GRASS ROOTS

BLESSINGTON

Senior – Our seniors had a disappointing performance against AGB and lost by two points. We play Tinahely in the last game on Saturday, August 12, in Aughrim. This is a must win game to survive in the championship.

Junior B - Our Junior B team play AGB in the championship on Thursday at home at 7.30pm.

Physio - Physio on Wednesday at 7pm in the clubhouse. €5 donation. Players training will have first preference.

G4M&O - Training Wednesday as normal 7pm to 8pm. It’s been great to see some new members joining the team over the last while. For more information contact Michelle 086 3734748, Sinead 086 2446510 or Kevin on 087 6123202.

Juvenile – For upcoming fixtures, pictures and pitch rota please see our website and Facebook page.

Under-10 girls - Our under-10 girls took part in the Wicklow blitz in Baltinglass Saturday. Super performance from all the girls as usual. They won all their games and with these girls the future is very bright.

Hurl repairs - Hurley repairs - €5 a fix, €2/ hoop. Contact Ciarán 085 7145288.

Lotto – Our lotto was not won on Tuesday last we had three matched three numbers, numbers drawn 2,3, 6, and 23. Lotto continues every fortnight. Tickets are available from players, committee members and in shops and pubs around the town. Don’t miss a draw again and sign up for Direct Debit. Contact Noelle Mc Garr 087 7460327 or Arthur Hennessy for details 087 2396157. Remember you can also play online

AFL - We wish Molly Cullen and Gavin Murray all the best as they head Down Under on July 29 for a month to play for Ireland in the Aussie Football League in Melbourne.

Outstanding membership- We would appreciate if players and non players could pay their membership to Breda Brophy or John Magee Snr by July 31 please .

Hurling Cúl Camps- well done to all who took part in the hurling Cúl Camp this week in the pitch.

Scór na nÓg – Blessington GAA will proudly host the Scór na nÓg on Friday, October 20.

Scór is a GAA competition that combines all the colour and rivalry of Gaelic Games with the social/fun element of Ireland’s traditional past-times.

The competition was established by the GAA in 1969 with the aim of promoting Ireland’s traditional pastimes and culture while offering club members the chance to meet up, have fun and represent their club during the winter months while football and hurling had ceased.

There are eight events/disciplines in Scór that cover all aspects of Irish culture: Figure/ Céilí Dancing, Solo Singing, Ballad Group, Recitation/Scéalaíocht, Léiriú Stáitse/Stage Presentation, Instrumental Music, Set Dancing and Table Quiz.

The competition is divided into two age levels, Scór na nÓg, for young people under 17 and Scór Sinsir, for those over 17. Anyone interested in finding out more information can contact Catherine Behan on 087 1224019.

Cash for Clubs - The club has registered again this year for Topaz Cash for Clubs. Every time you spend €30 and present your game tag you will get one point. We will need 2,000!

Is there any bus companies, companies with a fleet of vans on the road or taxi drivers around to help us achieve this target?

Please contact Noreen on secretary.blessington.wicklow@gaa.ie. Cash for Clubs will run until Sunday, August 13. To participate in Cash for Clubs you will need to be a registered Play or Park member. Membership of Play or Park is subject to the terms and conditions of the scheme which can be found at www. playorpark.ie.

Clothing Collection ongoing - collecting good quality second hand clothing suitable for re-use. Please fill as many black bin bags as you can – the more we collect, the more our club receives.

If you are unable to bring them to the GAA Grounds we can arrange collection. Please contact: John Magee Snr 086 8717483 or Breda Brophy 087 2253892. Thank you for your support.

Car parking – For those who use Blessington GAA Grounds the club has a REVERSE IN, DRIVE OUT policy. This is for Health and Safety reasons.

There are a lot of kids using our facilities and their safety is paramount. Yes, it’s a pain but it must be done. You will make our parking attendants life a bit easier. The club are also implementing a NO PARKING section at the area immediately beside the astro. It would be great if all everyone would comply. It’s not easy to implement change.

Shop at the pitch – Shop will be open for some home games. Boots for sale sizes 28 to 33 (age 4 to 8) €10. Tea, coffee and goodies. Gum shields also for sale.

Remember to keep updated on what is happening in the Club log on www.blessingtongaa.ie and Blessington GAA on Facebook and on Twitter @blessingtongaa. If you wish to be on the Blessington GAA Supporters text list, please text your name to 085 1607808.

NEWTOWN

The Seniors suffered a disappointing championship loss against Annacurra last Sunday in Arklow. Final score was 0-7 to 1-12. A win is needed in round three to see Newtown through to the next round, round three against Éire Óg is scheduled to take place on Friday, August 11, at 7.30pm in Ashford.

Over recent weeks we have enjoyed glorious sunshine at our junior Magpie’s nursery which takes place every Saturday at 10am on the pitch, the nursery is for kids aged 4-8 and great fun is had by all every week. We will have no nursery next week due to the bank holiday but will resume on Saturday 12th.

