- AFL3 Ballyboughal 1-12 Scoil 0-17 PROMOTION PLAY OFF PLACE SECURED!
- AFL8 Round Towers, Clondalkin 0-12 Scoil 0-10
- Under 15 Hurling Promotion Play off V St Johns, Ballinteer, 11.30am Sun 19 Oct, Ringsend Pk
- Under 15 Girls Division 2 c’ship final v Clanna Gael, Sat 18th Oct @ 3.30pm Ringsend Pk
- Under 13 Girls Division 4 shield v Templeogue SS, Sat 18th Oct @ 12.30pm, Cherryfield
- Minor Football championship v N Fionnbarra @ 11am, St Annes 13, Sun 19th
- Halloween Camp Tues 26th – Thurs 28th Oct 10am
A good weekend for our promotion hopes!
Adult games
For the many supporters who travelled to Ballyboughal on Saturday there was a just reward as we secured victory in a game that a less focused team could have let slip. With a goal in the first 20 seconds of the game, the home team got off to a ‘flyer’ and held their lead up to the 55th minute! Here’s a brief synopsis of the game from last night’s Herald:
Scoil Uí Chonaill will also enter the promotion play-offs in fine fettle as they registered a hard-earned 0-17 to 1-12 away victory over Ballyboughal. The Clontarf Road outfit were forced to pull out all the stops to claim the win as they trailed for the majority of the game after conceding a goal within the first 15 seconds. However, they maintained their composure with Conor Coady and Danny Nolan combining well at centrefield while Dan Lane gave an immense display for the winners in a roving defensive capacity. Their efforts still looked likely to be in vain as the visitors trailed by three points with six minutes remaining but a string of six unanswered points swung the tie in their favor. Donncha Fenton accrued seven points for Scoil over the hour and he received valuable support in the scoring stakes from the impressive Eoin O’Carroll, Coady, Tiarnan Crowe, Lane, Neil O’Flynn and Aidan Mulvey.
Well done to all the players, management and supporters on securing a promotion play off following promotion from Division 4 last year. We’re now waiting for the play off fixtures for both the Division 3 football and division 4 hurling – watch this space!
Hard luck to the junior footballers who lost out on a place in the promotion play offs by a single point. They were beaten by Round Towers in a close game on Tuesday evening in Clondalkin. Well done to the supporters, including many of the Intermediate team, who travelled to Clondalkin.
The minor football championship game next Sunday v N Fionnbarra is fixed for St Annes 13 at 11am
Fixture details will also be updated on the news page of the website at www.scoilgaa.com
Juvenile Games
Under 15 hurling
The combined Scoil Uí Chonaill / Clanna Gael team finished on top of Division 2 following an unbeaten run of games in the league. The long awaited play off for promotion to Division 1 takes place next Sunday at 11.30am in Ringsend Park. Your support would be much appreciated for this game.
Under 10 Girls (2015)
The Leinster Girls U10’s blitz took place last Saturday in St Annes hosted by Clontarf GAA club. 48 teams took part and while Scoil did not have a girls team at U10 girls this year, it was decided to enter our girls development team who currently play in the U8 and U9 leagues with the boys. In preparation the girls had three training sessions with Joanne on the Wednesdays preceding the tournament with over 20 girls at most sessions.
So on a beautiful autumn morning the team gathered in Clontarf and made our way to St Annes with hope in our heart. The Oxford Dictionary’s definition of hope is “to want something to happen or to be true, and usually have a good reason to think that it might”.
However when our first opponents Lucan Sarsfields took to the field that hope was tested as they towered over our girls and the 2 to 3 year gap was evident (David & Golith came to mind). Some smiles were evident on the opposition faces before the match with the words “look at the size of them” heard drifting from their forward line. This was the first game the girls had played together ever and after a slow start in which they conceded two long range points. The team started to click and then set about tearing into their opponent’s with skill on the ball and ferocious tenacity in the tackle and block. While one score was clawed back the girls went down by a single score. That smile was thankfully put on the other side of our opponents faces and a lesson learned that “great things come in small packages”.
Those two early points were the last conceded by the girls for the next two matches with shut-outs against St Pats of Donabate and against NaFianna’s A team, a match which was a particular highlight for all. The next match was against Clontarf’s A team a local derby and although Scoil were beaten by single score the display and points taken lifted the Scoil supporters whose cheers and noise made it seem Clontarf were the away team.
To say that these girls put on a performance during the blitz is an understatement. They were a credit to themselves, coaches, parents and in particular the club. Not since the great “Hells Kitchen” Tipperary hurling team of the 1960’s has a team defended with such heart, skill and strength. The ball might have passed them sometimes, or the opposition girls might have passed them on others but never both. Over the five games the Scoil girls only conceded two goals and five points with two shut-outs. This bodes well for next year when this team will form our girls U10 team and we can now look for with more then hope.
