UNDER 10: Under 10 HURLING coaching under the direction of 4 qualified county coaches will take place @ 6.15pm on Friday next in Connolly Park. Everybody welcome, especially beginners. This venture needs support from everyone. Fridays are designated as “official HURLING evenings” by the County and Town Boards. All Under 10s are invited to experience “the skilful game.” It is a fact that another club had 41 players last Friday and a second Tralee club had 20 hurlers! Where are our dual players? Cá bhfuil ár dtraidisiún?
CEILIÚRADH 125: Tá buíochas mór tuillte ag gach éinne a ghlac páirt in imeachtaí Lá na gClub. Bhí an-lá againn. What better way to begin our celebrations than with Mass in St. Brendan’s Church…..(on the site of the old Rock Field….Joanie’s Field)…..celebrated by Rev. Fr. Gunn. With the grace of God in our hearts and with his sun beaming down the Black’n’Amber Brigade, led by a lone piper, proudly marched all the way from the Top o’ the Rock to our Connolly Park HQ.
What a day of fun and games, of banter and chat, of serious football talk and of reminiscences of days gone by!! Mentors and caterers worked tirelessly to ensure that every youngster had a “ball.” Connolly was a hive of activity as our future stars rushed excitedly from relays to obstacles, from poc fadas to penalty shots, from photo shoots to games of good skill and great enjoyment. Later in the evening our enthusiastic mentors showed their until-now-hidden skills and will-to-win fighting spirit in a “Street of Champions” internal football exhibition….peil, ambaist!! “There’s life in the ol’ legs yet,” exclaimed one spectator! A good job that Jack O’Connor wasn’t in attendance….”Star” and “Bó” might be in trouble!! Then ‘twas on to fierce difficult quiz questions for the club’s genii and intelligentsia and great fun was had by all! And to finish the proceedings we had the Connors’ Show….(Denis and Jim)…..songs go leor, club talent to burn agus bhí ceol ann go maidin! A highlight of the celebrations was the unveiling of the picture of our 27 All-Ireland medal winners….86 medals…..truly a “Street of Champions”! (Of course, we haven’t forgotten that medal holders who were born elsewhere have also proudly donned the Black’n’Amber!) Certainly a day to remember…lá dár saol…as older aficionados of our ancient games mingled with the future bearers of the torch! “Do you remember the day…” was heard from many a tongue and, of course, “the wan we should have won!” and “of course, we were well and truly robbed…!” The bunchloch of the GAA at its zenith…in its element. Agus Beannacht Dé leo siúd a chuaigh romhainn agus a choimeád an “Dubh is Ómra” ar foluain ar feadh breis is 90 bliain! Comhghairdeachas le lucht eagraithe na n-imeachtaí.
GO GAMES: The annual Under 8 Go Games Blitzes, which are ably organised by Kerry star Mícheál Quirke and Coiste na nÓg Chiarraí, continued on Wednesday in Páirc Uí hÉalaithe. Our young Rock boys are going from strength to strength in these games and we expect more of the same ar an gCéadaoin seo chugainn @ 6.30pm!
UNDER 6 & 8 & 10: (i) On Saturday our Under 6, Under 8 and Under 10 boys travelled away and had a great time. Thanks to our transport system! (ii) See you all on Sunday next in Cathair Sailí @ 11am. (iii)
GOOD WISHES: Everybody in the Rock Club sends more good wishes to Emily O’Shea; imríonn a deartháir, Dylan, leis na hUnder 10s. Gach beannacht leat, a Emily.
