Aghada GAA Christmas Newsletter 2021

Dia dhaoibh,

Creid é no ná creid ach tá Am an Nollaig buailte linn agus bliain eile imithe uainn.

With 2021 nearing its end, it’s a credit to all players, mentors and members that all our fixtures got played in the middle of a pandemic with all players proudly wearing the green and white and representing Aghada GAA with pride.

Final Fixtures of 2021 Roundup:

Aghada 1-11 Carrigtwohill 2-07

Our Junior A footballers finished off their long year in style last Friday night with a nail biting and sometimes heart stopping one point victory over Carrigtwohill.

Aghada playing with a slight wind at their backs in the first half got off to the worst possible start with Carrigtwohill pouncing for an early goal after only two minutes. However, this didn’t knock our lads confidence with Charlie Terry settling the nerves with a point from play two minutes after the concession of the goal. This score was followed up with a beauty from Alan Hogan with Terry then levelling the scores on six minutes. Our lads were feeling a lot better about themselves now with some lovely flowing football on display. Key to Aghada maintaining the pressure on the Carrigtwohill defence was the nature of the pinpoint kickouts from Rob Whelan who gave an exhibition on restarts throughout the night. One of these kickouts led to what was probably the pivotal score in the game. The immense Ed Leahy gained possession of a short kickout thirty metres from goal where he spun and drove forward. The ball was worked to Fintan Cody who went on a massy run before riffling the ball to the back of the net. All of a sudden our lads had turned the game on its head and now led by three. The pressure on Carrig at this stage was massive with Charlie slotting over a free and Sean Morrissey adding a minor from play in Aghada’s clear purple patch. Carrig responded with a point of their own from play but Luke O’Connell replied and cancelled this score out with an expertly executed shot which split the posts. This left Aghada 1-6 to 1-1 in the lead at the first water break. Aghada looked in control at this stage and the hope was the lads could push on and expand this lead further in the second quarter before turning to face the wind. Unfortunately, this wasn’t to be the case with Carrigtwohill coming out in the second quarter all guns blazing. Carrig started to apply massive pressure on the Aghada restarts and suddenly began winning all the breaking ball. Carrig outscored us three points to one in this quarter. Max Ahern with Aghada’s solidary point here. This left Aghada leading 1-7 to 1-4 at half time but facing a breeze in the second half.

Aghada came out flying in the second half with Charlie and Fintan slotting a free each to regain our five point lead that we hadn’t seen since the fifteenth minute. Amazingly, Aghada weren’t to score for the next twenty minutes or so with Carrig racking up three points in this period to reduce the lead to two points at the final water break. It was certainly too close for comfort at this stage but when an overlap opened up it looked all but certain that Luke O’Connell would finish the game by burying a goal. However, somehow a Carrig defender got back on the line to clear the ball and one would have to wonder at this stage was lady luck on Carrigtwohill’s side especially when two frees went sailing wide shortly after for Aghada. Carrig then went up the field and hit a couple of wides before the ever industrious Fintan Cody won a free twenty five metres from goal. Up stepped the reliable Charlie Terry to widen the gap to three points. Soon after Sean Morrissey looked to have sealed the win with another minor. As the clock ticked into the red, Craig Healy had another goal bound shot saved with Aghada unable to kill the game.

Into stoppage time we went and with Carrig in search of a goal, Aghada deployed Charlie Terry to mind the square. To say he did this well would be an understatement. Terry cleared ball after ball with some fielding you wouldn’t see in Croke Park. This would not be enough to keep to constant tide of pressure from Carrigtwohill out. Ironically, it was actually a play where Carrig ran the ball which Aghada had defended so well all night that led to an unstoppable shot nestling in the bottom corner of the goal. Aghada were now under enormous pressure but our lads showed their fighting spirit which we had already seen in the semi final to keep Carrig out. With thirty nine minutes on the clock, Carrig worked the ball to the Aghada forty five where they took a shot and to the relief of all those wearing green on the night the ball sailed just wide. Rob Whelan dispatched the resulting kickout past halfway with referee Shane Hodgins whistle sounding soon after.

Credit must go to the whole Aghada defence of Richie Condon, Kane Looney, Jack Corkery, Ben Stafford, Ed Leahy and Craig Healy. The defending on show was a sight in itself especially in the final quarter. Stand in keeper Rob Whelan was also excellent in goals. Best on the night were Ed Leahy, Jack Corkery and Fintan Cody.

This result was well deserved for our lads after a very long year. I’m told its our first Junior A Football league for over thirty years. Congrats to the players and also the team management of Derick Whyte, Jim Motherway, Denis O’Leary and Mattie O’Connor.

Aghada panel on the night: Rob Whelan, Jack Corkery, Kane Looney (Captain), Richie Condon, Ben Stafford, Ed Leahy, Craig Healy, Sean O’Callaghan, Shane Dorney, Max Ahern, Luke O’Connell, Fintan Cody, Sean Morrissey, Alan Hogan, Charlie Terry, John Connolly, Oisin Counihan, Stephen Daly, Ben Walsh, Vince Rohan.

