Winter 2009 Volume 14 Number 1 2 THE Limerick GAA Youth Magazine Meet the Stars of the Future And their senior hurling and football counterparts John Terry: Hurler! Cumann na mBunscol National Awards England captain training with Publication young Limerick hurlers of the Year Olé Ollie 2009 The G&W salutes Ollie Moran Cornmarket/Allianz/INTO www.thegreenandwhite.com The Green & White Winter 2009 THE Throw In Winter 09 Issue Number 40 nother year of activity on the playing fields is coming to A Winter 2009 an end. 2009 was a barren year for Limerick teams in their quest Volume 14 Number 1 for All-Ireland glory, with the notable exception of the minor camogie team. Senior Hurlers Limerick senior hurling team is in a state of transition. Although Justin McCarthy guided Limerick to an All-Ireland semi final in his This issue first year, followers of the team are hopeful rather than optimistic. 2 The Throw In The Green and White met with the young players who will carry 3 News Digest the hopes of all Limerick supporters in the coming years. James Ryan, Paudie McNamara, David Breen and Gavin O’Mahony all 4 Cumann na mBunscol News made their mark in 2009 and you can read about them in this 5 Meet Donie Buckley issue. 6 Olé Ollie Moran 7 Maurice O Brien—A Tale of 2 Counties Ollie 8 The Green & White Shield Ollie Moran bade farewell to inter-county hurling after a long 9 Camogie All-Ireland career in the Limerick colours. We look back on Ollie’s hurling life, 10 High Performance Coach its highs and lows. 11 Mickey Ned O’Sullivan Senior Footballers 12 Primary Game Feature Limerick reached the 2009 Munster Senior Football final and 13 Ard Scoil Blitz were most unlucky to lose to Cork by a single point in Páirc Uí 14 INTO 7s Chaíomh. The qualifiers saw another heartbreaking defeat for 15 Fair Play Awards Limerick by a solitary point, this time to Meath. However, Mickey 16 Hurlers in the Spotlight Ned and his team have a Munster title in their sights for 2010. In this issue, you can read about Cormac Joyce-Power, Ger Collins 18 Footballers in Profile and Bobby O’Brien, young stars who made their way through the 20 Limerick Leader Cup ranks from the Primary Game to the senior team. We also talk to 22 GAA Folk Tales “the team behind the team”. 23 G&W Gallery 24 East Schools News Stars of the Future 25 City Schools News We’ve been out and about meeting boys and girls from all over Limerick to find out what you, our readers, are listening to, watch- 26 West Schools News ing, buying and playing. Read all about it in this, the 40th issue of 27 South Schools News Limerick’s top-selling sports magazine! 28 Prize Crossword 29 Cartoon Corner And there’s more... 30 Puzzle Page Star Sunday Primary Game, Setanta McFanta, The Leader Cup, 31 In off the Post The Green & White Shield, crossword, fixtures, results, news... 32 Back Cover: John Terry It’s all here between the covers. Enjoy! Thanks Editors: Joe Lyons and Ciarán Crowe Thanks to the Lynch family of Patrickswell, Jerome O’Connell, Pat Design: ConsidineDesign.com Ryan, Jimmy Woulfe, Aisling Brown, Johnny Walsh, Máire O’Dea. Printing: KPS Colour Print Sales: 5,000 per issue Liam Dillon, the girls of Scoil Iósaf in Newcastle West and all who Distribution: Gerry Bennis (061) 325077 helped in any way or provided material for this magazine. Secretary: Mabel Mullane (061) 355057 Luimneach abú, Editorial Address: Patrickswell NS, Co. Limerick E-mail: [email protected] Ciarán Crowe & Joe Lyons Tel: 086 8113284 Joint Editors www.thegreenandwhite.com Front cover photograph: action from the 2009 Leader Cup 2 Winter 2009 The Green & White News+++News+++News+++ of interesting news and info Administrator, about hurling and foot- Ger Downes. ball. Linked to the site is In the GAA’s 125th an extensive video library year, a full-colour 250-page featuring interviews with a book is in the pipeline. host of hurling and football The editors’ aim is to pro- heroes. duce a publication that The site also pro- will interest young and old vides registered users with alike. The focus is on news Setanta Sports archived and reviews from the past GAA championship con- year in Limerick GAA but tent. Some GAA fans may articles and photos of enjoy playing gaelicrising’s historical interest are also online interactive game promised. Line-Dancer/Goal- Conor O’Mahony & called Fantasy Manager The Year Book goes Scorer Gareth Heagney on sale on December 4th. Brian Murray is a big Conor O’Mahony cap- Don’t miss it. hit on You Tube where tained Tipperary in 2009 