Tag: Austin Stacks

August 2, 2017

Austin Stacks Claim County Intermediate Title.

Randles Brothers Intermediate Ladies County Final

Austin Stacks celebrate AS v NG thron Inter Final Austin Stacks num 12 Austin Stacks v Na Gaeil inter final Na Gaeil v Austin Stacks

Austin Stacks 1-14 Na Gaeil 1-13

When 2 local rivals go head to head you can always expect a tight tense battle, and we certainly got that in Strand Road last Saturday evening as Austin Stacks were crowned Randles Brothers Intermediate Ladies County champions after an excellent one point victory over Tralee rivals Na Gaeil.

Austin Stacks will point to a golden 10 minute period early in the second half, when they put over 5 points on the bounce, as being central to their victory. Up to that point the Stacks girls had struggled to get a grip on the game , but this spell gave them me the belief that they could go on to win the title.

Stacks were much more economical in front of the posts, shooting just 4 wides on the day whilst Na Gaeil will look back on the 12 wides that they shot as being detrimental to their challenge.

Na Gaeil did look the better side for long periods of the game and raced into a 5 points to 2 lead after 11 minutes, with 2 each from Sibeal Casey and Eilis O’Connor, and one from the livewire Megan Sheehy. Austin Stacks kept in touch with scores from Caoimhe Barry Walsh and a Megan O’Brien free kick. Marina Barry shot another over the bar for Stacks, but the impressive Jadyn Lucey replied with 2 good points to push Na Gaeil 4 ahead.

Austin Stacks were struggling, but received a massive boost when they were awarded a penalty in the 20th minute . Na Gaeil netminder Laura Fitzgerald had made a good save , but as the ball bobbled around the small rectangle, referee Sean Joy spotted an indiscretion and awarded Austin Stacks a penalty. The deadly accurate O’Brien stuck the spot kick away with aplomb, and suddenly Stacks were within a single point, 1-3 to 0-7 , of their rivals.

Ten time All Ireland winner Marina Barry pointed afterwards to level the game for Stacks, but Na Gaeil struck for a goal of their own through the lively Sibeal Casey. Eilis O’Connor pointed for Na Gaeil straight afterwards, but once again Austin Stacks hit a purple patch and added 3 more points from O’Brien (2) and Barry again. Na Gaeil then struck the crossbar twice in a row on the stroke of half time, and Na Gaeil went in at the break leading by just a single point, 1-8 to 1-7.

Na Gaeil started the second half brightly and Megan Sheehy from a free, and Jadyn Lucey from play, pushed them 3 ahead. Sensing that the game was slipping away, the Stacks management moved Laura Rogers to centre half forward and the Kerry star went on to have a major impact on the rest of the game. Stacks hit 3 points on the bounce, with 2 from O’Brien and one from Breda Slattery to level the contest once again.

Stacks took a firm stranglehold on proceedings and Rogers put over 2 points as the Na Gaeil challenge appeared to falter. Jadyn Lucey from a free and Clare Brennan from play traded points before Sibeal Casey put over for Na Gaeil to bring it to a one point game. Na Gaeil were then unlucky to hit the crossbar before their excellent full forward Eilis O’Connor scored the best point of the day to level the contest.

There was still time for more drama, and when Rogers was fouled after another searing run, O’Brien stepped up and pointed the resultant free to send the Austin Stacks supporters into raptures. As the final whistle sounded straight afterwards, Austin Stacks were crowned the Kerry Intermediate champions for 2017.

The remarkable Marina Barry now has the full collection of Championship medals in Kerry with junior, senior and an intermediate honours in her collection. What makes it extra special for the Austin Stacks legend is that she was playing alongside her daughter Caoimhe Barry Walsh in Saturday evenings victory.

Best for Austin Stacks were Laura Rogers, Sarah Higgins, Aoife Dillane, Megan O’Brien, and arina Barry whilst Na Gaeil’s best were Sarah Quigley, Sheila O’Riordan, Jaydn Lucey, Mary O’Connell and Eilis O’Connor.

Austin Stacks Deborah Mangan,Karena Slattery, Norma O’Connor, Sarah Higgins, Deirdre O’Shea, Catriona Horgan, Ellen O’Connell, Laura Rogers (0-2), Aoife Dillane, Breda Slattery (0-1), Caoimhe Barry Walsh (0-1), Karina Quilter, Maeve McKivergan, Marina Barry (0-4), Sarah O’Brien (1-5, 1 goal pen, 1f), Subs Ciara Rogers(N O’Connor), Clare Brennan (0-1)(C Horgan),S Hoare (D O’Shea),

Na Gaeil Laura Fitzgerald, Sarah Quigley, Susan Fernane, Sheila O’Riordan, Muireann Moriarty, Nora O’Connell, Brid O’Connor, Ayesha Roche, Kate Ann O’Connor, Jadyn Lucey (0-4, 1f), Mary O’ Connell, Megan Sheehy (0-2, 1f), Mairin Maher, Eilis O’Connor (0-4), Sibeal Casey (1-3).

Referee Sean Joy (Laune Rangers)

December 21, 2016

Kerry Chairman Maurice McNamara Ready To Face New Challenges Ahead.

maurice

Sometimes life can deal you a tough hand but how you deal with it shapes the type of person that you become. In 1995 the newly elected Kerry Ladies Football Chairman Maurice McNamara was involved in a road traffic accident that would leave him paralysed from the waist down. A tough and shocking blow for a man that was extremely active in a number of sports, one would have forgiven him if he had rolled over and felt sorry for himself for the rest of his life. But Maurice isn’t like that , instead he rolled up his sleeves and decided to re invent himself, going back to education and repeating his Leaving Cert. A good result saw Maurice destined for UCC where he stayed for a total of 9 years serving as secretary and chairman of UCC football club. It was here that Maurice was instrumental in getting Eamon Ryan to take on the role of Cork senior football manager winning 10 All Ireland titles in 11 years under the Watergrasshill man’s guidance.

Originally from Loughill in West Limerick, Maurice was a prodigious talent and made his senior football debut for his home club Gerald Griffins at the tender age of 14. His prowess on the rugby field carried him to St Munchins College in Limerick where he played Munster Senior Cup rugby as a powerhouse prop forward. Later Maurice would move to Tralee and Gerald Griffins loss was Austin Stacks gain as he inspired his new club to minor County Championship hurling glory in 1986. This move to Stacks was to harness a life long love affair with the Tralee town kingpins which he still has to this day. The bleakness and lack of opportunity in 1980’s Ireland led to Maurice taking the boat to London in search of work in 1997. Whilst in London he signed up for the Kingdom club where he continued to play football before moving back to Tralee.

Maurice is really looking forward to getting stuck in to his new role as Kerry Ladies Chairman. “The challenges will be steep’, he says “but if all clubs, coaches and supporters row in we could have a very successful year”.

McNamara is a man that knows how to overcome steep challenges and there is no doubt that he embrace the challenge as Kerry Ladies Football chairman with the enthusiasm and determination that he has always shown.