Who says kids aren’t looked after in this modern age of Playstations and X-Boxes? Twenty six eleven and twelve year old boys from St John’s Parish were given the VIP treatment last Sunday when brought to Tullamore for the big match. A Garda pass (courtesy of Nigel Leydon – he’s well in there!) sped us through Offaly’s capital, where we were greeted by officials from Tullamore CLCG who were on hand to make sure we wanted for nothing. It wasn’t long thereafter that our boys were on the pitch giving every bit as good as they got. Two concurrent matches were held side by side. The Tullamore boys were big and strong (is there an Offaly revival in the air?) but that never stopped the continent before! Onwards we marched (having been sated with sandwiches from Heaven) across the road to the stadium to be treated to one of the games of a season that is only just beginning! Mark Kelly’s second half take (under extreme pressure) and release to Colin Fennelly, set up what looked to be the pivotal goal of the game. Who could have guessed what was about to happen? These are great days of Summer boys – remember them, because before you know it – Summer will be over. The U12’s squad in Tullamore was as follows: Jason Delaney, James Phelan, Damien Dowling, Jack Clifford, Daniel Walsh, Chase Leefar, Morgan Leefar, Mikey Ibrahim, Josh Nolan, Matthew Hogan, Joe Brennan, Alex Molloy, Sean Lawlor, Ben Kinchella, Mikey Wallace, John MacNamara, Aidan Kenny, James McKinley, John McKinley, Ronan Lavelle, Jake Hickey, Eric Walsh, Vincent O’Grady, Harry O’Grady, Nicholas Mullins, Sam O’Connell & Joseph Leydon. Special mention should also go to Joey Byrne, who lined out for Kilkenny as part of the half-time interval game. Joey is a member of our U14’s squad.
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O'Loughlin Gaels would like to congratulate juvenile member - Niall Kenny, who won an All-Ireland Silver medal in the Special Olympics at the weekend. The event was staged in the magnificent sporting campus that is University of Limerick. Huge crowds attended over three days & it's fair to say it really was a remarkably special event. Niall claimed silver in the 25m sprint. The other Kilkenny athletes who represented Team Leinster also brought home a veritable rainbow of medals! Well done to all. Freshford and Muckalee both travelled to St. John's on a stunning sunny evening for a challenge game . The lads played 2 games each with some strong hurling from all teams Involved. A couple of stand out performances from the oloughlin lads including Ronan Lavelle who scored a couple of cracking points and a powerful goal and Matthew Hogan, Alex Molloy, sam O'Connell and Vincent o'grady . It was a great evening for hurling and the lads really performed strongly . Hurling was made for Summer evenings like this ! Summer Camp The O’Loughlin Gaels Summer Camp will take place again this summer for two weeks in August. This is the sixth year of the camp and it continues to grow in popularity each year, with 160 children taking part over the two weeks last summer. The key words associated with the camp are fun, enjoyment, participation and skill development. Niall Bergin and his team of qualified GAA coaches work hard each year to create and implement a diverse programme aimed at developing the basic skills of hurling/camogie, gaelic football, rounders and handball in a fun-filled, friendly and energetic environment. Each morning the groups will work on developing the skills of each game through a range of drills and activities. In the afternoon the children will use these skills in mini-games where the emphasis is on participation and enjoyment. An exciting part of each week for the children is always the visit of a number of inter-county hurling, camogie and football stars who chat to the children about skill development and lifestyle as well as posing for photos and signing numerous jerseys, hurls, helmets and even arms!! · The camp is open to all O’Loughlin Gaels club members, boys and girls aged 5-13 years. · Each child will receive a quality sports pack with O’Loughlin Gaels gear. · Camp begins at 10am with lunch from 12-12.30pm and finishes up at 2.30pm. · We are really lucky to have the use of such great facilities in St. John’s Park with three pitches, a wall ball, two handball alleys and an indoor hall – which saves us from the sometimes unpredictable Irish weather!! · The camp costs €60 per child for one week or €85 for two weeks. One sports pack per child included in this price. · The dates for this year’s camp are: Week 1: Tuesday August 5th – Saturday August 9th Week 2: Monday August 11th – Friday August 15th Application forms are available from club underage management, in the clubhouse itself, Kearns butchers, JJ Cullen butchers, St. John’s Quay Library and on the club website www.oloughlingaels.gaa.ie. Closing date for applications is Friday June 20th so get in early to avoid disappointment. Please note late applications cannot be guaranteed availability of sports pack. The Summer hols are fast approaching and it's time for you to make sure your child is booked in for our Summer Camp. The camp dates are as follows: week 1 August 5th to 9th & week 2 August 11th to 15th. Application forms have been distributed to the schools - the deadline for registering is June 20th. The camp is an excellent way for your child to develop is / her skills in an inclusive and encouraging environment. Please book early to avoid disappointment. to edit.
