Enniscorthy Hockey Club’s fundraiser
ENNISCORTHY HOCKEY Club’s Six Nations fundraiser is back again this week, with round three of the championship seeing some very interesting fixtures coming up on Saturday and Sunday.
Please remember to get your predictions in early, with final predictions due by 12 noon on Saturday, February 27. The top five will be updated and shared on social media next Tuesday, with an opportunity for someone to climb the leaderboard if they get all their predictions correct this weekend.
For all those in our Junior sections, we had such fun with the Zoom quiz that another event is planned in the next two weeks.
Plans are being finalised and will be shared with your co-ordinators, so keep an eye out on Heja for more information coming soon.
We at Enniscorthy Hockey Club are extremely disappointed that we have not been able to return to the pitch yet this year, and we know how tough this pandemic has been for everyone in the community.
For anyone who may be struggling during this time, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with a member of the committee, your coach, your co-ordinator, or your team-mates if you’re looking for some support.
A reminder that there is a dedicated Covid-19 helpline for people in County Wexford run by Wexford County Council, which you can reach at 0539196000, with the line open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., or email covidsupport@wexfordcoco.ie.
LEAGUE OF Ireland outfit Wexford FC have announced plans to enroll three new teams under their Academy structure as they look to complete their pyramid spanning from senior now down as far as Under-9.
The decision, which has been received very positively in the local community, will see Wexford incorporate development structures at the Under-13, Under-11 and Under-9 age groups, all encompassed under the ‘Talent Development Programme’ heading.
In a post circulated on the club’s social media, Wexford outlined that these new teams will train once a week in Ferrycarrig Park, in addition to training and playing with their schoolboy clubs.
Attendees of the Talent Development Programme will enjoy a host of benefits including personal development plans, home training programmes, and access to small group coaching.
It is also understood that these squads are open to all aspiring players, regardless of playing experience.
Wexford FC’s new Talent Development Programme will be spearheaded by the club’s Under-15 manager and first team coach, Jason Goodison.
The appointment of the Wexford-born coach, who has recently achieved his UEFA ‘A’ Licence, has also been received with optimism.
‘The rationale for incorporating these age groups into our existing structure is very clear,’ Goodison said.
‘As a club we need to do everything we can to aid the development of local players from a young age.
‘Our aim is for players to enter the Talent Development Programme at Under-9 or Under-11 and progress initially into our National League side at Under-14.
‘Then from there, hopefully we can continue their pathway within the club all the way up to first team level.’
Goodison certainly isn’t alone in this endeavour. He will be joined by a host of other Wexford FC coaches, including fellow UEFA ‘A’ Licence holder Michael Walker.
Wexford’s deployment of two of their most qualified coaches to these age groups hints at the importance of this idea to the Ferrycarrig Park side and of their ambitions for the future.
Registrations of interest can now be made for Wexford FC’s Talent Development Programme by following the link in the relevant posts on Facebook and Twitter.
Children born in the following years are eligible to apply: Under-13 (2008-2009), Under-11 (2010-2011), and Under-9 (2012-2013).
This news comes in the same week that Wexford FC reached out to all local schoolboy clubs to offer their assistance with the planning of home training sessions during this extended period of lockdown.
Should any coach or club wish to take up this offer, they can email the club on info@wexfordfc.ie
IT WAS a relatively quiet week for Co. Wexford greyhound owners and trainers, but the season is getting into top gear around the country.
The start of the prestigious Easter Cup, which got under way at Shelbourne Park on Saturday night, is a real sign spring and summer is on the way.
On Friday night Ballinaboola Moll lined up for the final of the Bull Run Bolt over 575 yards but alas had no luck, finishing out of the frame. Still, she did well and a win should not be far away for this lady in the coming weeks.
Thursday morning in Waterford saw success in race two for owner Saoirse Kehoe from Enniscorthy when her Tomahurra Buddy – who was winning for the eighth time in his career – got a nice run on the outside going into the opening corner.
Tracking third out of the second bend, Buddy quickly went second to challenge the leader by the third bend, and on the run to the line on a heavy track he got up to score by a length in a time of 30.21 -0.50 slow. Donal Kehoe is the trainer.
The Eleanor Turner (Enniscorthy)Afternoon Beauty was winning for the third time in her last four starts when taking race eight. Also tracking well, she turned third entering the back straight. The two leaders drifted wide and Beauty took the invitation to go up the inside.
She ran strong at the third bend to hold her line and come home a snug winner in the end for her tenth career win in a time of 29.72 -0.30 slow.
On Tuesday night there was only the one local winner and it came in race eight when the John Roche (Barntown)-owned Kingsmill Izzy ran a very nice race to score for the ninth time.
She cut the opening bend very well from her wide draw to lead into the back, with another Co. Wexford runner, Pitstop Jet, setting off in chase.
But as hard as he tried, Pitstop could not reel in Kingsmill who stuck to her guns well to score by a length and a half in a time of 29.77 -0.40 slow.
Enniscorthy is now getting into gear with both private and official trials taking place. Owners and trainers are no doubt eager to get back racing at their local venue, albeit behind closed doors.
THE ONGOING suspension of point-to-point racing dominated last Wednesday’s sitting of Dáil Eireann as Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConologue, was strongly pressed to have the season resumed by eight cross-party TDs, including Wexford Independent, Verona Murphy.
On January 13 it was announced that the Department would not be including point-topoint racing in the category of professional and elite sports permitted to continue behind closed doors, and therefore no fixtures could take place until further notice.
It is expected that clarification on a resumption will be given in the revised ‘Living With Covid-19’ plan soon to be announced. The importance of the point-to-point industry to the economy of rural Ireland in particular, and the impending crisis resulting from the suspension, were strongly outlined, with Munster TDs very much to the fore.
It was pointed out that 37 point-to-point meetings had been staged in Ireland without any reported incidents or Covid outbreaks thanks to the implementation of the most rigid protocols, until the plug was pulled without warning.
Verona Murphy has already been vocal in her opposition to the suspension. Surprisingly, considering the county’s pre-eminent role in point-to-point, no other Wexford deputies contributed to the debate.
Murphy said: ‘Point-to-pointing is in crisis and facing very grave consequences if the Minister does not devise a way to allow it to return in the next two weeks.
‘The impact of the Minister’s decision to halt point-to-point, stating it is not an elite sport, shows a very poor understanding of the importance of the industry nationally.’
She said the ability of horse owners and handlers to establish value by being able to run horses, sell them and then use the sales revenue to purchase three-year-olds for next season in Goffs and Tattersalls is vital to the continued prosperity of the national hunt industry in Ireland.
‘County Wexford is a world leader in pointto-point racing which employs thousands of people countrywide. This is totally unacceptable. Point-to-point proceeded successfully from October to December without incident... Will the Minister confirm he will ensure this Government can come up with a remedy before its actions ruin another sector?’ she asked.
Waterford TD Matt Shanahan summed up the case made by all the speakers. He said point-to-point racing is vital to the national horse racing industry of which it is a significant component. It provided more than €45 million in export sales to the UK in 2019.
‘It supports not just all stable staff directly involved but veterinarians, farriers, horse transport, feedstock companies and many more in rural counties, and with 66 courses around the country, point-to-point is the form of horse racing that most touches rural Irish society. It is here also that the Irish horse racing financial model filters through to rural Ireland.’
The Minister said: ‘The public health advice must be put first throughout the pandemic. That is the backdrop against which we are working.
‘I certainly understand and recognise the challenges closure has had on the point-topoint sector, its importance in the overall horse racing industry, and the financial implications of it being closed.
‘The Government will consider that against the backdrop of public health advice.’