Contents

• Sponsorship Opportunity
• Summer of #ScoilSkillz – Cast your vote!
• Ladies Section Fundraiser
• Summer Camps
• Other News
• Meet Conor Coady
• Team News
• Fixtures

Sponsorship Opportunity

You may have noticed the pitch side advertising from our very generous sponsors that appeared in the grounds over the last few months. 

Pitch side advertising is a great opportunity for organisations to raise their profile in the community & in the club, in addition to providing the club with much needed funds. The costs are very reasonable and work out at about 8 EUR per week for a 3 year term. If you know of a company that might be interested in sponsoring a pitch side banner in Scoil Uí Chonaill grounds we would be delighted to talk with them and outline the benefits.

Please contact Aidan Mulvey @ 086-1450407 or Killian O’Connell @ 087-2072866 for further information or with potential opportunities.

Summer of #ScoilSkillz – Cast your vote!

What began as a call for skills practice has not only accomplished that, but also produced some ingenious trick shots, and not to mention dashing costume design (see Conall Kenny in his Peaky Blinders getup!)

Vote below or here for your May Winner here and have your say to see who gets awarded a €50 O’Neills voucher!

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It’s so important that all our players (young & old!) take the time between training sessions to get their own skills sessions in. So this year, we’re making it the Summer of #ScoilSkillz!

Upload the videos to Facebook or Instagram and tag the Scoil page with the hashtag #ScoilSkillz to be in with a chance to be our monthly winner! 

Ladies Section Fundraiser

Root our your Miami Vice shirt!  More info to follow for the Ladies Section Fundraiser…

The organising committee are expecting a packed house so please be sure to buy your ticket in advance!

Other News

ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY…IN SCOIL

Ross Bissett has arranged the visit of a group of photojournalism students from Arizona State University, here on a cultural immersion tour. They would love to witness a practice match or training session where they can take some photos for their project. They’ll be at the club 7-8pm Monday 29th May. Let’s make them feel welcome!

GRMA INITIATIVE

GRMA (go raibh maith agat) is the new GAA Membership Card and rewards programme enabling GAA Members and supporters to avail of rewards and offers as a ‘thank you’ or ‘go raibh maith agat’ for engaging in GAA activities and going to games.
Sign up here

Meet Conor Coady

How long have you been involved in Scoil Uí Chonaill?
I’ve been involved my whole life. My first memories are from the nursery aged5 or 6 and watching my Dad play the odd game in the twilight of his football and hurling career with Scoil.

 Do you have any nicknames? How do you like to be addressed?
No nicknames for me. My brother “Fudge” has that one covered for the Coady house. Saying that, a couple of people around the club have called me “Con” from time to time.

Where do you hail from?
Castleknock, Dublin 15.

How did you come to be involved in Scoil?
My Dad, John Coady went to O’Connells and has been a lifelong member. There was never any question of who we would play for. Sean Lee and Jim Jackman also had sons and daughters living in Castleknock and the Navan Road so we weren’t the only kids travelling from that side of the city.

Briefly describe your Scoil career as a player / mentor / contributor, if any.
My skills were honed by the wonderful volunteers and coaches in the nursery and in the juvenile section where I played from U8 to minor and I’ve been on the adult hurling and football panels since then. We’ve enjoyed good days as well as bad. I made my managerial debut last year by taking the U21 footballers where we unfortunately fell at the first hurdle…… my ratification for this year has yet to be approved.

What would you say you are most known for within Scoil? i.e. what do people associate you with?
I think for being a committed dual player and for being John Coady’s son. At least I hope people know me as a player first rather than as a dancer 🙂

What has been your greatest Scoil moment / achievement?
We have had some great seasons in both codes over the last 5/6 years but I think the back to back promotions from AFL4 to AF2 over a 2 season period has to be top of the list. What a feeling it was on the pitch in Na Fianna that Sunday morning knowing we had brought the first adult football team back to senior level. It was a huge day for the club and the group in particular but the sheer joy on the sidelines showed just how much it meant to all of the supporters and club members.

What is your profession / field of study / passion?
I’m working as an accountant in the city centre. GAA and Scoil Ui Chonaill in particular being my passion!

What are your favourite hobbies outside of GAA?
I’m a massive sports fan and would watch any sporting event on TV, sometimes to the annoyance of my housemates who wouldn’t be the biggest cricket, Tour de France or baseball fans. I also enjoy playing the occasional round of golf (Badly).

If you could make one addition to Scoil in any way (don’t be restricted by the plausible!), what would it be?
All weather training facilities and a fully floodlit pitch.

What is your favourite Scoil ‘quirk’?
I’m a massive fan of our unique jersey! The non-existent threat of a colour clash would have to be my favourite quirk.

