Padraig hoping to net more
UNDERAGE basketball international Padraig McGroggan was ecstatic to be named Young Sport Star of the Year last Saturday - and the icing on the cake for him would be the formation of a National League team in Drogheda.
The youngster beat off strong competition to land the title - from two fellow Duleek natives in National boxing champion Gavin Rafferty and darts youth international Keane Barry, as well as World Junior pool champion Cormac Kerr and Meath Junior football captain Daire Rowe.
Padraig had led St Mary’s DS Drogheda to victory in last year’s All-Ireland Schools Under-19 B Cup, setting a captain’s example with a personal haul of 30 points that included eight three-point shots.
With that team disbanded as the players move on to further education and the like, Saturday was something of a reunion for the squad and Drogheda Bullets clubman Padraig feels there’s sufficient talent in the area to support a successful National League team.
‘There was was a good competition for the award and it’s just a product of hard work with the team,’ Padraig began.
‘It’s not just a single award, it’s a team award, it’s St Mary’s and even the club as well and I’m absolutely delighted. It’s very unexpected and I’m really humbled and grateful and I’d like to thank my parents, coaches, players and God as well.’
Asked about his future plans, he went on: ‘I’m in my first year in college in Dundalk on a sports scholarship, so I don’t get to see them [St Mary’s teammates] much and you miss them because they’re lads you grew up with for five, six years.
‘They’re a really talented bunch. Some of them had to take a break while they got settled into college and it would be good to get them back because they’re too good to give it up.
‘I was an international, Josh Coleman and Padraig Nulty - even the likes of Mark Lugoye and that who could really push on, Shane O’Connor - there’s so many you could name.
‘The aim is that we can play in the National League for Drogheda Bullets. We aimed for it last year and it fell apart at the last minute, but the players are there and even the youth - we coach Long Shots basketball on a Saturday so it’s from five years old and it’s really coming up.
‘It’s a big town and it’s about time [for a National League team].’
The Bullets had to drop out of the Dublin League last year because they fell outside the geographical boundary and so they’re back playing in the North East League out of St Joseph’s CBS, but the club - and himself - have loftier ambitions.
‘It’s not the best of standards, but we’ve no choice and we have to play here until we get to National League standard,’ he explained.