By Shay Connolly

The youngest Junior Hurling team in Dublin captured the County Championship last month in O’Toole Park to bring home the second County Championship for the Club in two months.

We were at it again. Traipsing up the canals to contest another replay in O’Toole Park. The drawn match against St Patrick’s of Palmerstown ebbed and flowed till everyone was quite happy to do it all over again on the following Sunday.

In that drawn match we produced a scintillating performance in the first half with glorious points from John Fitzgerald, Ray Rush and Ricky Joyce pushing us seven points in front. But, amazingly, with 5 minutes remaining we found ourselves two points down. However late points from Ray Rush and Cormac Connolly and a Ryanair catch from Johnny Sadlier saved the day for us.

The replay wished that Dr Christian Bernard was still alive and beside us all. In the first half nothing could separate the sides and we went in level at half time.

We pulled away by two points midway through the second half, only to be pegged back level again with time almost up. And with the referee looking at his watch John O’Leary sent a ball down along the wing.

Cormac Connolly gained possession, turned his man and sent a shot in from way out on the sideline. The ball seemed to stay in the air for eternity. The Gaels of Dublin 2 and 4 stood still as we all followed its flight.

As the ball descended from the air, we wished, we hoped, we prayed that it might make its intended journey. When the ball landed on the back of the net and the umpire reached for the white flag to signal to the world that it had indeed reached its destination– the heavens opened.

The referee blew his final whistle and amid unbridled joy this great and ancient Club of ours was proudly on the map once again. The Legend made a mockery of the high jump record.

Fellow manager Jack Nicholson smiled and inhaled the sweet aroma of success. Local teacher Robin Booth proudly congratulated many of his ex pupils and if they received seven ‘As’ in their Leaving Cert he would be no more proud.

Many highlights need to be recorded: Gary O Connor’s save midway through the second half. John Fitzgerald’s two sideline pucks that sailed majestically over the bar. Johnny Sadlier’s catch under the cross bar in the dying seconds of the drawn match. David Blakes soaring fetch. Michael Madill’s diving block down, John O’Leary’s “youíll have to kill me first” attitude.

Anto Quinlan’s stamina. Richie Hogan’s brain. Philly O’Neill’s dying for the cause, Ronnie Coleman’s burst-outs from the back. Carl Scott’s maturity, Billy Byrne’s tenacity, Ray Rushe’s wizardry, Ronan Murphy’s grit, Ricky Joyce’s beauty, Cormac Connolly’s accuracy, Jamesy Boylan’s introductions, Shane Hilliard’s patience, Liam Wickham’s understanding, Paul Madill’s return, Micky Byrne’s clearances, Damien Redmond’s endurance and Craig Collins’s availability.

And now the cup proudly sits beside the girls’ trophy in our now proud Trophy Cabinet. It took us 17 matches to win this Championship and we won’t forget it for many a day to come.

Captain David Blake was as proud as punch as he collected the Cup but not as proud as his father Paul whose face said “that’s my son.” This year’s All Ireland Final referee, Aodhain MacSuibhne presented David with the Cup and said how wonderful it was to see so many young people with hurleys in their hands as he takes his daily lunchtime jog around Ringsend.

This same team now awaits the league final against Raheny early in the New Year.

It was all back to the Club and ‘Follow the Cup’ Andrews (Chris) was at it again filling the cup up with assorted minerals. Chris is now the Club’s No 1 fan and he intends starting up a supporters’ group in the New Year. Anyone interested in joining should contact Chris c/o the Club.

In the last edition we told of the Ladies footballers being in a league final. Well. they won it by beating the same opposition as the Championship final, Garristown under the floodlights in Sean Moore Park to record a fantastic double.

In the last edition we told of the U.11s possibility of winning their league. Well they did it by winning all their remaining games. Well done to David Trolan and all the boys.

In the last edition we told of the U.14 football girls possibility of winning their league. Well they did it also by winning their remaining games.

In the last edition we told of the U16 hurlers play-off for runners up. Well we won that also by beating Oliver Plunkett’s/ Eoghan Ruadh in a fantastic game of hurling in Ringsend Park.