PEIL FAOI 12: (i) Training continues for this group on Mondays and on Thursdays at 6pm in Caherslee. (ii) Team v Kerins-O’Rahillys: Cathal O’Reilly; Dara Ó Scannláin, Seán Ó Muireagáin, Dean Bastible; Calvin Foley, Dylan Hennebery, Rory Hill; Michael O’Donnell(capt.), Seán Fitzmaurice; Philip Quilter, Ferdia O’Brien, Louis Ryle; Shane O’Donoghue, Colin Griffin, Oisín Fitzgerald; Kieran Carmody. (iv) Team v Na Crócaigh: Cathal O’Reilly;Dara Ó Scannláin, Seán Ó Muireagáin, Dean Bastible; Calvin Foley, Dylan Hennebery, Rory Hill; Michael O’Donnell(capt.), Seán Fitzmaurice; Kevin Murphy, Ferdia O’Brien, Louis Ryle; Colin Griffin, Seán Dukes, Oisín Mac Gearailt. (v) Great football was played by Stacks against Listowel Emmets in Round 3 at Connolly Park on Wednesday last. Well done all!
ACADAMH NA gCAILÍNÍ: (i) There was no training at Caherslee on Sunday last as, instead, an tAcadamh joined in the LÁ NA gCLUB Celebration which was a huge success and enjoyed by all. The girls met at St Brendan’s Church for 12.30pm Mass and then joined in the parade to Connolly Park where they split into their usual age groups and joined in the craic for the rest of the day. This included seven various games. The Under 10 girls would like to send a special thank you to Kieran Donaghy for showing how he can also play between the posts, saving goals as opposed to scoring them, in the penalty shootout. A few shots got away on him! The Acadamh would like to thank all girls, parents, mentors and club officials for the huge effort put into this day by all and, of course, a special mention for the unseen and unsung heroes who supplied more than 300 burgers, chips and drinks while keeping a busy bar happy. On a rather sad level, John Gutteridge had to write these notes while soaking his foot in a bowl of cold water, having convinced himself to “watch” the next mentors’ match! Was he really out of his depth?
(ii) The usual training continues this coming Sunday at Caherslee with a throw-in time of 11am. Hope to see you all there on the day, a chailíní, and look after poor John…..he may need to be helped along….gently!
PRIMARY SCHOOLS: Kerry hurler John Griffin continues coaching the “Cluiche Sciliúil” in a couple of Tralee primary schools. He will be in Connolly Park on Friday at 6.15pm to coach our hurlers. (Every Under 10 in town required!) And we congratulate him and his fellow Kerry hurlers on their Christy Ring Cup competition win against Mayo.
PRIMARY GAME: Well done to the hurlers of Gaelscoil Mhic Easmainn and Cathair Laithín who performed well in their first inter-school hurling game against Mainistir Ó dTórna on Tuesday. Good hurling was played by Dylan de Búrca, Dylan Mac Réamoinn, Dara Ó Scannláin, Seán de Búrca (sa chúl), Stiofán Ó Súilleabháin agus Aindrias de Barra. Múinteoirí Liam Ó Conchúir, Mick Bolger and Conor Kearney were impressed.
FAOI 14 A: (i) Under 14 training on Fridays at 5pm….just one day a week until we get our breaths back! (ii) We reached the last 4 in our competition and played against the Gaeltacht (who had already defeated us in an earlier round) in Gallarus in the semi-final on Monday last. On a beautiful evening, on the shores of Smerwick Harbour and in the townland of the oldest surviving Christian church in Europe, we met our “Waterloo”…..or “Dún an Óir”(1580), if you like! We opened in great style with Shane Greensmith pointing. We were unlucky not to score a goal within a minute. Conor Jordan got another point and it looked as if we’d get revenge for our earlier defeat in the same venue! Tomas Ziga and Eoin O’Carroll were lording it in the middle and our rearguard was
holding strong. However, buachaillí na Gaeltachta agus na Gaolainne shifted up a gear and scored at will….our only score before the briseadh was a cúilín from a free kick by Greagóir Ó hÓráin. All realised that we had a mountain….Brandon high……to scale in the second half and the heart of these boys knew no bounds as shoulders were put to the wheel and the scores came from the boot of Greg (1-3; 2 frees) only after heroic efforts from Eoin, Tomas, Conor Jordan, Mike O’Donnell, Adam Barrett, James O’Connor, Joseph O’Kelly, Kyle, Dylan and Darragh and with 14 minutes left we were on a roll….or so we thought…..a few missed goal chances and a lapse in concentration left the Gaeltacht tiger loose again and they began to dominate the proceedings. Agus, i ndeireadh na dála, ba é lá Chorca Dhuibhne é! The “positive” from a Stacks’ perspective is that our boys tried their best until séideadh mór na feadóige! Ár bhfoireann: Brian Horgan; Dylan Harnett, Barry Walsh, Darragh O’Carroll, Adam Barrett, James O’Connor, Joseph Ó Ceallaigh; Tomas Ziga, Eoin O’Carroll; Mike O’Donnell, Conor Jordan, Eoghan Mac Iomhargáin; Shane Greensmith, Greg Horan, Kyle Fitzgibbon. Na fir ionaid: Cillian Comerford, James Galvin, Breandán Caball, Breandán Duffin, Graham Riordan.
