Juvenile Hurling & Football Notes wk36

Aghada GAA Juvenile News
Hi folks, hope all is well, you know you are coming to the end of the GAA season when the AGMs are upon us and we in the juvenile section will be holding our meeting next Tuesday night 15th at 7pm in the clubhouse. This is always an important meeting that can give a great insight into how the club has been going and what direction it could take into the future. This year also takes on great significance as the Adult Executive have put in a proposal that if passed at the Adult AGM, will involve big changes in the running of the juvenile section and have a big impact on our membership rates going forward. So, it is incumbent on you as parents to try and make this meeting and further explanation on the proposal and what it might mean for you and your family will hopefully become a little clearer on the night. Not knowing is hard, confusion is difficult, but let- I do not understand be a question, because when you ask it you may learn to understand.
Former President of Ireland, Mary McAleese will chair a group leading the integration of the GAA, LGFA and Camogie Association. This will be music to many people’s ears who always believed that this amalgamation could only properly happen from the top down and with someone of the calibre of Mary McAleese, now the chairperson, you can be sure that it will happen in a fair and equitable manner. In recent years the three sporting bodies have made moves to come together under the one roof, with all three taking votes at their respective congresses in the past year to move further along that process. The GAA voted in favour of the following motion last February at its congress. “The GAA shall prioritise integration with the LGFA and Camogie Association in order to jointly ensure equal investment, recognition and opportunity for all genders to play all sports in the Gaelic Games family” The first meeting of the Steering Group on integration chaired by Mary McAleese took place on October 19th , it was unanimously agreed that the future integrated structure will be based on One Association for all Gaelic Games and built on the principle of equality. Former GAA president Liam O’ Neill said the appointment of Mary McAleese as chairperson of the Steering Group is a wonderful compliment to the GAA family, she is an expert at bringing people together. Time will tell, it always does so trust in each other – till then.
U16 Football championship Aghada 2-7 Youghal 2-10 We took on our seaside neighbours Youghal on a beautiful day on our excellent main field that held up well and made a mockery of the recent heavy rain that fell from the skies. We will feel we should have got something out of this game but the concession of 2 poor goals as well as missing a host of good chances early on proved to be our downfall. We got the worse start possible when our opponents goaled after the first few seconds of the game with their first attack as a high ball into the goalmouth was touched in flight and ended up in the back of our net. This rattled us as the Youghal boys knocked over 2 points and we were finding it hard to settle, but settle we did with half backs Conor Baxx and Tomás Condon taking the fight to our opponents, although our patient build, up play was not paying dividends as the final ball was lacking and when we did break through, we could not find the target. We eventually troubled the scoreboard our play deserved with James Hurley pointing from a free and more points followed 2 from distance with Tomás and centre back Seán O Callaghan hitting beauties and James Motherway knocking over a free. Then we hit the front when after a good team move full forward Hugh Mulcahy was upended in the square by the goalkeeper and we were awarded a penalty. Up stepped James M and his ferocious shot came back off the post and back into his grateful arms as he made no mistake at the second time of asking to billow the net. The lead did not last long, and we were hit with another sucker punch as Youghal goaled on the stroke of half time to go ahead once again 1-4 to 2-3. We started the second half much like the first on the back foot and conceding 2 early points before we went on to start dominating the game with Robert Dean, a real fulcrum of our attack at full forward. James M pointed a free after a foul on Robert and midfielder and Captain David Wallace hit over a great shot from around 40 yards out. In between goalkeeper Seán Corkery stood up well to deflect a goal bound effort out for a 45 with 2 players bearing down on goal when it looked easier to score. We then levelled proceedings as the industrious Robert Dean found the net with a superb shot and Tomás with an audacious point from long range put the game in the melting pot but just as it looked like it could be our day we went back into our shell and allowed Youghal to dictate once again as they took full advantage to rattle off 3 unanswered points. We did come forward in waves searching for an equalising goal and nearly pulled it off when a shot from Hugh Mulcahy was saved by the keeper’s legs and in the ensuing goalmouth scramble the ball was cleared to safety and with it went our last chance as Youghal progressed to the final but not without a hell of a fight from our lads. Team & scorers Seán Corkery, Eanna Crowley, Seán Santos O’ Sullivan, Evan Crowley, Conor Baxx, Seán O’ Callaghan 0-1, Tomás Condon 0-2, Ronan Devoy, David Wallace captain 0-1, James O’ Donell, James Hurley 0-1f, Robert Dean 1-0, Finn Berry, Hugh Mulcahy, James Motherway 1-0 pen 0-2f. subs used Cian Murphy, Isaac Oosthuizen.
U16 C-3 Hurling championship Aghada 1-11 Douglas 2-12 Our u16 second string bowed out of the championship in a hard-fought encounter away to Douglas with tough underfoot conditions making life difficult for both sides last Sunday afternoon. We found ourselves in arrears and playing catch up after the home side struck for 2 first half goals the second on the stroke of half time but we continued to battle bravely and in the end were a little unlucky not to come away with the win. The 2 Jacks, Mulcahy and Linehan scored a couple each of well executed points and corner forward Finn Berry got the pick of the bunch with a superb strike to leave the score at the short whistle 2-4 to 0-5. We came out all guns blazing in the second half with Tom Walsh opening the scoring and Jack L our scorer in chief causing the Douglas defence endless problems. We tightened up considerably at the back with the full back trio of Cormac Crowley, Colm White and Mattie O’ Leary particularly impressive. A cracking goal from Seán Corkery put the cat amongst the pigeons coming down the home stretch putting only 2 points between the teams. We created numerous chances as we tried to draw level and force extra time, but it wasn’t to be as the home side hung on for victory. No fault of our lads who gave it everything in trying conditions and the management will be well pleased with the application and endeavour shown on the day. Team & scorers Adam Lewis, Mattie O’ Leary, Colm White, Cormac Crowley, Josh McCarthy, Seán O’ Brien, Sam McAllister, Isaac Oosthuizen, Tom Walsh 0-3, Cormac Walsh, Jack Linehan 0-5, Seán Corkery 1-0 Cian Murphy, Jack Mulcahy 0-2, Finn Berry 0-1 sub used Jack Dorney
Massive congratulations to our camogie club the players and the management who brought county honours to Rostellan last Saturday. This is a deserved award for all the hard work, dedication and commitment put in over the last ten years or so and the fruits of this dedication are there for all to see as they go from strength to strength, Ath Fhada Abú.
Our u14 squad enjoyed a mini-football sevens competition in Rostellan last Saturday, well done to all involved and to the mentors for the superb organisation of the highly enjoyable event.
The best of luck to Scoil Íosagaín Aghada National School who are in the Sciath na Scol boys football final in Páirc Uí Chaoimh next Tuesday the 15th against Castlemartyr NS @ 12.30pm. A great occasion for the lads and the school. Do your best lads and we will all be cheering you on.
A huge game for our u16 hurling panel and management team as they take their seat at the top table of Cork hurling in the semi-final against the mighty Glen Rovers on Saturday on the Bishopstown 4G pitch with a 6pm throw in, so why not go along and support the lads who will be doing all they can to make the final, Go for it lads!
Fixture
Sat 12th U16 Premier 1 Hurling Semi-final Aghada v Glen Rovers 18:00 Bishopstown 4G.
Be seen wear the Green
Slán go fóill
.