Club Notes 2011

22nd December 2011

Patrickswell GAA Club finished the year as it started – with a County Scor victory. On this occasion, the Scor na nÓg Set Dancing team were victorious at the County Final in Askeaton. Congratulations to the participants. It was a great achievement for the dancers & their mentors and a testament to their hard work. The other contestants in Recitation, Instrumental Music, Ballad Group and Novelty Act performed admirably.

Well done to the club members who helped out with the club bagpacking day at Tesco in Dooradoyle. This was a very successful fundraiser and sincere thanks to Gloria O’Donnell and Tommy Reidy for organising the event.

Work is now complete on the new Club Gym. This is a very important piece of infrastructure for the club in the preparation of its teams and represents a much more cost efficient approach to team preparation. Many thanks to all the club members who made a contribution, especially to Michael Joyce, Pat Dundon, Tom O’Brien, Willie Fenton and Nelius Hayes who worked on the construction and installation of the Gym.

The Club Lotto has reached €10,000 at the time of writing. It’s a great opportunity for a late Christmas present or making a perfect start to 2012.

Patrickswell GAA club wishes its members and players a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We hope that 2012 is even more successful than 2011.

 

15th December 2011

The Club AGM took place last week and there was a healthy attendance present. Martin Ryan delivered a comprehensive review of the season in his Secretary’s Report and this was enthusiastically received by members. Nelius Hayes followed with his Treasurer’s Report and fielded questions from the floor. The key messages from the Financial Statements were cost control and the continued development of club facilities.

In his Chairman’s Address, Paul Foley identified the two major stories of the year at the outset – trophy success and improvements to the facilities. He thanked the O’Brien family for their sponsorship of the Michael O’Brien tournament in the Spring. The revival of Scor in Patrickswell was also a very positive development. The pinnacle was winning an All-Ireland Set Dancing title in Killarney and claiming two County Scor titles for Figure Dancing and Set Dancing. The Scor na n-Og participants also performed extremely well and won a number of City titles. Paul thanked everyone who administered Scor during the year for their considerable time and effort.

The camogie club had a very successful year. The highlight was the Under 13 County title victory under the guidance of Liam O’Carroll, Gary Kirby, Denise O’Carroll and Paul Foley. The Under 11 team also contested a County Final, but were unlucky to lose. Brid Murphy and Janet O’Carroll also collected All-Ireland Under 16 “B” medals with Limerick. Paul also paid tribute to the ladies who give their time generously to promote camogie in Patrickswell.

The Chairman thanked his Juvenile counterpart, Raymond Fitzgerald, for the excellent progress of the Juvenile Club. The outstanding event was the Under 13 County Final victory in September, which was preceded by the Rose Cup triumph in Tralee. Numerous young Patrickswell players were involved with Ard Scoil Ris’ Harty Cup & White Cup titles and the Munster Under 21 victory.

Paul Foley congratulated Gerry Bennis for his Distinguished Service award from the Munster Council and his work with Bernard Hayes on the Limerick Development Draw. He wished every success to Ciaran Carey and Natal O’Grady in their roles with Limerick. Special tribute was made to the ladies of Patrickswell GAA Club, who inject such a positive attitude to the club and have worked tirelessly for its betterment.

There was gratitude for every member who assisted with fundraising during 2011. Without their assistance, the club finances would not be as healthy. The money raised is used to meet the daily costs of running the club and investing in capital projects. Christy Cooney, President of the GAA, was on hand to open the new facilities in September. Thanks to everyone who worked on the upgrade. The club are also grateful to Duggan Systems and their acceptance of a new three-year deal.

There are so many people who have contributed to the running of the club – Gerry and Mary Ryan, Mike Dundon, Willie Fenton, Damien Gillane, Liam O’Carroll, Tom O’Brien, Liam Fenton, Michael Joyce, Nelius Hayes, the McDermott family, Theresa Carrig, Mary Gillane and family, Moss Carmody, Christy Murphy, Louise O’Donnell, Christy O’Reilly, Seamus O’Riordan, Tommy Reidy, Gerry Bennis, Micheal O’Brien, Oliver Mann, Michael McDermott, Angela Kirby, Donie O’Gorman, the camogie ladies, the Scor participants and many more. Apologies for the names missed out!

On the pitch, Paul was satisfied with the performances in 2011. The Senior, Minor and Under 21 hurlers reached their respective County semi-finals, but were ousted by Na Piarsaigh each time. The excitement of the late victory over Kilmallock gave confidence that Patrickswell could emerge as a force again. He thanked Gary Kirby and the management team for their exceptional commitment and development of the panel. Brian Lohan will step up as Patrickswell manager and Declan O’Grady was appointed selector. Now that some of the players have tasted a semi-final, there will be a hunger to win a county title.

Oliver Mann, as Vice Chairman of the County Board, complimented the club on its playing successes and the structural redevelopment. He also thanked Patrickswell for providing numerous players to Limerick teams and supporting the Development Draw.

The management teams were then discussed. With Brian Lohan already installed as Senior Hurling manager, Pa Dundon was ratified as Minor Hurling manager, PJ O’Grady as Under 21 Hurling manager, Anthony Foley as Junior A Hurling manager and Michael Woulfe as Junior Football manager.

Monsignor Lane expressed his admiration about the professional manner that the club is run by its officers and members. He was delighted that young people had such a great facility in their community and offered his good wishes for 2012. Willie Foley, Club President, congratulated the Under 13 boys & girls and heralded the Scor triumph. He felt that the club was moving in the right direction and that everyone had to roll up their sleeves to assist.

After the AGM concluded, Michael Walsh was announced as Club Person of the Year 2011. It was a recognition of his tireless efforts over the past twelve months on behalf of the club.

In the City Scor na n-Og final last Thursday night, Patrickswell were victorious in five categories: Recitation, Instrumental Music, Ballad Group, Novelty Act and Set Dancing. The County Scor na n-Og final will take place on Friday 16th December at the Askeaton Community Hall.

There will be a bag-packing afternoon at Tesco Crescent from 1pm to 5pm on Tuesday 20th December. Please contact Gloria O’Donnell at 086-3830668 with your availability.

 

8th December 2011

The Club AGM will take place on Wednesday 7th December at 8pm in the clubhouse. All members are encouraged to attend this important event. After the AGM concludes, the Club Person of the Year will be announced in the Cu Chulainn.

The City Scór na N-óg final take place on Thursday 8th December at 7.30 pm at Our Lady Queen Of Peace Primary School in Janesboro. Good luck to all of our participants!

Well done to Breda McDermott, who scooped €250 in December’s Limerick Development Draw. The club’s own Lotto is heading for €10,000. Tickets can be purchased from local sellers and businesses.

The 2011 Limerick GAA Yearbook was launched last Sunday night at the Greenhills Hotel by incoming GAA President Liam O’Neill. This would make a very good Christmas present with plenty of information on Limerick GAA activities during 2011.

 

1st December 2011

Patrickswell GAA Club hosted the critically acclaimed play “The Pitch” in the clubhouse last Thursday. The performance was well received by the audience, who enjoyed a great night of entertainment. Many thanks to everyone who purchased a ticket and organised the event.

The Club’s AGM takes place on Wednesday 7th December at 8pm in the clubhouse. After the AGM, the Club Person of the Year will be announced in the Cu Chulainn.

The club has recently committed itself to building a gymnasium at the clubhouse. This development is synchronised with the Five Year Strategic Plan that was adopted last year (Please click here to see a copy of the plan…). A letter was circulated two weeks ago that requested members’ generosity to defray the capital cost of this project. Contributions of €200 by one-off payment or a €50 Standing Order per month for four months are proposed and welcomed. Donors will have their names inscribed on the gymnasium wall and shall receive full club membership for 2012. Contributions or Standing Order Instructions should be sent to Mr. Nelius Hayes, Club Treasurer, Pennswood, Ballygeale, Patrickswell by Friday 16th December. We acknowledge that members are facing challenging times, but we hope that you can help your club again.

On 2nd December at the Cu Chulainn Bar, Patrickswell GAA will host the County Board’s December Limerick GAA Development Draw. Your support and attendance at this event would be greatly appreciated.

On 3rd December, Club Vice President Gerry Bennis is being recognised by the Munster GAA Council for his years of loyal service to the GAA. A function will take place in Killarney to mark the occasion. Congratulations to Gerry – a true champion of Gaelic games and culture.

 

24th November 2011

This week’s highlight is a performance of the acclaimed play “The Pitch” on Thursday 24th November at the clubhouse. The play stars RTE Best Actor 2010, Seamus O’Rourke, and tickets cost €10. If you would like to purchase a ticket, please contact Paul Foley on 087-6924959 or Nelius Hayes on 087-2587486.

The Club’s AGM takes place on Wednesday 7th December at 8pm in the clubhouse. At this point, members should have received Nomination and Motion documents from the Club Secretary. After the AGM, the Club Person of the Year will be announced in the Cu Chulainn.

The club has recently committed itself to building a gymnasium at the clubhouse. This development is synchronised with the Five Year Strategic Plan that was adopted last year (Please click here to see a copy of the plan…). We recognise that player training and preparation has changed and modernised in the past decade, with increased emphasis on strength and conditioning. To sustain progress in recent years, the club has incurred significant expenditure on external gymnasium fees. With this in mind, the club wants to develop its own gymnasium “on site” and requires your continued assistance.

A letter was circulated last week that requested members’ generosity to defray the capital cost of this project. Contributions of €200 by one-off payment or a €50 monthly Standing Order over four months are proposed and welcomed. Donors will have their names inscribed on the gymnasium wall and shall receive full club membership for 2012. Contributions or Standing Order Instructions should be sent to Mr. Nelius Hayes, Club Treasurer, Pennswood, Ballygeale, Patrickswell by Friday 16th December. We acknowledge that the country and our members are facing extraordinarily challenging times, but we hope that you can help your beloved club again. Success is built on strong foundations – and this project is critical to that success.

Finally on 2nd December at the Cu Chulainn Bar, Patrickswell GAA will host the County Board’s December Limerick GAA Development Draw. Your support and attendance at this event would be greatly appreciated.

 

17th November 2011

The Club’s AGM takes place on Wednesday 7th December at 8pm in the clubhouse. At this point, members should have received Nomination and Motion documents from the Club Secretary. After the AGM, the Club Person of the Year will be announced in the Cu Chulainn.

The acclaimed play “The Pitch” will appear on Thursday 24th November in the clubhouse. The play stars RTE Best Actor 2010, Seamus O’Rourke, and tickets cost €10. They are available from any Committee member.

Patrickswell National School girls and boys enjoyed a great day out in the Gaelic Grounds on Thursday 10th November when both teams contested the finals of the Under 13 Schools’ Football Competitions. Our girls battled bravely but were overcome by a very strong Milford N.S. side. The boys defeated our neighbours Ballybrown on a scoreline of 4-1 to 2-0 in a very exciting game. The cup was presented to the winning captain, Matthew Lucey, on behalf of Cumann na mBunscol by the principal, Mr. Crowe. Well done to both teams and all of their mentors for doing their school and the parish proud.

Preparation continues for the City Scor na nÓg competition, following the club’s very successful local competition.

There are also plans being formulated for a club gymnasium.

Please support the Club Lotto, which continues to roll over. It would make a great early Christmas present to scoop the jackpot! Tickets are available from local sellers and businesses.

 

10th November 2011

Patrickswell GAA Club ran a hugely successful Scor na nÓg in the clubhouse on Sunday. The large audience enjoyed a wide variety of acts from talented young people. The programme included Figure Dancing, Solo Singing, Instrumental Music, Recitation, Ballads, Novelty Acts, Set Dancing and a Quiz. Some competitors appeared in multiple categories and had a very busy day on stage and in rehearsal. The quality of the performances was warmly appreciated by everyone in the clubhouse.

