CLUB FUNDRAISER: Please support the Austin Stacks British Open 2023 Club Fundraiser. Hoylake outside Liverpool is the venue for this year’s tournament. A tricky assignment awaits the best golfers in the world on the notorious track and we’ve added some spice to our predictor competition also. This year the field has been broken in two – Tier 1 WGC Top 50; Tier 2 Other Qualifiers. The challenge is to pick the six best from the two tiers over the four rounds (three from each tier). As ever the big prize is €1k with runners up prizes in the hundreds. Last year the Club installed a drainage system on the top half of the main field and revenue generated this year will be invested once again on site in the shared GAA/LGFA facilities in Connolly Park.
So this British Open Fundraiser is a big call out to our members to get behind our Club Fundraiser that tees off on Thursday week (July 20). Cards are available from the Club and Online here:
https://member.clubforce.com/memberships_cart_m.asp?LL_ID=2987
SENIOR FOOTBALL: Gneeveguilla 1-7; Austin Stacks 0-15.
This was a ‘do or die’ relegation battle in this final round of the Co. League played in breezy conditions in Gneeveguilla on this Sunday afternoon (9th July). And credit to our lads when the chips were down they came up trumps with a very good performance. When Michael O’Donnell opened the scoring with a pointed free in the 2nd minute we were never in arrears after that. Michael had a brilliant first half adding a further four points (one from play) to his tally. Good scores also from play by Fiachna Mangan (2) and Donagh McKivergan left us ahead at half time by 0-8 to 0-2.
With the elements in their favour Gneeveguilla came more into the game in the second half, outscoring us by a point (1-5 to 0-7). All our second half points came from seven different players – Michael O’Donnell with another one from a free and the six others from play by Cillian Litchfield, Jordan Kissane, Ronan Shanahan and Armin Heinrich and the other two for our second half substitutes Brendan O’Sullivan and Gearóid Fitzgerald..
Great to see Ronan Shanahan back in action again after missing the previous six games and what a performance he put in, winning him the Celsius Mensware Man of the Match Award.
Team: Michael Tansley, Niall Fitzmaurice, Ronan Shanahan (0-1), Paul O’Sullivan, Colm Browne, Armin Heinrich (0-1), Jack Morgan, Greg Horan, Michael O’Donnell (0-6 – five frees), Eoghan Carroll, Fiachna Mangan (0-2, Donagh McKivergan (0-1), Jordan Kissane (0-1), Cillian Litchfield (0-1), Shane O’Callaghan (Capt).
Subs used: Brendan O’Sullivan (42m) (0-1), Gearóid Fitzgerald (42m) (0-1) David Mannix (49m), Conor Myers (52m).
The other results of the day have seen Crokes win the League where they join ourselves on top of the Winners Table with eleven titles. More important from our point of view is the fact that we will now be involved in a play-off to decide who will be the third Club to be relegated to Div. 2 for the coming season (along with Gneeveguilla and Desmonds) with our opponents none other than Kerins O’Rahillys. When the sides met in the earlier round of the competition last April we had a narrow one point win (1-15 to 1-14).
The Play-off game has been fixed for Sunday week (23rd July) at 1pm at the John Mitchels Pitch. The All Ireland Senior Hurling Final between Limerick and Kilkenny goes ahead later that afternoon at 3.30pm.
THE C TEAM: Austin Stacks 0-8; Ardfert 0-8.
This first round of the Tralee/St. Brendans League played in dreadful weather conditions in Connolly Park on last Thursday evening (6th July) saw both sides putting up some brilliant performances despite the inclement conditions and a draw was a fair result in the end.
Joey Kinsella opened the scoring in the 7th minute. Ardfert’s first score came in the 12th minute before David Courtney put us back in the lead a minute later. Then two quick points by the visitors put them in the lead for the first time after 18 minutes. A second Joey Kinsella point leveled matters again in the 20th minute. Ardfert then added two more points but two super points by Evan Foley late in the half had the sides level on five points each at the break.
The second half was equally as tight with both sides scoring three each – Enda Cahill and David Courtney on target for us from play and a pointed free by Damien Hogan.
Credit again to both sides for putting up such a great show despite the driving rain and well done also to referee Mick Walsh for his common sense refereeing.
Team: Marc Carmody, Tom McLoughlin, Joe Looby, Billy Stack, Daniel O’Rourke, Joe Reidy, Dean Scanlon, Evan Foley (0-2), Enda Cahill (0-1), St. John Hegarty (Capt), Damien Hogan (0-1 – free), Joey Kinsella (0-2), Matthew Browne, David Leonard, David Courtney (0-2).
Subs used: Seán Dukes (21m), Tom Crowley (54m).
In Rd 2 (played on Monday July 10th) we were defeated by Annascaul – FT Austin Stacks 1-11 Annascaul 3-10
MINOR CO CHAMPIONSHIP – MON JULY 17TH – Austin Stacks V Mid Kerry at 7.30pm in Castleisland.
CLUB CARDS: Our Card sessions continue in the Clubhouse on Mondays and Thursdays with the starting time of 9pm sharp. .
CLUB LOTTO:
Next week’s Jackpot will be worth €4,350.
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; Blanche Rutland (nee Butler), Chapel Street and formerly Peterborough (UK); Phyllis O’Donoghue (nee Power), Limerick and formerly Castle Demesne; Ger Fenix, Ballinorig Close; and Oliver McGovern, Kevin Barry Villas and formerly Drogheda.