LIAM KEARNS: There was shock and sadness not alone in the Club but throughout the Country on Sunday night when news broke of the sudden death of former Club Footballer Liam Kearns. For well over 40 years Liam has been involved in Football at Club and County level. He first came to prominence when he, together with his Club colleagues Michael Crowley and Michael Counihan, won All Ireland MF Medals with Kerry in 1980. That same year he made his SF debut with the Club and for the next 14 seasons (to the end of 1993) he lined as one of the Club’s greatest ever centre-field players, winning a SF Co. Championship medal in 1986.
He then got involved in Football Management which lasted to this very day. His adopted County, Limerick, was his first venture and he also managed Laois and Tipperary (whom he brought to an All Ireland semi final in 2016) as well as the Rathmore Club at local level, ending up with his current County, Offaly.
Over the years Liam has continued to support his beloved Austin Stacks and has maintained close contact with his former team mates attending many social functions in the club down through the years.
We extend sincere sympathy to all Liam’s family and friends on his untimely passing, especially to his wife Angela, his daughters Rachel and Laura and his mother and father Eileen and Ollie.
SYMPATHY: Sincere sympathy is also offered to the families of the following who died recently: Michael Kearney, Killarney and late of Doon; Liam Brick, Caherbreagh; Sally Smith (nee Hickey), Castlegregory and formerly Ballyard; Mary Burke, Ballybunion (grandmother of former Club Footballer, Nessan Crean); Timothy Kenny, Ballyheigue (brother of Joan of our Card Players); David McCannon, St. Joseph’s Estate; Billy Kerins, Kevin Barry’s Villas (brother of our former Club footballer and the Club’s current referee, Gordon); and PJ Clifford, Cahermoneen and formerly Cahersiveen.
SENIOR FOOTBALL; Due to the recent inclement weather, which left most pitches in unplayable conditions, the Tralee/St. Brendans League Final between ourselves and John Mitchels did not go ahead as scheduled last week-end. No new date has been fixed as we write.
The Co. League gets underway on this coming weekend but our home game against Spa has been put back a week. It has now been refixed for Saturday, 25th March at 4pm. Our B team have a bye in Rd1 of Co. League Div 5A.
MINOR FOOTBALL: With the CCC last week awarding us the points for the round 1 game against Legion which did not take place this means we share the top spot on the Co. League table with Kenmare Shamrocks with both on six points each after the opening three games. So our round 4 game against the Kenmare boys in Connolly Park on this Wednesday evening (15th March) at 6.30 will be a top of the table clash. We have one more game to play after that at home to An Ghaeltacht which is fixed for next Saturday afternoon (18th March) at 3pm.
ROCK ST. PO. LOTTO COMPETITION; Please support the Rock St. Post Office Club Lotto Competition. The winning Club will have exclusive sales on their Club Lotto tickets in the Rock St. Post Office for the next 3 years. Club supporters will get (please ask) one token for each transaction completed at Rock St. Post Office between now and 31st March. Put it into the Austin Stacks Collection Bucket in the Post Office. By the end of March all the tokens will be counted and the Club with the most tokens will be deemed to be the winner. A single postage stamp doesn’t count as transaction, but everything else does. A €4 TV Licence Saving Stamp counts as a transaction as does registered letters, parcel postage, bill payments, phone top-ups, phone sales, a dog licence, foreign exchange and withdrawals.
CHELTENHAM CHAMPION TIPSTER COMPETITION: Our popular Cheltenham-based fundraiser returns this year with a fantastic competition being run over the four days of the great horse racing festival (Tueday 14th – Friday 17th March). Full details will be available on the Club website and social media channels later this week. So start studying the form to ensure you’re in with a chance to win the top prize of €500!
CLUB MEMBERSHIP: This season’s Club Membership, which is now due, may be purchased online via your Club Foireann Account or pay online via Clubforce (see austinstacks.ie for link), or sign up for a monthly DD payment, or pay by cash by contacting Club Registrar, Bernie Mannix at 086 0767415.
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 (14th March.) Jackpot worth €3,450 was not won. The winning numbers were 11, 14, 18, 32. The €20 winners were David Hannafin, Gene O’Donnell and Kevin Healy, all c/o The Club; Tom Leen, c/o Carmel O’Neill and Stacey Enright, c/o Husseys.
Next week’s Jackpot will be worth €3,500.
Continued thanks to the following businesses for selling our Lotto tickets on a weekly basis – Kevin Barrys Shop, Commane’s Book Shop (PC Books), O’Flynns Interiors; Hussey’s, Princes St., The Burger Shack, Monavalley and Kirby’s Brogue Inn and continued thanks to everyone who purchases tickets week-in, week-out.