There was something for everyone in the audience to enjoy – dancing, singing, playing music, humorous stories, irreverent comedy, impersonations, a quiz and some outrageous costumes from the boys! The club would like to thank each competitor for their incredible performances, the visiting adjudicators, the Club Scor Committee, the club shop staff and the raffle ticket sellers. New life has been breathed into Scor in Patrickswell. The winners in each category will proceed to City Scor na nÓg.

To continue with the Arts theme, the acclaimed play “The Pitch” will appear on Thursday 24th November in the clubhouse. The play stars RTE Best Actor 2010, Seamus O’Rourke, and tickets cost €10. They are available from any Committee member.

The Club AGM will take place on Wednesday 7th December. Nomination forms will be issued in due course. Afterwards in the Cu Chulainn, the 2011 Club Person of the Year will be announced.

Finally congratulations to Limerick Development Draw members with Patrickswell GAA, Pat and Mary Punch, who won the first prize of €18,000 in the November Draw. The promoter on behalf of the club was Donie O‘Gorman who continues to work and support the club consistently and diligently.

 

3rd November 2011

The club wishes to congratulate Natal O’Grady for his recent double appointment at county level. Natal was ratified by the County Board as Limerick Intermediate Hurling manager and as a selector with the Limerick Under 21 hurling team. It is a marvellous achievement and we wish him every success.

The Patrickswell Senior hurling management team was finalised at a committee meeting during the week. Tom O’Brien, John O’Donnell, Anthony Carmody and Declan O’Grady will support manager Brian Lohan next year. The club has great faith in the management panel and looks forward to the new season with confidence.

Tickets for the renowned play “The Pitch” are available from Committee members for a great value €10. The play takes place in the clubhouse on Thursday 24th November. Scor na nÓg is in full swing also, with preparations underway for the club’s own Scor na nÓg final on Sunday 6th November at 3pm in the clubhouse.

The Annual General Meeting will take place on Wednesday 7th December 2011, followed by the Club Person of the Year announcement in the Cu Chulainn afterwards.

 

20th October 2011

The club is delighted that Ciaran Carey has been reappointed as Limerick Senior Hurling selector for 2012. This decision illustrates the confidence that Limerick GAA has in Ciaran’s experience, motivational skills and tactical ability.

The Under 11 girls beat Murroe and qualified for the Autumn County final. Congratulations girls! The Under 13 girls lost to Adare in the semi-final of the Autumn League.

A performance of acclaimed play “The Pitch” will be held at the clubhouse on Thursday 24th November. The play stars RTE Best Actor 2010, Seamus O’Rourke and tickets cost €15. There is a Youtube clip embedded in the club’s website homepage – www.patrickswellgaa.com . Photos of both the Parish League and Christy Cooney’s visit are on the website also.

 

13th October 2011

Patrickswell GAA Club are delighted to announce that Brian Lohan will manage the senior hurlers in the 2012 season. Brian brings a wealth of experience to the role after many successful years with the Clare Hurling Team. We wish him every success in the job. The club wants to thank Gary Kirby for his tireless efforts and the great improvements that have occurred under his tenure.

The Junior B footballers bowed out of the City Championship after a narrow 3-11 to 3-7 defeat to Mungret. The ‘Well were hampered by player absences but they knuckled down to produce a brave display. Hard luck to the players and management as it was a fine campaign. This was the final competitive fixture of the season for the adult club.

The Under 12 hurlers played two matches in the Gaelic Grounds last Saturday against Bruff and Kildimo. The boys were victorious in both games.

The Under 10 Parish League took place last Sunday morning with 45 boys and girls displaying their skills on what was a great morning of hurling. The cup was presented to joint winning captains Cormac Kerins and Aaron O’Shea after six keenly contested matches. Two teams finished on level points at the end of play. Thanks to O’Briens Pharmacy of Main Street who kindly continue to sponsor this event.

The Under 10 hurlers play in the final season blitz on Sunday 16th October morning at St Patrick’s.

The Under 11 camogie team lost 2-1 to 1-1 against Ballybrown, while our Under 13 girls beat Ballybrown by 2-3 to 2-2. Both Under 11 and Under 13 teams play in the semi-final this weekend.

Commiserations to Conor Murray and the Irish Rugby team, who were beaten by Wales in the quarter-final. Conor’s contribution to the Irish team was invaluable and he brought great pride to Patrickswell, Limerick and Ireland.

If you wish to order club gear for Christmas presents, please make your booking by 31st October to guarantee delivery. Crested scarves are also available. Please contact Louise O’Donnell on 086-0406879. DVDs of the recent Under 13 County Hurling Final victory are now available at €10 from Mary Gillane on 086-3695155.

 

6th October 2011

The Junior B footballers maintained their unbeaten record in the City Championship after a 3-4 to 1-4 victory over St. Patrick’s at home. The ‘Well have one remaining fixture against Claughaun to fulfil and an excellent chance of reaching the knockout stages. Well done to the footballers and keep it up!

Many thanks to everyone who contributed to the Scrap Collection drive. It was a very successful fundraiser for the club. Your generosity is much appreciated. The committee of Michael Walsh, Christy Reilly, Michael Joyce, Willie Leahy, Brendan Cawley, Michael O’Brien and Seamus O’Riordan deserve huge credit for their efforts.

The Under 12 hurlers played their final League match and beat Crecora last Wednesday night. The boys played seven games in the League and won six of them. The final day Under 12 Blitz is being held in the Gaelic Grounds on Saturday 8th October. The Under 10 Parish League for boys and girls is being held on Sunday 9th October at 12 noon. This is an opportunity for everyone to see the stars of the future display their skills.

The Under 13 camogie girls beat Granagh by 1-3 to 0-0, while the Under 11 girls also beat Granagh by 5-2 to 0-0.

 

29th September 2011

The club was honoured to welcome GAA President Christy Cooney to Patrickswell last Friday evening. Mr. Cooney’s first official duty was to unveil a plaque to mark the recent refurbishment of club facilities. There was a large attendance present to hear various addresses by senior GAA officials. Chairman Paul Foley introduced the speakers and hosted the event. Christy Cooney focussed on the requirement for every club to invest in future development – both on the pitch and structurally. He paid tribute to Patrickswell’s rich history and the important role that the ‘Well has played in the Association over 60 years.

Liam Lenihan (Limerick GAA Chairman) acknowledged the pivotal part that Patrickswell has played in Limerick GAA history before Oliver Mann (Patrickswell and Limerick GAA Vice Chairman) lauded the impressive achievements of the club during his own lifetime. Paddy Verdon of Na Piarsaigh (City Board Chairman) spoke on behalf of the City Board, of which Patrickswell is a member. He was very complimentary of Patrickswell GAA and offered the club his best wishes for the future.

Christy Cooney then presented awards to six victorious teams – the All-Ireland Set Dancing Champions, Ard Scoil Ris’ Harty Cup representatives (Kelvin Lynch, Cian Lynch, Jack Kelleher, Mark Carmody, Kevin O’Brien and Natal O’Grady), the Under 13 Hurling County Champions, the Under 13 Camogie County Champions, our two representatives on the Limerick Under 16B All-Ireland Camogie team (Brid Murphy and Janet O’Carroll) and our two representatives on the Ard Scoil Ris White Cup team (Cian Lynch and Aaron Gillane).

The Minor hurlers were beaten by a strong Na Piarsaigh side in the Premier Hurling Championship semi-final at Mungret. The Light Blues scored 1-4 without reply before the ‘Well registered their first point. The boys were dealt a cruel blow when Na Piarsaigh plundered two goals in three minutes at the end of the first half. The interval score was 3-8 to 0-4 and the ’Well faced an uphill battle. In the second half, Patrickswell were in much better form. They stuck to their difficult task and scored a goal to reduce the margin to 3-9 to 1-8. However, Na Piarsaigh claimed a fourth goal and closed out the match by 4-13 to 1-13. Hard luck to all the players and management.

The Junior B footballers beat Milford by 1-11 to 0-6 in the City Championship.

Our Under 10 hurlers had a great day at the Inter-City blitz in Cork. Passage West were our hosts and we played four games – winning three against Sacred Heart (Waterford), Na Piarsaigh (Limerick) and Passage West (Cork). The team in Cork was Cormac Kerins, Kyle McCarthy, Aaron O’Shea, Cian Fitzgerald, Cian Enright, Shane Hannon, Martin Murray, Luke Touhy, Lawerence Touhy, Niall Kerins, Josh Carey, Eoghan Harnett, Paul Lynch, Patrick Kirby, John Kirby and Patrick Kiely.

The Intermediate camogie ladies lost to Tournafulla in the Championship. The Under 11 and Under 13 girls both beat Mungret at the weekend. The Under 8 girls took part in Croagh’s blitz and played very well.

The Scrap Collection scheduled for Saturday 1st October will not take place.

 

22nd September 2011

It was a mixed week for Patrickswell on the playing fields. The Minor hurlers progressed to the Premier Hurling Championship semi-final after a high-scoring 1-22 to 2-12 victory over Ahane at the Gaelic Grounds. Well done to the players and management. Good luck in the next match.

On Sunday evening, the Under 21 hurlers played their first competitive game for almost three months. Na Piarsaigh were their semi-final opponents. Both teams served up a feast of goals at the Gaelic Grounds. Unfortunately, the Caherdavin side were in a rich vein of form and won out by 6-18 to 3-12. Hard luck to the players and management. It was a fine season overall.

The Junior B footballers received a walkover from Ballinacurra Gaels in the City Championship as our opponents have dropped out of the competition.

The Under 15 hurlers had a comfortable win over Deel Rangers last Monday.

Last Thursday, the Under 12 hurlers welcomed neighbours Ballybrown to Patrickswell. There was a big panel of players on the night to pick from. The boys got off to a shaky start and conceded a goal within the first few minutes. From there on, Patrickswell settled into the game and there were a few strong individual performances. The boys were back into the contest by half-time and led by 1-3 to 1-1. At the start of second half, the ‘Well started strongly and kept up the pressure until the end. The final score was a 3-5 to 1-3 victory. A good win for the lads!

The Under 10 hurlers played a blitz last Friday with Kildimo and Na Piarsaigh. The last game was a great contest against Na Piarsaigh, where Patrickswell triumphed with a last minute goal.

Our Under 6 & Under 8 hurlers played Ballybrown last Friday night. If these players keep improving at the same rate, the future of the club is very bright.

The Under 14 camogie girls were beaten by Monaleen in the County semi-final during the week. Hard luck girls! The Intermediate ladies play their final championship match this weekend against Tournafulla.

The club are organising a Free Scrap Metal Collection and Disposal Service on Saturday 1st October at the Clubhouse. (This event has been CANCELLED).

Uachtarán Cumann Luthchleas Gael, Christy Cooney will officially launch the completion of Phase 1 of the Clubhouse Refurbishment Programme at 8pm at the clubhouse next Friday, 23rd September.
Light refreshments will be served. All club members are welcome.

 

15th September 2011

Our Senior hurlers bowed out of the County Championship after a brave semi-final defeat to Na Piarsaigh. It was a classic “game of two halves” at the Gaelic Grounds in blustery conditions. Na Piarsaigh were first on the scoreboard and notched two early points. Mark Carmody steadied the Patrickswell nerves with his opening point, before Na Piarsaigh established a 0-3 to 0-1 lead. With a strong wind at their backs, the ‘Well attacked Na Piarsaigh with real intensity. There was some fantastic link-up play between defence, midfield and attack. Na Piarsaigh struggled to cope with Patrickswell’s pace, possession and long-range scoring.