UNDER 14 B: (i) Now that we’re finished our competition, we’ll break from training for a short while….watch this space! (ii) On a cold and breezy Wednesday evening our Bs played away to Lios Tuathail in the semi-final of their division. Ag imirt i gcoinne na gaoithe in the first half we struggled against a slightly stronger opposition and were behind at the break…2-1 to 5-4. In the second half the expected black’n’amber resurrection didn’t take place despite well taken scores by Anthony Moynihan, Richard Hurley, Michael Lynch and Breandán Caball. Under great pressure Claudio Dema (cúl báire), Seán Hurley, Craig Corcoran, Niall Carroll-Cane (whose father, Martin, played corner forward under the late James Hobbert around 30 years ago!), defended very well. Further outfield Sam Nealon, Breandán Caball and Johnny Nolan (who substituted for the off-form Gavin Breen) made many timely interceptions and set up several attacks. Ciarán Flanagan and Dylan Harnett, playing against a strong midfield opposition, were like work horses in the middle of the park; they got a lot of possession, did a lot of running off the ball and linked well with forwards and defenders. Stylish Anthony Moynihan (who flicked a great goal from a Sam Nealon free kick), the hardworking Brian Hill and the industrious Richard Hurley were always on the alert for possession. Tim Murphy (who set up Michael Lynch for a brilliant goal) and Michael Lynch were at all times on the alert in around the square. An fhoireann: Claudio Dema, Seán Hurley, Craig Corcoran, Niall Carroll-Cane, Sam Nealon, Breandán Caball (0-1), Gavin Breen, Dylan Harnett, Ciarán Flanagan, Antóin Ó Muimhneacháin (1-1), Brian Hill, Richard Hurley (0-1), Michael Lynch (1-0), Tadhg Ó Murchú. Effective substitiutes: Cillian Comerford, Cian Casey, Johnny Nolan, Jason Carroll, David O’Brien, Brian Keely. Beimid i mbun oibre arís nuair a thiocfaidh an dea-aimsir!
HURLING UNDER 16/17/18: Hurling training will take place at 5.30pm in Connolly Park on this Friday as usual. We had a good turn-out last Friday. 3 county hurling coaches saw and admired the skills shown by this group!