Those same alarm clocks that had sounded some weeks ago to send us to Ennis, were a little less organized this weekend. The arrival of Summertime meant that our boys and their mentors arrived raggle taggle for the Wexford bound bus. The mission was to play St Martin’s in a challenge and then take in the League Quarter final in Wexford Park between Kilkenny and Wexford. St Martin’s GAA club is located in the lovely village of Piercetown, 5 miles south of Wexford. Our club has a natural affinity with St Martin’s and we’ve been playing them in challenges and blitzes for several years now. Luke Hennessy of St Martin’s is a brother of Mark Hennessy – whose son (also Luke) plays with our U12’s. Both clubs had enough players at their disposal to have two side by side games, with all players getting plenty of game time. The matches were fast and furious with both sides showing levels of commitment beyond their years – keep it up boys! Handshakes were exchanged all round and it was off then to McDonalds for much needed fortification before venturing on to Wexford Park. This reporter had neglected to bring a change of footwear or indeed a spare pair of socks to offset the soggy underfoot conditions. This lack of forward planning was in stark contrast to other more seasoned campaigners – who appeared to have every comfort known to man in their experienced holdalls. This reporter clearly......has a lot to learn! Kilkenny went on to beat Wexford convincingly and our own Mark Kelly put in yet another star turn with the famous black and amber fourteen on his back – well done Mark. Pat and Nigel did the all important headcount when the game was over (twenty eight was the magic number!) and off we trudged in search of our homebound bus. This reporter was met with a special request from the players before they boarded. They asked me not to list their names in the customary match report but instead; to send a happy Mother’s Day message to each of their Mams. And so - on behalf of the players and their mentors, O’Loughlin Gaels would like to say thank you and Happy Mother’s Day to the following ladies: Amanda, Antoinette, Bernie, Bridget, Caroline, Cathy, Corrina, Deirdre, Emily, Fiona, Geraldine, Helen, Imelda, Karen, Linda, Marion, Martina, Miriam, Monica, Nicola, Patricia, Rita, Sheila, Una and Veronica. Thanks girls for all your hard work and dedication – hope you all enjoyed your day. Alarm clocks sounded in unison across St John’s Parish on Sunday last, at the ungodly hour of 7:00 a.m. The Continent’s finest had their dreams of All-Ireland glory rudely interrupted by panicky parents burdened with the responsibility of having their boys suited, booted and ready for the Banner bus. Within the hour, cars rolled through the St John’s Park gates in single file – delivering O’Loughlins finest for the fray. Money exchanged hands and before we knew it, the towns of Ballyragget, Durrow and Borris-in-Ossory had slipped quietly from our peripheral view. The motorway guided us towards a detour of Limerick via the Shannon Tunnel. Only days before, the wind had ripped the roof off the stanchions of the old stand in Nowlan Park. We wondered was a similar fate about to befall the tunnel; from the screams that greeted our bus’s entrance into its gaping mouth: AAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! went the roar, but the tunnel managed to stay intact! The lovely folk of Corofin waited loyally at their grounds for our arrival. No task was too big or too small for them – this reporter was even aided by several Clare Roses with the thankless task of filling the teams’ water bottles. Two matches were played side by side and our boys acquitted themselves well throughout. Given that training for the U12’s had been severely curtailed due to the recent inclement weather, it was remarkable to see the amount of blocking, hooking, pure striking and clean catching by the boys from the Continent in both games. There was also a degree of honesty in their endeavour, and we came away secure in the knowledge that good things lie ahead for our U12 team. The boys then piled in to Corofin’s splendid hall, to be fed on a diet of buns and crisps and coke. The mentors were grateful for the lovingly made freshly cut sandwiches. The only time this reporter could recall having tasted as good - was back in St John’s Park! Bernard Madigan (team mentor) called for silence and thanked O’Loughlin Gaels for making the journey down and wished us well on our trip to Cusack Park as well as the journey home. Nigel Leydon then addressed the crowd and reminded all of a “mad” prediction made at the corresponding fixture last year – that Clare would be crowned All-Ireland Champions in 2013. Noel (driver) then steadily pointed the bus in the direction of Ennis and we set off for the final leg of our outbound journey – Cusack Park. The match was played with a ferocious intensity we are unaccustomed to in the month of February. Our own Mark Kelly was unlucky not to bag two goals but was rewarded for his efforts with a penalty, midway through the second half. Kilkenny battled to a one point defeat at the hands of the All-Ireland Champions and the famous Clare roar could be heard reverberating around the antiquated stands – at the final whistle. After a quick Pat O’Grady headcount; our boys trooped single file to the front door of Supermacs. The staff were courteous under pressure and before long we were seated and tucking into much needed grub. John Comerford, Damien Dowling, Declan Murphy and Mikey Ibrahim opted for snack boxes – good call! Ryan Corcoran, Jack Brennan, Jake Hickey and Nick Mullins asked for mighty meals for mighty men – dead right too! Harry Bland, Chase Leefarr, Morgan Leefarr and Aidan Kenny liked the look of those mega burgers – Mega! Robbie Kenny, Joe Brennan, Sean Lawlor and Alex Molloy were on the trail of the doner kebab – compliments to the chef! James Phelan, John McNamara, Mikey Wallace and Gregg Edogun went for the auld reliable – chicken nuggets and chips! Joseph Leydon, Ronan Lavelle, Vincent O’Grady and Harry O’Grady nailed their colours to the smokey bacon mast! Finally – the savagely hungry Luke Hennessy, John McKinley, James McKinley and Sam O’Connell had no option but to plump for the lunch box! Tired and battle weary – our boys resumed their seats on the bus for the long journey home. Day fell into night and this time; all that rolled by our windows – was the dark night sky. Texts were sent to expectant parents regarding the estimated time of arrival and steadily, Noel steered the bus towards its intended Kilkenny target. Special mention should go to two very important fans, who made the journey all the way down to Corofin - to support their team. Beibhinn Mullins and Niall Kenny were exemplary in the way they behaved and as a club; we were delighted to have them on board. Twelve hours after those alarm calls – the bus finally pulled through the gates of St John’s Park. Our team members were delivered safely into the arms of those who know and love them most. As a club, we too were safe in the knowledge that our players would soon be tucked in and ready to resume those dreams of All-Ireland glory. Dream on wee men and promise to stay dreaming. We promise in return to tread softly, so as not to tread on your dreams. |
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December 2018
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