Barry Foley and Mark Carmody levelled the game at 0-3 apiece with fine points, before the ‘Well grabbed full control of the match. When Brian Murray sent over an 85 yard free in the twentieth minute, the ‘Well led by 0-7 to 0-3. Peter O’Reilly followed up Brian Murray’s earlier feat with a long-range beauty of his own. The signs were extremely positive at the interval as Patrickswell held an 0-11 to 0-5 advantage. Unfortunately, Na Piarsaigh had the wind at their backs in the second half and made it count. The Light Blues scored three unanswered points before having a player dismissed for two bookable offences at 0-11 to 0-8 down. The Caherdavin men were unperturbed and struck an additional five points to build a 0-13 to 0-11 lead.

Brian Murray made a heroic save to thwart an almost certain goal that could have crushed the ‘Well. The save sparked a revival from the Blue and Gold, who registered a point to trail by 0-14 to 0-12. Na Piarsaigh were visibly ruffled as their opponents launched their comeback. At one stage, the ‘Well trailed by a solitary point when the score was narrowed to 0-15 to 0-14. However, it was all in vain. The outcome was cemented when Na Piarsaigh scored four additional points to build a 0-19 to 0-14 advantage with time elapsed. Both teams struck a point in stoppage time to close out the game at 0-20 to 0-15. Hard luck to all the players and management. It was a great achievement to reach a County semi-final and Patrickswell is proud of you. Some invaluable experience has been gained by the younger players to invest next year and beyond.

The Minor hurlers face Ahane in the Premier Hurling Championship quarter-final on Wednesday 14th September at 6.15pm in the Gaelic Grounds. On Sunday 18th September, the Under 21 hurlers face Na Piarsaigh in the County semi-final at 8pm under lights at the Gaelic Grounds. Best of luck to the Minors and Under 21s.

The Under 8 hurlers played Ballybrown last Friday night. Some of those to shine in a very competitive game were Christopher Lucey, James Fitzgerald, Eoin Harmon, Eoghan Maher, Patrick Kiely and Tadgh Hannon. The Under 6 Hurlers played Ballybrown with great displays from Billy Earls, Conor O’Brien, Christy Carroll, Liam Fitzgerald, Willie Harty, Paddy McGrath, Hugh Maher and Barry Foley.

The Under 14 camogie girls play a County semi-final against Monaleen during the week. Good luck girls!

 

8th September 2011

It’s a major week for Patrickswell GAA Club as the Senior hurlers meet Na Piarsaigh in the County Championship semi-final on Sunday 11th September at 3.45pm in the Gaelic Grounds. Confidence is high after the dramatic last-gasp victory over holders Kilmallock in the quarter-final. Please support the players and management in the club’s biggest game for a number of years. The Emmets versus Ahane semi-final has a 2pm throw-in on the same day.

The Junior A hurlers were beaten by a strong Na Piarsaigh side in the City Championship semi-final at the Gaelic Grounds. Hard luck to everyone involved.

The Minor hurlers cemented their place in the knockout stages of the Premier Hurling Championship after a narrow two-point win over neighbours Adare. The ‘Well topped their group with an impressive record of five wins and one defeat. Their only setback came last week with a 0-18 to 1-13 loss to Deel Rangers. Well done to the Minors and keep up the good form!

The Juvenile and Camogie Clubs celebrated a “Double” success last Saturday. The Under 13 hurlers faced Crecora in the County Final at Claughaun. Crecora dominated the opening fifteen minutes and took control with an early point and subsequent goal. However, Patrickswell turned the game around with a devastating blitz at the end of the half. After John Flynn registered the first point for Patrickswell, Jordan Higgins and Darragh Ahern both scored incredible goals to claim the lead. Within a few minutes, Jordan Higgins scored his second goal of the match to establish a 3-1 to 1-1 advantage at the interval.

Patrickswell continued to press forward in the second half. The boys added four points before Darragh Ahern clinched his second goal to put the ‘Well 4-5 to 1-1 ahead. Crecora staged a late revival in the closing ten minutes and put a respectable 4-6 to 2-3 gloss on the final score. There were joyous scenes as players, management, parents and supporters celebrated the victory. Captain John Flynn accepted the trophy on behalf of Patrickswell. The team was J. Gillane, C. Carroll, B. Nolan, B. Leahy, C.Quinlan, J. Flynn, A. McMahon, Danny Harty, Dan Harty, J. Higgins, D. Ahern, J. Dillon, K. Kilcoyne, S. Dunworth, P. Maher, E. Carroll, N. Byrnes, J. Considine, B. Kiely, D. Feasey, A. Carrig, M. Lucey, P. Kelly, G. Carey, C. Kirby and D. Buston. The management team were Paddy Flynn, Frank Dillon, Willie Leahy, Richie Maher and Mike Quinn. First Aid was provided by Michael Joyce.

Well done to Patrickswell’s girls, who won their Under 13 County Camogie Final. The girls overcame a very strong Ballyagran side in Croagh. Patrickswell competed for every ball from the first whistle, both in attack and in defence. Leah O’Carroll got the ‘Well off to a great start, with a fantastic goal. Ballyagran replied with two points to narrow the gap. However Niamh O’Keeffe then rattled the net from 30 yards out to stun Ballyagran. This was the first of Niamh’s scores of the match. She claimed a hat-trick of goals and points to finish with a tally of 3-3. The final scoreline was 4-3 to 0-3. Each of the twenty players on the panel played a key role in this County Final, as did the three coaches on the sideline – Paul Foley, Gary Kirby and Liam O’Carroll. They were ably assisted by Denise O’Carroll.

The victorious panel was Sarah Gillane, Aisling Leahy, Doireann Foley, Ciara Barry, Becky Kelly, Jane Kirby (captain), Patrice Lynch, Emer Foley, Emma Barry, Shauna Nally, Niamh O’Keefee, Orla Harty, Megan O’Neill, Leah O’Carroll, Patricia Bennis, Emer O’Keeffe, Amy Buston, Chloe Caulfield, Aisling O’Gorman and Ciara O’Brien.

The Under 8 hurlers won both games in their recent blitz against Crecora and Ahane.

Don’t forget the “Scrap Saturday” metal collection between now and Saturday 1st October. Please contact a club member if you have want to have scrap collected. Otherwise, the final drop-off point is the clubhouse on Saturday 1st October.

 

1st September 2011

There were jubilant scenes in Bruff on Sunday as the Senior hurlers toppled holders Kilmallock with a thrilling late comeback. The game was played in front of a large crowd on a glorious evening for hurling. Kilmallock started brightly and fired over two points without reply. However, Patrickswell settled down after their opening point and controlled possession for long periods of the first half. The ‘Well moved forward with confidence and tormented their opponents’ back line. Kilmallock’s goalkeeper made three superb saves to deny Patrickswell almost certain goals. The holders were losing the possession stakes, but their accuracy in front of goal remained a constant problem for the ‘Well. The scoreboard was delicately balanced throughout the first half. Just before the interval, Brian Murray produced a memorable save to deny Kilmallock a goal. He deflected a fierce shot with his outstretched body and turned the sliotar onto the upright. The signs were positive for Gary Kirby’s men. At half-time, the score was 0-8 to 0-7 in Patrickswell’s favour.

Kilmallock surged ahead at the start of the second half with a string of points. The champions had raised their game considerably and took a 0-14 to 0-9 lead with fifteen minutes left. Patrickswell stuck to their game-plan and narrowed the deficit to 0-15 to 0-12. However, Kilmallock appeared to move beyond Patrickswell’s reach with two devastating points in quick succession. With five minutes on the clock, the champions led by 0-17 to 0-12. The ‘Well needed a major breakthrough if they wanted to salvage their title hopes. They added a point to their tally before Tom O’Brien burst through the Kilmallock defence and slotted home an excellent goal. Kilmallock were stunned as the momentum visibly shifted to Patrickswell. There was belief etched on their faces. However, it was still 0-17 to 1-13 at the beginning of injury time.

Every breaking ball was fiercely contested, but it was clear that Patrickswell’s players were winning them. There was delight when Patrickswell equalised with a Sean O’Brien late point and a replay became the most likely outcome. However, the ’Well were not settling for a second encounter. In the dying minutes, Mark Carmody rifled over a long-range free to send the Patrickswell supporters ecstatic. Amazingly, there was enough time for Kilmallock to secure a free and heighten the tension. The shot was struck nicely, but Brian Murray and hundreds of Blue and Gold supporters waved it gratefully wide. Patrickswell had ousted the County Champions in an epic battle. Well done to the players and management for claiming a famous victory. It was a testament to your preparation and belief. In the semi-final draw, Na Piarsaigh from Caherdavin await.

In the Junior A City Championship, Patrickswell edged into the semi-finals with a critical 3-11 to 1-7 victory over St. Patrick’s. The group was so fiercely contested that a win in the final game was imperative. The Minor hurlers maintained their 100% record with a resounding 9-16 to 2-7 win over Killulta Gaels. Their remaining group fixtures this week are against Deel Rangers in Coolyroe on Wednesday 31st August at 6.30pm and Adare at home on Friday 2nd September at 6.30pm.

There were a number of Patrickswell players who represented Limerick in underage tournaments over the weekend. John Tuohy, Paul O’Brien, Keith Dundon, Paul Joyce, Keith Cawley, Andrew Carroll and Barry Carey lined out for the Under 16s. Cian Lynch and Aaron Gillane represented the Under 15s. Paul Bennis and Shane Joyce lined out for the Under 14s.

The Under 14 hurlers went down to Mungret at the quarter final stage by 1-10 to 0-07. The Under 13 Hurlers play Crecora in the County Final on Saturday 3rd September at 2 pm in Claughaun. Please make a huge effort to support the boys in this important match. The Under 10 hurlers played a blitz in Kildimo last Friday against Ballybrown, Mungret and Kildimo. The team was Luke Tuohy, Lawrence Tuohy, Aaron O’Shea, Niall Kerins, Cormac Kerins, Cian Enright, Cian Fitzgerald, John Kirby, Martin Murray, Josh Carey, Jake Carey, Paul Lynch and Patrick Kiely.

In the coming weeks, residents will receive a personal visit and/or pamphlet to promote the club’s Scrap Collection fundraiser. Please support this venture and donate any chunk of metal that you can find!

 

25th August 2011

It’s a significant week for Patrickswell GAA as the Senior hurlers face Kilmallock in the County quarter-final. The match is next Sunday 28th August at 6.30pm in Bruff. Best of luck to the players and management in their biggest game of the year to date. Please make every effort to attend and support the ‘Well against the reigning County Champions.

The Minor hurlers have a number of games in the Premier Hurling Championship over the next fortnight. On Tuesday 23rd August, the ‘Well face Killulta Gaels at 6.45pm in Kildimo. On either Tuesday 30th or Wednesday 31st August at 7pm, the players visit Coolyroe to face Deel Rangers. Clickatel will advise of the exact time and date in due course. Their final group match is against neighbours Adare in Patrickswell on Friday 2nd September at 7pm. This group is very competitive and every victory will count. Please lend your support to the boys.

The Junior A hurlers play their final group match against leaders St. Patrick’s in the City Championship on Thursday 25th August. Victory will secure a semi-final berth in this keenly contested pool.

Commiserations to Mark Carmody and Sean O’Brien after Limerick’s agonising Under 21 All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Galway. The game itself was another epic contest, but the Tribesmen came out on top. Limerick hurling is in safe hands for the coming years.

The Under 13 hurlers had marvellous success at the Rose Cup in Tralee last Saturday. The boys drew with Birr and beat Lixnaw and Cratloe to reach the tournament final. The opponents were the Kerry County Under 14 Development Squad. After a game of excitement, great skill and high drama, the cup was presented to team captain John Flynn. Goalkeeper Stephen Dunworth claimed the Man of the Match award after some incredible saves in the final. The full panel was S. Dunworth, B. Leahy, B. Nolan, P. Maher, J. Gillane, J. Considine, J. Dillon, C. Quinlan, J. Flynn, J. Higgins, D. Harty, D. Feasey, B. Kiely, D. Ahern, K. Kilcoyne, E. Carroll, C. Carroll, A. Carrig, G. Carey, N. Byrnes and M. Lucey. (Please click here for a team photo…)

The Under 13 Hurling County Final against Crecora has been rescheduled for Saturday 3rd September at 2pm in Claughaun. Let’s hope the Rose Cup victory is a springboard to County success.

