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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2014 THE MAYO NEWS 5 Just a thought … CONNACHT’S inter-pro victory, their fi rst in 45 years, is a signifi cant development. Seán Rice Captained by Mayo man Aidan O’Shea, it will lift morale in the province and make for a more The award-winning voice of experience • [email protected] competitive championship. Flying the GAA flag in Cardiff HE evenings are lengthening, the sap is rising and GAA clubs the world over are bursting into life. In Cardiff, deep in the heart of Welsh rugby land, St Colmcilles is greeting the new season with Tuntrammelled optimism. Located at the western edge of Gloucestershire County Board, the Cardiff club is the only non- university GAA club in Wales. It’s a thriving facility for young Gaels and four Mayo men are at the heart of it ... all of them motivated by their Irish heritage and a passionate love of our games. College lecturer Barry McDonnell, a native of Castlebar, lines out in defence. Financial plan- ner and company director Shane Hyland from Ballinrobe is their full-forward and the club’s treasurer. Fergus O’Neill from Partry, a member of the staff of Cardiff Council, mans the posts. And their corner back, a fi nancial controller who came to Cardiff 14 months ago to be with his girlfriend, is Patrick McHale from Cooneal, Ballina. St Colmcilles has a chequered history accord- HAVE BOOTS, WILL TRAVEL The St Colmcille’s GAA club, Cardiff squad are pictured at the Paidí Ó Sé Tournament in Ventry, Co Kerry last year. ing to Barry McDonnell, who is son of popular Castlebar fi sherman Hughie McDonnell and his fi rmer roots. A senior football side was later ampton’s Southern Gaels involves a round trip “The university team provides Colmcilles with wife Theresa. It was formed in 1956 succeeding fi elded, and then a ladies’ camogie team. of 300 miles, it shows true belief that the GAA a pool of players who stay in Cardiff for work, the Emmetts, which had folded in 1915 because The club has since won county league and will fl ourish in a time of reverse emigration.” which acts as a sustainable way of recruiting of the Great War. championship in all grades, culminating in the He said Gaels arriving in Cardiff were mainly new players. So both teams work together to It grew steadily and robustly, winning the under-14s winning the All-Britain title in 1988. students and white collar workers, “as opposed keep the GAA alive here. league in 1961 and their fi rst county champion- “A lot of hard work by a few dedicated people to the manual workers of yesteryear, who are “The university and club also fi eld a ladies’ ship in 1967. Six years later they were top of the has resulted in the youth of the Cardiff area still coming in, but not in great numbers. One team, which works on the same basis as the pile with the championship of Great Britain being able to play our national games today,” thing is certain though, the love of Ireland, our men’s in terms of overlap between university captured. said Barry. heritage and our games will impossibly never and club,” said Barry, who keeps up with local An inverse proportion to that signifi cant “The GAA pay for a youth development/pro- diminish.” events through The Mayo News. achievement, however, was the astonishing col- motional offi cer for schools around the county. Cardiff Metropolitan University, where Barry The club has had a major sponsor for many lapse of the club the following year when, sim- The system is beginning to pay off as we now is a lecturer in Physiology and Head of the Vas- years now in CM Utilities who are based in ply, it ceased to operate. have a minor team that is feeding the senior cular Physiology Research Group, has merged Cardiff. Fundraising events are held during the Resuscitated in 1983 for underage football, St team over the past couple of years. with two other colleges for participation in the season, ten per cent of which this year is being Colmcilles, bedecked in new colours, established “When you consider that a trip to play South- British University Games. donated to a local cancer charity. Criticism of Cooper tackle is ‘claptrap’ KERRY come to MacHale Park Unfortunately one player will be missed over the sum- the peak of his powers when by the opposition, but accord- with Anthony Maher and Don- on Sunday without Colm received a serious injury. No mer. But being Kerry, they carry forced to retire with a cruciate ing to reports, Derry were nchadh Walsh, they still repre- Cooper. He has been one of the foul was called. Nor should no grudge about a vigorous injury in their match against physically stronger in their most sent formidable opposition. great exponents of Gaelic foot- there have been. Blocking is a tackle properly executed. It’s Down in 2012. I think Mayo recent league defeat. The Mitchels’ success denies ball over the past decade and basic tenet of Gaelic football. not in Kerry’s make-up to needed him more then than The Kingdom will benefi t on James Horan the use of some Kerry will miss the sparkle of It happens frequently, but only moan. Kerry need Cooper now. Sunday, however, from the regulars and the chance to blood his creativity. when an iconic fi gure is injured If, however, they take advan- True, they are in transition, return of Marc Ó Sé to the a few new young hopes. If none But to suggest, as one analyst does it make headlines. tage of the volumes of advice but their pride and tradition defence, and they have in James of the long-term injured is ready has already done, that the tackle It takes courage to execute it proffered to them on how to are nourishment on which few O’Donoghue, Barry John Keane to return and Ger Cafferkey, that contributed to Cooper’s successfully, and while on this succeed without their cele- other counties can call and from and Conor Cox three talented Colm Boyle and Lee Keegan cruciate injury was dangerous occasion Cooper had scored brated leader Kerry will come which generally comes the spark forwards offering a stern test are still nursing injuries from and reckless is a typically illog- before the impact, neither to Castlebar on Sunday with to reignite their fi res. to a Mayo defence that has been Omagh, the manager will be ical piece of claptrap that is player, intensely committed as buoyed up confi dence. We’ll get an idea of their found wanting in recent hard pressed to fi eld anything aired now and again in a bid to each was, could have checked Andy Moran may not be progress on Sunday when they games. but a skeletal side unlikely to emasculate the physical aspect his momentum in time to avoid blessed with the elegance of come to MacHale Park sharing Eamonn Fitzmaurice is also succeed. of the game. the collision. Cooper on the football fi eld, with Mayo a desperate need to able to call on the likes of Johnny But the opportunity is ripe The attempt to prevent Cooper No Kerry person complained. but he was to Mayo two seasons win their fi rst league points. Buckley and Kieran O’Leary for the fringe players to prove from scoring was indisputably They voiced sorrow at the loss ago what Cooper is to Kerry. It’s not often you hear of a now that Dr Crokes are out of worthy of the manager’s faith courageous and legitimate. of a player whose leadership He was Mayo’s lynchpin and at Kerry side being out-muscled the championship, and together in them. This is their chance..