1. Scoil Gear 2019

2. Scoil Coffee Morning

3. Celebrating Minor Heroes

4. Best wishes Barry

5. Team News

Scoil Gear 2019

Over the coming weeks, Alva Cushen and Joey Ryan will be organising the summer order for Scoil gear. To gauge an interest in what gear people would like to be ordered, please fill out this survey: https://forms.gle/AYsawE9c5T9sMB6B9. This will be hugely beneficial in ordering the right gear that you all want!

We will be doing our utmost to ensure everything you request will be ordered, but bear in mind we are only a two person team with other demands so please be patient!

Scoil Coffee Morning

SCOIL/OCS-PPU

Present a coffee morning in the club for members and friends of the club and school.

VENUE: SCOIL UI CHONAILL CLUBHOUSE

DATE: TUESDAY 30th APRIL

TIME: 11AM

It would be great if you could make it!

Further Enquiries to: Dick Murphy:087 9295093 Gerry Rowley: 087 6287395

Celebrating Minor Heroes

Scoil will be celebrating the amazing achievements of the Minor teams of the 60’s where the club won five minor championship titles and an under 21 title in a seven year period!

Not many members of the Club will be aware of the Scoil glory days when the Club  contested six Minor Championship Finals in eight years and won FIVE Dublin Minor Championship titles!

The Scoil also contested and won an U21 title in that period.

To revive and relive some of the memories, some of the stars of that era are having a reunion on Friday 7th June at 7.30pm in the Clubhouse.

So get out the photos, put on the memory caps and  spread the word (50 years plus is a long time)

Main contact points are: Robbie Kelleher(086 2583796), Barry Kenna (087 4196789), Bernie O Sullivan (086 0688101) and Gerry Rowley  (087 6287395)

Best Wishes Barry

Best wishes to senior hurler Barry Cushen who suffered an injury during training last week. Barry will be out of action for around 6 weeks (hopefully less!) so if you see him around the club be sure to wish him well!

Team News

Adult Ladies:
Man O War  2-10  Scoil ui Chonaill 0-7

The adult ladies team had started the league campaign the previous week with a convincing win against Portobello. This match in North County Dublin was a much stiffer test. 

The home team had most of the possession in the first half but Scoil managed to keep in touch and were only a goal behind at half time. The forward line had difficulty scoring as Man O War conceded frees whenever a chance was created. As a result, all five points were scored from frees by Sinead de Burca.

Just before the half time whistle, Caelinn Ni Bhroin was tripped as she got in behind the defence. While her opponent was sin binned, the resultant free came to nought.

Any hope that Scoil could capitalise with the extra player was scuppered when Man O War scored an early goal. The Scoil players battled on with great determination and with less than 10 minutes left, had an opportunity to reduce the margin to 3 points, when they were awarded a blatant penalty. Unfortunately, the spot kick was saved and the next 2 points were scored by Man O War. 

The tough tackling by the opposition made it difficult to create goal chances and the referee sent a further 3 Man O War players to the sin bin in the closing stages. 

A disappointing defeat, but hopefully a lot of experience gained from playing against such an experienced team.

U12’s: SUC 6:6 v Round Towers Lusk 2:7

History made and start of what we hope will be a long journey for our Scoil lads this morning, as they made their official U12 league debut.
Thanks to Eoin McKay (Scoil Seniors) giving the lads a pep talk before game.

We’ve worked with the majority of these kids since 2010/2011 so it was a very proud day to see so many who started out with myself, Liam & Ronan, grace the field.

It was always going to be a hard game against a very physical and skillful Round Towers Lusk Team but despite being without the silken skills of Adam, Fionn & Oran, the Team rose to the challenge and deservedly came away winners.
Conor scored hat trick and could have had more, with our little Mauritian Assassin Aurelien getting in amongst the goals also.

Liam, Tadhg x2 , Jack and Finn were very busy up front and never let opposition get a moments peace. Some fine long range scores from Conall twin & Alan M also.

Some excellent passages of play on show also.
Addi & Conall (Mid field) ran themselves ragged and our defence proved very very solid (Luke/ Diarmuid / Fahad / Niall/ Alex / Nathan).

For Daniel & Charlie who didn’t get on (no Gum Shields / Shorts) you will get your turn so keep pushing/training and don’t forget your gear next time.

Entire panel (starters/subs/non starters / kids missing) all played their part in shaping this very 1st League Win/Result.

We asked the lads to show pride in Themselves, their team & Scoil Club.
THEY DELIVERED.

We will have our losses but as long as they show heart, desire and willingness to improve, we will be happy.

Regards Jp / Liam / Ronan

U11’s: The lads played Wesmanstown in Alfie Byrne Road on Saturday with Senan as our captain. The first half was frustrating and we really didnt get into the game. Despite playing with the wind we were 3-1 to 0-1 down at half time. We were a bit naive tactically and didnt make the make the most of our possession. Whilst we fought well to win a lot of ball  we often kicked it right back to the other team. Despite the score our defence (Conor M, Cillian, Callum and Andrea from the under 11 girls) played very well as a unit and were very solid with most of the opposition scores coming from their midfield runners or from our own kickouts. The second half was a much different story as the boys and girl really got stuck in and really performed much better – they didnt want to lose. After a few minutes the coaches (who are still learning the ropes) put Cillian on the oppositions playmaker to do a man marking job. That achieved instant success as Cillians determination and discipline ensured that Scoil won much more ball. That allowed our midfield Eoghan Og, Senan and Joe to create much more scoring opportunities. 3 Goals and 4 points from Ruairi, Joe, Luke, Senan and Jake ensured that the match ended in a draw. The skills are really coming on and but we are now having to think more tactically (kids and coaches) so that we use the skills to best effect in matches and keep going for the whole game not just for a half. Given we went back training in early January the team have a well deserved Easter break.

