Lifting the Treaty

News

Produced by Aidan Ryan (PRO Bord na n-Óg) & Ger Downes (PRO Coaching & Games) Contributions from Noel Hartigan (Games Manager GAA)

Newsletter March 2011, Volume 1, Issue 1

Welcome

Welcome readers!! On behalf of Limerick Bord Na Nog and Limerick Coaching & Games we would like to thank you for taking the time to read this, our very first newsletter! This newsletter will be produced and distributed on the first Tuesday of each month to players, coaches, club officers, parents and supporters who have an interest in underage and football in Limerick! We have decided to title the newsletter Lifting the Treaty news as this banner encompasses all codes and bodies working toward the betterment of underage hurling and football in Limerick. Huge work is ongoing, day in day out and we hope to highlight that work through this newsletter with current news articles and photographs. We hope to make this newsletter bigger and better as the months go by

and we would appreciate any feedback from you. We both will be hoping to build the base of recipients of this newsletter but for now we ask you to circulate this to as many contacts as possible as we hope to keep Limerick gaels all over the world and at home informed and up to date with all the progress that the county is making at underage hurling and football! To subscribe or unsubscribe to our newsletter or the provide feedback then please feel free to email us at [email protected]

For now enjoy this edition and lets keep the flag flying high for the months ahead!

Luimneach Abú!!!

Aidan Ryan & Ger Downes (Joint editors) ------

Contents ● Coaching Conference ● Féile Draws ● Upcoming Events ● Awards Night ● Underage Selectors Hurling ● Underage Selectors Football ● Harty Cup Final ● New Bord na n-Óg website

------t Limerick GAA Coaching Conference - this Saturday!

The Limerick GAA Coaching conference will take place in LIT College on this Saturday March 5th.

The conference promises to be a fantastic event with some of the top coaches in the country presenting a host of topics. The Conference is mainly practical based and will give all coaches an opportunity to see and hear how these coaches will work on various techniques to improve a players ability.

The Coaching and Games committee will be launching our new coaching website at this conference. This website will contain details of all underage Coaching and Games activities including fixtures and coach education workshops.

We would encourage every club to have some of their underage coaches in attendance. The Cost of the conference is €30 and this includes lunch and coaching pack.

Place are still available and coaches interested in attending the conference should contact Noel Hartigan at 087-9581568 or email [email protected]

Donie Buckley (above) & Paudie Butler who will both deliver workshops at the conference this Saturday

Supermacs 2011 Feile Draws National Féile Iomáint returns to Limerick 2013

The Supermacs Feile Peil and Iomaint draws were made at a full delegate meeting in Claughaun GAA Club last Thursday.

Football: The ‘A football competition commences next Sunday, March 6th at 11am with all first named clubs at home. Round 1 Features: Fr. Casey’s v Ahane, v , Na Piarsaigh v , -Ballysteen v last year’s champions Monaleen and v .

This year, for the first time, we will have a ‘B competition in both hurling & football but there will be no progression to the National finals for the ‘B winners. The first round of the ‘B competition also taking place on Sunday March 6th at 11am is as follows: Ballybricken- Bohermore host , Granagh-Balingarry host Sean-Finns, host Deel Rangers, St. Patricks host and finally Galbally take on -Boher.

Hurling: In the hurling draw, the first round begins on March 20th and features some interesting pairings. In the ‘A competition, last year’s U/13 finalists, Murroe-Boher face a difficult away trip to Mungret. South Liberties host Pallaskenry, U/13 winners 2010, Na Piarsaigh host Adare, Ballybrown host Ahane, Deel Rangers take on in an all West derby, Pallasgreen take on and finally, Doon take on Monaleen. The two finalists will go onto Galway for the National finals. Also, Limerick will host the National Féile na nGael finals in 2013 for the first time since 1995. Meanwhile, in the ‘B competition, Askeaton and Cappamore will play a preliminary round. Awaiting them in the last 16 are: Kildimo v St. Patricks, Na Piarsaigh ‘B v Old Christians, Granagh- Balingarry v Garryspillane, Ballyhoura Gaels v winners pre-lim round, Ballybricken v , v , Glenroe v Claughaun, Drom-Broadford v . The full Feile fixture has been distributed to the clubs and will shortly appear on our website https://sites.google.com/a/gaa.ie/bord-na-nog-limerick/home the Trea

Action from last year’s Feile Hurling Final between Monaleen and Na Piarsaigh

Bord na n-Óg Awards Night

Our annual awards night took place in the Woodlands house in Adare last Sunday and over 160 guests honoured our inter-county teams from 2010. Our U15 Hurling panel which won the Shield in the Carrigdhoun tournament received their medals from team selectors Patsy Hall and Gerry O’Brien.