If you close your eyes and envisage Scoil in 10 years, what do you see?
A thriving juvenile and ladies section and competitive adult men’s teams at senior level in hurling and football.

Finally, if you had to describe yourself as an animal, what would it be and why?
Some of my team mates have had to put up with me barking at them for years so I’d have to say a dog. But when it comes to them…. my bark is worse than my bite.  

Team News

Senior Football

It’s the start of a defining 10 days for the Footballers as they have three AFL2 games in quick succession.

 #UpScoil

Intermediate Hurling

St Peregrines 3-09 Scoil 1-13

Scoil lost a closely fought Division 3 hurling league match, played for the most part in atrocious conditions, in Mulhuddart last Saturday evening.

Peregrines opened the scoring with a free from about 40 metres but for the next 15 minutes Scoil asserted themselves in most areas of the pitch. Conor Cody and Alan Cronin were strong in defence and Michael McCloskey and Neil O’Flynn were both winning good ball and combining with the other forwards to set up and finish scoring opportunities. This resulted in Scoil having a 6 points to 2 lead after 20 minutes as both sides adjusted to playing in the torrential rain. A couple of points and a somewhat fortunate goal by Peregrines in a five minute spell changed the complexion of the game as it gave them a lead they would never relinquish. At half time Peregrines led 1 – 6 to 0 – 8.

*Many thanks to Niall O’Carroll for his photos of the game

Scoil took the game to Peregrines in the second half but almost every point scored was answered almost immediately by a score conceded at the other end. In addition, a couple of mistakes in the Scoil rearguard gave Peregrines two opportunities for goals which, to be fair to the attackers involved, were finished with aplomb (one in the bottom corner and one in the top corner). Michael McCloskey scored an opportunist goal which appeared to swing the momentum in Scoil’s favour prior to the Peregrines third goal. Points from play by Neil O’Flynn and from frees by Barry Cushen brought Scoil to within a score of Peregrines. The last few minutes saw Scoil constantly attack but, unfortunately, the hard won possession was not converted into the scores needed to cancel the deficit.

This defeat leaves Scoil (6 points from 4 games) with much to play for in a league in which only one team has full points. 

 #UpScoil

Minor Ladies

No Minor ladies games but we wish Caoimhe DeBuitleir a speedy recovery from a broken bone in her foot.

 #UpScoil

U14 Girls

Scoil 8-08 Clanna Gael 2-11

Our girls ended their league season with a bang on Friday night. It was an away match and because of injuries, illness and confirmation we had only fourteen of our own team and the invaluable support of under 12 player Sorcha Mulligan. The intensity of the match left the supporters breathless with excitement. We went into the lead with a few wonderful goals and by half time we were well ahead and feeling quietly confident. Clanna Gael though must have had a pep talk or Weetabix at half time because they come out a totally different team and within a few minutes had scored two goals.  From then on, they kept attacking with gusto and our girls had to prove their mettle by defending stoutly as the opposition went into overdrive and got some classic points. Lia’s goalkeeping would put Stephen Cluxton to shame as time after time she saved what would surely have been goals with any other keeper.  Jody mopped up any ball that came within a mile of her while Isabelle caught balls that Gough would not have managed in his day. Solid is not a complimentary term for most girls but it is definitely a word that describes Eve’s playing. She never took her eyes of the ball and cleared it upfield time after time. Meadhbh moved up from midfield to score some lovely points and of course Abby was a constant threat to the opposition as she wove in and out amongst them always keeping them on their toes.  Meibhin’s playing has improved out of all recognition as she played solidly and was, most importantly, always intercepting the ball. Sadhbh Ni P is another girl who has matured as a player and does exactly as Paul has instructed her. What can you say about Holly except that she may be a midfielder but she plays every inch of the field and is surely the backbone of the team. Sadhbh Murphy, as usual, anticipated where those balls were going to land sometimes to the surprise of the opposition.  What can you say about Siofra only that she showed her class time after time during the match? Our borrowed player Sorcha is a marvellous forward and is always ready to give us a hand out if we are stuck for numbers so thank you Sorcha. Born again Reailtin showed her skill as a forward instead of her usual position as a back.  Siobhan kept popping up in unexpected places much to the dismay of the Clanna Gael girls who found it hard to mark her.  Aine played her heart out so much so that she had to come off because she simply could not breathe any more. Caoimhe played probably her best game ever sharing the ball unselfishly with the other forwards and contributing to what was a real team effort. The result makes it look as though we had an easy victory but it was a very hard fought battle in the second half with the opposition never giving up their attempts to score.  They fought to the last whistle and our girls played to the last whistle. It was an enthralling match and the mentors and their parents were delighted with the performance of the girls who ended third in their league. Maith sibh cailíní. Its onwards and upwards from now on.