UNDER 16: (i) Our Under 16s played in the league semi-final against Castle Island last week and finished the hour with a 2 point lead…bua iontach! Well done to Joe, Seán and their hard-working players. Score~ Austin Stacks:2-5; Castleisland: 0-9. Although the conditions were treacherous at times and hindered the fierce intensity at which this game was played our lads had their noses in front at the right time. It was truly end to end stuff by both sides from start to finish. Castle Island started the brighter, scoring 3 points without reply, and they dominated proceedings until David O’Sullivan got things going for the Rockies with a magnificent point from 30 yards out. Another point from Shane Crowley closed the gap to just one point but then Castle Island showed their true class by scoring a further 3 points without reply. Mike Godley secured another point for Stacks just at the break and Stacks were 3 points to 6 down at half time. After a few stern words at half-time the Stacks burst into life in the second half. A goal from Mike Godley and a further point from Dean Bastible set up Stacks for a grand finale finish. Desmonds, however, kept on the pressure with a further 2 points to go ahead by one and then came the breakthrough for The Rock with a brilliantly taken goal by Darragh O’Brien. The Rocky backs kept “The Island” attack at bay with some outstanding performances from Johnny Nolan, Alan Duggan at corner back, Alan Crean (who was brilliant throughout and became more influential when he moved out to wing back) and Ciarán Ó Conaill, who was his usual rock solid self at centre-back. One notable score from the second half was the final point by Stacks which started with a massive block down by Mike Godley who then gathered the ball and played it off to Danny Roche for a fine score. That score truly epitomized the black’n’amber performance and it was expected that the lads would take this momentum into the final (see below) against the Mitchels on Friday night. Team: Patrick Fitzgibbon, Alan Duggan, Alan Crean, Johnnie Nolan, Tom McLoughlin, Ciarán Ó Conaill, Greg Switzer, Shane Walsh, Niall Commane, Darragh O’Brien, David O’Sullivan, Mike Godley, Danny Roche, Dean Bastible, Shane Crowley. (ii) On Friday last we met An Bóthar Buí in the final in Páirc Uí hÉalaithe and an exciting game was witnessed by all who attended. We, short a few influencial players, tried to take the game to the opposition and we gave it our all. Victory wasn’t to be ours. The Green’n’gold boys were the stronger team on the night but our lads fought to the bitter end and were very disappointed to be in arrears by 7 points at thefinal whistle! This is a fine group of good players and they won’t be found wanting as the season progresses. Beidh lá eile ag an bPaorach! (ii) Blitz (7 a-side): on Monday our Under 16s took part in a 7-aside Football Blitz in Beaufort/Lios a’ Phúca. Players: Alan Crean, Danny de Róiste, Dean Bastible, Ciarán Ó Conaill, Scott Monaghan, Danny Carroll, Aaron Houlihan, Lúcás Ó Donnaile, Greg Switzer, Darragh O’Brien. In our 1st game a strong Glenflesk 7 beat us by 3 or 4 goals. Good performances given by Ciarán, Danny de Róiste and Danny Carroll. Dean Bastible worked his socks off at midfield but Glenflesk were too strong i ndeireadh na dála! In the 2nd game we drew with Kilcummin. Outstanding saves were made by Aaron Houlihan in goal and smashing goals came from the boots of Danny Carrol and Darragh O’Brien. Some fine passing and setting up of scores by the outstanding Scott Monaghan were among the features of this game. An 3ú cluiche: d’imríomar in aghaidh na Gaeltachta agus bhuamar le farasbarr 7 bpointe. Ciarán and Alan Crean with two cracking goals and good defensive work from Luke Donnelly and Greg Switzer ensured that we had 7 points to spare at the end. Well done, all! (iii) County league (Roinn 1): Round 1 ~ Wednesday 22nd June. (iv) County championship: Wednesday 19th August.
GAA LECTURE: A lecture on “Gnéithe de Stair CLG 1884~2009” will be given in Meadowlands Hotel at 8.30pm on Friday 22ú Bealtaine by Pádraig Ó Conchúir, Léana Mór, Béal Átha Longfoirt. Conradh na Gaeilge atá á eagrú agus é saor in aisce. Fáilte roimh chách.
KERRY GAA: www.kerrycoistenanog.com
THE ROCK: www.austinstacks.ie
HANDBALL: www.gaahandball.ie
MEMBERSHIP: If you’re still not registered call to the Clubhouse on Mondays from 8.30pm to 9.30pm.
BUA: Well done to our senior footballers v An Béal on Saturday last. Well done to our senior hurlers v Kilgarvan on Friday.