The Under 12 hurlers came out on top against Ballybrown by the narrowest of margins, 3-4 to 4-0, last Thursday night. Patrickswell had goals from Morgan Higgins, Josh Considine and Barry Kiely to thank. This was a great game, with Patrickswell having to fight hard to hold on for the victory.

The Intermediate Camogie ladies suffered defeat to a strong Bruff side last weekend. However, the Under 13 girls beat neighbours Ballybrown by 6-1 to 0-0. Well done girls!

The club are organising a free scrap metal collection and disposal service on Saturday 1st October at the clubhouse. This is the perfect opportunity to clean up your farmyard, business or home. Collection of large and heavy items can be arranged with club members. A flyer will be distributed to homes in due course with full details.

 

18th August 2011

The Junior A hurlers secured a narrow 2-8 to 1-10 victory over Na Piarsaigh in the City Championship. The victory puts the ‘Well into second place in the table with tough games against Ballybrown and St. Patrick’s to come. The top four teams qualify for the City semi-final. Well done to the players and management!

The Under 16 hurlers were beaten in the County Championship quarter-final against Monaleen. The boys put in a brave display against a strong and physical Monaleen team, but they were unable to halt its progress. Hard luck to the players and management.

The Under 14 hurlers played Pallasgreen last Sunday in a challenge match and are scheduled to play Mungret in the County quarter-final on Monday 22nd August in Mungret. The Under 13 hurlers continue their preparation for the County Final with a trip to Tralee on Saturday 20th August for a tournament with Clonoulty Rossmore, Causeway and Birr.

Our Under 10 hurlers had a busy week. Last Tuesday, the boys played Mungret and had great performances from Aaron O’ Shea, Josh Carey, Patrick & John Kirby, Paul Lynch, Luke & Laurence Touhy and Cian Enright. Last Friday night, Patrickswell had a blitz in St.Patrick’s against the hosts and Monaleen. Among those to shine were Cormac & Niall Kerins, Kyle McCarthy, Cian Fitzgerald, Martin Murray, Jack & Cian Gorman and Adrian Naughton. Under 10, Under 8 and Under 6 training continues on Friday nights.

The club are organising a free scrap metal collection and disposal service on Saturday 1st October at the clubhouse. This is the perfect opportunity to clean up your farmyard, business or home. Collection of large and heavy items can be arranged with club members. A flyer will be distributed to homes in due course with full details.

 

11th August 2011

The Senior hurlers progressed to the quarter-finals of the County Championship with an efficient 0-15 to 0-10 victory over Granagh Ballingarry. The conditions in Kilmallock were slippery due to heavy showers and scuppered both teams’ attempts at fast-paced hurling. Patrickswell were first on the scoreboard with the opening point, but Granagh Ballingarry responded immediately. As the first half developed, the ‘Well established their dominance. At the interval, Patrickswell led by 0-8 to 0-3.

Granagh Ballingarry started the second half in the ascendency, but they did not have the attacking power to overtake the ‘Well. As the game neared its conclusion, our opponents conceded a number of frees that were gratefully converted. At the final whistle, the ‘Well had triumphed by 0-15 to 0-10. Emmets’ victory over Bruff confirmed Patrickswell’s progress to the quarter-final. Congratulations to the players and all the management team.

The Minor hurlers beat neighbours Ballybrown by 2-11 to 1-9 in the Premier Hurling Championship last Friday night. The ‘Well have now won their three games. The minors have outstanding fixtures against Deel Rangers, Killulta Gaels and Adare. Well done to the players and management! The season is developing nicely so far.

The Intermediate ladies lost by two points against Adare on Saturday night. The ladies were in contention until the very end, but they were defeated by some late frees awarded to Adare. Their remaining games are against Bruff and Tournafulla.

 

4th August 2011

Congratulations to Patrickswell’s Mark Carmody and Sean O’Brien, who were part of the Limerick side that beat Clare in the Munster Under 21 semi-final. Their reward is a Munster final showdown with Cork. Best wishes for the provincial final and beyond lads!!

Well done to Patrickswell’s Brid Murphy and Janet O’Carroll, who were part of the Limerick team that won the Under 16 B final against Kerry. The Minor B Camogie All-Ireland crown was also claimed by Limerick’s ladies in Ashbourne on Saturday. The Treaty Ladies beat Antrim by 4-10 to 2-8 in that particular final.

The senior hurlers are playing Granagh-Ballingarry in a critical County Championship fixture on Sunday evening. This is their biggest match of the season to date and your attendance is much needed. The minor hurlers are playing at home against parish neighbours Ballybrown in the Premier Championship on Friday 5th August at 7.30pm. Please make every effort to support the ‘Well boys.

Hard luck to the Limerick intercounty footballers, who succumbed to a powerful Kerry side in the All-Ireland quarter final. It was a fantastic season where expectations were greatly exceeded.

 

28th July 2011

The Junior A hurlers claimed another victory in the City Championship after a solid 2-10 to 1-8 victory over Old Christians. The ‘Well have now recorded two wins out of three games. Their remaining fixtures are against Na Piarsaigh, Ballybrown and St. Patrick’s.

Thanks to Louise Foley, Gloria O’Donnell, John Murphy, Neilus Hayes and Paul Foley for their efforts in arranging the Twilight Racing event which was a great success. We are very grateful to everyone who attended and supported the occasion. Michael Walsh is currently formulating a committee to organise club fundraiser in late Autumn. Further details will follow in due course.

Best of luck to the Minor Hurlers who play neighbours Ballybrown in Patrickswell on the evening of Friday 5th August.

Well done also to Sean O’Brien and Mark Carmody who played with the Limerick Under 21 hurlers this week.

Our Under 16 hurlers were defeated by Eire Og of Nenagh in a challenge game last Thursday night in Patrickswell and continue their preparation for the County Championship.

Best of luck to Brid Murphy and Janet O’Carroll who play with the Limerick Under 16 Camogie team against Kerry in the Munster Final.

Work is ongoing in preparation for the visit of the President of the GAA, Mr. Christy Cooney, on 23rd September when he will officially open Phase 1 of the clubhouse refurbishment programme.

Commiserations to Limerick’s hurlers, who lost out narrowly in the All-Ireland quarter-final to Dublin at Semple Stadium. It was an entertaining match throughout and a fine advert for hurling. Great encouragement can be taken from the Treatymen’s performances in 2011. Limerick hurling is definitely back on track. Congratulations to Limerick’s footballers, who stunned Wexford with a late flurry in Portlaoise. Their reward is a clash with Kerry in the All-Ireland quarter-final. Please get behind our footballers!

 

21st July 2011

The highlight of this week is the Twilight Horse Racing at the Racecourse on Thursday 21st July. Tickets for this exciting event can be secured from Gloria O’Donnell (086-3830668), Louise Foley (086-3937976) or John Murphy in the Cu Chulainn Bar. The entry fee is €10, which represents a huge saving on the €17 charged at the turnstile. Mad for Road are the musical entertainment and we hope that everyone has a great time. Fingers crossed for good weather!

Thanks to every youngster and adult who helped with the bag packing drive at Tesco Roxboro Road last week. It was a very successful venture for the club. Your time and effort is much appreciated. Specific thanks to Mary Gillane and family for their hard work on this project.

The Junior A hurlers lost by 4-11 to 2-13 to Crecora Manister in the City Championship. Played in gale force wind conditions, the Patrickswell team reduced an eleven point deficit in the second half to draw level with a few minutes remaining. Unfortunately Crecora secured a late goal and point to win. This was a spirited second half display by the Patrickswell team against considerable odds; in particular two fine goals by Declan O’Grady and some excellent points by Nigel Foley. The team was Dara Dundon, James Keane, Conor Murray, Eoin Bennis, Geoffrey Foley, Stephen O’ Grady, Stephen Fenton, Chris O’Grady, Nigel Foley, Shane Quinlan, Kevin Carey, Ian Kelleher, Natal O’Grady, Declan O’Grady, Jason Griffin and substitutes John O’Regan, Billy Mann, Ger Murphy and Gary Purcell.

The Camogie Intermediate ladies suffered defeat to Croagh Kilfinny in their second outing of the Intermediate Camogie Championship. Best of luck to Aoife Geoghegan who gets married this Friday to Morgan Moloney. Patrickswell GAA Club wishes you a long and happy life together.

Christy Cooney, Uachtaran Cumann Luithchleas Ghaeil will officially open Patrickswell GAA club’s refurbished dressing rooms on Friday 23rd September next. More details to follow.

Good luck to the Limerick hurlers, who meet Dublin in the All-Ireland quarter final at Semple Stadium Thurles on Sunday 24th July at 2pm. The footballers’ reward for beating Waterford is a qualifier with Wexford this Saturday 22nd July. Best wishes to our Limerick footballers.

 

14th July 2011

The Minor hurlers travelled to Kilmallock last Tuesday night for Round 3 of the Premier Championship. After a disappointing showing in the first-half, the ‘Well eventually won on a scoreline of 2-13 to 2-07.  There were strong performances from James Carrig, our half-back line of Keith Dundon, Diarmuid Byrnes and Kelvin Lynch, Ger Murphy, Mark Carmody and Kevin O’Brien. A feature of the game was the impressive travelling support from the ‘Well and the large number of players & officials who helped with hurleys and water etc on the night.  The players and management would be very appreciative of the same support for our next fixture against Deel Rangers on Friday July 22nd in Coolyroe at 7.30pm.

The Junior A hurlers started their City Championship campaign with a comprehensive 4-10 to 1-5 victory over Pallaskenry.  Well done to the players and management.

Congratulations to Limerick’s intercounty hurlers and footballers, who overcame Antrim and Offaly respectively.  On Friday 23rd September the club welcomes Christy Cooney, Uachtaráin Cumann Lúthchleas Gael, to open the refurbished clubhouse and dressing rooms.  Everyone is welcome and more details will follow in due course.

Tickets for the club’s social evening, the Twilight Races at Limerick Racecourse, are available at €10 from Louise Foley, John Murphy and Gloria O’Donnell.  Popular band “Mad for Road” will perform on the night.  This event promises to be a great night of racing, music and catching up with friends.

The Club wishes to thank everyone who contributed to the Used Clothing & Mobile Phone Collection.  Once again, the event was very successful.  We are grateful for your generosity.  Well done to the organising committee also!

The Juvenile and Camogie Club have organised bag packing in Tesco Roxboro Road on Thursday 14th July (5 to 9pm), Friday 15th July (5 to 9pm) and Saturday 16th July (10am to 5pm).  Volunteers are urgently required to help out.  Please contact Mary on 086-3695155 to confirm your time.

In the Juvenile Club, over fifty boys and girls attended the Cúl Camp last week.  Despite some bad weather, they enjoyed a great week of hurling and football under Brian Geoghegan.  We look forward to seeing the improvement in their skills over the coming weeks. A special thanks to Mary Higgins, Breda Earls, Marie Carroll, Damien Gillane and Pat Earls for their help in making the camp run so smoothly. (Please click here for photos…)

The Under 13 Hurling Division One Final between Patrickswell and Crecora takes place in Askeaton on Sunday 17th July at 7.30pm.  Please make every effort to support the boys in this important match

 

7th July 2011

The Under 21 hurlers had an excellent win in the County Under 21 quarter-final last Thursday. This was a competitive game throughout, but some great scores from Mark Carmody and two goals and three points by Lar Considine helped to seal the victory.