The team that did Limerick proud last August were: John Tuohy, (Patrickswell), Kevin Hosford (Blackrock), Richard English (Doon), Pat O’Kane (Monaleen), Stephen Power & Jeffrey Enright (Ahane), Stephen Cahill (Tournafulla), Josh O’Halloran (Na Piarsaigh), Dara Kennedy & Michael Dee (Murroe-Boher), Jamie Butler (Deel Rangers), Charles McCarthy (Adare), Graham Whelan & Eric Finn (Bruff), John Lacey (Drom-Broadford), , Darragh O’Donovan & Stephen Ryan (Doon), Eoin Cuddihy (Askeaton-Ballysteen), Conor Laffan (Croom), Noel Foley (Kilmallock), Brian O’Connell (Glenroe), Jack O’Keeffe (Killulta Gaels), Gearoid Lyons & Dean Jordan (Mungret). The management team were the aforementioned Patsy Hall, Gerry O’Brien, Eamon Cregan and Conor Sheils.

Individual award winners were Cian O’Brien (Mungret) of the U/14 Tony Forristal Panel, Kieran Daly of Na Piarsaigh from the U/14 Sonny Walsh Panel, Feile Skills award winner, Colin Ryan or

Pallasgreen, U/15 hurling, Pat O’Kane (Monaleen), and Jack Kelleher (Patrickswell) for U/16 hurling. The overall 2010 hurler of the year was Diarmuid Dee of Mungret.

Diarmuid Dee (Mungret)

Speakers included Liam Lenihan and Eoin Hayes (Chairman and Treasurer of the Co. Senior Board respectively who remarked on the strong state of Limerick hurling with such large Limerick representation on the weekend and at the Harty Cup Finals. Eoin Hayes appealed for increased participation in the Development Draw which was vital for funding Bord na n-Og and the development. Bord na n-Og Chairman Tony Roche paid tribute to all our award winners and stated that Limerick underage teams were now feared again following a no of years in which we were not competitive. He thanked all our sponsors but particularly Golden Vale and Supermacs who were very loyal to Bord na n-Og.

Former GAA President and current MEP, Sean Kelly was special guest. He too noted that Limerick hurling was strengthening with the Harty Cup and Fitzgibon Cup representation. He echoed recent calls by Munster Council CEO, Pat Fitzgerald that the Munster Championship trophy would be renamed the Cup and that he believed that given all the positive developments in underage hurling, it would be a matter of time that Limerick would secure this trophy.

All speakers congratulated Ardscoil Ris on their magnificent back to back Harty Cup wins and noted the amount of players on both Ardscoil and Charleville that came through the Bord na n- Og system. The night was compared by excellent organiser, host & vice-chairperson Breda Breen.

Ard Scoil reign supreme!!!!

Congratulations to Ard Scoil Ris who on Sunday last retained the with a resounding 3-19 to 3 points victory over Charleville CBS at the . In what was the first all Limerick colleges Munster final showdown, Charleville playing in the Limerick colleges competition, it was the Limerick city school who dominated from start to finish.

Niall Moran’s men got the perfect start with John Fitzgibon (Adare) goaling after just 45seconds of play. Further goals from Kevin O Brien (Patrickswell) and Oisin Hickey (Meelick) put the game well and truly beyond Charleville and gave the Ard Scoil thier second Dr Harty cup title in as many years.

Shane Dowling & , joint captains, were on hand to lift the Harty Cup in front of a jubilant crowd in what can only be described as one of the great days for underage hurling in Limerick. Spare a taught for Charleville who gave it their all for the full sixty minutes and we say well done to you and your captain David Reidy (Dromin/Athlaca) for your valiant efforts.