 #UpScoil

U13s Boys

Scoil 4-05 Lucan Sarsfield 5-09

Scoil played a very entertaining game on pitch 22 in St Anne’s Park last Saturday against Lucan. Lucan developed a large lead on the first half with the help of a strong wind but Scoil came back in the second half with one of their best displays of the year to nearly clinch a win bar a few crucial wides. Encouraging to see the team play so well. Well done to all especially Ethan who scored 2 goals. 

 #UpScoil

U12s Camogie

It was a historic day for the girls as they recorded their first scores as a camogie team. Against Naomh Mearnog in Clontarf the target we set to the girls was to score in both halves and that every girl would at least try and practice the skills we are working on in training of lift and hit. Both objectives were tried and for the most part met which brought a lot of joy to the girls as they now know they are improving and that they can be competitive going forward if they keep the practice up. Huge thanks to our guest trainers in the week !!!!!

Our GPO Tomas reffed the game and it was played in great spirit and there was max a score in it at the end or a draw but all that was irrelevant to the happiness on their faces as they achieved the goals of the day as well as the promise of more in the future.

Scoil abu

#UpScoil

U11s

There was no U11 matches at the weekend. A big thanks must go to Adult Hurlers Paraic Morrissey and Adam Wilson who came out last Wednesday to help train our U11 hurlers & develop their #scoilskillz. And a particular mention must go to Paraic Naughton who is continually training our underage Hurlers.

 #UpScoil

U10s

Great display from both Scoil U10 Hurling Teams last Saturday against two well organised Na Fianna Sides – Two Wins for Scoil;

TEAM Liam Ryan: Slow off the blocks in the first half against a strong wind but lead at half time 2 pts to 1. After some reorganising at half time Scoil showed their class in the 2nd half with a great individual display from  Alan Murphy. Scoil forwards worked hard all day with Luke, Fahad and Diarmuid offloading to Adam to score 3 quick points in a row in the 2 half. Alex Courtney very strong & physical at the back and kept Na Fianna at bay.  Great to see so many skills points (hooking) today. 

Team Jp Courtney;  Good battles across pitch today with a number of our  kids displaying their war wounds at end of match.  Took command first half but allowed Na Fianna  back in it with some needless fouls, which we were punished for but this is the time for the kids to learn these lessons and will make them better players long term.  

Alex Cahill and Ronan battled hard today with Conor & Calvin holding firm at the back – Super performance from Conal Kenny today.  Liam Carr, Nathan & Aurelian were everywhere today (even where they shouldn’t have been). Charlie & Addi swapped goal keeping duties and didn’t disappoint with Charlie breaking his hurl! 

Delighted to see so many #ScoilSkillz uploads from Our Fantastic U10’s Panel todate;

Adam/Alan/Luke/Fionn/Conall/Alex with individual videos and joint efforts from Josh (U11) & bro Charlie followed by Nathan, Liam & Conall’s endeavours.

Think we are going to have to re name them “The Commitments” – Hardest Working “Band” on “Da North Side”…….

#UpScoil

U9 Camogie

Last Sunday the Scoil U9 Camogie panel made the journey to Finglas for a blitz at Erins Isle. There was a great turnout on the day with Scoil fielding the largest number of Camogie players. Many thanks to Aidan Ruane for stepping in to help with the mentoring and showing us all how it’s done!

Scoil we’re competitive in all matches, registering a number of good wins and close defeats. All players put in great displays with Aoibheann and Caoimhe featuring on the score board, Eabha striking the ball well out of hand, Ciara, Niamh & Taiya battling heroically all over the field and Orlaith who was a rock in defence.

Many thanks to all parents for ensuring there was such a great turnout.

The Under 9 boys had no game as we have not entered a hurling team as we need to build up the necessary skills at training sessions.

We didnt have a great turnout for Saturday morning training and could do with a better attendance.

#UpScoil

U8s

St. Brigid’s were forced to cancel Saturday’s match due to lack of players. They play Fingallians this weekend at home @ 10am

#UpScoil

Nursery

The nursery U7’s welcomed Beann Eadair to Clontaf Rd on Saturday morning for 3 very enjoyable games in glorious sunshine.  

Brilliantly managed by first time managers Brenda, Colm and Aideen the players showed great skills with excellent kicking, catching and blocking on show.  

The U7 players led the way with Rory, Aodh, Gene, Faolan, Alannah, Esme, Fionnan, Ben, Ryan, Lena, Luke and Hugh in particular playing great football.  They were helped by a large number of U6s, some who were playing their first ever match for the club – Simon, Aishling, Orla, Eoghan, Liam and Senan all got stuck in to their older opponents.

Meanwhile, our U5’s were put through their paces by Thomas and parents.

Training continues on Wednesday nights at 7pm for 2010 and 2011 players and on Saturday at 10am for everyone.

 #UpScoil

Fixtures