The under-7s and under-9s had their last home blitz of the year recently. There are two blitzes left to finish out the season one in Bray on Friday, August 18, and one in Ballinakill on Saturday, September 2. Both of these teams are training on Tuesdays at 6.30pm.

The under-11s are back in action tonight against Kilcoole away and they train on Wednesdays at 7pm.

The under-13s are doing well in the league and they played Annacurra away on Monday, they train on Mondays at 6.30pm.

The under-8 and 10 girls train Wednesdays at 6.30pm. The under-12 girls were away to Baltinglass last Monday for the first match of the championship with their next match at home to Blessington.

The under-14 girls are due to play Tinahely in the championship next week however there is no date confirmed as yet, training is Mondays and Thursdays at 7pm.

The under-16 girls clinched the league recently and were presented with the cup last Thursday, Philly and his management team gave the girls the night off and took them out for a well-deserved pizza.

Thanks to the Mountkennedy inn and chef Keith Devlin for a great evening. Now training has been stepped up and we really need everybody to attend all sessions.

Best of luck in the championship which started on Monday with an away game against Baltinglass.

We had a great week at our Cúl Camps which was our best and biggest camp to date, many thanks to all who attended. Well done to Una Power who won ‘Girl of the Camp’ and Dayle Carthy who won ‘Boy of the Camp’. Massive thanks to all the coaches and the ever reliable Ger Burke who as usual went beyond the call of duty.

If you need more info about any of our juvenile teams please give Shay a ring on 087 2699620.

There is a good stock of club gear now available to buy for any enquiries regarding club gear please contact Amy at 086 3332195.

The lotto rolled over again this week, numbers drawn were 7, 14, 15, and 18, and there were five match three winners. This week’s jackpot was €5k.

ÉIRE ÓG GREYSTONES

IOMÁINT - Éire Óg drew with Glenealy, 2-14 to 1-17 in their match in the league stages of the Dacia Cars SHC in Joule Park on Saturday evening last.

Based on the history of the clubs in the competition to that date one would not have given the seasiders a snowball’s chance in hell of coming near such an achievement.

Glenealy had been unbeaten while Na Clocha Liatha lads had lost two of their games and had been extremely lucky in scraping past Carnew by the minimum of margins the previous week.

For the pessimistic among us the fixture had the air of lambs to the slaughter about it.

The team taking to the field against Glenealy, whilst comprising essentially the same personnel, luckily bore no resemblance in action to that which played against Carnew.

Gone was the fumbling and foostering, poor handling and striking which characterised that game, instead we had a team transformed playing with confidence, skill and coherence.

Éire Óg were in attack mode from the throw-in and, to everyone’s eye-rubbing astonishment, were (thanks to a long-distance goal from Anto Byrne and another from the ‘Pooch’ after a pass from Michael Walsh) 2-0 to 0-1 ahead on six minutes.

The expected Glenealy fight-back was immediate but thanks to the committed engagement of the Éire Óg lads throughout the field it did not take the feared form of a deluge of scores and instead the gap on the scoreboard was only very gradually whittled down. The teams were level at the short whistle.

The second half was closely fought but with Glenealy maintaining a narrow lead through the 30 minutes. Gavin Parslow brought the teams to parity with a point from play deep in injury time.

The two sets of players are to be commended for both the quality of their play and its honesty.

This was a contest which would bring joy to any hurling enthusiast’s heart for its wonderful sportsmanship and the intensity of its man-to-man engagement (untainted by any pre-arranged system). Buíochas leo go léir for giving us such an enjoyable game.

PEIL NA GCAILÍNÍ - The under-16s’ league campaign ended last week with a 6-17 to 4-13 win at home against An Tóchar. While it might be somewhat dramatic to describe the campaign as having begun in a whimper and having ended in a blaze of glory it did mirror this description.

Due to injuries etc.the team took some time to get it together and early on lost some games they should have been well capable of winning and therein lay their failure to top the table.

On the other hand the girls found their form at the latter end of the league and in their final games registered an unbroken run – including a five-point win over league winners Newtown – of victories.

The game against An Tóchar was a hugely entertaining ding dong battle which did not relent in intensity over its absorbing duration.

The opening period was particularly close fought and Éire Óg counted themselves lucky to be two points, 4-9 to 4-7, ahead at the break.

Goals in ladies football are easier to come by than in the men’s game so they do not have the same import as leis na fir.

Hence the final score, 6-17 to 4-13, if taken on its face value, would give a distorted view of the second half proceedings and would do scant justice to the efforts of a gallant An Tóchar team.

An fhoireann: Alanna Ní Sheáin, Megan Maguire, Andrea Hanlon, Chloe Leonard, Aisling Duggan, Eva Roche, Alice O’Neill, Katie Lawless (2-3), Claudia Randles, Ellie O’Neill (1-7), Eva Megannety (0-2), Sophie Fitzgerald, Emer Fawsett (0-4), Ellan Garvey, Terri-Ann Hamilton (3-2), Eva Skerritt, Kerry Williams (0-2).