Both sides continue their involvement in the All colleges competition in the coming weeks with Ard Scoil advancing to the semi final stage awaiting the losers of the Leinster final or the Galway champions while Charleville will be meeting the winners of that Leinter decider.

Congratulations once again to both schools on reaching the final, both panels were heavily loaded with Limerick stars and we wish both schools all the very best going forward to in the All Ireland competition!!

Limerick unveil underage inter-county football management teams

Limerick Coaching and Games in consultation with the Limerick Football committee are pleased to announce the management teams of their underage inter-county football teams for 2011. Huge work is ongoing at grassroots level in Limerick at present and the best people in Limerick have been assembled to lend their expertise to the up and coming talents of Limerick underage football. This year sees a new management team form at under 14 level with former minor football selector Danny Browne of Monaleen, Diarmuid Crowley (St Kierans) and former Limerick under 21 football manager Ollie Coffey on board to guide Limerick fortunes at this age level. At under 15, newly appointed Limerick football committee development officer Patrick Keane of Newcastle-West is joined by his fellow clubman, Liam Aherne, better known locally as the Sports editor at Limerick’s Live 95Fm. This management team is completed by the very experianced and knowladeable Mike Fitzgibon of Mungret. Michael Crowley, Monaleen’s county winning senior captain of 2010, Brian O Connell (), former Limerick footballer Diarmuid Sheehy (Cappamore) and Michael Sheehan (Monaleen) will guide the fortunes of the Limerick under 16 footballers in 2011.

The under 15 & 16’s are currently in training for their respective competitions while the under 14 footballers will be assembling for trials in the coming weeks. We wish all managements teams, their liason officers and players the very best of luck in their campaigns for 2011!!

Award Winning Green & White Mag due out this March!

rhjh jTh The next issue of the award winning Green and White magazine is expected in your local school late this March. Speaking this Monday, joint editor with the highly successful magazine Joe Lyons quipped “This latest edition features interviews with the current Limerick senior managers. Donal O Grady and Maurice Horan will be speaking indepthly about preparations for the summertime and we will also look back on West Limerick’s first ever Mackey Cup succus in 1983”.

As ever the magazine will be a must have for one and all. Gaels are asked to keep their eyes peeled as the magazine will be on sale in various outlets around the county! For news on distribution, you are asked to contact Gerry Bennis at the Gaelic Grounds on 061325077. adAwa

Underage Selectors Hurling

This year’s U/16 hurling squad will be managed by Eamon Cregan (Claughaun), Patsy Hall (Adare), Gerry O’Brien (Mungret) and Conor Shiels (Na Piarsaigh) and will hope to add to the Carrigdhoun U/15 Shield win of 2010. The U/15 squad is managed by and Ray Ryan of Murroe-Boher and Don Flynn of Kileedy. The 15’B Squad is managed by Declan Murphy (Hospital-Hospital), Ger Sheehy (Newcastle West) & Joe Roche (Ballybrown). Both the U/16 and U/15 squads are now engaged in core training in U.L under the watchful eye of Andy Murphy.

The selectors for the U/14 Tony Forristal and Sonny Walsh teams will be ratified at our next delegate meeting. Last years 4 x U/13 development squads recently competed in inter-divisional blitzes and trials under the watchful eyes of both their new selectors and Coaching & Games personnel.

New Bord na n-Óg Website

Bord na n-Óg will launch a new website in early April. The new feature rich website will contain up to date news, photos, fixtures and results keeping you up to date with all underage activities.

Club/School Link Coaching Programme Launched

The Club/school coaching programme for 2011 was launched in Desmond College, Newcastle- West on Jan 24th at a workshop for all clubs school link coaches. The programme Launched by New Coaching Officer Joe Quaid is a Coaching & Games project where the aim of the programme is to provide weekly coaching to boys and girls in both hurling and football for a period of twenty weeks within the environs of the local primary school during the school day by a local club coach.

