (12-3pm) follows straight after the ‘Paul Lucey Run for Rock’ and a fantastic day of fun, festivities and food is guaranteed for everyone! We have organised a wide range of activities for the young and the not-so-young including: Lots of outdoor games & amusements, Sports day races & challenges, Celebrity Crossbar Challenge & penalty shootout competition, loads of great food & refreshments incl. ice cream van, huge raffle with 40 great prizes. So, Connolly Park is most definitely the place to be this coming Bank Holiday Monday, with all club members and everyone in the local community invited to our great big day of family fun.
PEIL FAOI 7: More enjoyable outdoor football for the U7s next Sunday morning (30th) in Caherslee at 11am. All newcomers welcome.
PEIL FAOI 9: (i) Our U9s will be in action again…outdoors…on Sunday next (April 30th) at 11am in Caherslee. (ii) Tuesday is GoGames day. Keep up the good football, boys! (iii) A Rock U10 team (2014 boys) will travel to the Kilmacud Croke Club Tournament on May 7th.
PEIL FAOI 11: (i) Following another very enjoyable trip on Thursday last to the Legion Club, Killarney, where we played three simultaneous GoGames with the locals….sponsored by Lee Strand….we welcome Rathmore to Connolly Park at 6pm on this Thursday. Come on The Rock boys! (ii) Meanwhile, idir an dá linn, Football-For-Fun for this group continues at 10.50am each Sunday in Caherslee. Fáilte roimh daoine nua. (Colm Ó Mongáin)
SCÓR na bPÁISTÍ: The county finals of Scór na bPáistí will take place on Sunday next (30th) at 2.30pm in the Glenbeigh/Glencar Sports Hall; beidh an quiz ar siúl ag 11.30am i Halla an CYMS i gCill Orglan.
ALL-STARS: The fun continued last Sunday morning at the All Stars’ training session and the youngsters really enjoyed their PE exercises…. warm up, jumping, hopping, bouncing, handpassing, kicking high, kicking low, cool down, etc, gan stad gan staonadh agus bhí an-spórt ag gach éinne. Thanks to everybody. If your child wants to be part of our group, or if you want any more information or just have a peep at the action, just come along for next Sunday’s 10am training at The Rock Club in Connolly Park. New members always welcome. (Cathal Ó Sé)
PEIL FAOI 13: It was a busy week of football for all our U13 boys with games for both teams v Kilcummin and Na Gaeil.(i) County League (Division 9)…Na Gaeil B: 4-5; AdeS B: 3-7. Our B boys were back in action in a sunny Killeen on Sunday evening last hoping to achieve 3 wins in 3 games in one week! Ambition, a dhuine! They started strongly once again, all seemed well and they seemed to be in the ascendency. Ach ní mar a shíltear a bhítear! Our boys came agonisingly close to achieving their ambition, having picked off some fine scores and having had excellent chances to extend their lead further. However, a couple of Gaeil goals spurred The Greens into action and the possession was much more even for the remainder of the half. Undoubtedly, the Stack Club boys were probably feeling a little unlucky to be behind at the break…3-3 to 2-3. The gauntlet was thrown down for in the 2nd half but a tough task lay ahead! Again, The Black‘n’Amber lads came out of the blocks quickly and picked off a superb point to reduce the lead to 0-2 but their momentum was broken with another unfortunate Killeen goal which left them 0-5 behind. This young team is made of tough stuff, however, and they quickly superb scored a goal of their own. And then, for the remainder of the half, they threw everything at Na Gaeil, whose goalkeeper made a number of world class saves. The Rockites also rattled the post and crossbar. With time running out our braves got a point but they just couldn’t find the equaliser before the final whistle blew. ‘Well done’ to Na Gaeil on their victory; they defended resolutely and dug out the victory ar an lá. ‘Well done’ to the Stack Club boys for battling all the way to the finish. On another day we probably could have popped over a few points instead of going for goal but the lads will learn from that and use the experience to drive them on for the rest of the season. These lads have true Rock heart and spirit!
(ii) U13 County League (Division 9)…AdeS B: 5-11; Kilcummin B: 3-9. Two wins from two games in 4 days in a busy schedule! We had another sunny evening in Connolly Park and the game was played on the well-manicured immaculate surface of the main pitch. Although it was a lovely evening there was a strong breeze in the Stack Club players’ favour in the first half and they took full advantage. Playing some lovely free-flowing football and getting some excellent scores, the Stack boys built up a big lead but in the last 10 minutes before half time Kilcummin came to life and scored 1-1 to leave the half-time score at 5-8 to 1-1 i bhfábhar na Stacach. It was expected to be a more difficult task in the 2nd half against the breeze and so it proved to be! Our lads found it a lot more difficult to get out of defence and Kilcummin picked off some scores and started to gain in confidence. But The Rock team dug in, defended resolutely and the ever-alert forwards notched a few good scores to keep the scoreboard ticking over. I ndeireadh na dála, the match finished on a scoreline of 5-11 to 3-9 and the victory was with the home side. Well done, boys! Thanks to Kilcummin players, coaches and supporters for an enjoyable game that was played in a good spirit. Another win for this young Rock team that continues to improve with each week. The hard work by players and coaches is paying off and everybody is looking forward to taking this positive momentum into the remaining County League games. An Charraig Abú!
