Contents

• National Club Draw: Return Tickets
• Edmund Rice Walking Trail
• Meet the Members: Meet Your President
• Results & Fixtures
• Other News:
  • Appeal for the return of any jerseys lying about members’ houses
  • Registration time

National Club Draw: Return Tickets

Tickets are now overdue!! Please return all tickets and monies immediately.
Please contact TJ Farrelly on 086-8326644 for enquiries.

Edmund Rice Walking Trail

A warm invitation has been extended by Br. Pat Madigan for any Scoil members who may wish to take part in the Edmund Rice Trail Walk in Mount Sion, Waterford. It will take please this year on May 13th and will include the Edmund Rice Trail in Waterford City and the nearvy Waterford Nature Park.

The plan is to leave Dublin by 7am on May 13th by private bus, to be out walking by 10am and arrive back by 10pm that evening, having had dinner on the way back; perhaps in Kilkenny.

There is a very worthwhile sponsorship effort associated with the event; to raise money for the very worthy cause of helping refugees and migrants in Ireland who are struggling to establish a new life in the country, often having endured suffering in their own countries.

It promises to be a wonderful day out and great chance for some Scoil Uí Chonaill members to visit Mount Sion, which shares great history with the schools and the club.

Please contact either scoil.pro.eoc@gmail.com or Br. Madigan directly for more information.

Meet the Members: President Dick Murphy

How long have you been involved in Scoil Uí Chonaill?  
Oh, a long time!  Joined the day the club was founded in O’Connell School in 1950 and was given the job of Assistant Secretary shortly afterwards. I was only in sixth year at the time…so never let us hear of members thinking they’re too young to lend a hand!

Do you have any nicknames? How do you like to be addressed?
Everyone refers to me as Dick.

Where do you hail from?
From Drumcondra with a Cork background

How did you come to be involved in Scoil?
I joined up on day one and was very involved from the outset, running fundraisers, mentoring underage teams, attending Board Meetings at a very early stage.

Briefly describe your Scoil career as a player / mentor / contributor.
Played at minor level, then at Adult level throughout the fifties. Unfortunately my playing career cut short due to a serious injury. I didn’t let that stop my contribution though as I went on to run many teams at all levels; U10 to Minor, football and hurling, and Senior and Junior football. I was actually the sole mentor/manager of our Senior team who contested the 1968 Senior Football Championship Final in Croke Park which we lost by a narrow margin. I’ve also been Chairman for two periods of three years each and held various other positions. I’m now in the midst of a healthy tenure as President.

What would you say you are most known for within Scoil?
Now, probably as a supporter of Scoil teams and perhaps the golden oldie who hands out the medals…I don’t know really!

What has been your greatest Scoil moment / achievement?
Oh I’ll have to use my position to bend the rules here and opt for two; First, the Senior Footballers winning the Championship in 1983 and then being involved in getting a site for a clubhouse in the grounds in 1984.

What is your profession / field of study / passion?
I’m well retired at this stage but in my working life I was IR manager, amongst other positions, in a semi state organisation.

What are your favourite hobbies outside of GAA?  
I’m very interested in all sports. I’ve been to Lords, Wimbledon, Wembley, Old Trafford to mention a few. I have on occasion played a bit of golf but now, apart from walking, I like to have some involvement with the grandchildren and their happenings.

If you could make one addition to Scoil in any way, what would it be?
Have another feeder school, perhaps one located on the grounds. This may seem a far stretch when initially read, but when thought about and considering our locality and the changing nature of populations and education requirements it is no way a stretch of the Scoil imagination!

What is your favourite Scoil ‘quirk’?
Our infamous geese would have to be high on the list. I must say Peter Morley’s hawk was a great idea to keep them at bay!

If you close your eyes and envisage Scoil in 10 years, what do you see?
Hard for me to envisage that far ahead but I do believe we will be a strong vibrant club given the calibre of the people now involved in progressing our affairs.

