GRASSROOTS
Karen Maloney in her acceptance speech referred to how these disappointments built determination within the squad that this would be their year. Well done to everyone and the squad on the day comprised Karen Lynch, Sarah Keaney, Leah Rooney, Laura Maloney, Aoife Connolly, Sadbh Brennan (named player of the match), Aoife Gilroy, Aileen Ruane, Keighleigh Cawley, Amy Gerrity, Karen Maloney (Captain), Michaela Gaffney, Emma Hansberry, Sarah McMoreland, Emma Gallagher, Sarah Woodmartin, Emma O’Connell, Ali Dykes, Orla Gavin, Hannah Monaghan, Hayley Kilgallon, Ruth Monaghan, Lisa Martyn, Sarah Rooney, Yasmin Connolly, Lana Nevin, Sinead Ledwith, Andrea Flynn, Karen Morgan, Erin Breheny, Cecile Mourin and Tammy McGwynne. Congratulations also to the management team of Shane Breheny, Sinead Corcoran and Mark Breheny. ELSEWHERE, the Junior men’s team had an impressive win over St Johns in the Junior Championship relegation semi-final when they eased to a 1-14 to 0-07 victory. Well done to the guys. This coming week our U16 boys are involved in a Championship play-off against Drumcliffe Rosses Point has been deferred to this Monday. This match takes place in the Centre of Excellence in Scarden. The team has shown great endeavour particularly in recent matches and has plenty to build upon. The latest U18 B1 Championship match takes place against Geevagh on Thursday in St Michaels pitch. Then all eyes will be on the Senior Championship next weekend when we travel to Tourlestrane to take on Coolaney Mullinabreena in the quarter final. THANKS to everyone who took part in our All Ireland ticket draw, and the match was a fantastic one to be at, even if the result was not the one most people would have preferred. Blotto
The blotto jackpot is now at its highest ever figure, now €11300. It continues every Saturday night – make sure you’re in the draw. If you’re not in, you can’t win! WELL done to Cormac Finn , Ballymote who won the Connaught u 13 singles in Roscommon last Sunday
GOOD luck to all the Sligo underage 60x30 players who compete in the Connaught finals in Moycullen next Saturday and to all Sligo senior pairs who will play in their All Ireland 60 x 30 Semi-finals next weekend.
BINGO next Thursday at 9 p.m , the jackpot is €4,950 in 42 numbers , please come early. FOLLOW us on facebook @ Collooney Handball Club. PRODUCING its best performance on the biggest day of the year must surely be the lofty summit of every team’s aspiration but the destiny of only a few. It was this elite group that the Geevagh ladies joined on Saturday evening when they cruised to victory in the Senior Championship final against reigning league champions St Nathys. Much of the credit in this case goes to the management team of David Gaffney and Sean Brehony. Not only did this duo have the cogs and wheels of their well-oiled machine tuned to perfection but they somehow managed to erase the psychological scars of the humiliating defeat suffered at the hands of the same opponents as recently as the league final. THE team sparked from throw-in to the long whistle with established stars like the omnipotent Bernice Byrne complementing the enthusiasm of youth as typified by player of the match Jemma Brehony. THE game was preceded by a minute’s silence for the late Jimmy Fallon, whose nieces, the Mohan sisters would otherwise have been involved. While growing up in Geevagh Jimmy was a noted footballer and a potent force on many underage teams. To his family we extent our condolences. Ar Dheis De go raibh a anam. ATTENTION this weekend turns to the Intermediate Championship when our boys face what must surely be their biggest challenge to date in the semi-final against St Johns. We wish the management, captain and players every success and we appeal to our supporters’ to turn out and help them make it to their second successive final. 17th November in the Clayton Hotel - put the date in your diary. The Junior team put up a spirited performance in the quarter final of the A Championship losing out to Owenmore Gaels on a scoreline of 3-12 to 3-10. In an exciting game, we went nine points up mid way through the second half, however two quick goals from Owenmore Gaels brought them back into the game which they went on to win narrowly. The team was: Rickie Johnston, Diarmuid Jinks, Gavin McMorrow, Daniel Murphy, Alan Kelly, Liam Tuohy, Robbie Johnston, Eoin Carroll (0-4), Brian Boyd, Luke Flynn (0-2), Cian McDermott (0-1), Mark Kearns (1-1), Patrick O’Grady (1-2), Eoin McDermott (1-0), Karl McKenna. Subs: Adrian McCann for B Boyd, Steven Willis for M Kearns, Conor Carroll for A Kelly, Marc Keegan for L Flynn. Thanks to Lauri Quinn and Michael Brennan for their work with the team this year. The senior team play St Johns next Sunday in the semi-final of the Intermediate Championship at 2PM in Markievicz Park - please come out and support. The U16 Girls had another great win over Tourlestrane last Thursday and are through now to the final. The U13 Boys lost 2-7 to 1-13 to Drumcliffe in the Feile last week. The Minor boys had a good 3-15 to 3-11 win over Tourlestrane last Thursday to make the semi-final of the A Shield against Tubbercurry on Friday September 29th. The lotto jackpot stands at €2,000 with the next draw this Saturday 23rd in Tommy Macs. Best of luck to John Gannon who is part of the Mayo Ladies backroom team who take on Dublin in the All Ireland Senior final next Sunday. The club wish to express sympathy with the family and relatives of Anna Gethin who died in London and was formerly of Cloonlurg, Riverstown. TWO defeats in the space of as many days brought the curtain down on the u-16’s C’ship ambitions for this year. The side hosted St. Mary’s in Templeboy in what was the second last round of the group stages of the “A” C’ship and were right in it at the interval when trailing by just a single point. The visitors hit the ground running in the second period and had opened up a sizeable lead by the end of the third quarter but a brave rally by the home side saw the gap reduced to a single point. However a strong finish by the Sligo town based side saw them run out comfortable winners in the end. The side, albeit an understrength one, was out again two days later when they travelled to Scarden to play Calry / St. Joseph’s in the final game with the result being merely academic at that stage. The North Sligo girls, with a place in the final at stake, took command from the start and maintained control throughout to emerge convincing winners in the end. The U-12’’s came out second best to a strong Eoghan Rua side in the Final of the “B” C’ship on Saturday last. It brought to an end what was a great year for the side, having picked up League silverware back in the Summer. Saturday last was adult Co. Finals Day and for the third year running Markievicz Park hosted all three finals. Our own Deborah Kelly and the Mulligan sisters Jacqui and Virginia were all members of the starting fifteen for the Coolera side which claimed the Junior crown when defeating Curry. Well done to all. Two former underage players tied the knot recently.
Congratulations to Aishling Kilgannon and Andrea Cawley who married John Paul Healy and Donal Finneran respectively.
Ironically both couples, who have been based in Australia for a number of years, returned home to celebrate their big day and we wish them well in resuming their lives down under.