A big thank you must go out to Ann O’Mahoney and her husband Donal from Clontarf GAA club who facilities us getting in to the blitz, which was organised to the highest standard and enjoyed by all. Also a big thanks to the parents for the support and the coaching team on the day JP, Aidan and Finbarr
Girls Championships/Cups
Girls U13 Div 4 Shield semi-final Replay – Scoil Ui Chonaill 1 -9 Kilmacud Crokes 2 – 5
A beautiful October Saturday with summer like temperatures at Pairc De Burca Kilmacud, Scoil Ui Chonaill U13 Div 5 girls emerged victorious, in a very competitive and very physical game, by a 1 point margin against Kilmacud Crokes Div 4. Scoil, playing the better and more skillful football in the first half, were 1-4 to 1-0 up at half time. Second half Scoil took up from where the left off and added another 3 points to their tally, Kilmacud responded with some very physical play, and added 2 points to their total. Scoil added another point from a penalty. Aoife McGrath through on goals to score a goal, defender literally jumps on her to stop her scoring. Then Kilmacud benefited from some sloppy defending to add 1 -2 to their total. Scoil came back playing some lovely football, which resulted in Aoife McGrath through on goal again, everyone is about to cheer for a goal, and just as she is about to shot, three Kilmacud player jump on her. A 21 metre free is awarded! No red or yellow, no penalty. Aoife McGrath takes her point. Score now lead 1 -9 to 2 – 4. An excellent score from Kilmacud follows with a hand pass from 20 meters; 1 – 9 to 2- 5. Scoil come back well with a superb move from a free kick in midfield, with the ball being fed in to the full forward coming short, being fed acros to the right half forward, with a 4 pass move and then being fed back left to full forward, with the gap opening for a shot, but the shot is just wide. Some intense pressure from Kilmacud follows, with some very cynical play from Crokes. Emma Murphy was taken out off the ball – no red, referee didn’t see it!! But Scoil girls defend tenaciously, with some superb interceptions and tackles from Emma Murphy, and Caelinn Ni Bhroin, Ella de Bruin, and then the final whistle sounds for a 1 point vistory margin.
This was a superb and outstanding victory, against a very physical and determined Kilmacud side. But the Scoil girls battled away with great tenacity, spirit and effort, playing some excellent and skillful football. Brilliant win, absolutely brilliant win. Special mention for Eimear Canty who had an excellent game. BUT, also, to all the girls for a magnificent effort. A Great team effort – BUALA BOS MHOR daoibh go leir.
Under 15 Championship Scoil Uí Chonaill St Peregrines
The Under 15 girls played their best game all season in their championship game v St Peregrines on Saturday last. They now play Clanna Gael Fontenoy in the Division 2 Final on Saturday next in Ringsend Park at 3.30pm
U13s Football: SUC vs Sylvesters B – Division 5 Football
After a rush to get to the match involving various modes of transport, the Scoil U13s team arrived in Malahide to find out that the venue had been changed so Claire McDermott took the Scoil lads on a nature walk across the park while the cars were transferred. Scoil were tight for numbers due to injuries, but as the match started it looked like it would be a close contest. However, as the match progressed, Sylvesters began to dominate and at half time Scoil were down 1-4 to 3-7 with Ryan Corcoran getting most of the Scoil scores. Tired legs showed in the 2nd half and Sylvesters continued to dominate with the final score a disappointing 8-10 to 1-6. With one match left in the league the lads need to put this one behind them and focus on Castleknock at home on Nov 1st.
Under 12 Boys Hurling
Excellent performance on Saturday in u12 hurling v Mearnogs. Drew a game that we could easily have lost but for the spirited competitive performance. Several highlights. 3 points from 3 different players directly from catching our own puck-outs was truly remarkable. A narrow wide after chasing down their half backs and winning possession is exactly the kind of effort every team needs from its forward line. Well done to all. Final game at home to Cuala on November 1st. We’ll get a few training sessions in in the meantime.
Under 11 Girls
It was another trip this week, this time to Lusk. Again our girls played their hearts out in an excellent and exciting game. Kellyann is the newest member of our squad but she played a stormer on Saturday. Paul is extremely pleased with the progress of the girls especially because we have so many younger players. He also wants to thank the parents for their wonderful support even to far away matches. Never mind folks next week we only have to go as far as Kilbarrack!
Congratulations to five of our girls Sadhbh Murphy, Izzy, Siofra Malone, Siobhan and Caoimhe who were on the Scoil Neasain Team who have qualified for the final of Cumann na mBunscol in Croke Park.
Juvenile Registration
Juvenile registration is now due and subs can be paid on Saturday 18th October in Clontarf between 10am and 12 noon. It is also possible to pay through our new membership facility on the club website. Check it out at http://www.scoilgaa.com/pay-membership
Halloween Camp
The annual Halloween Camp takes place from Tuesday 26th to Thursday 28th Oct in the Club grounds. All aged 4 -12 years are welcome to take part. Check out more details at https://www.facebook.com/121763621261565/photos/a.134551799982747.23353.121763621261565/610422882395634/?type=1
Comhghairdeas to Scoil Neasáin who are through to the Cumann na mBunscoil finals in Croke Park in both Boys and Girls competitions. The games will be played on Monday 3rd November, Boys at 1.30 and Girls at 2.40pm. Make a note in your diary!
A big thank you to this weeks match report contributors – lots of emotion and pride in our achievements!
Niamh Farrelly
PRO – Scoil Ui Chonaill CLG