Unfortunately, our minor ladies weren’t victorious in their county final last Saturday. Our girls came up against a formidable opponent in Glanmire but credit to Aghada who never threw in the towel and fought to the bitter end like all great Aghada teams. Well done to the girls on a great year.

Lotto:

There was no winner of last night’s €11,750 jackpot. This means that next week’s jackpot rises to a massive €12,000. Tickets are available online at aghadagaa.com and in the usual outlets. Full lotto results attached including our Christmas prize winners.

Thanks to all who support our club lotto. A special thanks to all the local outlets listed below who sell our tickets every week. We would urge all members to show your support to these businesses during 2022.

• Paddy O’Shea’s Post Office
• Guileen Arms
• Puc Ar Buile Ballinrostig
• Days Eurospar
• The Long Point
• The Schooner Bar
• Lower Aghada Pharmacy
• Rosie’s
• The Pier Service Station
• Jacko’s

Rebels Bounty:

As some people may have seen over the last couple of weeks, tickets are now available for the 2022 Rebels Bounty. This draw was a huge success for the club last year especially seen as we were severely restricted with fundraising activities due to Covid. We would be delighted if people could enter the draw for 2022 while remembering to select AGHADA as your chosen club. There are some fabulous prizes on offer each month with our very own Adrian McIntyre scooping €1,000 in the December draw. Click on the following link to join the draw now: gaacork.ie/rebelsbounty

Aghada GAA/Juvenile/Camogie/Ladies football Committee updates:

Aghada GAA:

Chairman: Anthony Connolly

Vice chairman: Eoin O’Neill

Secretary: John Murphy

Treasurer: John O’Neill

PRO: Vince Rohan

Registrar: Rory O’Connor

Irish Officer: Brendan Crowley

Child protection officers: Darren Lee and Anthony Oosthuizen.

Aghada Juvenile:

Chairman: Pj Hurley

Vice Chairman: Alan Devoy

Secretary: Mark White

Treasurer: Elaine Counihan

PRO: Donal Walsh

Registrar: Pearse O’Neill

Aghada Camogie:

Chairperson - Vera Terry.

Secretary - Deirdre Somerville.

Treasurer - Kieran Walsh.

PRO - Mike Daly.

Registrar - Kieran Walsh.

Assistant Registrar - Mary Keane.

Covid Officer - Mary Keane.

Childrens Officer - Marie McGrath.

Aghada LGFA:

Chairman: Richard Good

Vice chairman: Cathal Cronin

Secretary: Linda Good

Assistant Secretary: Laura Burchill

Treasurer: Anna Marie Hanlon

Assistant Treasurer: Shelia Lenihan

PRO: Lauren McAllister

See note on Aghada LGFA Long Kick from Chairperson Richard Good:

We are planning on holding our annual Long Kick on the 1st of January in Whitegate at 11AM. This promises to be a great day out for all the family. All are welcome to this event, the more the merrier!!! Please adhere to social distancing & follow all Covid guidelines.

Christmas greeting from Uachtarán CLG, Larry McCarthy:

Puc Fada 2021:

The Tony Ahern Memorial Puc Fada takes place on St. Stephens day from 10AM starting in Whitegate Village. This is a great way to burn off the turkey from Christmas day and also a bit of craic. When attending please adhere to all Covid guidelines.

See attached info from Juvenile PRO Donal Walsh:

This is a family fun outdoor event, all you have to do is bring a hurley and everyone is welcome to take part, once you have registered your name that morning, teams will then be picked on an equal basis as much as possible and divided into green and white teams. Matches will consist of green teams taking on the whites and every match counts as the outcome will be determined by what team colour has won the most matches. All teams of the winning colour who have won their individual match will then be entered in the draw to decide the overall winner.

In a nutshell, win your match and your team could be picking up the trophies for long puck 2021, and remember the ball must hit the road at any stage for your shot to count, if this does not happen then you must bring the ball back to where the puck was taken and the next member of your team will take the next shot from that position.

We are also going to hold a novelty competition after the long puck on the village green, in this there will be 3 categories u10, u15 and u17 where accuracy and skill will be put to the test. So, there you go as clear as mud but never mind it’s all about having fun and bringing the club together around Christmas time while enjoying the fresh air and hopefully walking off some of the Christmas excess.

Ag deireadh, guím Nollaig dheas shuimhneach shíocánta ort, ar do mhuintir agus ar bhaill Áth Fhada ar fad. Le cúnamh Dé rachaidh cúrsaí ar ais mar a bhí i 2022 ar agus ón bpáirc.

Ag súil le gach éinne a fheiscint ag an bpoc fada.

Nollaig Shona agus Athbhliain fé mhaise daoibh go léir.

Slán go fóill,

Uinsionn Ó Ruacháin

Oifigeach Caidreamh Poiblí

Vince Rohan

PRO - Aghada GAA