Results & Fixtures

Senior Football Result:
The Senior Footballers were narrowly beaten by SFC Finalists Castleknock in challenging conditions in Scoil on Saturday afternoon in their second warm-up match of the 2017 season. The Footballers face St Pats (Donabate) in the first round of the Cup in Clontarf @10.30am on Sunday.

u13 Boys Football Results:
Scoil 10-5 – 2-3 na Fianna
On a cold wet Saturday afternoon on pitch 22 in St Anne’s Park the U13 boys played their first grading game of the season. Their opponents were Olafs from Sandyford. Under very difficult conditions they produced an outstanding display of football winning the game 10-5 (35) to 2-3 (9). They dominated the game throughout with 2 notable saves by Daragh Byrne, two hatricks  by Cian (Laurence O’Toole NS) and Thomas Phelan and great forward play throughout the game by Paddy, Brendan, Caleb, Graham, Sean, Rian and Dan. All 21 players played a crucial part in this first win of 2017. Well done lads and keep it up.

u12 Boys Football Results:
Both highs & lows for the Thunder & Lightning of Scoil Football at the weekend;
Scoil ‘Thunder’ u12s 4-3 – 1-0 Sylvesters
Scoil ‘Lightning’ u12s 4-3 – 7-5 St. OliverPlunkets ER

Scoil U 12’s – Team “Thunder” – 11 February 2017
Scoil 4 -3 – Sylvesters 1-0

In conditions that can only be described as Baltic, Scoil U 12’s Thunder team had their first competitive match against St. Sylvesters in Clontarf.

Following some much needed warm-up drills organized by mentors Richie Egan and Brian Geraghty, the team lined up with a very attacking format, eager to put scores on the board from the start.

The first half was very evenly matched, both teams playing expansive and expressive football with long accurate foot passes a feature of the half. Sean Morgan and Stephen Foley-Cusack started to dominate, showing their class with some accurate deliveries into the inside forward line of Patrick Geraghty, Rory Geoghan, and Finn Rowley.  

Scoil started to dominate proceedings in the latter part of the first half.  Oisin Benham produced a series of fine interventions and blocks.  Brendan O’Connell got the motor running and brought other players into the match with his accurate handpasses.  Despite the increased possession the first half ended scoreless.

Motivated by the half time speeches by Dominic Morgan and Ritchie, a determined Scoil team took to the field for the second half.  A lack in concentration from the throw in resulted in a long ball into the Scoil defence not being correctly dealt with and Sylvesters goaled against the run of general play.

The Scoil players rallied themselves.  Marcas O’Raghallaigh began to find his players from his accurate kickouts and Cillian O’Sullivan and Oisin started to get on top of their men. Eoghan Taylor was dogged and unrelenting around centre forward, continually winning the dirty ball and laying it off for another Scoil player.

A super goal from Brendan followed from some good work from Cathal Murphy on the wing and brought a justified parity to the scoreline.  Scoil continued to press harder.  Fionn Macauly followed up shortly with a well taken point under pressure.  Eann O’Dalaigh pressed home the advantage with another point.  

Scoil continued to pressurise the opposing man in possession, with Stephen especially, winning some very important dispossessions around the middle third of the field.  Following a long ball in from Brendan, Patrick gathered and turned his man before firing over another fine point bringing the score to 1 – 3 to 1-0.

The Scoil mentors used their bench wisely with Eanna, Finn Rowley and Flann Taylor all making valuable contributions when entering the fray.

Scoil weren’t finished.  Teak tough Oisin blocked an attempted shot on goal; the ball fell to Sean who delivered a horizontal pass to Fintan Hunterman.  Fintan delivered a long ball that caused confusion in the Sylvester’s goalmouth.  After a wild scramble, Cathal fired the ball soccer style into the roof of the net.  

Scoil continued to press home the advantage.  Two more clinical goals came from Patrick and Rory following good work from Cillian in corner back, through to Sean, Brendan and Fintan on the right wing.

Scoil played the more attractive football and were fully deserving winners in a sporting encounter.  Well done to all involved.
 

Scoil U 12’s – Team “Lightning” – 11 February 2017
Scoil 4 -3 – Oliver Plunketts ER 7-5

First outing of the year for the Lightnings ended in a loss by 7-5 to 4-3 to Plunkets ER, away in Martin Savage Park, a fantastic first half saw the lads lead at half but some bad luck and horrid weather in the second half saw a number goals conceded. Some fantastic displays in the backs by Ciaran, Eoin and Senan, excellent midfield play by Conal and Lee and hotshots Realtin, Oran and Devon in the forwards. Plenty of positives to work on, in particular the fact that we had 17 players turn up on an awful day, eight of which were from O’Connells Schools, big thank you to Patsy O’Keeffe for his help in achieving this. Next match at home.

Other News:

• Registration time
  • It’s registration time and all members, and parents of members, should double check with their team mentor to ensure they are fully registered for the year ahead.
• Gormanstown indoor Hurling resumes this Sunday @10am
• Appeal for the return of any jerseys lying about members’ houses