By Shay Connolly
By Shay Connolly |
Hi Folks. Well we’re still here, still keeping the show on the road, still fundraising to keep our ship afloat and still banishing the country’s woes into the sea and beyond. For no matter what happens folks we will still be putting on green, yellow and blue jerseys for all the youngsters of our area each week, 52 weeks a year. And what better way to get away from all the talk of recession blues than to sign up for our two-week Easter Camp. Programme Activities: What to bring: Coaches Credit Crunch Saver!!! Gaelic Football * Application forms available from the Clubhouse or local schools On the Adult Hurling front anybody who reads this article and even those that don’t would know that the club returned to Senior Status last year after a gap of 23 years. With a very young squad the task ahead to retain it would indeed be a stringent test. Despite some great wins away to Thomas Davis and St Pat’s Palmerstown and a home win against Erin’s Isle the lads still found themselves in a relegation play-off at the end of the year. St Oliver Plunketts/ Eoghain Ruadh provided the opposition and the game eventually took place in January. It was the week when the snow visited us but it took a break on the Wednesday night and allowed us to play the game. Clans, starting as underdogs played out a fiercely-contested first half and trailed by two at the interval. The second half performance will go down as one of the best displays ever seen in a Fontenoy jersey. Ten minutes into the second half and trailing by three we had our centre back sent off for two yellow cards and the task ahead looked ominous. But this signalled the rallying call from the Ringsend Boys Digging deep into their reserve, the lads harried, hassled and chased everything that moved. The sheer hunger on display was a joy to behold and Plunketts simply could not live with us. Guys put their bodies in where no lions or elephants would dare to tread and hurley sticks bounced off them like lollipop sticks. Brave and courageous catching and blocking were all part of one mighty display that saw us come back from three points down to win the game by a point to retain our Senior Status and send the mighty Plunketts down to Intermediate ranks. I am tempted to name some individuals but that would be unfair to this glorious team effort. Everyone to a man, and I mean everyone, played their part. The sound of the final whistle was the sweetest sound that many have heard in a long, long day at the Club and a fantastic party ensued. The joy that exuded throughout the Club that night would have brought the Celtic Tiger back but it was the Fontenoy Tiger, with honest and unselfish endeavour that brought our joy that night. Take a bow lads for you did us oh so proud! Last Saturday saw the first round of the 2009 Senior League when Commercials were the opposition. We started where we left off in January and finished the game 13 points ahead. Keep it going boys and always remember that night in January when we all, at last, stood up and were counted. Staying with hurling, the Club was proud to host the Fitzgibbon Cup semi-finals and Ryan Cup finals in Sean Moore Park. This prestigious competition for third level institutions is one of the main attractions of the GAA calendar. The amount of Inter County stars on display made up for two supremely excellent hurling games with eventual winners UCC coming back from the dead in the second semi-final. The President of the GAA Nicky Brennan was domiciled in the Club for the two days and paid many tributes to the Club’s facilities. On Saturday it was great to see our own Gary Prior from Ulster Bank present the Ryan Cup to winners Mary Immaculate from Limerick, coached by Eamonn Cregan. On the Juvenile front it’s all systems go as the Saturday Academy continues to grow. Catering from ages 4 to 8 this fun and recreational session is proving to be a great success with the parents all joining in on its delivery. Staying with the Games Development Officer, Declan is settling into his new position well by getting to know all mentors and school teachers. Declan will have a number of events taking place throughout the year at the Club and all will be informed in due course. This Friday sees a joint venture between the Club and Northern Thrust, a venture that will see boys and girls from City Quay School taking part in a blitz at the Clubhouse. Staying with Blitzes, the U10 boys’ football mentors ran a very successful one last Saturday. The Clans boys recorded wins over Kilmacud Crokes and St Pat’s Palmerstown before going down by a solitary point to Lucan Sarsfields. The Under 9s– (Born 2000)– have had a good start to the season with some excellent all round performances. A home win against Cuala in football set things in motion and although that was followed by defeat away to Ballyboden, the squad is sure they will turn that result around when the Boden come down to Ringsend. The last league game ended with a very strong Naomh Olafs winning well. Last Saturday the 9s played Northside giants, Naomh Mearnog, in a friendly and in a closely-fought set of games were the victors by a narrow margin. Unfortunately, the first league hurling game resulted in a defeat against, guess who, Ballyboden. Their new all-weather playing surface didn’t suit us too well! However, some hard hurling sessions in the training paddock have borne dividends and the last game of hurling saw the teams beat Cuala by the narrowest of margins. So far this season the squad has improved with every game and with the players all putting in so much effort the results will get better and better. All the players have been playing really well and battling through every game. The Under 9s are always on the look out for new players so if you were born in 2000 you are very welcome to join us. Training is on Thursday evenings from 7.00 pm to 8.00 pm. All welcome. U14 girls are doing some serious training since Christmas as the league season approaches next weekend. They already had an outing two weeks ago in preparation and ran out handsome winners against Cuala. They train each Thursday evening at 7.00 p.m. and all are welcome. The Adult Lady footballers are doing likewise in their preparation and had a very credible draw against Senior side Cabinteely recently. They have a serious year ahead of them and many believe that this is the year that they can make the big breakthrough to Senior ranks. Go for it Girls! And so too are the under 14 Camogie girls and training sessions are each Tuesday night at 6.00 while U12 girls football is at 4.30 on Friday evenings. I watched the U16 footballers two weeks ago against Round Towers. Seriously talented group this bunch. The match ended in a draw when we threw away a three-point lead with 5 minutes to go. Highlight of the game was a superbly taken goal that rattled the net by Robert ‘Bob’ Lacey. But if the lads had to be any way cute and held their discipline they would have won this match comfortably. ‘The one who ignores the provocation is a stronger one than the one who reacts to it.’ (Clanna Gael Fontenoy Constitution, April 1892, Chapter 3, Verse 11,) So a little more savvy lads and less of the brawn. Staying with education, hard luck to Marian College in the Senior Colleges Final, regrettably losing out by a goal, having been level for most of the game. Best of luck to the Junior team who also contest the Dublin final shortly. This race has taken on Cheltenham status in the last couple of years, with side betting and all types of shenanigans taking place. Shouts of rigging certain Ducks by decreasing the air in their tummies have been waged against the organizers but no matter what– the Champion Duck Hurdle continues to attract thousands to the banks of the Dodder each year. This year’s event floats off on the 28th March at 2.00 pm. Traffic restraints will be placed all around Ballsbridge for the day. The Camogie girls’ second fundraiser, a Table Quiz takes place in the Clubhouse on Friday 3rd April at 8.00 pm. Tables cost €40 and the advice is come early. The quiz will be followed by music and craic with resident D.J. Clanny Font performing. The Juvenile section is holding its main fundraiser in June. This will be a Race Night extraordinaire with many celebreties from the racing world expected to attend the Clubhouse for this Aintree-like session. Adult hurlers and Adult footballers are organising a night at the Dogs in the summer to offset their annual expenses and are at present as busy as frogs putting it in place. I apologise to some of the teams I did not refer to in this edition. So there you have it folks. There is plenty for everyone in Clanna Gael Fontenoy. All shapes and sizes, all classes, colour and creed in one big family atmosphere. It is stuff like this that can get us all through this recession and come out smiling at the end of it. Welcome on board to anyone who may wish to join us! Above: Gary Prior, Ulster Bank presents the trophy to captain Shane O’Neill from Mary Immaculate College Limerick. |
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Easter Camps ready to rock as Hurlers remain Senior