Pride of place in the Juvenile Club goes to our Under 13 hurlers, who qualified for the County “A” Final with a solid win over Monaleen. Patrickswell finished its group with five wins and a draw and await the winners of Section Two in the final. Well done to all the boys and management. The panel was Stephen Dunworth, Killian Kilcoyne, Brian Nolan, Padraig Maher, Josh Considine, Jamie Dillon, Jason Gillane, John Flynn, Danny Harty, Barry Kiely, Jordan Higgins, Cathal Quinlan, Dan Harty, Darragh Ahern, Andrew McMahon, Brian Leahy, Calvin Carroll, Daniel Feasey, Adam Carrig, Eoin Carroll, Neil Byrnes, Gavin Carey, Matthew Lucy, Clive Kirby, Paul Kelly and its management team of Patrick Flynn, Frank Dillon, Richard Maher, Willie Leahy and Mike Quinn.

On Wednesday June 29th, the Under 16 hurlers qualified for the quarter finals of the County Championship with a 9-16 to 1-9 win over Killulta Gaels. Missing five of our first team regulars, Patrickswell quickly settled into the game and fired over three unanswered points. Four goals in the first half left Patrickswell in a comfortable position, leading by 4-7 to 0-5 at half-time. Well done to all the lads involved. Thanks also to all our supporters. The Under 16’s next game is a challenge against Clarinbridge in Galway on Sunday July 10th. The Under 14 hurlers continued their winning streak with a 4-9 to 0-11 win over Deel Rangers last Friday night, despite the absence of five players! It was a hard battle, won with great spirit and skilful hurling.

The Under 12 hurlers took part in a very enjoyable tournament in Kilmallock last Sunday. The ‘Well boys beat Adare in the semi-final after playing some great hurling. In the final, Patrickswell played a strong Kilmallock team and, after an epic battle, were defeated by three points. The Under 10 hurlers continued their improvement with a game against Kilmallock on Sunday.

Congratulations to the Intermediate Camogie ladies, who defeated Na Piarsaigh by 4-6 to 3-7 in their opening Championship fixture. The Under 8 girls travelled to Adare for a challenge match. The Camogie Club’s collection of Old Clothes and Mobile Phones finishes this week. Please dig out your old mobile phones, clothing, curtains, towels, soft toys, shoes, handbags and belts. A home collection service is available by contacting Mary (086-3695155) or Gloria (086-3830668). The Final Collection Date is Friday 8th July at 6pm in the Clubhouse.

Work continues on the club’s “Twilight Evening at the Races” scheduled for Thursday 21st July. Music will be courtesy of Mad for Road and tickets @ €10 each can be secured from Louise Foley, John Murphy or Gloria O Donnell.

Well done to the Limerick hurlers, who beat Wexford by 1-22 to 2-13 at the Gaelic Grounds in the All-Ireland Hurling Championship qualifiers.

 

30th June 2011

The Under 21 hurlers return to action this week after a two month interval.  They meet Ahane in the quarter-final of the Premier Hurling Championship.  Good luck to the players and management team.

At the time of writing, the Intermediate Camogie ladies are beginning their 2011 championship campaign.  They have been drawn with Na Piarsaigh, Croagh Kilfinny, Adare, Bruff and Tournafulla.  The Camogie Club have also organised a collection of Old Clothes and Mobile Phones.  They will accept mobile phones, clothing, curtains, towels, soft toys, shoes, handbags and belts.  However, dirty or wet clothing, mats, carpets or duvets are not acceptable.  A home collection service is available by contacting Mary (086-3695155) or Gloria (086-3830668).  The Final Collection Date is Friday 8th July at 6pm in the Clubhouse.  Good work yet again, ladies.

The Under 12 hurlers continued their impressive form with a good performance and win over South Liberties last Thursday night.  This team are improving with every match and among those to shine were Adam Carrig, Paul Kelly, Kyle McCarthy, Clive Kirby & Barry Kiely.  The Cul camp is on from 4th to 8th July for boys and girls aged 6 – 13.  Anyone interested may contact Raymond Fitzgerald on 087-2651631 or their coach.  Under 6, 8 & 10 hurling training continues every Friday at 6.30pm with new players always welcome.

Louise Foley and John Murphy will lead the club’s rescheduled “Evening at the races”.  Tickets will be available shortly for this social event which will take place at the racecourse on the evening of Thursday 21st July.  Music will be provided by “Mad for Road” and a great evening is anticipated.

Congratulations to every young player who completed their Junior and Leaving Certificates last week.  You can now close those books and enjoy the playing fields.

 

23rd June 2011

The senior hurlers suffered their first championship defeat against a strong Emmets side at Ballingarry. The Divisional side began the match at a high tempo and established a lead that they never relinquished. Despite goals by Eoin Foley and Mark Carmody, Emmets were clinical in front of goal and scored 25 points during the game. As the final whistle approached, the ‘Well mounted a late surge to cut the deficit to five points. However, Emmets weathered the storm and won by 1-25 to 2-12. In the other group match, Bruff defeated Granagh-Ballingarry. Patrickswell’s last match is against Granagh-Ballingarry and it has become the key fixture now.

The Junior A hurlers’ interest in the City League ended, despite a victory over Old Christians during the week. The ‘Well won the match by 1-9 to 1-6, but failed to reach the City semi-final by virtue of points difference. Hard luck to the players and management.

The Under 13 hurlers had a fine win over Kilmallock, while the Under 14 footballers lost out to St. Patrick’s.

The Cu Chulainn Bar hosted the Summer Raffle on Sunday night. The First prize (two All-Ireland Senior Hurling Final tickets) was won by Mary Kelly Lisheen Park; second prize (a weekend for two people at the Vienna Woods Hotel ) was won by Mo Riordan c/o Nigel Carey; third prize (a TV from Fitzgerald Electrical) was won by Sean Dixon c/o Sean Lynch; fourth prize (a €100 beauty salon voucher sponsored by Deirdre Carey) was won by Shane Joyce Lurriga and fifth prize (bottle of whiskey sponsored by the Cu Chulainn) was won by Jake O’Neill of Fanningstown. Congratulations to all the winners – we hope you enjoy the prizes. Many thanks to everyone who bought and sold tickets, especially to Valerie Lynch who coordinated the draw. Your generosity is appreciated.

The Camogie club was very busy last week with the Under 12 team competing in the Under 12 blitz at Treaty Geals; losing two games and winning one. At the County Under 10 blitz at Newcastle West over the weekend, the Under 10 team managed by Rose Kelliher and John O’Gorman performed magnificently. They won out their group, with victories over Granagh-Ballingarry, Tournafulla and Adare – but unfortunately lost out in the “A” quarter final to Crecora by just one score.

Well done to Niamh O’Keeffe and Jane Kirby who were playing with the Limerick Under 13 team in the Larkin Cup last weekend. The Under 10 hurlers also performed very well at their blitz last week, winning all their games at St Patrick’s.

From the 4th to the 13th July, Patrickswell GAA will host the Cul Camps for 6 to 13 year olds at Pairc Antoin O’Briain. Parents who would like to send their children to this camp, which runs daily from 10am to 3.30 pm, can contact Raymond Fitzgerald – Chairman of the Juvenile club.

 

16th June 2011

Patrickswell GAA is proud of Limerick’s display in the Munster Senior Hurling Championship against Waterford. While the result caused late heartbreak for the Shannonsiders, the performance was hugely impressive and inspires confidence for the future. Best of luck to the players and management in the upcoming qualifiers. We hope that it’s a long and successful summer for Limerick.

The club’s senior hurlers claimed a narrow away win over Ahane last week. The ‘Well triumphed by 2-11 to 1-13 and climbed to fourth place in the League table. There are two remaining fixtures against South Liberties and Doon. The victory was ideal preparation for the Senior County Championship match with Emmets on Sunday. Good luck to Gary and the lads this weekend. Both clubs won their opening fixtures and a competitive match is expected.

After the Emmets match next Sunday night, the club will conduct its Summer Raffle in the Cu Chulainn at 10pm. Please return ticket stubs and cash to Valerie Lynch as soon as possible. Thanks to everyone who bought and sold tickets.

The Under 12 camogie girls remained unbeaten in the Patrickswell blitz last weekend. Under 6 and Under 8 camogie training has commenced every Saturday at 12.15. New players are very welcome!

 

2nd June 2011

The senior hurlers earned a credible 1-12 to 0-15 draw with Garryspillane at Knocklong in the All-County League last Friday. The ‘Well were hampered by a number of absences, but performed admirably to claim a valuable point. Patrickswell sit in mid-table with a record of one win, one draw and one defeat. The Junior B footballers ended their interest in the City League after a home defeat to Claughaun.

The Under 12 camogie team were victorious in their trip to participate in the Abbeyleix tournament. A fantastic day was had by all with a sizeable Patrickswell following. Great credit is due to Rose and Sinead Kelliher (who now teaches in Scoil Mhuire Abbeyleix) who organised the tournament in which Patrickswell won in the final game by one point. Memories were recalled in relation to previous trips by Patrickswell to Abbeyleix, in particular a senior hurling tournament in 1975 at which the late Gerry Cavanagh (brother in law to Agnes Lucey) was instrumental in organising.

The Under 14 camogie team went down to Croagh last week by 3-4 to 1-4 in the County semi-final after a determined effort. Hard luck girls and sincere thanks also to the management team of Jackie Kiely, Helen O’Donnell and Valerie Lynch.

The Under 14 hurlers were very pleased following a high-scoring victory over neighbours Adare. The lads turned in an exhibition of attacking hurling to triumph by 7-6 to 0-5. Congratulations to the players and their management. The final group match for the Under 14s is against Deel Rangers.

The Junior A hurlers had an impressive 3-19 to 1-5 victory over Kildimo to chalk down their first victory of the City League campaign.

The redesigned club jersey, produced by O’Neill’s, is available for purchase from Louise O’Donnell at 086-0406879.

The club’s summer raffle has been deferred until 19th June. Please return all ticket stubs and cash to Valerie Lynch immediately.

We were all very proud of former Patrickswell hurler Conor Murray’s success with Munster in the Magners League final last weekend. Congratulations Conor!

Best wishes to every young player who is sitting the Leaving Certificate or Junior Certificate over the coming weeks. We hope to see you back on the playing fields soon!.

 

26th May 2011

The club’s summer raffle has been deferred until 19th June. Please return all ticket stubs and cash to Valerie Lynch over the coming week. The Patrickswell GAA Race Day has been rescheduled to Thursday 21st July for Twilight Racing. The headline performers are Mad for Road, as seen on RTE’s All-Ireland Talent Show.

The club extends its deepest sympathy to the Duggan family on the recent passing of Dan. The Duggan family have always been loyal supporters of Patrickswell and Dan was a particularly staunch Limerick and Patrickswell hurling supporter. Dan will be greatly missed. Ar Dheis Dhe go raibh a hAnam.

The club has recently agreed a three-year sponsorship deal extension with Duggan Systems Limited. We are very grateful to Duggan Systems for their continued support of Patrickswell GAA.

The redesigned club jersey, produced by O’Neill’s, is available for purchase from Louise O’Donnell at 086-0406879. The jersey stays faithful to the Blue and Gold theme of Patrickswell, but has been updated to reflect modern styles and will be worn by the Senior team in their upcoming games.

A weekend of bag-packing has been organised by the Camogie Club at Tesco Roxboro Road on 14th, 15th and 16th July. Please help out if you can.

The Under 12 camogie team had a good win over Ballybrown in the Under 12 competition. The Junior B hurlers went down to Monaleen in the semi-final of the City Junior B league.

The Under 14 hurlers enjoyed a 4-10 to 3-8 win over Newcastle West in the championship.

The Senior hurlers will play Garryspillane in Garryspillane on Friday 27th May at 7.30pm in the county senior hurling league.