Limerick fans have been All-Ireland SHC final watching him demonstrate against Kilkenny at Croke his line-dancing skills. The Park. He was not the Three-in-a-row! Congratulations to Adare video of the Limerick goalie original choice as cap- who were crowned was taken as he prepared tain, as county champions G&W: Adult supervision Limerick senior hurling for a fund-raising dance Toomevara nominated is recommended whenever champions for 2009 when competition organised to Willie Ryan, but when he young people use the inter- they defeated Na Piarsaigh, improve cancer services failed to nail down a regu- net thus completing a three in- in the Mid-West Regional lar place, O’Mahony took a-row of county titles. Hospital. over. Conor won a Mackey The last team to lift the Cup medal with East Daly Cup three times in-a- Limerick in 1996 along row was Patrickswell who with Gareth Heagney who did so in 1995, 1996 and has won two All-Ireland 1997. As Halloween club hurling titles with approached, the news from Portumna. Conor was Adare can now train their the South Court Hotel was a pupil of Newport BNS sights on emulating the that Brian had actually won while Gareth attended achievements of Ahane the celebrity dance com- Donoughmore NS. Conor who won no fewer than petition and thus relieved was selected on the 2009 seven titles in a row from Limerick hurling teammate, All Star hurling team, his 1933 from 1939 and Niall Moran of the coveted second All Star award. repeated the feat between Lord of the Dance crown 1942 and 1948. won by the Ahane man in Eircom launches such style last year. Gaelic Rising Brian, who was Eircom recently launched selected as goalkeeper on www.gaelicrising.ie. This is Limerick Year the 2007 All-Star hurling an unofficial GAA website Book Returns team, was one of Limerick’s for fans that features lots After an absence of a few leading scorers in the 2009. years, the Limerick Year He scored two goals in this Book is back! The 2009 year’s championship, both Year Book is being com- from the penalty spot. piled by County Board Chairman, Liam Lenihan and Games Development 3 The Green & White Winter 2009 Cumann na mBunscol News Dates for your Diary Michael O’Donoghue This autumn, Michael O’Donoghue resigned as secretary Sarsfield Cup (Boys football): of the County Board of Cumann na mBunscol after more The Sarsfield Cup Semi Finals and Final than twenty years of exceptional service. To mark this (originally fixed to be be played under lights occasion, the Board will make a special presentation to at the Gaelic Grounds) Michael. A story from last summer’s Mackey Cup provides Venue: Knocklong a perfect example of Mike’s dedication to Cumann na Date: 11th November. mBunscol activities in Limerick. On his way to the Gaelic Semi Final 1: City vs East Grounds to oversee the two semi-finals and final that were Semi Final 2: West vs South scheduled for that day, he was involved in a car crash Final: City/East vs West/South and required hospitalisation. As he lay in hospital, and despite the distress of being involved in an accident and the discomfort of his injuries, his main concern was for the Larkin Shield (Girls Football): children who were playing in the Mackey Cup final. You The Larkin Shield Semi Finals and final: see, the cup was in the boot of Mike’s car. Mike did not rest until he had the agreement of no less than the Gardai Venue: Knocklong Siochána to retrieve the cup from his car—and then deliver Date: 16th November. it, under a Garda escort, to the Gaelic Grounds! Semi Final 1: City vs East On behalf of all readers of The G&W, we say a very big Semi Final 2: West vs South THANK YOU and send best wishes to Mike for a long Final: City/East vs West/South and happy retirement. County Football Shield: The County Football Shield Semi Finals and final: County Board Venue: Caherelly Officers Date: Friday 27th November. Br Dormer, Semi Final 1: City vs East 1.30pm Chairman. Henry (20 minutes a side) Martin, Secretary & John Tuohy, Semi Final 2: West vs South 2.15pm Treasurer (20 minutes a side) Final: City/East vs West/South 3.15pm (15 minutes a side) Twin Power Celtic Image Shield: Twins at the peak of their powers! The Celtic Image Football Shield Semi Finals That was certainly the case in 2009 when twins Darragh and final and Brian Fanning and Tom and Paddy Morrissey each had the honour of representing their schools, clubs and Venue: Caherelly families on Limerick Primary Game teams at venues Date: Monday 30th November. throughout the province.