Coolboy bounce back from the brink

COOLBOY ST PATRICK’S 3-13 1-5

HAVING came so close to extinction as a GAA club, Coolboy rallied as a group of players and a community last week when they dispatched St Patrick’s in the league by 3-13 to 1-5.

At the club’s EGM on Thursday night in the handball alley, close to 50 people attended, but only 12 of those were players.

An agreement was reached that the team would turn up for the fixture on Saturday, but that if only 12 or less players turned up the club would be folded immediately.

Thankfully, for Coolboy and the wider GAA community in Wicklow, 20 Coolboy players togged out for the game after appeals were issued in the days before the clash.

Coolboy Chairman Damien O’Keeffe says that injuries, work and family commitments and retirements have hit the club hard and Sunday morning fixtures which were clashing for lads playing soccer are hurting the club.

However, O’Keeffe says that the County Board have rowed in behind them and offered any assistance and have agreed to fix games for Saturdays to help them field teams and get back on their feet.

“On behalf of Coolboy GAA Club, we cannot thank everyone enough for their good wishes over the past week. We had a very tough week, but the phone calls and texts to the committee and members of the club gave us much needed support when we really needed it. It is impossible to thank everyone but a special mention must go to our supporters who came out in force on Saturday last. Coolboy GAA lives to fight another day,” said the club.