The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Fixtures a doubt as schools remain out
Managers’ mixed thoughts on schools games being played
WITH Gaelic games set for another few weeks, at least of inactivity, concerns are growing that time is running out for secondary schools competitions, and that it is looking more likely that some, if not all, schools competitions for the 2019/20 season will not be finished.
Three Kerry schools are in the latter stages of All-Ireland competitions, with St Brendan’s Killarney and Coláiste na Sceilge waiting on All-Ireland finals, while Tralee CBS are still to play their Hogan Cup semi-final. With the Government-driven restrictions on social gatherings and mass movement set to continue well into May, the window is fast closing for these competitions to be completed.
“It’s not looking good, to be honest,” is Coláiste na Sceilge team manager Gillian Fitzgerald’s assessment. “We got an email two weeks ago from the LGFA to tell us that everything is cancelled, including the likes of the National League, and the Kerry underage teams.”
The Cahersiveen school is qualified for the Ladies Senior ‘B’ All-Ireland Final but there is no indication as to when that might go ahead,
“A problem for us is that the other semi-final has yet to be played,” Fitzgerald told The Kerryman. “It’s very hard on the girls after all the work they have put in. Our eight Leaving Cert students are the most disappointed. They might have already played their last game for the school and it’s a very unfortunate way for it to end if that is the case. We have emailed the LGFA asking them to reconsider – having the game postponed rather than outright cancelled would have been better. We’d be fine with it even going out as far as September.”
Tralee CBS joint-manager Mike Tim O’Sullivan said: “We are in limbo, to be honest. We have contacted Croke Park but they have no update on things as yet. At the moment I am hopeful that it will be played at some stage during the year. There are only a handful of schools left in the competition.
“Three weekends would run it off, one for semi-finals and playing the final two weeks later. All the schools would quite happily agree to that. We all want the games played, but obviously safety is and has to be everybody’s priority right now.
“We haven’t met up since the school broke up obviously, but...I know that the players are staying in shape. Right now we have no idea if it’s going ahead, but we all hope that it does.”
St. Brendans manager Kevin Cronin, speaking with his team in the Paul McGirr Cup All Ireland Final, is a little more hopeful of a successful outcome to the fixture being played.
“Like everything, it’s at the back of our minds. People’s safety is obviously paramount, but of course we would love to get the final played. I would be very optimistic that the game will be played at some stage and that something can be arranged with St. Pats of Navan. It may even go out to September or further – one big advantage in that context is that both teams will still be in their respective schools next year. We would be very eager to have it played after all the work the lads have put in. Hopefully the final will be played.”
ALTHOUGH most of the Second Level schools football and hurling competitions are completed, there are still a few competitions incomplete and awaiting clarification on when - or if - they will be completed.
Three Kerry teams are in the latter stage of incomplete All-Ireland Championship, and while in the current Coronavirus crisis - which is the reason for the delays and postponements - football isn’t the most important thing right now, nonetheless it’s not a small thing either.
Students have more than enough to be worrying about right now, especially with the uncertainty around the State exams, but spare a thought for those schools that have made huge breakthroughs and reached the latter stages of All-Ireland competitions, something that they will remember for the rest of their lives, only to have all that hard work, commitment, and communal passion locked in limbo through no fault of anyone’s, especially their own. For most of them, they have to just hope to get a real conclusion, one way or another.
Coláiste na Sceilge’s girls team are, or should be, preparing for the Ladies Senior ‘B’ All-Ireland Final, having put in a massive effort to reach their first All-Ireland Final since 2011 (they haven’t won it since 2001).
Manager Gillian Fitzgerald has a squad that knocked hard on the door last year and were in pole position this time around, sweeping through Munster and winning the All-Ireland semi-final comfortably (the last game before the current lockdown kicked in) but what now?
“It’s not looking good, to be honest,” Fitzgerald told The Kerryman. “We got an email two weeks ago from the LGFA to tell us that everything is cancelled, including the likes of the National League, and the Kerry underage teams. A problem for us is that the other semi-final has yet to be played.
“It’s very hard on the girls after all the work they have put in. Our eight Leaving Cert students are the most disappointed. They might have already played their last game for the school and it’s a very unfortunate way for it to end if that is the case. We have emailed the LGFA asking them to reconsider – having the game postponed rather than outright cancelled would have been better. We’d be fine with it even going out as far as September.”
“The girls have been working away on their own. Paudge Murphy did out a superb training programme for them and that’s being monitored and updated every two weeks. At the start we were arranging for them to pick up footballs individually for kicking sessions on their own, but obviously we stopped doing that early on.
“We are trying to have everyone stay in shape and maintain fitness, not just for the sake of this game, but it’s just so important in general right now for mental and physical health, and we will be continuing to do that while we wait and see how things work out. Thankfully everyone is healthy; that’s the most important thing right now.”
In Killarney, the St. Brendan’s College Under-16 1/2 team is waiting clarification on the All-Ireland
Final (Paul McGirr Cup). The Sem won the U-16.5 Frewen Cup and were hoping to go on and finally win the Paul McGirr, having lost the 2015 and 2018 finals in the competition.
“Like everything, it’s at the back of our minds,” manager Kevin Cronin said. “People’s safety is obviously paramount, but of course we would love to get the final played. A friend has done out individual training programmes for the players and we are organising online sessions every four days. Some of the players are on their own programmes through the Kerry Minor and Development Squads, our programmes are for the players who don’t have that. “I would be very optimistic that the game will be played at some stage and that something can be arranged with St. Pats of Navan. It may even go out to September or further – one big advantage in that contest is that both teams will still be in their respective schools next year. We would be very eager to have it played after all the work the lads have put in. They have given myself and Vince (Cooper) tremendous commitment, made every training session for months.
“The supporters have been great as well – there were other games early on in the Frewen where there were only a handful of spectators, whereas we had a huge amount of support at every game. Hopefully the final will be played, but for now all we can do is keep going as best we can and see how things turn out.” Tralee CBS are two steps away from All-Ireland title success, with their Hogan Cup (SFC ‘A) semi-final on hold.
This year The Green won the Corn Uí Mhuirí for the first time since 2007, and it looked like they had a team that could and would make that breakthrough. Only, like so many other things at the moment, that dream has been put on hold.
“We are in limbo, to be honest,” says joint manager Mike Tim O’Sullivan candidly. “We have contacted Croke Park, but they have no update on things as yet. At the moment I am hopeful that it will be played at some stage during the year. There are only a handful of schools left in the competition. Three weekends would run it off, one for semi-finals and playing the final two weeks later. All the schools would quite happily agree to that. We all want the games played, but obviously safety is and has to be everybody’s priority right now.. “We haven’t met up since the school broke up obviously, but we are in constant touch with the lads and we have been sending workout programmes to them every two weeks. The County Board have been very proactive and I know that the players are staying in shape. Right now we have no idea if it’s going ahead, but we all hope that it does.”