Askeaton the Past Year Was Most Eventful for Our Club with Its High Havesponsored an U/14 Hurlingcom- Points and Tours
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By MichaelRyan EventfulYear for Askeaton THE past year was most eventful for our Club with its high havesponsored an U/14 hurlingcom- points and tours. undoubtedly, our most traumatic experien-e petition, providing excellent trophies, was the loss through sudden death of Eddie Corbeit, West for which Kildimo,Pallaskenry, Kilcor- Board Ghairman.Eddie was not just our treasurer. He was our nan, Askeaton,Foynes and Coolcappa father figure, take part.Our lads had a great win this dedicated to not onty our national gamea, but to year regaining all things the trophy from the lrish. His integrity was unquestioned,hiswork rate olders, Coolcappa. Daly Bros. unmatchable. Pallaskenry,presented a beautifulset us a match we should have won. Eddie believed not only in proper 's Our of hurleysto the runnersup. U-2 1 conduct on and off the field, but in the had their finest hour when Our Club is continuingits proud beating,yes, proper presentations of our games, St. Kierans,in the West record of serviceoutside the club. We Semi-final. particularly in team attire, We were Our lads were in too form havea great recordof providingplayers then, therefore very pleased to win this year winning the CountyOuaner Final to the County Senior Football sides, easilya week the Shield which he presented to the later,but then therewas and during 1982 players such as a rediculouslylong West Board four years ago, for the best delay, almost two Paddy Barrett, Paddy lvess, Ken months, turned out team throughout the year. and we had to play the County Hanley, Finty Ryan, M.J. O'Donoghue Semi-final and the West Final in bad and latterly,Declan Barron have keot On the playing field, our Senior conditions when the edge was gone off the traditions going, On the ad- Football team gave us our greatest our lads. Even so, we should have ministrativeside, our Chairman John hour when winning the West Final, beaten eventual '81 winners Claughaun Carrig, newly-elected to the West having lost it in to the same op- had our forwards availed of a fraction Board chair,will carry on in the tradi- position,our great rival and friends,St. of their chances. tion of the late EddieCorbett and of V. Kierans. This rivalry has been razor Our minor and lower age groupfoot- Rev. Fr. D. Rea and Fr. Dermot keen foi a number of years.yet we are ballers produced many fine perfor- McCarthy who were members of our past friends and neighbours. mances, and their is abundanttalent on club when, respectively they were Our cup of sorrow was filled when, the way up. There is also,for the past Chairmenof West and County Boards. after having eighty per cent of the play, few years great a interest in hurling Our Club has alwaysbeen commit- we lost by a point to Croom in the among young the people, and our ted to the Scor competitionsand have County Ouarter Final. Over confidence thanks for this must be due in large won many events, and this year our and some incredibly bad shooting cost measure to the localCredit Union. Thev team won the West Junior Ouiz. J. Kennedy, acting chairman West-Board presenting U/21 Football Trophy to Sean Doherty, I Captain of Sean Finnr (Rathkealel after defeating n"t*ton - Askcpllon Junlor Huden aN subc who bcat Fcoghanagh ln Wost Seml'Flnal, 1-7 to 0'6 Back Row (L-R) - G. Cantillon, M.J. Donoghoe, J. Donoghoe, E. Murphy, M. Dillon, K. Hanly, P. Donoghoe, M. Ryan, M. (Hali) Ryan,P. Hayes,B. Hennessy,E. Manning. Froil now G-R) - R. Neville,R. Kelly, D. Neville,F. Ryan (capt.), C. Ryan (goalie), S. Bafty, D. Costelloe, S. Kenneally, S. Kelly. Mascot - Michael Donoghoe iunior. Jimmy Wilson, Paddy Morrissy and Bill Normoyle helped us win AskeatonNovice Success the West M.H. championurip in thcse years. How the wheel has Hurling turned! The Birth of a Small wonder, then, that a few of us, hankering after the old days, Team conscious of the fact that a gene- ration had grown up who had never seen an adult Askeaton team with by Michael Ryan hurleys in their hands, suddenly said "why dream, let's do it." And a novice hurling team was Although Askeaton is now a foot- Gough, Edmund McCarthy, Paddy born. ball stronghold, it is worth recalling Kenneally, Gerald Moran and P.T. (Minor) Paddy Fitz- that, not all that many years ago, Fitzgerald, and Of course, there were birth pangs. gerald, and Jimmy hurling was the dominant code in Steve Foley There were those who genuinely (Senior). the this area. Ballysteen were the foot- Fitzgerald Of these thought we did not have the ball