U10’s: Scoil u10 footballers met St Peter’s on Saturday in Ballyboughal. St Peter’s (a juvenile amalgamation of 3 local clubs; Ballyboughal, Naul and Garristown)  put us on warning that they’d been winning matches with plenty to spare all year. With a number of key players missing we travelled in trepidation!

Team Cormac was missing it’s entire regular backline and their cause wasn’t helped when they faced into a strong wind in the first half. St Peter’s, led by their #11 (the best individual player we’ve seen at this age group to date), put in a dominant first half. Disappointingly, a couple of heads went down and decided to go on strike. But other lads plucked away and got a couple of nice scores as a reward. We regrouped at half time and agreed to play as a team where every player would do their best. With the wind in the second half we really grew into the game and while there were still too many soft scores conceded, we put up a good score ourselves. In the “team bus” on the way home we had a performance debrief and the most satisfying thing on the day was that the players who had dropped their heads in the game knew it themselves and admitting it is half the battle! Admissions or not, there were still extra sprints at training on Monday! 🙂  

Team John, put on a much better display. Working hard, doing our best and never giving up is the motto of our teams and Team Johndemonstrated all these traits when playing into a strong gale in the first half of the match.Orson set the tone in the early minutes with a great tackle that led to a free in an attacking position. This resulted in Joseph slotting over our first pointfollowing a smart pass by Finn. The strong wind meant that it was difficult to clear the ball out of our half. During this period, Eoin and Denis were heroic in defense, shadowing their opponents and making strong tackles to win possession and frees.  In goals, Cian had a brilliant game and made four fine saves when we were under pressure – before cleverly kicking out to the wings. Conall ran hard to get into space for our kick-outs and soloed up the field to relieve the pressure and set up many attacks.

Our hard work continued when we switched sides and played with the wind in the second half.  Finn kept up his scoring record by scoring two super long range goals early in the half.  A wonderful point from Orson followed some great defending by Eoin and Conall. In the next play, Conall scored an unbelievable point from an enormous distance after putting in a strong tackle to win a free. During this period, Denis gave a demonstration of high catching before taking four steps and kicking the ball long to clear his lines.  Jamie O’B worked hard to put pressure on the opposition and make sure that they had no time to clear the ball. This really was a great team performance. Well done to everybody for working so hard. There will be many more great days in the future if we approach matches with the same attitude.

No match on Easter weekend, but next up will be a hurling blitz on April 27th. Take every opportunity to play and practise and don’t walk out the door over the Easter hols without a hurley in your hand! 🙂

U9’s: The gorse bloomed bright and there was a clear blue-skied view out to Lambay Island from the Upper Pitches, but the easterly wind created tricky conditions for the U9 Boys at Beann Éadair on Saturday.

Foireann Shane & Eoin

U9’s met their toughest challenge yet this year on the slopes of Howth Hill. Playing against a stiff, swirling breeze in the first half, Caleb and Jack [Player of the Week] were stalwart in defence, never letting their opponents out of their sight. The going was tough, but Fionn made a few super saves in goal. In midfield, Rian and Tadhg ran the length of the pitch, linking well between defence and attack. Ben and Fionnán weresharp, jumping on any breaking ball that came their way. A few juicy long-range pointsfrom Tadhg and Jack kept Scoil in the game.

Foireann Tony & Tracey

The wind was to Beann Éadair’s advantage in the first half and they made good use of it,knocking over a few tidy scores. But Scoil kept keen, confident and they battled hard,fighting for every ball. It was to Beann Éadair at half-time but after a cogent pep talk from Tony, the boys determined to make up the points. The team made good use of the short-pass and the hand-pass. Noah and Zach were particularly effective, both scoring fisted points. Aodh (Man of the Match) and Oisín were excellent at keeping their position in defense. Their discipline resulting in no score being conceded in the second half.After a mighty team effort it fell to Scoil at full-time. The coaches were pleased to see the players concentration and confidence flourish in difficult conditions.

And FINALLY from the sidelines….

“Notwithstanding blustery stormy conditions the lads endeavoured to perform to stellar standards, with some great goals and points”, Zach’s Dad.

“It truly was a game of two halves, thanks largely to the weather conditions. Which allowed each team to take advantage of the prevailing winds. However, the second half, proved decisive, as Scoil Uí conceeded nothing’, Faolán’s Dad

U8’s: It was off to Whitehall on Saturday  in windy fresh but dry conditions for three team X three matches with the added incentive of free Easter eggs for everyone in the audience after the matches.

Team A- Conall and Sarah fought for a lot of the ball and were able to kick the ball with great force. Fred and Bill were a great duo and played well together with some nice passing and shots at goal. Tyler made a fine save in Goals that looked sore to the parents but didn’t seem to bother him. Allanah kept tight to her opposite number and did some great tackling. Rory played with determination in forward and mid positions and had some accurate scoring chances. Roisin demonstrated some great kick outs from goals which nearly reached the Scoil goal. She also tackled and fought for the ball when she was playing out in the field.

Team B- Eoghan was superb in midfield and made the best use of the windy conditions to help him score some great points. Liam, Orla and Hugh also put some scores on the Scoil card using some of the skills that they had learnt in training. Shane was also in top form and saved too many to count goals in the matches.

Team C- Malik and Gene demonstrated some great skill. Gene scored for Scoil using hand passing strategy over the bar despite the best efforts of the opposition to stop them in their track. Malik was determined in mid field ensuring Scoil maintained possession and then made the best of this possession.

No training on Monday nights in Larkin for the Easter Holidays but a training session is planned after the Easter weekend which everyone will need after the chocolate feast that it has become.