SENIOR FOOTBALL: Milltown/Castlemaine 1-13; Austin Stacks 1-11
A great start saw us with a 0-3 lead after 5 minutes with two pointed frees from Sean Quilter and Mike O’Donnell and a long-range point from play by Donagh Mc Kivergan before Milltown Castlemaine opened their scoring. The home side settled well and had drawn level 0-3 to 0-3 with 11 mins played on the clock. Cillian Litchfield scored an excellent point from play before Milltown levelled the game again in the 17th minute. Two more points, another long-range effort by Donagh Mc Kivergan and a free by Michael O Donnell had put 2 between the sides again with 21 minutes played. Again, the home side replied with 2 points to tie the sides 0-6 a piece with five minutes remaining in the first half. Armin Heinrich scored an excellent individual point to put us into the lead once more but again Milltown replied swiftly with 2 points of their own to leave the half time score Austin Stacks 0-7 Milltown Castlemaine 0-8.
Half time substitution: Conor Myers was replaced by Jack Morgan.
Sean Quilter had us back level 0-8 a piece within the 1st minute of the 2nd half. Ferdia O’Brien was introduced for Donagh Mc Kivergan in the fifth minute, great to see Ferdia back! Milltown had restored their one-point advantage before they scored a well worked goal in the 7th minute. After Milltown Castlemaine had scored 2 more points, it looked like the home side were going to run out comfortable winners as they lead by 1-11 to 0-8 with 20 minutes remaining on the clock. Brendan O’Sullivan replaced Sean Quilter in the Stacks forward line and his presence around the box instantly made an impact . Stacks, Jack Murphy made a fantastic run out of defence and found himself in a crowded Milltown Castlemaine square, the youngster won a high dropping ball to the left of the goal mouth, and somehow found the space to score a fantastic goal from a most difficult angle and suddenly Stacks were back in it. ‘Calla’ scored a lovely point to bring it back to 2 between the sides. Stacks will rue some missed opportunities in the next few minutes and it was Milltown who scored next to restore their 3-point advantage in the 24th minute. Donagh Mc Kivergan replaced Eoghan Carroll before he pointed a free to leave 2 between the sides in the 30th minute, and now it was all about working that goal chance as the game went into injury time. Milltown turned over a Stacks attack and sensibly pointed again to put 3 between the sides before Michael O’Donnell pointed a close range free to put 2 between the sides once more and leave both sets of spectators on the edge of their seats for the remaining minutes. Alas, it was not to be and it was the cheers of the home side team and supporters that greeted referee Seamus Mulvihill’s full time whistle. FT Austin Stacks 1-11 (14) Milltown Castlemaine 1-13 (16).
Team: Ml Tansley, Niall Fitzmaurice, Joey Nagle, Jack Murphy (1-0), Paul O’Sullivan, Armin Heinrich (0-1), Eoghan Carroll, Greg Horan, Michael O’Donnell (0-3 frees), Donagh Mc Kivergan (0-3 (1 free) Fiachna Mangan, Cillian Litchfield (0-1), Conor Myers, Shane O’Callaghan (Capt) (0-1), Sean Quilter (0-2 frees).
Subs used: Jack Morgan for Conor Myers (HT) , Brendan O’Sullivan for Sean Quilter, Ferdia O’Brien for Donagh Mc Kivergan. Donagh on again to replace Eoghan Carroll.
We now have just two more round to play, at home to Kilcummin (w/e 25th June) and away to Gneeveguilla (w/e 9th July), games which we have to win to keep our hopes alive to remain in Division 1 for the coming season.
Our thanks to Elma Nix for this excellent report.
At the moment our R10 Co. League game, at home to Kilcummin, has been fixed for next Sunday week (25th June) at 2pm.
B FOOTBALL: Gneeveguilla 4-10 (22); Austin Stacks 3-12 (21).
We were coasting to victory in this Co. Shield game in Gneeveguilla on this Sunday afternoon (11th June) as the closing five minutes approached with a commanding lead of eight points. But a combination of some complacency on our part and a never-say-die effort by the home side saw them score three unanswered goals in those five minutes to leave them with a one point win at the end.
Up to then we had played some very good football both individually and as a team. When Pa McCarthy opened the scoring with a point after 40 seconds we were never behind after that. We led by 1-4 to 0-2 at the end of the first quarter – our goal coming from Damien Hogan. At half time we led by 2-8 to 0-5 – our second goal coming from Donnacha Sayers in the 23rd minute. At the end of the third quarter we were still those two goals in the lead (2-11 to 1-8) and had increased that lead by eight points during the next ten minutes (our third goal scored by Joe Looby). And then came those disastrous five closing minutes.
Team: Brian Horgan (0-1 – forty five), Ruairí O’Connell, John Murphy (Capt), Seán Moynihan, Pa McCarthy (0-1), Luke Chester (0-1), Evan Foley, Joe Reidy, Ciarán O’Connell, Noah Townsend (0-2), Gearóid Sheehan, David Courtney (0-1), Donnacha Sayers (1-3 – one free), Calvin Foley (0-1), Damien Hogan (1-2 – one free),
Sub used: Joe Looby 49m) (1-0).
With four rounds played in this Div 5 Phase 2 Shield we have two wins (against Ballylongford and Rathmore) and two games lost (against Duagh and Gneeveguilla) which has us third on the Table. We are now due to play our 5th and final round game at home to Glenflesk on the same date and time as our SF game (Sunday, 25th June at 2pm).
THE C TEAM: Our C Team have one more round to play in this season’s Co. League against Laune Rangers and it goes ahead in Connolly Park on the coming Saturday (17th June) at 7pm. To date in this four round League we have lost two games against Fossa and Rathmore and received a walk-over from Kerins O’Rahillys in round 3.
THE D TEAM: Our D team have still just one game played in this five round competition to date (a brilliant win against Scartaglin by 5-14 to 1-1 in round 2) Our 5th and final round game is away to Clounmacon on this coming Saturday evening (17th June) at 7pm. No details have yet come to hand about our postponed games against Duagh and Beaufort.
Kerry Minors: Congratulations to Wayne and our Kerry minors who defeated Kildare to reach this year’s All Ireland Semi Final. Club players Ben Murphy (1-1) and Paddy Lane (1-7) were both outstanding throughout the game and it was fantastic to see both getting the 2nd half goals which sealed Kerry’s win. Paddy’s ‘Mikey Sheehy’ styled goal (as Ambrose O’Donovan described it in the Radio Kerry commentary) indeed a joy to behold!
CLUB CARDS: Our Card sessions continue in the Clubhouse on Mondays and Thursdays with the starting time of 9pm sharp.
CLUB LOTTO: This week’s (12th June) Jackpot worth €4,100 was not won. The winning numbers were 17, 18, 19, 22. The €20 winners were: Rachel Dunne, c/o OnLine; Carmel O’Neill, Adam Boyle and John Dowling, all c/o The Club; and Denis C. O’Neill, c/o Carmel O’Neill.
Next week’s Jackpot will be worth €4,150.
Continued thanks to the following businesses for selling our Lotto tickets on a weekly basis – Kevin Barry’s Shop, Commanes Bookshop (PC Books), O’Flynns Interiors, Hussey’s, Princes St., The Burger Shack, Monavalley and Kirby’s Brogue Inn. And continued thanks to everyone who purchase tickets week-in week-out.
SYMPATHY: Sincere sympathy is offered to the families of the following who died recently; Larry McCaffrey, Mitchels Avenue; and Elizabeth (Betty) O’Sullivan, Kilpedder and Newtownmountkennedy and formerly St. John’s Park.