 

5th May 2011

The Minor hurlers begin their Premier Championship campaign with a home fixture against Bruff on Thursday 5th May at 7pm. Please make every effort to support the boys at the game.

The Patrickswell GAA Race Day has been rescheduled for 21st July. Apologies for any inconvenience caused.

Congratulations to Limerick’s senior hurlers, who secured promotion back to Division One after beating Clare in Ennis. The top flight is where Limerick belongs and this promotion is a great boost ahead of the All-Ireland Championship.

The Intermediate Camogie ladies lost to Bruff in the league. The Under 13 hurlers drew 1-5 to 1-5 with Na Piarsaigh. The Under 12 camogie girls won their blitz in Adare last weekend after beating Ballybrown, Adare and Causeway. Well done!

 

28th April 2011

The senior hurlers claimed their first League win after a high-scoring 2-16 to 1-15 away victory over Murroe Boher. The hosts were heavily tipped after substantial victories over Hospital Herbertstown and South Liberties; however the ‘Well found their attacking rhythm and took their chances with confidence. The next fixture is scheduled for 19th May at home to Doon.

The Minor hurlers will open their Premier Championship campaign with a home fixture against Bruff on Thursday 5th May at 7pm. Your support is very important to the players.

The Junior B hurlers have gone through two rounds of the City League without hitting a sliotar. The ‘Well received a walkover from Abbey Sarsfields, but granted a walkover to Crecora Manister. The Junior B footballers started their City League group with a 3-8 to 1-5 win over Ballinacurra Gaels.

The Under 16 hurlers continued their excellent start to the season with a 3-10 to 1-10 victory over Deel Rangers at Patrickswell. Their remaining fixtures are against Adare, Newcastle West and Killulta Gaels.

Patrickswell GAA Race Day takes place on Bank Holiday Monday 2nd May at the Racecourse. Discounted tickets are available €10 from Neilus Hayes, Paul Foley and Fergus Kilcoyne. This event promises a fantastic day of horse racing and a chance to meet up with friends. The Summer raffle launch also takes place at the Race Day. Tickets are on sale from club members at €2 each – or a booklet of three for €5. (Patrickswell GAA Race Day scheduled for Bank Holiday Monday 2nd May is deferred until later in the summer).

First prize is two All-Ireland Senior Hurling final stand tickets, second prize is a Weekend for two people at the Vienna Woods Hotel in Cork, third prize is a TV from Fitzgerald Electrical and 4th prize is a €100 beauty salon voucher sponsored by Deirdre Carey. In addition, presentations will be made proudly to the All-Ireland Scor winners and the Patrickswell Harty and White cup winners from Ard Scoil Ris at the race day.

 

21st April 2011

The Patrickswell GAA Race Day takes place on Bank Holiday Monday 2nd May at the Racecourse. Tickets are available at the specially discounted price of €10 from Neilus Hayes, Paul Foley and Fergus Kilcoyne. This event promises to be a fantastic day out and a great opportunity to meet friends and fellow club members. The Summer raffle launch will also take place at the Race Day and tickets are on sale from club members at present. They are priced at €2 each – or a booklet of three for €5.

First prize is two All-Ireland Senior Hurling final stand tickets, second prize is a Weekend for two people at the Vienna Woods Hotel in Cork, third prize is a TV from Fitzgerald Electrical and 4th prize is a €100 beauty salon voucher sponsored by Deirdre Carey. Presentations will also be made to the All-Ireland Scor winners and the Patrickswell Harty and White cup winners from Ard Scoil Ris at the race day.

Well done to our Under 16 hurlers who got their championship off to a winning start with a good away win over Claughan. Having gone behind to an early goal from Claughan, Patrickswell settled into the game with a series of well taken points from play. Within 10 minutes the teams were back on level terms, with Patrickswell going on to score a total of 1-11 to 1-1 in the first half. After the break, our lads continued where they had left off in the first. With good tackling, possession play and teamwork, Patrickswell ran out comfortable 2-15 to 1-4 winners. Thanks to all parents and supporters who travelled to Claughan for the match.

Congratulations to Ard Scoil Ris, who captured the White Cup (Munster Under 15 Hurling Championship) for a historic first time with a 2-18 to 1-13 victory over De La Salle Waterford. Cian Lynch (0-6) and Aaron Gillane (1-0) starred for the Limerick school. The Under 14 hurlers were beaten by a strong Na Piarsaigh side in their season opener.

The Intermediate Camogie ladies beat neighbours Adare by 2-6 to 1-3 and the Under 12 camogie team defeated Knockaderry 5-6 to 0-6. The Under 16 girls played Cappamore and lost by 1-8 to 0-2. Chelsea McCarthy, Ailish Byrnes, Lizzie Conway and Trish Murphy were in action this weekend for Limerick Under 14s. Well done girls! Congratulations to Jane Kirby & Niamh O’Keefee who have been selected to represent our club on the County Under 12 development squad.

Work commenced this week on Phase One of the clubhouse improvement programme with a refurbishment of the changing rooms and showers.

The Under 10 hurling blitz last Friday evening was a tremendous success with over 150 young players hurling at Pairc Antoin O Briain. Well done to Raymond Fitzgerald and his team for their organisation of this event.

Mary Gillane, Louise O’Donnell and their teams continue to work hard in the club shops which have been busy at the club grounds and thankfully blessed with good weather while operating outdoors during the past few weeks.

The Set Dancing ladies wish to thank Josephine O’Regan for sponsoring their All-Ireland Scor Final preparations. The ladies are also grateful to Klassy Cuts Salon in Patrickswell for their stylish All-Ireland winning hair.

 

14th April 2011

There were jubilant scenes at the INEC in Killarney following the Set Dancers’ All-Ireland Senior Scor victory as they went on stage before a crowd of 2,500 people to collect their award from Christy Cooney, Uachtaran Cumann Luithchleas Ghael.  It is a fantastic achievement for the dancers and an immense source of pride for the club.  The participants were John McDermott, Des Foley, David Enright, Michael Shinnors, Sarah Foley, Aedin Foley, Gloria O’Donnell, Sinead Murray and Paula Griffin.  Muirne Bennis and Mary Shinnors were their mentors.  The club revitalised Scor this year, having not participated for a few years, and to win an All-Ireland Senior title was an outstanding outcome.  All of the Scor activists and participants practised and trained diligently over the months and got their reward at the INEC.  The Club would like to sincerely thank the committee and the participants who recommenced Scor participation this year.  There was a homecoming parade through the village on Saturday night and a celebration in the Cu Chulainn to toast the success.  The Patrickswell GAA Set Dancers – All Ireland champions!

The Senior hurlers were beaten in the City Senior Championship semi-final by Na Piarsaigh.  The final score was 0-19 to 1-9 to the Caherdavin side.  The game also counted as the opening match of the All-County Hurling League.  The Under 21s cemented their place in the quarter-finals of the Premier Championship after a 1-18 to 1-15 win over Deel Rangers.

The club will hold a ‘Day at the Races’ on Bank Holiday Monday 2nd May at Patrickswell Racecourse. Tickets at a special price of €10 are now available from any club member.

Many thanks to everyone who participated in the Table Quiz at the Cu Chulainn last Thursday night.  The venue was packed to capacity with 30 teams.  It was a great social event and raised much-needed funds for the club.  We are grateful to our generous prize sponsors, quizmaster Ciaran Crowe and scorekeeper Anne Ronan.  Well done also to the Senior Hurlers for organising the event, in particlular Dessie Foley, Peter O’Reilly and Paul O’Reilly.  The winning team comprised Pa Mann, James Mann, Eoin McNamara and Stephen Fenton.

There is an under-10 hurling blitz on Friday, 15th April in Patrickswell @ 6.15 p.m. v Ahane/Ballybrown/Na Piarsaigh. Players are asked to be at the Well field @ 6.00.

 

7th April 2011

Commiserations to Ard Scoil Ris and its Patrickswell contingent, who suffered a cruel late defeat in the All-Ireland Schools Final at Semple Stadium. The Limerick school were leading 1-11 to 1-9 in stoppage time, before St. Kieran’s of Kilkenny plundered a decisive goal and another point to steal a 2-10 to 1-11 win. Hard luck to Ard Scoil Ris and particularly Kelvin Lynch, Cian Lynch, Jack Kelleher, Mark Carmody, Kevin O’Brien and Natal O’Grady (coach). You have done a great credit to Limerick hurling and your school this season.

Best wishes to Patrickswell’s Set Dancers, who are heading for the All-Ireland Senior Scor final at the Killarney INEC on Saturday 9th April. Confidence is high that the dancers will capture a national title. The team comprises John McDermott, Des Foley, David Enright, Michael Shinnors, Sarah Foley, Aedin Foley, Gloria O’Donnell and Paula Griffin. Muirne Bennis and Mary Shinnors are their mentors. Please get behind the dancers and show your support in Killarney.

The Senior hurlers have organised a Table Quiz at the Cu Chulainn Bar on Thursday 7th April at 8 pm. A table of four costs €60. This is an important fundraiser for the club and a great social outing. Please assemble a team and put on your thinking caps.

Congratulations to club stalwart PJ O’Grady, who claimed the €18,000 Jackpot in April’s Limerick Development (Mackey) Draw. PJ had the last laugh on April Fool’s Day! Hopefully this will encourage new entrants into the draw. Remember that your club retains 50% of the ticket sales and the money helps with the operation of the Club. Well done also to Mary Gillane who was a €250 winner.

Patrickswell GAA Club has adopted a five-year Strategic Plan which sets out the strategies and objectives of the club for the next five years. (Please click here to see a copy of the plan…)

A special word of mention about Conor Murray, who has been making great strides with the Munster Rugby team. Conor’s family, and in particular his father Ger, have always been great supporters of “the Well”. We wish Conor every success in his rugby career with Munster.

The Under 14 footballers beat Kildimo by 5-5 to 1-3 in their opening Division 2 fixture. The Under 14 camogie girls beat Cappamore 3-2 to 1-1.

 

31st March 2011

The Under 21 hurlers suffered defeat against Kilmallock in the Premier Hurling Championship at Knocklong. The final score was a 1-14 to 0-9 deficit. In their final game of Group One, the ‘Well meet Deel Rangers.

Best wishes to Ard Scoil Ris in their bid to win the All-Ireland Senior A Colleges Hurling Championship. There is a strong Patrickswell backbone to the school’s panel – Kelvin Lynch, Cian Lynch, Jack Kelleher, Mark Carmody, Kevin O’Brien and Natal O’Grady (coach). The match is scheduled for Semple Stadium in Thurles on Saturday 2nd April against holders St. Kieran’s of Kilkenny. There is great confidence that Ard Scoil Ris can knock the holders off their perch. Patrickswell and Limerick is behind you!

National Hurling Coordinator Paudie Butler is visiting the club next Thursday 31st March from 6.45-10.00pm. He will host a coaching session with the Under 14s & Under 16s. Afterwards, Paudie will deliver a speech and chair a Q&A session. Coaches from the Juvenile and Adult club are encouraged to attend this informative event.

The Under 14 hurling team performed very well in the Feile Na Gael competition, but were defeated by a physically stronger Murroe-Boher team by five points. The final score was 0-9 to 0-4.

The Intermediate camogie team were beaten 1-9 to 0-3 by neighbours Ballybrown, while the Under 16 girls defeated Monaleen by 4-1 to 1-5.

On Wednesday 6th April, at a venue to be decided, Patrickswell will play Na Piarsaigh at 7.00 pm in the City Senior Hurling Championship.

The Limerick hurlers maintained their 100% record in the National League after a comfortable win in Carlow. Their remaining group fixtures are against Kerry and Antrim.

