St. Marys GAA Club News February 2013 Chairperson’s Address Fáilte roimhe go léir, Ba heartening to see so many children mhaith liom a chur i láthair an participating each and every tuarascáil do Cumann Naomh Saturday, and the results of this Mhuire as an mblian seo caite. coaching are now evident in the We, in St Marys GAA Club, have success of our underage teams, just concluded another very busy both boys and girls. I would urge and successful year during 2012. everyone in the club to assist with On the field of play we have con - the Saturday morning coaching, it tinued to increase participation and is vital to our future success. this year we fielded 19 teams from Thanks once again to John Kent for under 8 to senior level providing a his continued sponsorship of our sporting outlet for over 450 chil - underage coaching. dren and adults in our community. Our underage teams have con - Niamh Farrell brought huge honour tinued to perform brilliantly, with to our club when she brought back retention of the double at both U16 Minor ‘A’ Girls Championship Winners 2012 an All Ireland Medal to St. Marys and Minor, and our Feile team los - winning the All Ireland Senior Scór ing the final by the narrowest of Solo Singing Final. In what is sure - margins. All other teams from U8 ly a first for the club and it is also to Minor performed admirably I believe a first in the county, if not throughout the year. A huge in Connacht, we had a unique dou - thanks to all our underage mentors ble when our minor boys and girls and coaches who give of their time won their respective “A” champi - to ensure the children of our area onships. get such excellent direction. Well The growth of ladies football done to all underage players who continues its upward surge under wore the county colours with pride the mentorship of Pauline over the past season. I would like Brennan, Kevin O’Grady and the to thank Francis, Adrian, and the Ladies Committee. This year we Bord na nÓg committee for their fielded a ladies junior team as well guidance of our youth policy and U20 ‘A’ Championship Winners 2012 as girl’s teams at every age group. programme Well done to all that have kept We also have thriving commit - working on ladies football over the tees looking after Handball, past few years. I would like to Racquetball, Scór and a close asso - wish Pauline and her committee ciation with Naomh Eoin. I thank the very best of luck for the com - all involved with these activities. ing year, and a huge thanks to St Mary’s, like any other club, their committee and hardworking depends on the goodwill and assis - coaches at all grades. Congratu- tance of a number of groups and lations to all our ladies who repre - individuals, and I would like to say sented Sligo with distinction at var - a big thanks to all our sponsors, ious grades over the past year. our supporters, the parents of all Our senior team maintained our underage and adult teams, to Division One status in the League, the club committees, club execu - Minor ‘A’ Championship and League Winners 2012 and in the Championship reached tive, our bar personnel, our pitch the county final, where unfortu - manager, our coaches and men - nately we lost out to Curry. It was tors. great to see the seniors back to Finally I would like to encour - this level. This team was ably man - age you all to visit our premises aged by John Kent and Shane and see the range of activities that Breheny, and I personally would we have to offer, and hopefully like to thanks them both, and the participate in some of these activi - previous management Gerry ties. If not participating, why not Monaghan and Barnes Murphy, for enjoy some hospitality in our their commitment in the year. licenced clubhouse. Feel free to Our Saturday Morning coaching visit us at any time, and sure bring continued into its 15th year under your friends along too. the brilliant tutelage of Gerry U16 ‘A’ Championship and League Winners 2012 Connolly, aided by a very dedicat - Is mise le meas, ed band of coaches. It really is Kevin Molloy Cathaoirleach Find us on (www.facebook.com/St Marys) and (www.twitter.com/StMarysGAAClubSligo) or on our website (http://www.stmarys.sligo.gaa.ie/) 2 3 St. Marys GAA Club News Bord Na nÓg U14 Boys 2012 Ballisadare, lost to St. Under 16 Farnans, Tubbercurry and The U16’s completed another Easkey. They won against unbeaten A League and Championship Shamrock Gaels in the A double making this the third year in a League Plate Final. The C row for this achievement. Another note - League team won 3 worthy point is that in both the league games in their campaign and the championship we were sched - and was unlucky not to uled to play our main challengers – St. make the final stages. Johns and Calry – at their home venues. They were victorious over The strength of our panel was the main Buninadden in the “C” difference between us and our competi - Plate final, rounding off a tors. Senior Panel 2012 good season for these Highlight of the year was the two young men. hours we spent surfing out in Strandhill. wet and windy day they lost the final by playoffs in Markievicz Park. They both The team then competed in the A It was their commitment to the cause a single point. It was a disappointing lost their semi-finals to the eventual Championship and again showed Senior Team Report Minor Team Report that was so impressive and inspiring to end to a great run. All of the boys competitions winners by 2 points. improvement. They drew with be part of as a management team. The showed tremendous commitment The U12 boys had a tremendous The senior team continued arate them but St Mary’s emerged The Minor team had another ber of U16 players were introduced Tubbercurry (the 2012 Sligo Feile cham - bigger the game, the more this team throughout the season and I have no experience during the year representing their steady progress over the with the win and secured their very successful year retaining the pions) and beat St. Farnans, but unfor - and the quality of play of the team rose to the occasion putting 4-17 on St. doubt that there is more in store from Sligo at the Connacht Blitz in Croke Park. tunately lost out to Owenmore Gaels by course of the year. They main - place in the county final for the first A League and Championship which improved as the campaign went Johns in the championship semi-final these young men. Parents and boys travelled en-masse to a single score in a “must win” match to tained their Division 1 status with a time since 2004. They put in a had been won last year. This Minor on. Having topped the group, they and amassing another large score in the Croke Park and played teams from make the final. Overall, an improving number of strong performances. brave and determined perform - team has won the A grade double obtained a semi-final walk over final versus Calry. More importantly Under 12 Castlerea, St. Kevin’s, Curry, Dromahair, team with a bright future. The team was captained by Mark ance in the final in Markievicz Park at U12, U14, U16 and now Minor. from Tubbercurry. The final, held they play with the right attitude, com - In 2012 St Mary’s fielded 2 teams at Elphin, Leitrim Gaels and Cloone. The Breheny and he was assisted by but unfortunately they lost out to This is the first time that this has on a glorious Saturday afternoon in petitive but fair, and their discipline is this age group, with both teams per - experience of playing in Croke Park turf vice- captain, Conor Carroll. The Curry. Despite the disappointment been achieved by any team within excellent throughout. This, allied to Under 13 forming admirably and qualifying for the will remain in their memories forever. Collooney, was a fitting way for the Our under 13 footballers participated in team grew in confidence as the they gained some valuable experi - the club and county. As in previous their natural footballing ability and will - older players to end their under- the Sligo Féile competition in the U12 Boys 2012 League progressed, improving with ence for what is a very youthful years, the team were a credit to ingness to work hard, was on display in age career. The team displayed a autumn/winter. A large number of this each performance and they squad. It was great to see the the club on and off the pitch. the final when they put in a great per - ruthless focus which simply blew squad trained and played with the U14 entered the championship in good Seniors back to this level, and it The league campaign com - formance. The management would like their opponents away and resulted team. The intensive work carried out form. The team broke its bodes well for the future. Last menced in March and their focus to thank the players, their parents, the in a comprehensive 3-21 to 1-2 throughout 2012 saw massive improve - Championship quarter final hoodoo November ten of our senior panel was evident from the start when Bord na nÓg Officers and other coaches victory over Tourlestrane. The ments in the squad.