GRASSROOTS
BALLYMANUS
The lads suffered a last-minute defeat last weekend when Carnew kicked over the winner with the last kick of the game in a tit-for-tat encounter.
The final score read 1-5 to 0--7. In truth, there was little between both sides - who both were missing a few key players, but all gave their all, with plenty of room for improvement.
Next up are Newtown in the Gap this weekend.
Well done to the Ballymanus Scór team of John, Darragh, Deirdre and Laura who beat Blessington GAA by two points to qualify to represent Wicklow in the Senior finals in Sligo in April. Well done, folks.
There was no lotto jackpot winner from 3, 10, 16, and 20, although Bridget Kenny, Pat Lynch, Mag and Mag Ovington, Bobby Elliot, Jamie Quaile and Kathleen Byrne were all match winners.
Finally, the club would like to extend its deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the late Paul Philips who sadly passed away recently. A player for many years that gave his all and never left the side stuck when short of numbers. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a ainm dilis.
BLESSINGTON
County – Hard luck to the hurlers who lost to Mayo in Ballina (Mayo 1-22, Wicklow 2-16).
The footballers also lost out to Laois (Wicklow 0-10, Laois 1-16) at home in Joule Park, Aughrim.
County Ladies – Well done to the Wicklow ladies who had another great win against Antrim in An Tochar (Wicklow 3-16, Antrim 1-03). Well done to our own club ladies Kim and Shona (inj). Next up for the unstoppable ladies is away v Carlow on Sunday, March 4, at 2pm.
Seniors –The Senior team, despite a slow start, led Baltinglass by a point at half-time at home on Saturday in Division 1 of the league and went to win in the end by 4-12 to 1-13.
Anto McLoughlin at full-forward was man of the match in an overall very good team performance.
It was great to see that our young substitute Jack Cotter, making his Senior debut, was ok after the game having been subject to a cowardly off-the-ball blow late in the game.
The club was delighted to welcome back Wayne Callaghan after his travels overseas.
Next up on Sunday, the Seniors are away against Kiltegan at 11am.
Junior C – The lads didn’t have a good day at the office in the football league at home against Kilcoole on Sunday. Blessington 0-04, Kilcoole 3-10.
Next up, the Juniors are away against Enniskerry on Saturday at 3pm. Team: B Behan, B Foster, C Walsh, P O’Reilly, G Farrell, A Curran, J Cotter, J Kearns, D Sarkauskas, K McGovern, C Mescall, B Bohan, S Carroll, C Devlin (0-01), S Mescall. Subs – E Boylan (0-03 f), E Howlin, E Higgins, D Behan, P Nolan, F Hennessy.
Ladies - Congrats to Sarah Murphy who was named captain of the Wicklow under-14 girls. Well done, Sarah.
Club physio - Physio up in the club house on Wednesday at 7pm. Contact Pat Molloy regarding any enquiries on 086 8230130. Players training on the night will have priority.
Academy -Our academy returns on Saturday at 10am.
Under-14 and under-15 - On Saturday, February 24, six of our lads took part in a tough under-14 Wicklow training session and then played their first under-14 pre Féile prep game against a very strong Sarsfields team. Sarsfield dominated the first half, but our lads picked it up in the second half. We have a good squad of players for Féile. It was good to get a game under the belt but a tough first game.
Blessington played Ballymore in the final round of the 10-a-side astro league. Slow start but the lads picked it up for the last two thirds of the game. Good effort and another good astro league game. Final on March 11.
Parents meeting on Wednesday (tonight) at 8pm in clubhouse.
Under-17s – First match on Sunday, March 4 at home v Clan na Gael. Time TBC.
Kildare Spring Football League – The league will commence from March 10 for under-7, under-8, under-9, under-10, under-11 and under-12.
Kildare Spring Hurling League – The league will commence for the under-8s on April 8.
Coach training – Award 1 Youth/Adult Football on March 8 in Dunlavin 7.30pm – 10pm. To book contact Paul Garrigan GDA 083 436680.
Adult Referee Course - The first night of Wicklow New Referee Course will taking place this Thursday, March 1, in Ballinakill and follow up sessions on Monday, March 5 and Tuesday, March 13, from 8.00pm - 10.00pm. Donal O’Keeffe, referee administrator, can be contacted on 086 8219941 dokeeffe61@hotmail.com.
Lotto - No winner of €2,000 jackpot from February 13. No match three winners. €300 will be carried over to next draw which was held in Bealin’s on Tuesday, February 27 fro a jackpot of €2,200. Tickets available in shops and pubs in the town and committee members. Don’t miss a draw again and sign up for direct debit. Contact Noelle McGarr 087 7460327 or Arthur Hennessy for details 087 2396157. Remember you can also play online at www.blessingtongaa.ie.
Scór Sinsear – Blessington GAA hosted the Scór Sinsear county performance and quiz on Saturday in St Kevin’s Hall.