specialists,picking up the odd Paddy Fitzgerald, best know was material. Others, thinking of our accomplistred footballer from who was a regular on the Co. Senior precarious financial situation, cited Askeaton, while the odd hurler, team for many years,filling various the astronomical sums that other notably Willie McDonough, Jack positions from fonvard to corner clubs had to raiseto pay for hurleys Gallagher and Jimmy McKnight, half-back, he also played for and sliotars, valid points indeed. from Ballysteen, played with Munster. There were the knockers and Askeaton. sceptics who said that the novelty Many Adare folli will be surprised We had many players who won '45, '47, would soon wear off, and all we to hear that in 46, and recognition at County level, off- would be left with was a bill from we had permission to play three hand I can think of Jackie D.J.Daly. Adare minors, there being no Minor Kenneally, John Joe Egan and Wrong on all counts. The interest hurling team in Adare parish! Tommy Murphy (Junior), Peter Mc in our hurlers has grown by the 63 month. Our balancesheet is better But no praise is too much for our Reidy, that great warrior w than when we started and as for lads.From goalieto corner forward worked so hard for Adarefor many material, well our record showsnot every player tried his heart out. years, and who thinks enough of one defeat in Novice grade. as we The half-back line was again out hurling to drop down to Novice preparedfor the final. Tour, Croagh, bulwark, with Seanie Barry in level and give us the benefit of 'B', Ballingarry, Knockaderry particular giving an inspired dis- his experienceat coachingand side- 'A' Gerald Griffins, Knockaderry play, though Costelloe and Murphy line management.Also to players and Feohanaghhave been beaten, were not far behind. Indeed every like PetieDonoghue, Dick Costelloe all by sizeablemargins. I watched line played a part, the full fonvard and M.J. O'Donoghoe who are those lads training on cold, often line. which had been our weakest keeping the hurling flame aLive wet nights beneath a flood-light, line, contributing threegreat goals. when lessermen would have cried going through disciplines that 'enough'. would test a superstar and marvell- It is hard, at this stageto describe ed at their fierce committment, what this hurling win has done for hoping they would get their reward. our Club. Our annual Dinner Dance So, the birth has been successful, Well they duly got their reward. will now be a joyous affair. We have the midwife can take a bow and At a fiercely contested final in discoveredthat there had been a all that remahs is for the hurling great Rathkeale they had a mcst con- well spring of hurling baby to grow and mature, to be just vincing win over a gallant and emotions in the parish waiting nourished with the vitality of the sporting Broadford side who to be releasedand we can now look youth, who are, eager to fill any fought for every ball until the final forward to the future with con- vacancies,and for their Parish to whistle, and then accepteddefeat fidence. give them the encouragementthey most graciously. so richly deserve.Long life to the Their turn will I come. A specialword of praiseto Tommy child. IN PRAISE OF ASKEATON NOVICE HURLERS The 25th of November we shall always remember, When our hurlerswon honour and glory, b" e' When the West Novice Cup was with pride lifted up A new chapterin a long ancientstory. All the long wastedyears were forgot midst the cheers n As we laughedand we huggedin Rathkeale A yearswork is done,the title is won. Now the dreamthat we dreamedis for real. In days that are gone we thrilled to the song Of the ash and the fast-flying sliothar. 'Desmonds'our We cheeredfor the own hurling team, And none in the County werebetter. Now a new generationhas t answeredthe call .l: t And the ghostsof old hurlers can rest ia.,*: t tr We now can rejoiceand proclaimin proud voice Picture taken on the occasion of the presentation made to Our ladsare the best in the West. Micheal O'Hehir by M. Ryan, Chairman of Askeaton G.A.A.,on behalf ot the Club and Gaelsof the Parish. (L-R) - M. Ryan, M. O'Hehir, J. Carrig, West Board Chairman Michael Ryan. ATTENTTONAtL GAELS, For a subscription of f25 you can become a patron of the Limerick G.A.A.History to be published in the Summer of 1985. Patronswill be specially listed in the book and will receive a bound autographed copy of the 600 page book by Seamus O'Ceallaigh and Sean Murphy. 64 I Regarding other events, two things stand out. One, the great displays of our Ul12 footballers, who, Which and under the able coaching of John Green Gold Carrig, improved from match to match.