Pat reflects on busy season

COISTE na nÓg Chairman Pat Dunne’s report to convention was concise and largely positive with the main issues being lack of games at Minor level and a shortage of referees.

‘First of all, I’d like to thank Hugh Kenny who really is the driving force of Coiste na nÓg. Hugh came on board this and took over the whole outfit you could say from start to finish and done an excellent job on it.

‘The Go Games, under-7s and under-9s and the Cúl Camps, numbers were up this year and thanks to all the host clubs and the GDAs.

‘The under-11, huge numbers here, especially in the football, with 48 teams entering throughout the year. No shortage of games in both hurling and football.

‘I’d like to thank the County Board for their help in getting the services of another GDA hurling man in Philip Campion to take some of the workload from Jonathan Tallon.

‘I’d also like to compliment the under-16 Wicklow Fr Manning Cup team, great year for them. I’d like to thank the County Board, the best of everything laid on for the team all year, they wanted for nothing, and came up short in the final in Longford, and I’d wish Kevin O’Brien well taking these lads for the coming year.

‘The under-13, 15 and 17, for the first time in a long time we got all of our leagues finished. All of our finals were completed bar one, in under-13.

‘Going forward I would like to urge the management or the next fixtures CCC to try and revert to get both our Minor finals back to Aughrim on county final day. More referees are badly needed,’ he added.

In his printed report that appeared in the convention document, Pat Dunne lamented that not enough football at Minor level and that there were ‘far too many’ walk-overs being recorded.

Dunne also expressed his disappointment at the lack of referees coming forward from courses being offered by Wicklow GAA.

‘Without these people we would have no games.

‘There is nothing as bad as a referee not showing up for an appointment. We need more referees,’ he added.