 

24th March 2011

Congratulations to the Patrickswell GAA Set Dancers who claimed the Munster Senior Scor title in Templemore over the weekend.  This is a great honour for the club and a fitting reward to the committee who revitalised Scor in the club this year.  We can all look forward to the club now being represented in the All Ireland Senior Scor finals in Killarney on 9th April.  The winning team comprised John McDermott, Des Foley, David Enright, Michael Shinnors, Sarah Foley, Aedin Foley, Gloria O’Donnell and Paula Griffin.  Good luck to the Set Dancers in their bid for All-Ireland glory.  The Figure Dancers turned in a fine performance finishing second, but were unable to secure their category.  The Figure Dancing team included Mary Enright, Cliona Begley, Niamh Coleman, Lara Ni Dhubhain, Sarah Foley, Emily Ni Dhullaing, Sorcha Ni Dhullaing and Aedin Foley.  Both teams were mentored by Mary Shinnors and Muirne Bennis.
(Please click here for photos…)

Ard Scoil Ris have reached the All-Ireland Schools’ Final after a comprehensive 2-16 to 0-6 triumph over Castlecomer Community School in Templemore.  They will meet holders St. Kieran’s in the final with a chance to erase last year’s disappointment.  Our contingent was Kelvin Lynch, Cian Lynch, Jack Kelleher, Mark Carmody, Kevin O’Brien and Natal O’Grady (coach).  The club and community are behind you.

Many thanks to Ciaran Crowe and Patrickswell National School for hosting the Injury Prevention Seminar last week.  The club is very grateful for the continued support of the national school and its staff.  Patrickswell GAA are delighted that Gary Kirby was bestowed the honour of Grand Marshall of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade.  It was in recognition of his exceptional service to hurling and the GAA in Limerick.

Well done to the Under 14 team who beat Pallasgreen 1-4 to 0-4 in the first round of the Feile.  The next round of Feile is at 11am next Sunday in Patrickswell against Murroe Boher.  Please come out and support the local team.  The Under 14 camogie team played Na Piarsaigh on Sunday and lost by 2-2 to 0-2.

Under 8 & under 10 hurling registration and coaching commences on Friday March 25th at 6.30pm in the GAA field.  New players are particularly welcome.  Well done to Pat Shearin, winner of €500 in March’s Limerick Development (Mackey) Draw.

 

17th March 2011

The club is immensely proud to have two teams competing in the Munster Senior Scor Final in Templemore on Saturday night, 19th March.  Best of luck to both our Figure Dancing and Set Dancing teams under the tuition of Mary Shinnors and Muirne Bennis.  The team members are Mary Enright, Cliona Begley, Niamh Coleman, Lara Ni Dhubhain, Sarah Foley, Emily Ni Dhullaing, Sorcha Ni Dhullaing & Aedin Foley (Figure Dancing) and John McDermott, Des Foley, David Enright, Michael Shinnors, Sarah Foley, Aedin Foley, Gloria O’Donnell and Paula Griffin (Set Dancing).

Good luck also this Saturday to the club’s participants with Ard Scoil Ris in the All-Ireland Senior Colleges Semi Final.  These are Kelvin Lynch, Cian Lynch, Jack Kelleher, Mark Carmody, Kevin O’Brien and Natal O’Grady (coach).

The Under 21 hurlers made a winning start to their Premier County Championship campaign after a narrow 3-13 to 2-14 victory over Adare at the Gaelic Grounds.  The ‘Well started very brightly and built a commanding lead over their neighbours.  However, Adare were resurgent and eroded the deficit as the full-time whistle approached.  Thankfully, the boys were able to close out the match with a two-point win.

The Michael O’Brien Memorial Trophy final was retained by Ballybrown after a five point victory over Croom.  The competition was blessed with fine weather and an excellent pitch.  Many thanks to everyone who assisted with the organisation of the competition –  players, management, referee, groundsmen, shopkeepers, etc.  Once again, the club owes its sincere thanks to the O’Brien family of Lurriga for sponsoring this event.

Well done to the Limerick hurlers and footballers in the National Leagues.  The hurlers cemented their 100% record with a win over Laois, while the footballers claimed their first points with victory over Cavan.

The club is running a player preparation and injury prevention seminar in Patrickswell National School on Wednesday 16th March at 7pm.  All current Adult and Juvenile team management are encouraged to attend.  Thanks to everyone who supported the Church Gate collection and staffed the club tables.  Your generosity is much appreciated.  Club merchandise, produced by O’Neills, is now available from Louise O’Donnell at 086-0406879.

 

10th March 2011

The Michael O’Brien Memorial Trophy semi-finals took place on Saturday afternoon. There was a fine crowd in attendance for this double header. There was a great atmosphere in Pairc Antoin O’Briain for the event, with plenty of interest in both club shops. The players were blessed with dry weather and an excellent pitch. In the opening fixture, Ballybrown edged out Patrickswell in a competitive tussle. Ballybrown started the match at a high tempo and built up a 0-5 to 0-1 lead within ten minutes. The ‘Well managed to settle down and forced their way back into contention with a Barry Foley goal. At the interval, the teams were deadlocked at 1-5 to 0-8.

Once again, Ballybrown dominated the early stages of the second half. They established a 0-13 to 1-6 lead after a flurry of points. However, Patrickswell moved within a single score, 0-14 to 1-10, after their own purple patch. Ballybrown survived a penalty and closed out the match with two points to win by 0-16 to 1-10. In the second semi-final, Croom defeated South Liberties by seven points. The final between Croom and Ballybrown (holders) will take place this coming Saturday, 12th March, at 4pm. Very sincere thanks once again to the O’Brien family of Lurriga, to all participating teams & supporters and to the ladies who ran the gear and coffee shops on the day.

The first Limerick Development (Mackey) Draw will occur on Friday 11th March. Please make payment to your local promoter immediately. Remember that half the revenue from the draw is retained by the club for its own development. Congratulations to the Limerick hurlers, who maintained their 100% record in Division 2 of the National League after a win in Down. The future is looking bright.

Best of luck to the Intermediate camogie team who have their first outing this coming Sunday in the field against Croagh Kilfinny in the County Camogie League.

The club is running a player preparation and injury prevention seminar in Patrickswell National School on Wednesday 16th March at 7pm. All current Adult and Juvenile team management are encouraged to attend. Text your name to Pa Dundon at 086-2935837 to confirm your attendance prior to Friday 11th March.

 

3rd March 2011

Congratulations to Ard Scoil Ris, who retained the Harty Cup in great style at the Gaelic Grounds. The Limerick boys outclassed Charleville CBS by 3-19 to 0-3 in a one-sided final. The Patrickswell contingent included Mark Carmody, Kelvin Lynch, Kevin O’Brien, Jack Kelleher, Cian Lynch and Natal O’Grady (coach). It was a great honour for the club to have such a large contingent and augurs well for the future. Best of luck to the lads in the national competition.

Meanwhile on the stage in Millstreet, the Figure and Set Dancers qualified for the Senior Munster Scor Final. Well done to the winning Figure Dancing team of Mary Enright, Cliona Begley, Niamh Coleman, Lara Ni Dhubhain, Sarah Foley, Emily Ni Dhullaing, Sorcha Ni Dhullaing and Aedin Foley. The winning Set Dancing team was Sarah Foley, Aedin Foley, Paula Dillon, Gloria O’Donnell, David Enright, Michael Shinnors, John McDermott and Des Foley.

Congratulations to Tom O’Brien and Gary Murphy, who won Fitzgibbon and Ryan Cup medals with UL and Tralee IT respectively. It is a great achievement for both players and again reflects very well on the club.

The Michael O’Brien Memorial Trophy semi-finals are scheduled for this Saturday 5th March in a double header format. In the first semi-final at 2.30 pm, Patrickswell will play holders Ballybrown. In the second semi-final, Croom and South Liberties will play at 4pm.

The senior hurling panel will run a table quiz on Thursday 7th April at 8 pm in the Cu Chulainn, while a Club Day at Patrickswell Racecourse to be led by a sub committee with Fergus Kilcoyne as project leader is currently in the early stages of preparation.

Please support the Limerick Development (Mackey) Draw, which commences very soon for 2011. Your local promoter will be in contact in due course. The club lotto continues to run on a weekly basis, so please do your best to support it.

 

Thursday, 24th February 2011

The club would like to extend its best wishes to the Patrickswell contingent on the Ard Scoil Ris team for Sunday’s Harty Cup Final against Charleville CBS. The local players include Jack Kelleher, Kelvin Lynch, Mark Carmody, Cian Lynch and Kevin O’Brien. Natal O’Grady is also a selector for the school. We hope that the boys and Natal can retain the trophy once again. On a separate note, Jack Kelleher was named Under 16 County Player of the Year. Congratulations to Jack for receiving this great honour in recognition of his excellent performances on the pitch.

The Munster Scor semi-final will take place in Millstreet Co. Cork on Sunday 27th February. The club is represented in Figure and Set Dancing. Good luck to the dancers in their quest for Munster and national success.

The senior hurlers suffered a narrow defeat to Templemore in a challenge game over the weekend. There has been a change in details for the Michael O’Brien memorial trophy. Croom and South Liberties will now play on Saturday 5th March at 4pm. The Patrickswell vs. Ballybrown match remains unchanged on Sunday 6th March at noon.

The club has now approved a club merchandise scheme with O’Neills. Further information is available from Louise O’Donnell at 086-0406879 (Please click here for flyer…). Please note that Under 12 and Under 14 camogie training is held on Wednesdays at 5.30pm. Under 16 camogie training will occur on Mondays and Wednesdays at 6.30pm.

 

Thursday, 17th February 2011

Congratulations to the Scor Figure Dancers and Set Dancers who triumphed at the County Senior Scor Championships at Askeaton last Saturday night. Well done to all Patrickswell competitors, their mentors and supporters.  The dancers have the distinct honour of winning the club’s first county championships in 2011.  Let’s hope it’s a sign of the success to come.  The winning teams were Mary Enright, Cliona Begley, Niamh Coleman, Lara Ni Dhubhain, Sarah Foley, Emily Ni Dhullaing, Sorcha Ni Dhullaing and Aedin Foley (Figure Dancing). The winning set dancing team was Sarah Foley, Aedin Foley, Paula Dillon, Gloria O’Donnell, David Enright, Michael Shinnors, John McDermott and Des Foley.  The dancers will now compete in the Munster Senior Scor semi-final on 27th February in Milstreet at 2.30 pm.

Also on the night, Deirdre Ahern, with musical support by her mother Orla, delivered a poignant and flawless performance in the solo singing competition, finishing second by the narrowest of margins.  Joanne Tierney was also excellent in the recitation and the Ballad group comprising Frank Dillon, Carmel Kirby, Paula Griffin, Deirdre Ahern and Valerie Lynch were outstanding in a competition of very high standard.  Sincere thanks to the club’s Sub Committee who revived Scor this year, including Gloria O’Donnell, Carmel Kirby, Muirne Bennis, Paula Griffin, Michael Shinnors, Mary Shinnors, Orla Ahern and Valerie Lynch.

The senior hurlers played a challenge against Doora Barefield  last Sunday morning and lost by four points in a good competitive game.

The Limerick Development (Mackey) Draw campaign has commenced.  Please support both Patrickswell GAA and Limerick GAA by signing up for 2011.  The opening draw is in March and the prizes are extremely generous.  The draw provides a major source of revenue for our club, so your generosity is much appreciated at both local and county levels.

The Limerick hurlers took their first steps towards promotion with a comfortable away win against Clare in Ennis.  Patrickswell are delighted to have Ciaran Carey as a selector for the team.  His years of experience and loyal service are invaluable to Limerick on its journey back to the “top table”.

 

Thursday, 10th February 2011

The Juvenile Club AGM took place in the clubhouse last Thursday with a healthy crowd in attendance. The meeting started with a Treasurer’s Report from Valerie Lynch. The Treasurer reported that the Juvenile Club’s finances are in good order, with a focus on cost control and efficiency. Valerie thanked the parents, coaches, mentors and officers who supported her role and the assisted the Juvenile Club throughout the year.

