UNDER 6/8/10: Sunday 30th November approaches…and our winter activities begin. We kick off the indoor season at the following times and venues. Under 6s @ 10am in Mounthawk Gym, Under 8s @11am in Mounthawk Gym, Under 10s @ 11.30am at Green School Gym. Our presentation day will take place on Sunday December 7th and details will be in next week’s notes.
UNDER 12: Following a fantastic season this group was rewarded with a trip to the Climbing Wall in Dingle on Saturday last. Mentors Éamonn O’Reilly, Donal Corcoran and John O’Sullivan were very impressed with the standard of climbing and are very confident of this group of players scaling further heights in 2009. All in the club look forward to seeing these future stars in action an bhliain seo chugainn!
PEIL FAOI 13: The following are our Under 13 warriors who were ready and willing to play last Saturday in the Coiste Thrá Lí Shield Final which didn’t take place: Eoghan McKivergan, Dominic Horgan, Michael Lynch, Breandán Caball, Michael O’Donnell, Seán Fitzmaurice, Cillian Comerford, Anthony Moynihan, Joseph O’Kelly, Colin Griffin, Shane Greensmith, Daragh O’Carroll, Graham Riordan, Kyle Fitzgibbon. This competition has been sponsored by: ”Micko’s Restaurant and Take Away”.
UNDER 15: Coiste Thrá Lí Final: Austin Stacks 2-7; Ardfert 0-7. Our final game of the 2009 juvenile calendar resulted in us retaining our Under 15 title following a hard earned victory over a strong Ardfert team in Connolly Park last Sunday. Played in terrible conditions, this win brought the curtain down on a long and successful season for this particular bunch of outstanding players. Ardfert opened brightly with a point after just 3 minutes but Stacks, with wind advantage, took control for the next 15 minutes and scored 6 unanswered points, 3 by Dean Bastible and 3 by Danny Roche. With half time approaching Ardfert staged a great comeback and scored 3 points in quick succession to leave the score at half time- Austin Stacks 6pts.- Ardfert 4 pts. Facing into a gale force wind in the second half, The Rockies showed their true character and played some great football both in defence and attack. A goal by Dean Bastible 10 minutes into the half gave Stacks a 4 point lead. However, this was followed by 2 quick points from Ardfert with 15 minutes remaining. A great move out of defence, involving Ciarán O’Connell and Alan Duggan, resulted in a free on the 45 yard line to Stacks and which captain Alan Crean scored despite the gale. The Stacks’ defence was on top at this stage and a long ball into the full-forward line saw ‘’Deadly” Dean Bastible score his second goal of the game after which there was no way back for Ardfert. Ardfert socred 1 more point from a free to leave the final score at 2gls.-7pts. for Na Stacaigh to Ardfert’s 7pts. The celebrations at the final whistle were thoroughly enjoyed by Stacks’ players, mentors and supporters alike. Goalkeeper Shane Begley kept another clean sheet and his kickouts into the wind were on target every time. Full-back Stephen O’Connor, laoch an chluiche, was supreme and had great support from his tenacious corner back duo, Johnnie Nolan and the great-hearted Greg Switzer. Centreback Michael Gallagher, ‘’Gala”, used his strength to break up several Ardfert attacks while on the left Ciarán O’Connell gave a very classy performance. Right half back Tom McLoughlin’s speed and ball carrying was most impressive. Midfielders Alan Crean (Captain) and Micheal Godley deserve great praise for maintaining their high tempo game right up to the final whistle. Centre forward Dean Bastible scored 2gls. and 3 pts., all from play and was ably assisted by his wing men, David Sullivan and Shane Walsh. In the full forward line Danny Roche won every ball in his area and scored 3 pts. Full forward Danny Carroll was forced to leave the field after just 10 minutes (injured) however Stacks had an excellent replacement in Darragh O’Brien. In the left corner, the towering Shane Crowley had a powerful second half and was involved in both goals. Alan Duggan, when introduced, showed great pace and linked up well with his forwards. Star forward Paddy Fitzpatrick missed this final due to an injury in a schools’ match during the week. Paddy is a great clubman and never missed a training session or match since the start of the season last April.
This was a well deserved victory for this young Stacks’ team and with 14 of the panel eligible again next year the future looks bright for this group. Team mentors Tim McMahon, Noel O’Connell, Brian Morgan and senior player Seanie Power can be well pleased with their efforts.