Clubs who participated were Blessington, Ballymanus and Hollywood.
It was disappointing that there were only three clubs from all of Co. Wicklow who turned up on the night.
Perhaps the numbers will improve for next year.
It was an entertaining evening. Thanks to Pat Molloy who performed his ‘Fear an Tí’ duties with gusto, Ivan Smith who is always there for us with sound, Mary O’Loughlin and Sandra Behan who performed the most important duty of keeping the soldiers fed and foddered,
Thanks to Phyllis Hamilton for photos and to Catherine and Noreen for organising. Kathyrn Noone, Chair of Wicklow Scór was very impressed with the talent on the night.
Going forward to represent Wicklow in the semi-finals on March 4 in The Downs, Co Westmeath are: Solo singing - Chris Walsh, Blessington GAA. Recitation - Sile Ni Neachtain, Blessington GAA. Ballad group - AGB GAA (Geraldine, Mary and Kathryn). Well done to Ballymanus GAA who won the Scór quiz beating Blessington GAA by two points. They will now travel to Sligo on April 14 to represent Wicklow in the Scór Sinsear national final. Well done all and good luck. Updates will be on our Facebook page.
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.
HOLLYWOOD
The next Hollywood GAA Lotto draw will be held this Thursday in Tutty’s for a jackpot of €3,600. Lotto can be played locally or online at hollywoodgaa.com. Thank you all for your continued support and good luck.
Hollywood GAA membership is now due. Rates are the same as last year and can be paid to any club member or online at hollywoodgaa.com.
Division 1 League, Saturday at Wicklow Town: St Pat’s 0-11, Hollywood 0-11. Division 3 League, Sunday, Hollywood 0-10, Baltinglass 2-9.
SHILLELAGH
The combination drawn in the club lotto draw on Monday, February 19, was 5, 16, 25, and 28. There was no jackpot winner.
The following matched three numbers and shared €100: Orlaith Kavanagh, Tinahely, and Christy Nolan, Hillbrook.
Padraig Donohoe won the promoters prize. The next draw with the jackpot an enticing €2,000 will take place in Kenny’s Central House on Monday, March 5.
Tickets costing just €2 are available in all local business outlets and from promoters, players and committee members , our bi-weekly lotto draw is our main source of income and the continued support of the people of the locality, surrounding areas and beyond is vital and much appreciated.
On the field of play, two on the bounce. Full marks to the Junior ‘A’ football team and management team of Anthony Grey, Darren Kavanagh and Noel Murphy who followed up their opening game defeat of Enniskerry with an impressive win away to Newcastle on Sunday morning last.
An impressive first-half display which saw us leading by 1-9 to zero at the break laid the foundation for this victory. 1-15 to 1-8 the final score.
The team on duty and scorers was as follows: Laurie Cullen, Noel Murphy 0-1, Sean Carroll 0-1, Enda Foley, Keith Collins 0-1, Daire Foley, Mark Collins, Ray Murphy 0-1, Patrick Hennessey, Robbie Elliott 0-2, Gary Murphy, Cathal Murphy 0-3, Owen Byrne, Brendan Behan 1-5, J.P Lyons 0-1.
The next test for the squad takes place on Saturday next, March 3, Beast from the East permitting, when Hollywood are the visitors to the Fairgreen, throw in 3pm.
It was noticeable at the Enniskerry game that the support for the team in numbers and vocally is on the increase which is encouraging.
Do come along and give the lads a shout. All panel members will be aware of the training schedule in preparation for Saturdays game and of course a full turnout is anticipated.
A tad late getting this item to press, apologies to all concerned, but Brigid and Marcella and the organising committee of the Christmas bazaar, the proceeds of which were in aid of the Shillelagh Christmas Lights and Wicklow Animal Welfare, would like to express their gratitude to everyone who contributed to the success of the event. Over €1,100 was raised and donated to two very deserving causes.
A list of sponsors and all prize winners are available on request. Go raibh mile mhaith agat go leir.
ÉIRE ÓG GREYSTONES
Sunday noontime, the occasion of Éire Óg’s second game in Division 1A of the Arklow Bay Hotel league in which they were playing host to Tinahely (one should have heard a RTE presenter making ‘Mulligan’s mother’ of its pronouncement during the week!) managed by Alan Costello who until the Autumn was in charge of our Seniors.
The setting for the match was close to the best that could be expected at this time of the year: a light but not too cold breeze, a dry verdant sod and spectators bathed in the warming rays of a glorious sun all of which, not surprisingly, made it difficult for them to take on board the Met’s dire prognostications for the week ahead.
Due to the call of county duties in both football and hurling and to other commitments some of our squad’s more prominent names were absent from the teamsheet so it was not altogether surprising that Éire Óg ended up second best on the scoreboard. A disappointment in itself but not so disappointing as the fact that Éire Óg was able to muster only four points over the hour.
