Club news 17 October 2016

Last Thursday with the death of Jimmy OToole another chapter was closed in the history of the Greystones (ire g) G.A.A. club. Jimmy and his family have figured in the clubs annals from the 40s to the present day his grandson Jamie is a member of the current senior squad. Jimmy himself played in goals for Greystones (red and white) seniors for about 20 years and was extremely proud of having been a member of the Junior Championship winning teams of 56 and 65. His son Davids winning of an Intermediate Championship medal with Greystones in the 80s was also a great source of pride to Jimmy.

He never lost interest in the affairs of the club and regularly attended our home games. One of my last memories of Jimmy was of seeing him, towards the end of last year and not long before his health began to deteriorate, standing in the spills of rain watching a senior league game which was being played under lights.

At his funeral Mass in Holy Rosary Church his championship boots which he had preserved and polished since his playing days were placed on his coffin. These have been presented to the club and will be on display in the clubrooms.

Ray Barry, an Uachtarn of the club and a close friend of Jimmys for more years than he cares to remember, gave the eulogy. In it he described a person of great humanity, an exemplary family man, and a kind and caring neighbour with a ready smile that lifted the spirits of all who met him.

Jimmys wife of over 50 years, Hilda, predeceased him by 6 months. May they both rest in peace. Ar dheis D go raibh a n-anamacha.

LOTTO Winning nos. on October 17th were 10, 13, 15, 30.

Our u-16 girls were imbued with a more than normal determination and focus as they took to the pitch for the County B Championship Final against St Pats B team in Ballinakill on Saturday week last. An attitude nurtured on the experience of the nucleus of the squad who had suffered the disappointment of defeat at this stage on 3 previous occasions.

Eventhough missing 2 of their key players, Aoife Teague and Katie Lawless, the teams hopes were high as it had had wins over the same opposition earlier in the season and were well apprised as to their relative strengths. Four of the ire g u-14 B championship winning squad of the previous Saturday had their names pencilled in on the team sheet viz. Eva Magennety, Andrea Hanlon, Alice ONeill and Iseult Brosnan who was assigned the formidable task of deputising for Aoife Teague at centre-field.

To say that the ire g cailn had a whirlwind start would be somewhat of an understatement as they had gone 3 goals ahead after 5 minutes. The goals came from well worked movements involving Ellie ONeill, Ellen Prendergast and Rachel Purcell all of which ended with Rachel rifling the ball to the back of the St Pats net. On 8 minutes Rachel added what was the score of the match; a hooked shot over her left shoulder, as she was being forced away from goal, had the ball landing on top of the Pats net.

With the mid-field duo of Shauna Dillon and Iseult Brosnan having the upper hand in the middle third and with a go-forward half-back line of Eva Megennety, Eva Roche and Frances Dallaghan, the ire g forwards were ensured a bountiful supply of quality ball which was used to good effect by half-forwards Aisling Lawrence, Claudia Randalls and Megan Healy.

As often happens in games, the team being outplayed has a period of dominance and such was the case for St Pats in this match. Later in the half they succeeded in mounting a period of sustained pressure on the Clocha Liatha goals but their best efforts came to nought as each chance was snuffed out by a combination of the rock-solid defending of Katie OReilly and her backs and by the immaculate handling of goalkeeper Erica Bellamy. Ellie ONeill and Erica Bellamy exchanged roles for the 2nd half but this did not result in any respite for the hard-pressed Baile Chill Mantin fifteen and ire g exited the game as comprehensive winners.

Team: Erica Bellamy, Alice ONeill, Andrea Hanlon, Katie OReilly, Eva Megannety, Eva Roche, Frances Dallaghan, Iseult Brosnan, Shauna Dillane, Claudia Randalls, Megan Healy, Aisling Lawrence, Ellen Prendergast, Rachel Purcell, Ellie ONeill. Subs.: Eva Moore, Niamh Hanrahan, Chloe Leonard, Kate Walker, Karen Nevin.

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