PEIL Our senior team took another important step towards Div 1A League honours with a convincing win over Blessington. Victory was on the cards early on as we led 0-10 to 0-1 at half-time. Our scoring was less prolific in the 2nd period as the opposition resorted to a blanket defence. Éire Óg’s final tally was 1-12 with the goal being scored by Daniel Webb from a penalty resulting from a foul on Billy Cuddihy. Eoin McHugh, Seán Horan, Andrew Walsh, Sam Thompson and John Deeney were the stand-out players for Éire Óg.
IOMÁINT The status of hurling in Cill Mhantáin (a county hardly meriting the title of a hotbed of same) means that the number of teams participating in competitions is quite limited. A case in point is the u-14 league, which comprises a mere nine teams. This sadly means that the option of grading is eliminated and as a result many of the encounters are of the David versus Goliath kind with the weaker teams forced to take on far superior opponents. Our u-14s’ last three games, on paper at least, fell into this category.
The first of these was against Emmets in Bré while the second involved Éire Óg travelling to Arklow to play Carnew, a club that has a formidable history at this level. Lastly, they had to make the journey to Aughrim to take on County Féile winners – and favourites for the championship – Luke O’Tooles (an amalgam of Tinahely and Aughrim players).
Unfortunately, our Davids did not, in these three games, have the firepower to take down the Goliaths and defeat was, each time, to be our lot.
The cliché says that there is more to be learned from defeat than from victory and the management feels that this is certainly the case for their charges, whom they believe to have gained greatly in resilience and fighting spirit from this series of games.
The parents who attended the games and the mentors were delighted, and all agreed that the effort put in by the boys saw the team punching well above what had been heretofore assumed to be its weight.
Seán Cranley was the ace marksman of the campaign and there were stand-out performances sa chúl agus ins na cúlaithe ó Denis Burke and Neil Browne.
The remainder of the squad was composed of Daniel Healy, Stephen Salmon, Drew Campbell, Shane Ryan, Glen Ryder, Luke Dorgan, Thade Shanahan. Cillian Keane and Liam Byrne from Na Clocha Liatha and the dependable Eoin Byrne and Fionn Mansfield from Cill Chomhghaill. Joe Prendergast and Seán McCormack from the u-12s were on hand and when called upon proved themselves to be well able to compete at this level.
Comhgháirdeachas to Joe Prendergast who won Gold in the long jump at the Leinster championships in Tullamore. He was also a member of the u-12 relay team that carried off the silver medal. Ár ngraidhin thú, a Sheosaimh. Gaisce iontach déanta agat.
The remaining games in the league are scheduled for July and the championship will be played off in the Autumn. Éire Óg wishes all the best to Luke O’Tooles who will be representing Cill Mhantáin in the Féile and commends the team’s mentors – the O’Shea brothers, Kieran and Seán – for the work they are doing for the ancient game in their district.
During a couple of days sojourn in the Marble City last week, one had occasion to muse “is it any wonder that Cill Chainnigh wins so may All-Irelands?” The source of one’s musing was the sight, at the breaks in the exam schedule, of boys trailing down town, sliotar in hand and “camán ina nglaic chun spóirt” (hurl at the ready).
PEIL na mBAN Our u-14s had the unenviable task of journeying to Carnew on Sunday morning to play the locals in the league. One might say that this is a team that has not yet forged an identity and the mentors had difficulty in mustering the requisite fifteen. No surprise, then, that hopes were not high leaving Na Clocha Liatha
However, the beautiful sunshine, the lovely green sward and the balmy breeze that greeted them on arrival in Carnew buoyed the girls’ spirits and had them in an excellent frame of mind taking to the field. They needed this positive attitude, as they were facing into the breeze and hill for the first half. And indeed the optimism paid off, as at the break Éire Óg were 4-4 to 1-3 ahead thanks to the dominance of Frances Dallaghan and Iseult Brosnan at centre-field
Carnew upped their game in the second period and Éire Óg’s back divison of Megan Maguire, Andrea Hanlon, Claudia Randles, Aisling Duggan, Kira Finn and Aisling Lawrence found themselves under constant pressure. But stout defending and excellent goalkeeping by Kiara McDonnell ensured a modest return for the Carnew forwards.
Katie Lawless, fleet of foot and poacher of scores, was the most dangerous among an excellent attack that included Ava Maganetty, Emer Fawscett, Ella Horgan, Hannah Molloy and Terri Williams. Greatly to the satisfaction of the mentors, the girls functioned very much as a team and came away with a victory to the final score of 6-8 to 3-7.
Cúl Camps 2015: Agreed by the knowledgeable in the subject of summer camps to be amongst the best organised and the best value of those on offer. As per usual, two of the Kelloggs Cúl Camps are being held in Greystones this summer. Football: 6-10 July; Hurling/Camogie: 13-17 July. Cost for first child: €55; €40 for other children. Bookings: www.eireoggreystones.com/cul-camps-2015
BAG-PACK Éire Óg are holding a bag-pack in Tesco on this Friday 19th (5-9pm) and Saturday 20th (11am-9pm). The organisers are looking for children from 12 years upwards and for adult supervisors. Are you willing to help? Contact Daniel on 086-3544954
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