Aghada Juvenile GAA News - By Juvenile PRO Donal Walsh
Hi folks, hope this newsletter finds you well, a big congratulations to the Imokilly senior footballers this week who won the first senior football championship match for the barony since April 2009 defeating Muskerry 1-14 to 0-12 with our own Aaron Berry scoring the decisive goal. This was a mighty confidence boost for manager and coach Eoin O’ Neill who took on the bannisteor bib of the candystripes after a number of lean years for the division in football and our club was well represented with no fewer than 10 players involved. This scribe has always had a soft spot for the Imokilly footballers and can remember the glory years well when they won the county senior titles in 1984 and 1986 that are still the only titles achieved by the division as my uncle was a selector and I was lucky enough to be able to travel to nearly every training session, match and after function during this successful time. This was when I would have first come across the now late great Teddy Mac and as a young 13/14-year-old you couldn’t help but be starstruck by this impressive athlete who must have been only 18 or 19 himself at the time. His superb achievement of the double in 1990 will always live in the memory and the way the GAA is set up now with the split season it will more than likely always be unique to Teddy. As we look back from the future and there is nothing to compare, then the uniqueness of the achievement will stand the test of time, Always.
U17 football league Aghada 0-11 Kilmurry 1-6 Although they never hit any real heights on a glorious Wednesday evening for football in Rostellan, we recovered from the concession of a third minute goal to eventually power on and subdue the brave Kilmurry challenge. The away side were quick out of the blocks to take an early lead and we were not helping our cause by dropping shots short into the grateful hands of the goalkeeper but once we settled, stayed patient, and began to find our rhythm we troubled the scoreboard. James Hurley was our scorer in chief in that first half with his free taking spot on as he accounted for 4 points of our first half total, the other points came from the industrious James O’ Donell and the equally hard-working center forward Robert Dean, but it was the away side who led by a solitary point at the break 0-6 v 1-4. Our cornerback Cian Murphy had a big contingent cheering him on from both sides as Kilmurry is the home club of his father Tim who managed to keep his loyalties in check throughout. We managed to keep Kilmurry at bay in the second half with some stout defending while showing composure at the other end of the pitch when the need was greatest. Tomás Condon who impressed in the number six jersey all through made a significant goal saving clearance, intercepting a ball that was destined for the net, while full back Ronan Devoy also cleared his lines when goalkeeper Seán Corkery managed to push a shot onto the post. Éanna Crowley ran himself to a standstill at half forward and both our midfielders Samuel O’ Driscoll and David Wallace got on the score sheet. When the game was in the melting pot, we hit two great scores from play to take the win, the first from full forward James Motherway and the second from our top scorer of the night James Hurley. The raw ingredients are there, and we will be delighted with this win, while still knowing there is plenty of improvement to come, especially in our decision making that can take us onto the next level. Team & scorers Seán Corkery, Cillian Falvey, Ronan Devoy, Cian Murphy, Conor Baxx, Tomás Condon, Evan Crowley, David Wallace 0-1, Samuel O’ Driscoll 0-1, James O’ Donell 0-1, Robert Dean 0-1, Éanna Crowley, Cormac Walsh, James Motherway 0-1, James Hurley 0-6 subs used Isaac Oosthuizen, Dara O’ Conchubair, Colm O’ Donoghue.
Our u10 footballers travelled to Ballynoe last Saturday to take part in a football tournament organized by the home club St Catherines and a big thank you to mentor Pat Scanlon for the following report: The team captained by PJ Hickey was as follows James Martin, Luke Hartnett, Seán Ryan, Rory Casey, Shay Scanlon, Ciaran O’ Donovan, Aidan Harney, Fionn Wrafter. First game up was against St Catherines White team then we had Glenville followed by Fermoy and our final game was against the home sides gold team. The lads produced some super football over the course of the four games with players easily interchanging between different positions. Thanks to the supporters who travelled to Ballynoe and who kept the lads fed and watered between matches on a strict diet of wagon wheels and cola bottles!! Also, a big thank you to the home club for the invite, much appreciated.
Our u11s played an exciting fixture against Lisgoold in hurling in Rostellan on Tuesday. Aaron Murphy was the star of the show, going from goal poacher to goalkeeper. In the first half he cracked home an impressive hat trick while in the second half he brought off a hat trick of saves, not a bad evening’s work for the young player.
We have unfortunately suffered a few significant injuries in the club recently, the latest to u16 player Jack Linehan and u13 players Tim O’ Hanlon & Eoin Kirrane and we wish them all the best in their recoveries and hope to see them back on the playing fields soon.
Fixtures Friday 16th U17 football League Mitchelstown v Aghada 19:30 Mitchelstown. Saturday 17th U14 Football Championship Kiltha Óg v Aghada 14:00 Dungourney. Sunday 18th U16 P2 Hurling League Aghada v Ballyhea 13:00 Rostellan. Monday 19th U12 Hurling League Carrigtwohill v Aghada 18:30 Carrigtwohill. Monday 19th U12 Hurling League Aghada (2) v St Finbarrs (2) 18:30 Rostellan. Wednesday 21st U17 P2 Hurling League Aghada V Glen Rovers 19:30 Rostellan.
Slán go fóill.
Be Seen wear the Green.
Ár nDícheall Go Deo.