In the last edition we mentioned the Junior Hurlers being in the semi-final of the championship and them having a great chance of winning it outright. Well we did that too.

Also, in the last edition we told of the Inter footballers chance of winning their league and automatic promotion. Well they have tied with Inishfaels and a play-off is coming up soon. And will we win it? Of course we will!

So, folks, it has been a truly wonderful year on the playing front with lots of success to tell of. We are making huge strides with all our teams. Our plan of matching our facilities with success on the playing pitch is beginning to take shape.

There is an awful lot of hard work ahead of us but this year has certainly set us on the road. We are beginning to feel a certain pride about ourselves. We are now a serious operation and all teams playing against us now know that we are stiff opposition.

This Club is the second oldest club in Dublin. Since 1892 we have been giving the youth of our Community the chance to play our games, the chance to excel, the chance to compete and above all the chance to participate.

Since way back we had good times and bad times. During some of those times we have come close to extinction. But we are still here, surviving, growing and standing tall.

We would like to thank our Sponsors Dublin Port Co for believing in us. Believing that we can deliver.
To all other bodies, including Dublin Docklands Development Authority who have helped us thus far we say a big ‘thank you’.

Backchat:
In the last edition this author unforgivably left out Ashling Ryan as part of the Squad that won the Ladies Football Championship. Ashling is one of the best young footballers ever to don a Clanna Gael Fontenoy jersey. Mon apologies! A brown envelope is on its way to TAR as compensation.

The Incredible Hulk has returned from Norway (via Coventry) with a beautiful blonde belle by his side. She is known as the ‘tamer’ and if she succeeds in taming him she should enter the Guinness Book of Records. He now no longer wishes to be known as the Incredible Hulk but prefers Tarzan instead. Steady progress already!

Sincere condolences to the O’Reilly and McDonagh families on their recent bereavements. Joe McDonagh was a regular patron at the Club for many a year and will be sadly missed.

St Stephen’s Night and New Year’s Disco in the Hall. Plenty of Craic and Frolics. Tickets €15.00 will be available from the club shortly.

We wish Club coach Stephen O’Shaughnessy a speedy recovery after his operation.

Santa came to the Club on December 3rd to tell all the CLANN“G participants just how great a legend he once was. When all his work was done Rusty Rudolph then regaled some of the elder lemons about the red card episodes in his career. Not the stuff of Holy Christmas time let me tell you!

The main topic of conversation in the Club at present is the proposed Incinerator. Can they really put it amongst so many youngsters. Some serious debate lies ahead!

Congratulations to Marie Maguire on the birth of her lovely child.

Will those who scrawled the letters DK on the pathway to the Balcony please put up their hands. Everybody is saying that it was Gerry Mulreaney but I can’t prove it.

Ricky Joyce recently celebrated his 21st at the club. Ricky didn’t arrive until after midnight, as he could not get his hair right for hours. He follows in the footsteps of Stephen Mulreaney and Stephen Saunders who were also late for the same reason.

Congratulations to those two bold Connaught men, Kevin Munnelly and Brian McDermott on winning another title with Star of the Sea school. This pair are putting in trojan work with the kids and I’m sure the county of Mayo could do with some of their management skills.

There is a strong rumour that Martin Neville and Peter Burnett are seriously considering a double engagement in the New Year to be held at the Club. Would someone please tell the girlfriends.

As we go to print we are preparing for our Dinner Dance. I can guarantee you folks that I will have plenty to write about in Backchat in the next edition. This is where it all happens when members let their hair hang down and do some wonderful, weird things. Watch this space!

We wish all our members, friends and patrons a very happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year.

Top: On right are Dublin footballer Stephen O’Shaughnessy and Sinead Vivash, Ladies’ Footballer of the Year.

Middle: On left is Matt Bolton of DDDA with Thomas Joyce, Junior Football Player of the Year.

Bottom: On left is Joe Burke, Chairman Dublin Port Co with Morgan O’Sullivan, Inter Footballer of the Year.