(iii) U13 County League (Phase 1, Division 1)….AdeS A: 5-9 (24); Kilcummin A: 2-9 (15). Our U13A team continued its recent good form with a fine win over a good Kilcummin side in Connolly Park on Thursday 20th April. In this game our boys had another fast start that included a well-worked goal that had Stack Club team in control early on. Kilcummin, to their credit, asserted themselves as the half wore on and, with the aid of the breeze, had pegged back our early lead to leave it all square at half-time. Half-time…AdeS: 1-6; Kilcummin 1-6. In contrast to Sunday’s match, the Stack Club lads put in a strong 3rd quarter, including two excellent goals. Kilcummin again responded and battled throughout. Our boys defended with their lives and got in for another two goals to secure victory. Well done, lads! Thanks to Kilcummin for a keen contest and thanks to the referee for his good handling of the game. Austin Stack Club Player-of-the-Match: Ryan O’Flaherty…for his decisive influence at both ends of the field. An fhoireann Faoi 13A: David Ahern; Michael Carmody, Diarmuid Hennessy, Oisín Horan; Shea Horan, Luke Kavanagh, Billy Kirby; Danny Lane, Tadhg Lucey; Conor Maguire, Dylan McEvoy, Conor Murphy; Jayden O’Dowd, Ryan O’Flaherty, Tadhg O’Regan; Noah Reidy, Mark Riordan, Liam Swords, Ediart Topali. (Dan Ahern)
GAELCHOLÁISTE: Buachaillí na Chéad Bhliana clinched a skilful victory sa Ráth Mhór on Friday. The final score read 1-19 to 2-13 in favour of ár nGaiscígh. Joe de Barra was the réalta Stacach who featured on the teak-tough panel. Maith sibh uilig! Agus osclaíodh an foirgneamh scoile nua ar an Luan sa caite! Tá Stacaigh dhílse an choláiste ríméadach!
FAOI 15: On Wednesday the 19th we hosted Ballymac for our Division 1B County League game. Missing 3 boys who had started our previous game v Firies, we knew we were in for a tough game. In a tight enough first half, Jack Shanahan scored two goals; a point each for Alex Touhy, Rory Lynch and Jayden Moriarty saw the scoreboard read 2-3 to 2-6 in our favour. Rory Lynch scored 3 more points in the second half but, unfortunately, we missed some chances. Ballymac proved the stronger team in the final quarter. Final score: 2-6 to 3-11. The A team has a break from the County League this week. Our B team had a bye in the County League, also, but is scheduled to play Fossa at home on Wednesday 26th. Both teams held training sessions over the weekend and, thankfully, we’re back home in Connolly Park. (Ger Hobbert)
FAOI 17: Comhghairdeachas to our minors who had a fine victory over Ardfert in Division 1 of the Minor Central League on Monday night (24th). An scór…AdeS: 3-12; Ard Fhearta: 2-6. Bua suntasach! The game was played in our own Connolly Park and the field was in great nick and in perfect condition thanks to the diligence of Coiste na Páirce. Well done, everybody! An fhoireann bhuacach (victorious): Oilivier Lata; Aodhán Horgan, Donnacha Horgan (captaen), James Fisher; Jake O’Connor, Pádraig O’Halloran, Ciarán Kavanagh; David Lucid, Liam O’Connor; Alex Touhy, Gavin Ó Cathasaigh, Rian Walsh; Ryan McMahon, Cormac Bastible, Jack Barrett; (subs used) Seán Heaslip, Leon O’Connor, Jake Carmody, Jayden Murphy. These lads will play away v Keel/Listry on Monday 1st. Good luck, boys!
FAOI 17 ~ SCÓR na nÓG: Best wishes to the Kerry Scór na nÓg competitors, especially to the quiz team representing the Tralee/St Brendan Boards, in the All-Ireland Finals which will take place in the INEC, Killarney, on Saturday May 6th.
CLUB LOTTO: Thanks to all who support and/or promote our club lotto.
CLUB SHOP: Club merchandise is available to order on www.oneills.com
THE GREEN‘n’GOLD: (i) Good luck to the Kerry senior hurlers in their next Joe McDonagh Cup game. (ii) ‘Well done’ to the Kerry U20 footballers (including our own Joey Nagle, Armin Heinrich, Michael Tansley and Jordan Kissane) who gave of their best v Cork in the Munster final and won on double scores! (iii) Good luck to our senior footballers (especially to our men on the panel) in their preparations for the in the Munster final v Clare. (iv) ‘Well done’ to our club seniors v K-O’R….bua deas!