Austin Stacks’ Under 15 panel: Shane Begley, John Nolan, Stephen O’Connor, Greg Switzer, Paul Galvin, Ciarán O’Connell, Michael Gallagher, Tom McLoughlin, Alan Duggan, Michael Godley, Alan Crean (captain; 0-1), Shane Walsh, Dean Bastible (2-3), Patrick Fitzgibbon, David Sullivan, Shane Crowley, Danny Carroll, Danny Roche, Brian Óg Caball, Darragh O’Brien, Luke Donnelly, Thomas Ziga, Scott Monaghan.
Sponsors of this competition: ”Kerins’ Brothers and FBD Insurances”.
THE GREEN~FAOI 15: The Munster final of Corn Uí Mhóráin saw The Green take on The Sem. in the Strand Road Pitch at 2.15pm on Wednesday with the following panel of 28 players:- Austin Stacks~ John Nolan, Tom McLoughlin, Shane Walsh, Danny Carroll, Alan Duggan, Paul Galvin, Shane Crowley, Patrick Fitzgibbon, Greg Horan; John Mitchels~ Seán Birdsall, Niall Sheehy, Jake Moran, Sean Maloney, Argent Kastrati, Peter Murphy, Wayne Duggan, Shane O’Connor; Kerins~O’Rahillys~ Tommy Begley, Martin Tierney, Brian Scannell, Jack Savage, Ronan Quill, Martin Fitzgerald; Ballymacelligott~ Denis Leen, Jonathan Keane, Maurice Leen; Na Gaeil~ David Moynihan; St. Pats~ Breandán Savage. Beidh tuairisc againn an tseachtain seo chugainn.
IOMÁNAÍOCHT: (1)..All Under 10 people who want to play INDOOR HURLING are invited to the Sports’ Complex on Saturday morning next @ 11.00am. Fáilte agus welcome to all. All youngsters in the Tralee District area may come along. (2)..We expect to provide HURLING for all the Under 10 to Under 14 age groups before Christmas. (3)..Our Under 15/16/minors will go indoors also. All interested parties are requested to keep an ear to the ground!
STAR OF MUNSTER: Congrats. to our YOUNG PLAYER OF MUNSTER, Wayne Guthrie. Long may he continue to give leadership and example to our players, óg agus aosta. Comhghairdeas.
SCÓR na bPÁISTÍ: This competition will kick off after Christmas.
DARA Ó CINNÉIDE: In a recent article/column in ”Foinse”, Dara Ó Cinnéide writes that he doesn’t understand why many diligent GAA people are unwilling to acknowledge the huge cultural distinctiveness that lies between the GAA and other hardworking sporting organisations. ”I sometimes think,” he states, ”that we are slow to proclaim the special distinctiveness of football, hurling, camógaíocht, handball, etc., as is done with other aspects of our culture, such as language, music and literature! Perhaps the big boys in Jones’ Road imagine that those who are wishy-washy or apologetic about our games would be ”lost” and would be frightened off if the thinking and philosophy which initially prompted the setting up of and organising of our games were put before the public. And, perhaps, in the light of recent remarks by Mr. Lynch, from the quasi-Gaeltacht west of Dingle, it’s time for the organisation (GAA) to examine its role in the promotion of our native language and its role in Irish life generally. While our constitution clearly states that pride of place is to be given to the promotion of our Irish culture, including the language, it seems that Croke Park itself has taken a huge backward step in its aims, if one is to judge by the advertising shown on Final days.
”Apart from the occasional ”sop in áit na scuaibe” there isn’t much of the native language in the public eye and, despite the the fact that very many advertising and publicity people working in Croke Park are favourably disposed to it, the Irish coming from HQ has quite a lot of ”dul an Bhéarla” to it. However, it’s refreshing to note that the GAA’s present director of communications, Lisa Clancy, has stated that the promotion of Irish is woven into the initial thinking and vision…bunfhís… of our organisation but ”beart de réir briathar” (action) is immediately required as the 125th anniversary of our founding approaches…1884~2009.
”Danny Lynch, former PRO, is critical of the GAA’s Irish names’ policy, especially re Polish names, etc., [Who translates Polish names? Who’d translate Obama? Garcia? Ziga?] but Mr. Lynch would be better employed in focusing attention on the lack of progress that has been made with immigrants over the last 10 years”…..ar leanúint next week.