The team’s next match will be in the championship which is scheduled to begin about the middle of August.

CÚL CAMPS - During five days of each of the last two weeks, from 10 in the morning to half past 2 in the afternoon the Éire Óg grounds echoed to the joyful sound of hundreds of primary school students ag baint taitneamh as the activities of the Kelloggs GAA Cúl Camps. Buíochas to the management team of Darren Hayden, Colm Gaskin and his brother ‘Mossie’ and to their very committed enthusiastic, child-centred and able teams of tutors in both the hurling and the football, the camps were a huge success.

The Cúl Camp package is appealing and offers great value for money. Children are afforded four and a half hours of well-structured and well-supervised activity per day and are presented with attractive and useful playing gear.

In the Éire Óg camps 190 children attended the hurling and in excess of 240 took part in the football. The satisfaction rating was very high with the feedback from children and parents being universally positive (the whine-line to Joe Duffy proved to be totally redundant!).

The Cúl Camps are organised in all of the 32 counties, in Britain and in America and are attended by well over 100,000 children. A huge feat of organisation for which the GAA is given little credit in the media.

HOLLYWOOD

The next Hollywood GAA Club Lotto will be held on Thursday, August 3, at 7.30 pm in Tutty’s for a jackpot of €10,800.Tickets can be bought locally or at hollywoodgaa.com. Thank you and good luck.

Juvenile training continues on Thursday nights at 7pm.

SHILLELAGH

Mary Campion (nee O’Neill) Baltinglass passed to her eternal reward on Monday, July 24, to Mary’s husband Daniel & family, to her sister Carmel and the Behan family, Quarry St., and to Mary’s extended family and friends all involved with Shillelagh G.A.A. adult and juvenile clubs extend their deepest sympathy.

Adult training on Tuesday 25th was called off and all juvenile activity curtailed as a mark of respect. R.I.P Mary.

The Junior A football team had to give best to Newcastle in Rd. 2 of the championship on Sunday, July 23.

Losing Cathal Murphy with a wrist injury didn’t help our cause and despite dominating for long periods in the second half, a two-point defeat was our lot. Still a bit of football to be played in this group and on a positive note our chances of advancing to the knockout stages is very much in our own hands.

Training for all panel members continues on this Thursday, August 3, at 8pm and the lads will have a chance to get the Newcastle defeat out of the system when they take on Clonmore in the inaugural John F Kenny Memorial Tournament on the Fairgreen on Saturday, next August 5. Throw in is at 5pm, all support appreciated.

The combination drawn in the club lotto draw on Monday, July 10, was 5, 6, 7 and 20 their was no jackpot winner. Karl Dagge and Jonathan Behan, both from Quarry St., matched three numbers and shared €100. John Cullen won the promoter’s prize.

The numbers drawn on Monday, July 24, were 11, 16, 19, and 24. Again, the jackpot proved to be elusive.

Treasa Doyle c/o Tommy Murphy, Brendan Behan, Quarry St., and Maisie Carton, Quarry St. matched three and won €35 each.

Darren Kavanagh won the much sought after promoters prize, the next draw with the jackpot a very enticing €3,800 will take place in Kenny’s Central House on Tuesday, August 8, your continued support is much appreciated.

Best wishes for a speedy to recovery to Lil Behan, wife of our joint President, Paddy, recuperating at home after a spell in hospital. Get well soon, Lil.

Tony Lyons, Millbank, is also currently hospitalised, best wishes for a speedy recovery, Tony.

Our other joint President, Jimmy Kearns, Quarry St., is also in celebratory mode with the arrival home from the US of A of his daughter Marie Zupanc and family on holiday.

Enjoy your stay in the Emerald Isle, Marie and family.

Congratulations to Carol Nolan and David (Caffrey) Cullen on their new arrival a sister for Anna and Noah, and Noah, who is reported to be in a state of euphoria since hearing that the addition to the family was a girl, just a little reminder you will be expected to assist your under-11 teammates in the local derby against Coolboy on this Wednesday evening.

Juvenile - The under-13 St. Mary’s Coolkenno / Shillelagh combination who have been showing a marked improvement in form and results of late were scheduled to take on St. Pat’s on Monday last, July 31. Full report in next week’s notes.

Plenty of activity on the horizon for our talented juveniles. On this Wednesday, August 2, the under-11 football team take on Coolboy on the Fairgreen at 7.15pm.

A reminder to all juveniles and parents and testament to the fantastic work being carried out at juvenile level, this year we host our very own Cúl Camp, taking place on the Fairgreen and running from Monday, August 14, to Friday 18th inclusive. For further details contact Juvenile club Chairman Paul Behan at 087 7405359.

On Saturday, August 19, the next instalment in the Go Games series takes place on the Fairgreen.

Further details closer to the date.