Annacurra enjoy a super night of celebration
Annacurra honour 1991 hurling and 2016 camogie teams
ANNACURRA GAA club came together over Christmas to celebrate two great events in their proud history.
A healthy crowd gathered in Lawless’s Hotel in Aughrim to pay tribute to the men of 1991 who claimed a wonderful victory in the Intermediate hurling championship final by defeating Carnew Emmets and to celebrate last year’s Junior camogie championship and Intermediate camogie league winning team.
Captain of the 1991 hurling team Syl Ivers spoke on behalf of the hurling team who brought great pride and honour to the club as they secured Senior status with that 0-12 to 0-08 win over Carnew Emmets.
The reflection on that great day was tinged with a real sadness given that two players from that team, Colm Doyle, who played in the goals, and Joey Doyle (no relation), who wore the number nine jersey in the final, are no longer with us.
The contributions and memories of the late Ciaran Shannon and Eugene Graham, who both featured on the Senior team of 1992, were also remembered fondly on the night.
The event was attened by Wicklow GAA County Chairman Martin Coleman and by Mary O’Neill, secretary of the Wicklow Camogie Board.
Annacurra were making great strides in hurling around that time and faced St Pat’s in the Senior championship quarter-final the following summer only to be defeated by the soon to be county champions.
The devastating loss of Joey Doyle only months before that game was felt deep within the club for many years afterwards and the emotion felt within the room in Lawless’s as Colm’s mother Kathleen spoke on the night was proof that his memory and that of Joey, Ciaran and Eugene will never be forgotten.
The full panels that were celebrated on the night were:
Intermediate hurling champions of 1991: (in no particular order) Philip Doyle, Brendan Doyle, Michael Doyle, Seamus Delaney, Declan Byrne, Sean O’Neill, John Horan, Niall Fitzgerald, Tony Doyle, Mick Doyle, Keith Delaney, Marcus Graham, Joey Doyle, Colm Doyle, Sean O’Neill, Syl Ivers, Johnny Byrne, Patrick Doyle, Leo Byrne, Pat O’Neill, Chris McGrath, Timmy Howard, Martin Darcy. Also remembered for their efforts prior to the final were: Ger Shannon, Dermot Byrne, Jimmy Nolan (selector), Kevin O’Neill, Alan Horan, Kevin Barry, Pat Canavan, JJ Flood, Owen Lambert, Colin Byrne.
2016 Junior camogie champions: Kellie O’Neill, Aisling Quigley, Alison Moules, Cara Robinson, Eimear Gregory, Ellen Walsh, Grace O’Sullivan, Grainne Quigley, Kali Thompson, Kally Bracken, Luanne Walker, Marie Lawless, Mary Kate Condren, Megan Byrne, Natalie Bracken, Niamh Shannon, Nicole Quigley (captain), Sarah Barnes, Shouna Toomey, Vanessa Kenny. Trainer: Sheila Barnes.