GRASSROOTS

Our U14 girls had a fantastic Feile weekend. Having thoroughly enjoyed hosting their counterparts from the Cooley Kickhams GAA Club ( Louth), on the pitch the girls secured a tight win in the shield quarter final against our near neighbours St Molaise Gaels. They then travelled to Tooreen on Sunday morning for the semi- final against Shamrock Gaels. After a nail biting period of extra time, the girls were pipped at the post by the narrowest of margins, a single point. Our U- 12 boys also had a brilliant weekend at the annual An Mhaigh PB Laverty Cup and Shield tournament hosted by Moy GAC in Tyrone. After some tough games in the group stages and being narrowly beaten by the overall tournament winners Carrickmore, the boys went through to the shield quarter finals where we beat Dungannon. We then played Keady of Armagh in the semifinal which we won after a dramatic period of extra time and sudden death. In the final we played Mooretown of Tyrone and came out on top with a score of 16 points to 11 to win the prestigious PB Laverty Shield.

COOLERA/ STRANDHILL

Our club competed in Division 7 of Feile and a great weekend of Gaelic football was had. The young footballers first played Carrick Sarsfields from Longford and won 3.8 to 2.1. This game was held in Kent Park in a great atmosphere.

We played our neighbours Calry / St. Joseph’s on the evening and won by a large margin 7.5 to 2.2 We then played Belnaleck ArtMcMurrows who ran out the victors in an exciting match with a final result 1.5 to 2.7 In Kent Park. In the afternoon our side went out to a determined St. Molaise Gaels 6.5 to 2.5. Our footballers and visitors Belnaleck ArtMcMurroughs returned to a packed evening of hospitality at Tommy Bree's Sligo Golf Academy in Ransboro Presentations were made by both managers of the teams.

ST MARY’S

The Feile brought another landmark weekend to St Mary’s. All last week, tremendous efforts to ensure St Mary’s looked the part were ongoing and the dedication of the many people involved has to be highly commended. St Marys were hosting 2 clubs, the girls of Carryduff in Down and the boys from Dicksboro in Kilkenny.

This year clubs played away from their base venues and our boys were located in Coolooney with the girls in Ransboro. St Marys grounds were the playing base for 2 sections in Boys Division 7. This involved 4 Sligo teams Coolera, Calry, Enniscrone and Maloise Gaels and their 4 hosted teams Carrickmacross Co. Monaghan, Carrick Sarsfields Longford, Kilcormac Co. Offaly and Belnaleck from Fermanagh.

The lads were in one of the better sections and met very strong sides. They beat Swinford by 2- 3 to 1- 3. In their other league games, they came up against a physically large Warwickshire side and our hosted club Dicksboro who showed Kilkenny sides are well capable of playing football to the highest standard. Our final game was the plate quarter final against Mayobridge where again a bigger side was able to dictate the game.

The girls had an even more exciting weekend. In the league stages, despite losing critical players ( Helen Monaghan, and Aoife Gilroy) to early injuries, they earned a valuable victory over St Maloise Gaels and played impressively against Derry club Ballymaguigan and hosted club Carryduff from Down. Then it was on to the Shield quarter finals with a brilliant win by 4- 06 to 1- 04 over Owenmore Gaels keeping the excitement at high pitch, and requiring an early departure on Sunday morning to Tooreen for a 10 o'clock semi- final against St Brigids of Roscommon. In a highly competitive match we scored a narrow but incredible victory over St Bridgets by 2- 4 to 2- 2. This win qualified St Marys for the allSligo plate final against Shamrock Gaels in the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence at Ballyhaunis. Despite conceding an early goal St Marys pulled back 2 points and entered the second half trailing by a single score. Then they besieged the Shamrock Gaels goals. Every ball was closely contested and gradually the girls led by inspirational captain Sarah Rooney edged ahead. There was a final twist as Shamrock Gaels hit us with a killer goal to edge the match 2- 00 to 0- 04.

Good luck to the boys and girls of our Community Games U10 team who take on Leitrim Champions St Marys in the knock out stages of the Connaught Competition on Tuesday.

The Minors have a first Championship outing when they take on Tubbercurry on Thursday night.

The U14' s play near neighbours St Johns in the Shield league semi- final on Friday night. T

The U16s play the first match of their Championship on Monday July 7th against St Maloise Gaels.

The U12 squads have 3 matches on Tuesday 8th in the A and D section we play Drumcliffe/ Rosses Point and in the C Section we play St Michael’s. The U8 and U10 squads enjoyed a good workout against Tourlestrane. Training continues for all age groups and Saturday Morning Coaching is on this Saturday .

