 The last week has been an
exciting one for Clanna
Gael Fontenoy, with the
spotlight firmly on the Intermediate
Football team and their colossal
efforts to reach the Holy
Grail– Senior promotion.
It has been a long season for the
lads, with the promotion play offs
due to be played pre-Christmas
but postponed until February.
Two tough matches in four days
was a big ask but the lads took it
all in their stride and justified their
place in the mix for promotion.
The play off semi-final against
Naomh Barrog was a seat-of
the pants victory for the Clans.
As Naomh Barrog fought back
strongly in the second half to come
within a point, but in the end the
whistle blew to the immense relief
of us all and the stage was set
for the centrepiece match of our
football season. A promotion play
off final against Naomh Mearnog
of Portmarnock on Thursday 11th
of February.
 The final got off to a blistering
start and ebbed and flowed during
the first half. The large crowd
were treated to some fine scores
and impressive displays. The first
score of the game came in the
second minute when good support
play in the forward line resulted
in a well-taken point from
play for Mearnogs.
It did not take long for Clans
to respond. In the fourth minute
Ricky Joyce pointed from play
following impressive fielding
from David Lyons and a nicely
weighted pass to the hands of
Joyce from Joe Hennessy.
Clans quickly took the lead
through a pointed free from Martin
McGahan, following a super
catch in midfield by Stephen Mulreany
and support play by Colly
Reynolds. Mearnogs then won a
free and brought the game back to
parity after ten minutes.
In the twelfth minute Mearnogs
were awarded a further free,
which was converted, giving
Mearnogs the lead. Clans then
drew level midway through the
half, when the combined play of
the hard-working Peadair Gormley,
Anthony Darcy and Cormac
McAleer broke down a Mearnogs
attack.
Cormac, turned provider, fed a
low ball to Colly Reynolds, who
took on his man and was dragged
to the ground. The resultant free,
from 40 yards, was an extremely
well taken point from the boot of
Martin McGahan.
 But the story, as the half unfolded,
was that when Clans
scored a point, Mearnogs always
had a response and their scores
seemed to come easier. They took
the lead again with a well-taken
point from play.
Clans restored parity again in
the 27th minute. Mark Campbell
did extremely well in defence by
robbing his man of the ball and
launching the ball up field to Mc-
Gahan. He was fouled and Ricky
Joyce stepped up to point the resultant
free.
Again, it took only one minute
for Mearnogs to get on the scoreboard
again with a well-taken
point from play. Clans responded,
and drew the sides level for the
third time, through a free won by
David Lyons and converted by
Ricky Joyce. The final two scores
of this half went to Naomh Mearnog–
the first from play and the
second from a free.
The early exchanges in the
second half saw Clans kick two
wides and two further efforts
fall short of the posts. In the
fifth minute, Mearnogs notched
the first point of the second half
with a well-taken point from play.
Clans responded with a free from
the boot of Martin McGahan, following
an excellent solo run in
attack by Gary Kavanagh which
resulted in a foul.
However, in the next few
minutes Clans discipline left a
lot to be desired. Two free decisions
 given in their favour were
reversed on the back of indiscipline.
This certainly did not help
the Clans cause.
Shane Ryan, who proved a
thorn in the Clans side for the best
part of the game, then converted
a fine individual point and took
the Mearnogs lead to three. Clans
then introduced Ciaran Connolly
and Simon Beirne.
The next ten minutes of the
game were nip and tuck with both
sides converting two points each.
The Clans points came courtesy
of Ricky Joyce (both frees), following
two impressive attacking
moves by Damien Joyce and Ciaran
Connolly respectively.
The clock ticked into the last
ten minutes of the game, with
three points separating the teams.
It was then that Mearnogs stepped
up the pace and showed their
hunger for a place in the Senior
ranks. Four unanswered points in
as many minutes took the lead to
seven and effectively ended the
match as a contest.
Clans had no answer for the
boys from Portmarnock. In the
last two minutes, Clans scored
two points, both from the in-form
Martin McGahan, but alas, it was
too little too late– Clans faith had
been sealed.
The final whistle sounded and
disappointment ebbed from the
players and fans alike. Although
defeated, the lads can be very
proud of themselves and their
achievements this year.
 2009 CLUB NIGHT
On December 6th last, circa
250 club members and their partners
attended the annual Clanna
Gael Club Night. The event was
held in the Berkeley Court hotel
and was a fun-filled evening enjoyed
by all.
The 2009 Club Players of the
Year were announced on the night
and are as follows:
Football: Ricky Joyce
Hurling: Anthony Quinlan and
Jason Redmond
Ladies Football: Kim Flood
Camogie: Lisa Murray
The camogie team were also
presented with their medals– 2009
Junior League Champions and
2009 Junior Championship Runners
up. They now look forward,
in anticipation, to the challenges
of the Intermediate league in the
coming year.
On the night, special presentations
were also made to Ladies
footballers Kim Flood and Rachel
Byrne to recognise their achievements
with the Dublin ladies panel
in 2009. A presentation was
also made to Lisa Murray who
was awarded an All Star in recognition
of her outstanding camogie
season in the Clans colours.
Other Club News/ Announcements
Training has recommenced for
all adult teams:
 Hurling– Tuesday and Thursday,
7pm
Camogie– Tuesday and Thursday,
7pm
Ladies Football– Monday and
Wednesday, 7pm
New members welcome
CLUB MEMBERSHIP
Club membership is now due.
Membership forms are available
behind the bar. The appropriate
fee and form should be put in an
envelope and into the membership
box beside the bar or handed
to Bernard Lawless
Our function hall: open for business
THE NEW refurbished function hall at Clanna Gael is now open for
business. Pictured above are two recent celebrations held in the hall;
Rachel Murrayʼs 21st Birthday bash, above, and Christening celebrations
for Damien and Darinaʼs child Michael, shown.
If you want to book the function room for any family event, get in
touch with Shay on 087 9011716.
Shay is also pleased to announce that the Tree Council of Ireland
has chosen Clanna Gael Fontenoy as the venue for their annual tree
planting ceremony on Tuesday 9th March at 11am. Christy Cooney,
President of the GAA, will be performing the ceremony. Everyone
invited and all welcome.
PICTURES:
Top: David Lyons
and Ricky Joyce, Clanna
Gael Fontenoy, battle
for possession during
the Intermediate
Promotion Play Off
Final.
Right: Martin McGahan,
Clanna Gael Fontenoy,
steadies himself
before converting a
point in the Intermediate
Football Promotion
Play Off Final |