The Clocha Liatha lads’ play was certainly of the curate’s egg variety with some terrible faux pas intermingled with very attractive constructive passing movements. Unfortunately most of these movements terminated in handling errors and unproductive kicking in the environs of the opposition’s goals. Éire Óg followers could take some consolation in the fact that when the team was reduced to 14 the floodgates did not open and also in the promising performances of a number of the younger players in what was overall a very young and inexperienced group of players.
One learned by chance at the Tinahely match that our under-15 footballers have been taking part in the Leinster League and have registered a win over a team from Kildare and a last-minute two-point loss to a team from Dublin.
The team’s mentors, Maurice Prendergast and Peter O’Neill, who were in attendance were heading to Louth with their charges to play O’Rahillys after the Louth v Roscommon game.
Another piece of information, already well known to the web-surfing fraternity in the club, gleaned at the game was that former club player, Gino Fusciardi, has been playing football in Australia and has won two Australian club championship medals.
PEIL NA MBAN - It will be some time yet before the competitive season begins for the ladies’ clubs in the county but some of Na Clocha Liatha ladies and girls are back in training.
For girls between nine and 15 there is training at 6.30 p.m. on Thursday while the adult players train between 7.30p.m. and 8.30p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday. A number of our players have made it onto Cill Mantáin squads, thus Adie Smullen,,Eva Skerrit and Aisling Roche play with the under-14s (club member Martin Roche is part of the team’s management), Aoife McTeague, Megan Healy and Eva Roche are training with the county minors and Laurie Ahern, Lorna Fusciardi, Maedhbh Deeney and Aoife Gillen are part of the county’s All-Ireland league squad which tops the division with a 4/4 record.
IOMÁINT - On Saturday a team of hurlers travelled up from Ballygarret in Wexford tp play our Senior hurlers in a Leinster league game. A beautiful day for hurling which drew a positive response from both sets of iománaithe, and spectators were treated to a good exciting competitive and sometimes feisty encounter.
Éire Óg lost by a few points but mentors were pleased with the team’s, emasculated as it was by county commitments and emigration, performance.
Two of last year’s squad are abroad, Hughie O’Neill in America and Shane ‘Chunky’ Nolan is away with his brother Oliver in Australia where he is playing hurling for Michael Cusacks.
AVONDALE
There was a great turnout for the Avondale academy on Saturday morning. Plenty of eager children ready for the new season. This will be running every Saturday morning from 9.30am to 10.30am until the end of September.
The season may not have started back yet but our coaches for the year ahead are busy with training nights etc. Congratulations and thank you to Claudia Byrne, Christina Doyle, Robbie Porter, James Doyle and Aonghus O Briain on completing the code of ethics course in Glenealy on Thursday night.
We have a juvenile committee meeting coming up on Thursday, March 1, at 7.30pm. With a new season, a new juvenile chairman and new members on the committee, we look forward to an exciting year ahead. Our young players are the future of this club and we aim to build on their skills as much as we can. We are currently looking for parents to help out with our juvenile teams so contact Liam Kelly on 087 6878123.
With St Patrick’s day just around the corner, Avondale GAA are looking for our juvenile players to get creative! We are looking for ideas for the St Patrick’s day float.
The best idea will be used and will receive a monetary award. All entries need to be submitted by Wednesday 28th. So come on kids... Get your thinking caps on and parents can private message the Facebook page with the entries or contact Liam Kelly.
We have a bagpack coming up for the club in Centra Rathdrum on March 23 and 24. We’re looking for volunteers to fill some slots. Contact Liam Kelly for more details.
Don’t forget we are looking for people who would be interested in training in the use of our defibrillator! Coaches, Senior players, parents etc. This is a very important life saving device and you could be the difference in saving someone’s life!
In recent times there have been so many incidences of players collapsing and needing a defibrillator. It would be catastrophic if it were to happen to one of our own or a visiting team and have no one trained. Please, please, take the time to get trained! Contact Helen on 086 8058983.
Lotto draw on February 20 took place in Miley’s pub. Numbers drawn were 1, 2, 17, and 26.
There was no jackpot winner, but we had four match three winners.
Congratulations Joe Kennedy, Marie O Toole, Lillie Doyle and B. Byrne. Each receive €50.
Next draw on February 27 took place in the Cartoon Inn and was worth €1,900. Tickets available from most local businesses. Thanks all for your continued support. Senior football update - We beat AGB by one point on Wednesday evening in ballinakill, 2-8 to 0-13.
Scorers were: Ryan Cahill and Shane Byrne 1-00 each, Oisin McGraynor 0-02, Sean McGraynor 0-04, David and Eoin Baker 0-01 each.
Ryan Cahill scored his first goal after a classy shimmy to confuse the keeper, and Shane Byrne finished from a rebound after Eoin Baker nearly broke the post. Great performance all round.
Man of the match: Oisin McGraynor.