Aghada GAA Juvenile News
Hi folks, hope all is well in that wonderful parish of ours as these notes are coming from sunny Spain in between the rounds of golf and the pina coladas! Two football finals last weekend winning one and coming up just short in the other, well done to players and management for the hard work and dedication to the green jersey all year.
U13 football final Aghada 2-11 Glenville 3-5 A superb second half comeback against the wind in Ballinacurra last Saturday afternoon after Glenville had scored 2 quickfire goals after the break to put them in a commanding position. Amazingly our opponents only registered one more point from there to the finish as we completely put up the shutters and went on to play a fine brand of give and go football into the teeth of the strong breeze. The game started in a helter skelter pace with both goalkeepers bringing off top class saves with our goalkeeper Cathal the cat Lowney bringing off 3-point blank saves of the highest quality. We opened the scoring with a couple of well taken points from the lively Eoghan O’ Shea and then Glenville hit us for 1-2 before we responded again with quality points from Robbie Oosthuizen and Peter Mulcahy. Glenville tacked on 2 more points and were looking good as they would turn to play with the stiff breeze, and we needed to find something, and we did just that as Shay Rooney played a nice ball into Hugh O’ Loingsigh and he turned smartly only to be denied by a fine save but Robbie would not be denied as he followed up on the rebound to billow the net. This seemed to inspire us, and we hit 2 more excellent points from Shay and Kaylyn Cunningham to lead at the break 1-6 to 1-4. We turned to face the breeze and were rocked early losing possession coming out of defence to concede a poor goal and then straight from the kickout we conceded again and now we were facing a big test of our credentials 4 points down and facing into the wind. We refused to panic and came out with all guns blazing with Matthew Condon and Conor Padden leading from the front as they did all through and the introduction of Seán O Reilly, Conor Fleming, Jamie Sweeney, Donncha Walsh and David Murphy steadying the ship we moved the ball up the field intelligently and scored a succession of wonderful points from Hugh and Shay and a couple of well struck frees from Eoghan. We were now in the ascendancy as Conor broke up the wing offloaded to Eoghan who found Shay and he made no mistake with an excellent low shot to the net and then Matthew found Kaylyn to split the posts and the cup was coming back to Rostellan. Captain fantastic Rossa White never short of a few inspiring words gave a very complimentary speech as he accepted the cup from fellow clubman and Rebel Óg officer Michael Mulry to the delight of the Aghada contingent. Team & scorers Cathal Lowney, Sam Morgan, Ciaran Cashman, Rossa White, Aidan Johnston, Jake Morrissey, Conor Padden, Shay Rooney 1-2, Evan Courtney, Peter Mulcahy 0-1, Hugh O’ Loingsigh 0-2, Matthew Condon, Eoghan O’ Shea 0-4 0-2f Kaylan Cunningham 0-2, Robbie Oosthuizen 1-1 subs used Seán O Reilly, Conor Fleming, Donncha Walsh, Jamie Sweeney, David Murphy extended panel James O’ Neill, Cormac Cashman, Marcus O’ Loughlin, Harry Burgoyne, Colin White, Darragh Crowley, Trystan Pomphrett.
U15 Football Shield Final Aghada 2-4 Midleton 1-8 The second part of the double header did not go our way as we succumbed to our town neighbours in a low scoring rather lackluster affair at the windswept Ballinacurra venue. We did not make the most of our first half wind advantage as a Midleton goal proved to be the difference between the teams at half time. Corner forward Isaac Oosthuizen got the opening score of the game as he cut inside to point with ease. Joe Connolly and Eohan Walsh were showing up well in defence as scores were at a premium. Midfielder Colm O’ Donoghue pointed a beauty from long range and Isaac knocked over a second before our other midfielder Eanna Crowley burst through for our 4th point of the half to leave it 0-4 to 1-4 at half time or so we thought as the final score from the referee would prove different. The second half saw the magpies come out and hit a few well worked scores before we were handed a lifeline when Sam McAllister passed to Isaac who made no mistake with a tidy finish, Isaac then added a point from a free as we pushed hard to get back on terms. In a welter of excitement Isaac crashed home an unstoppable shot to the roof of the net as the game swung on a pendulum. The blast of the referee’s whistle brought an end to proceedings, and he deemed Midleton the winners and in fairness they probably just about deserved it, however I can only print what I see, and my calculations were slightly different, and as we know the referee is always right. If only Mattie O’ Connor was there with the club’s state of the art video recorder, he might have been able to shine some more light on the final outcome. Anyway, the record books will show Midleton were the victors and congratulations to them. Team & scorers Cormac Crowley, Joe Connolly, Seán O’ Brien, Eoghan Walsh, Pierce McLoughlin, Dara O’ Conchubhair, Jackson Kearns, Colm O’ Donoghue 0-1, Eanna Crowley 0-1, Cillian Falvey, Sam McAllister, Tom Walsh, Adam Lewis, Cormac Walsh, Isaac Oosthuizen 2-3. Sub used Josh McCarthy.
Hard luck to the senior ladies football who lost out to a very good Mourneabbey side in the county semi final on Sunday. Well done to all involved, a lot of progression has been made throughout the year with this great team. Áth Fhada abú.
Our young players were in action again this weekend with the U8’s away at a hurling blitz in Killeagh and our U11 footballers at home to Carrigtwohill. Our schools continue in the Football Scaith na Scol group stages, with matches being played both home and away with great skills of football on display. Big night Friday night for our U10’s as the FOOTBALL PARISH LEAGUE FINALS take place. There has been great excitement over the last number of Friday nights with the 4 teams battling it out for a place in the cup and shield finals. Throw in at 6.15pm, be sure and pop down and support our young players and watch the great footballing skills on display and the excitement as the scores are tallied and the winners announced.
And finally, Kenneth Kelleher will run his first Dublin marathon on 30th October in aid of Cope Foundation and Bláth na hÓige, Aghada National School, any donations would be greatly appreciated on the following link:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/sxmzdq-dublin-marathon-fundraiser
We wish Kenneth the very best of luck both in his training and on the big day. Well done Kenneth.
Fixtures; Thur 29th Rebel Óg East U12 G3 Hurling Final Aghada V Cobh 19:30 Rostellan Sun 2nd Oct Rebel Óg U15 P2 Hurling Championship Cup Playoffs Aghada V Mallow 12:00 Rostellan
Slán ón Spáinn grianmhar!! BE SEEN WEAR THE GREEN