For clubs it is also ideal way of connecting with their local schools and having a visible presence in there especially in large urban areas. Clubs have also the unique opportunity of getting players into the club at a younger age thus casting the net wider and wider by exposing the message of the club through the school coach. This scheme offers the club its best chance to getting each young player into the club from the local school and also helps them practice and improve on there skills on a more frequent basis. It is also gives clubs the huge opportunity to dictate how they want there players coached in the schools and they now are the sole masters of there own destiny. So far it has to be said that the feedback from both the coaches and from the schools has been very positive.

On the same night the Limerick GAA primary Schools coaching programme was launched.

This is a 24 week programme where the basic skills of hurling and will be coached to the children in primary schools. The programme will be carried out by GDA and Club/School Coaches alike with the overall of providing quality coaching of basic skills to primary school children.

The following skills form part of the coaching programme and will be coached in a progressive manner as outlined in the skills cards.

Hurling Gaelic Football Grip & Swing Body Catch Ground Strike Punt Kick Strike from the hand High Catch Jab Lift Fist Pass Overhead Catch Crouch Lift Hook Near Hand Tackle Frontal Block Block Down

This programme also introduces the children playing our games in the form of internal blitzes held within the school and a series of external blitzes held between schools within a given cluster organised by the GDA. These blitzes will be played using the Go Games format which ensures that: ● All participants get to play all of the time. ● Games are small sided. ● More touches of the ball for all the players. ● The games are played in a fun environment with emphasis on improving skills.

The programme seeks to strive for excellence where the children will be encouraged to partake in the U can awards programme within their primary school. These awards encourage the child

to practice on their own or with friends and also provide coaches with a measure of feedback on the progress being made by each player.

All the Club/School lonk coaches at a coaching workshop in the Desmond College NCW recently with all Limerick GAA’s full time staff

Coach Education

A series of Foundation Award courses were rolled out across the county during February. Over 124 coaches attended these courses at four venues throughout the county. The courses were facilitated by the GDAs, Sean Herbert, Ollie Coffey, Ger Downes, Pat Culhane, and Gavin O Mahony. It is important now that these newly qualified coaches put their new found knowledge into practice in their local clubs

The Foundation Award is the introductory award for coaches of . The course is aimed at beginner coaches and will enable participants to assist a coach in the organisation of activities to develop hurling or football. The Foundation award is also the first step on the coach education pathway and potential coaches must have a Foundation Award Course completed in order to continue along the coach Education programme.

The Coach Education Programme focuses on continuing education, so that coaches can improve by means of a series of specifically designed courses, workshops and conferences incorporating internationally recognised principles of best practice. These opportunities will include a combination of theoretical and practical inputs.

The courses are designed to promote the development of the How to Coach Skills through modelling of best practice, as demonstrated by the tutor, experimental learning and through the guided reflection on previous experiences – as a coach, player, official or parent – facilitated by the tutor.

Upcoming Courses:

Limerick Coaching and Games intends to run two Award One Youth GAA Hurling and Football courses will run during the month of March.

These are new courses and are aimed at club coaches who have experience at coaching and who will be coaching youth teams between U12 and U18.

The courses will be held over five evenings and culminate with over 19 hours of both practical and theory sessions for attendees. This course will focus coaches minds on the GAA's Otu coaching module and at the end each coach will have a far more rounded knowledge and experience in dealing with youth squads.

It is essential that clubs book places as there is limited availability on each course.

Participants must have a foundation award course completed before they can apply for this Award one course and participants must attend the entire course to ensure certification at Award One Youth Level.

These are dual courses and the course fee is €50 per person.

Dates, Times & Venues Venue Dates Time

Bruff GAA Fri March 18th 7:00-10:15pm Sat March 19th 9:30am -2:00pm Fri March 25th 7:00-10:15pm Sat March 26th 9:30am -2:00pm Mon March 28th 7:00-10:15pm

St. Nessans Mon March 7th 7:00 -10:15pm Primary School, Sat March 12th 9:30am -2:00pm Mungret Mon March 14th 7:00 -10:15pm Mon March 21st 7:00 -10:15pm Mon March 28th 7:00 -10:15pm

Places are still available on these courses. Any coach who is interested is attending these courses should contact County Games Manager Noel Hartigan @ 087-9581568, email: [email protected]

We’re on the Web! Coaching & Games www.limerickgaacoaching.ie/ Bord na n-Óg

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