The U14 girls lost a tightly fought league semi- final against Eoghan Rua by a single point.

TheU12 girls play their league final on July 4th again against Eoghan Rua.

Adult training continues in preparation for the latter stages of the league in which both our teams are well positioned.

Fr Cyril Haran was an iconic figure in Sligo sport and education, managing both football and soccer teams to distinction, and being a noted English teacher in Summerhill College. In his time he managed many great Summerhill sides. He also emphasized development and brought teams to international competitions in the UK and on the Continent. He managed St Marys to 3 County Championship,, and also managed Sligo County Seniors, Sooey and Roscommon Gaels.

SHAMROCK GAELS

The monthly Club meeting takes place this Friday at 9PM in the clubhouse while the Lotto draw takes place in Harte’s on Saturday.

Pride of place this weekend goes to the Girls U14 Féile team who won the Division 3 Shield with a dramatic 2 point win over St Marys. The Girls had narrowly defeated Drumcliffe/ Rosses Point in the semi- final by one point after extra time. Rachel Boyd got a dramtic goal to clinch the shield for the Gales.

Hard luck to the U14 Boys who narrowly lost the Division 2 Shield Quarter Final.

The seniors defeated St John’s 1- 8 to ` 1010, while the Juniros beat Curry 3- 20 to 1- 7.

The Minor team get their Championship campaign underway away to St Michaels this Thursday while the U16' s start their campaign away to St Farnans next Monday 7th.

Both U14 teams play their respective league semi- finals Friday 4th with the C team taking on Geevagh away at 7PM while the A team take on Tubbercurry at home.

Booking for the Kellogg's GAA Cul Camp is open for boys and girls aged 613 - the camp takes place from 21st- 25th July from 10am- 2pm. Please contact Mary Quinn 0863757626 or book on- line at www. kelloggsculcamps. gaa. ie. Application forms will also be available at training on Saturday morning in Coola. Bunninadden Juniors had a very comprehensive win over Owenmore Gaels on Saturday winning on a scoreline of 3- 14 to 0- 5

The U- 12s had a great game last week in a match that had 46 scores our young boys were just short at the final whistle.

Minors are back in action after a break for the exams and play away to Drumcliffe in the championship on Thursday at 7pm.

Good luck to our u- 14’ s who play St. Pats at the Community Park this Friday at 7pm in the U14 league semi- final. They've had a great campaign so far and all support would be appreciated!

At the time of writing no Senior League fixture has been fixed for the coming weekend.

ST MOLAISE GAELS

The Club extends deepest sympathies to the sisters, nephews, nieces, extended family, friends and neighbours of the late Fr Cyril Haran Club President who died on Wednesday last. Fr Cyril was a great sports person particularly in the managing and coaching of gaelic and soccer teams. He will be particularly remembered for his involvement with the St Mary's team of the late 1970' s which won a provincial club title and he also managed the Sligo senior team from 1983 to 1985. He also managed our own club senior team at the end of his sporting career having started out his involvement with the club as a player in the 1940' s. Fr Cyril retired as Parish Priest of Ahamlish & Inishmurray in 2003 and enjoyed his retirement quietly in Streeedagh since then. In addition to leaving his mark in sporting terms Fr Cyril will be even more remembered for being a great teacher and a minister of great spirituality, wit and wisdom. May he rest in Peace.

Well done to all in the club involved in hosting the boys from Carrickmacross Monaghan and the girls from Ballymcguigan Derry as part of Feile weekend. Our Boys team played some outstanding football in the Division 7 competition before finally bowing out in the semi final against an excellent Mullingar Shamrocks side. Our Girls team also performed well.

The official fundraising launch for our new Training Pitch at Monsignor Hynes Park took place on Monday last. The club is planning to sell 500 plots on our new pitch at a cost of 100 euro per plot to meet the funding shortfall. The name of each Purchaser will be recognised on a permanent display adjacent to the new facility.

On this Thursday July 3rd our minor boys entertain St Farnan’s in the championship with a 7.00pm throw in.

On Friday night July 4th our U14 Boys A squad are away to Eastern Harps in the semi final of the league competition at 7.00pm.

The Club extends sympathies to relatives, friends and neighbours of the late Jimmy Currid Newgrange who sadly passed away at the weekend at 94 years of age. RIP.

The Kelloggs Cul Camp for children ages 6 to 13 takes place at our club from July 21st to 25th. Booking can be done on line at www. gaa. ie.