Michael Joyce delivered his final Chairman’s Address after five successful years at the helm. He outlined the club’s activities in 2010 and its ability to field teams at every age level from Under 8 to Under 16. The Under 8s played in four blitzes, while Patrickswell also ran its own blitz. He thanked Pa Lynch, John Gorman, Michael Walsh and Peter Maher for their efforts. The Under 10s played in five blitzes and acquitted themselves very well throughout. Gratitude was expressed to Raymond Fitzgerald, Barry Foley, Damien Gillane and Maurice Fitzgerald for coaching this team. Once again, the club ran a very successful Parish League with four teams playing for the O’Brien Cup. Jason Gillane was captain of the winning team. Thanks again to O’Brien’s Pharmacy for sponsoring the beautiful trophies.

The Under 12 competitions were run on a League basis, with a big emphasis on game time for all players. Patrickswell strictly adhered to this rule and still managed to win all their matches in both hurling and football. In total, they played 18 hurling and 6 football matches. The highlight of the year was a trip to Thomond Park where the boys played an exhibition match for the Shane Geoghegan Trust fundraising night. It was great to see the Patrickswell colours take over Thomond Park. In September 2010, the club were invited to play in a tournament at Erin’s Own club in Cork. The boys won three matches and were beaten in the final. Well done to Paddy Flynn, Richard Maher, Mike Quinn, Willie Leahy and Frank Dillon who managed this team. Earlier in the year, they generously purchased tracksuits for the team.

The Under 14 hurlers had an early start to their season with the Feile competition. The ‘Well were drawn against Bruree at home and had a good win. The next match was away to Monaleen, a physical team who were heavily tipped. However, Patrickswell were one of the few teams to score 1-09 against them. Another big thanks to Sean Lynch and Michael Dundon for their work with the footballers throughout the year.

The Under 16s had another busy season and played nine league matches. The club finished second in the table and earned a home draw in the quarter final against Adare. This was a cracker of a match and the ‘Well were very unlucky that Adare drew the match in injury time. It went to a replay in Adare, where the boys were comfortably beaten. Adare went on to win the county final. In June, the hurlers took part in the Carlow Town Hurling Club All-Ireland hurling tournament. Patrickswell were drawn in probably the toughest group of the competition, along with Dicksborough (Kilkenny), Blackrock (Cork), Kilmacud Crokes (Dublin) and Craughwell (Galway). The lads got off to a good start, beating Craughwell in their first game. In their second game against Dicksborough, having been 8 points down at half time, the lads played their best hurling of the year to get themselves back into contention. At the final whistle, Dicksborough finished one point ahead, but the performance of our lads gave great hope for the rest of the season. Thanks to all the parents, family and supporters who made the journey to Carlow and helped with lifts. Thanks also to the lads who helped with umpiring and hurleys. Once again, the club owes a great depth of gratitude to the management team of Anthony Carmody, Paddy Carrig, John O’Donnell, Richie Bennis and Brendan Cawley.

The Club was represented on County teams by Cian Lynch and Aaron Gillane at Under 14 level, by John Tuohy (hurling) and Darragh Shanahan (Football) at Under 15 level and by Jack Kelleher, Kevin O’Brien and James Carrig at Under 16 level. Anthony Carmody was also part of the management of this team. Congratulations to Patrickswell N.S. on reaching the Olo Cup final. This was a great achievement. The club is very well served by our teachers to our national games. Thanks to Mr. Crowe and Paul O’Connor for their help and cooperation throughout the year. Thanks also to Gary Kirby for the work he is doing in the school. Congratulations to Seanie O’Brien who captained the Harty Cup team last year and did the club proud. Our club was also represented by Mark Carmody, Kelvin Lynch, Kevin O’Brien and Jack Kelleher.

Thanks to Noreen Dundon and Mary Gillane and all who helped in the shop throughout the year. Thanks to Mossy Carmody and Willie Fenton for their work in keeping our clubhouse and playing field in such good condition.

After the Chairman’s Address, the attention turned to election of Officers. Raymond Fitzgerald was elected as the new Chairman and promised to continue Michael Joyce’s good work. Michael was elected as Vice Chairman, Pa Dundon as Secretary, Valerie Lynch as Treasurer and James McCarthy as PRO. The next item on the agenda was the election of Team Management. The following coaches were returned – Under 16 B. Cawley, R. Bennis, P. Foley and M. Joyce; Under 14 P. Flynn, F. Dillon, W. Leahy, R. Maher and M. Quinn; Under 12 R. Maher, M. Quinn and G. Considine; Under 10 B. Foley, P. Lynch, J. Tuohy and D. Gillane; Under 6 and Under 8 M. Walsh, P. Maher, J. Gorman and P. Earls.

The meeting was also addressed by Paul Foley, Chairman of Patrickswell GAA Club and Monsignor Michael Lane. Paul said that he was delighted that the Juvenile Club was operating at a high level and delivering “players of the future” to the senior club. He reiterated the ambition of Patrickswell GAA Club to win trophies in 2011 as a matter of priority. Monsignor Lane congratulated the Juvenile Club for its efforts in the past year and wished them the greatest success for 2011. He also complimented the players, coaches and officers for their commitment to sports in a world of other distractions.

It was a great honour for the club to have five players on the team that finished the exhilarating Harty Cup Semi final with Ard Scoil Ris. Well done to Kelvin Lynch, Cian Lynch, Mark Carmody, Jack Kelleher and Kevin O’Brien plus Natal O Grady who was part of the management team.The club is very proud of all of you. At the time of going to print, the final is scheduled for 27th February.

The club held a gala night at the Dark Horse last Friday night where medals were presented to adult teams and the club’s launch of the County Development (Mackey) Draw also took place.

The draw for the Michael O’Brien Senior Hurling Tournament was also made with South Liberties listed to play against Croom in the first semi final on 27th February and Patrickswell drawn to play against holders Ballybrown on the following Sunday 6th March. Sincere thanks to the O’Brien family of Lurriga for their continued sponsorship of this event in honour of former club president Michael.

One of the highlights of the evening was the announcement of Clubperson of the Year for 2010. The winner of the award was Mary Higgins in recognition of her outstanding work for the club during the year. (Please click here for photo…)

 

Thursday, 3rd February 2011

The Juvenile Club’s 2010 AGM has been rescheduled for the Clubhouse at 8.30pm on Thursday 3rd February. Parents and coaches are requested to attend this keynote meeting for a review of the past year.

Valerie Lynch, Club Registrar, will host membership registration clinics every Thursday night in February from 8pm to 9 pm at the clubhouse. Membership for 2011 is €30 for adults, €15 for children/students and €70 for families. This rate is frozen from the previous year to facilitate members’ payment. Please note that membership must be settled before 31st March 2011 to enjoy voting rights.

The club’s launch of the Limerick Development (Mackey Stand) draw, the presentation of Senior and Junior B medals, and the announcement of the 2010 Jimmy Carroll Clubperson of the Year will take place in the Dark Horse at 9pm on Friday 4th February. The draw will also take place for the Michael O’Brien Senior Hurling Tournament, kindly sponsored by the O’Brien family of Lurriga. This tournament starts on Sunday 27th February at 12 noon. Friday night’s event is the first club outing of 2011. Members are asked to show their support for what should be a fantastic social evening.

The club extends its deepest sympathy to the family of Margaret Gilsenan (nee Sheehan), Mullagh, Co. Cavan, formerly of Breska, who died tragically last week. Margaret and her family were great supporters of Patrickswell and Limerick GAA down through the years. Margaret’s brother Michael Sheehan won a number of County Under 21 titles with Patrickswell in the 1970s before going on to have a successful rugby career with Young Munster. To Margaret’s husband Paul and children, mother Margaret, sister Tina and brother Michael, the club extends its deepest condolences.

The Club’s Text Messaging service can be contacted on 087-1448721. If you want to distribute a message or join the mailing list, please use this number. The Club Lotto Jackpot remains intact at €20,000. Tickets can be purchased from club agents and participating local businesses.

 

Thursday, 27th January 2011

The Patrickswell GAA Camogie Club held its AGM last Thursday night at the clubhouse. The officers for 2011 were elected as follows : Chairperson-Gloria O Donnell, Secretary-Jean Liston, Treasurer-Mary Higgins.
Team management for 2011 are as follows :- Intermediate: Eamon Kelleher, Barry Foley, Joe Lynch. Under 16 : To be decided. Under 14 :Jackie Kiely, Teresa McCarthy and Helen McCarthy. Under 12: Liam O’Carroll, Gary Kirby, Denise O’Carroll, Paul Foley, Carmel Kirby. Under 10 : John Gorman, Rose Kelleher.
Committee : Niamh Geoghegan, Caroline Leahy, Ciara Ryan, Joe Lynch, Paula Griffin, Aedin Foley, Neilus Hayes, Michael Joyce, Jackie Kiely, Paul Foley, Rose Kelleher, Ciara Ryan, Martin Ryan
At a well attended meeting the Chairperson in her address thanked all club members for their support during the year in particular Niamh Geoghegan who was stepping down as Secretary and John Gorman who was stepping down as Treasurer. The chairperson called for renewed efforts on the playing field during 2011 and also thanked the team managers and selectors during the year. Gloria also thanked Jean Liston for giving medical support to the Camogie teams and to the Senior club for their consistent support.

Valerie Lynch, Club Registrar will continue to hold membership registration clinics every Thursday evening during February from 8 to 9 pm at the clubhouse. Membership for 2011 is €30 for adults, €15 for children/students and €70 for families. Please note that membership must be paid before 31st March.

The launch of the Limerick GAA (Mackey Stand) Development draw took place last Friday night at the Fitzgerald Woodlands Hotel, Adare. The club was represented by Neilus Hayes, Gerry Bennis and Paul Foley. This draw will once again form a central part of the clubs fundraising efforts for 2011 and many thanks once again in particular, to Bernard Hayes and Gerry Bennis for their efforts on behalf of the club with this initiative.

The clubs launch of the draw along with the presentation of Senior and Junior B medals, and the announcement of the 2010 Jimmy Carroll Clubperson of the Year will take place in the Dark Horse at 9 pm on Friday 4th February. The draw will also take place for the Michael O’Brien Senior Hurling Tournament, kindly sponsored by the O’Brien family, Lurriga which will start on Sunday 27th February at 12 noon. It would be great if club members could make a particular effort to attend this event as it effectively kick-starts club activities for the year and will be an opportunity to come together socially in advance of the playing season.

Most teams have recommenced training at this stage and the new flowerbeds at the front of Pairc Antóin O’Briain have come in for much favourable comment.

The County Senior Scór final is rescheduled to Saturday 12th February in the Community Centre, Askeaton at 8 pm. Teams in all categories are being entered by Patrickswell GAA club and practising has commenced under the tutelage of Mary and Michael Shinnors, Orla Ahern and Muirne Bennis.

The Annual General Meeting of the Patrickswell GAA Juvenile club is provisionally scheduled for this Thursday 27th January. Club messaging text will issue to all members when the date is confirmed for this meeting which as always, is one of the most important gatherings on the club calendar.

 

Thursday, 13th January 2011

Minor Hurling training commences on Sunday 16th January on the all-weather pitch. New players are very welcome. Please contact Pa Dundon on 086-2935837 for further information. Any hurler that wishes or needs to be regraded should contact Martin Ryan or Nigel Carey.

The Club Lotto Jackpot remains intact at €20,000. Please buy a ticket from local sellers and businesses to stand a chance of winning. Your Club Membership Fee is now due to the Registrar, Valerie Lynch. A family ticket is €70 and adult subscriptions are €30.

 

Thursday, 6th January 2011

Patrickswell’s Scór na nÓg team performed admirably at the recent Limerick County Final in Cappamore. The club was second place in two of the three competitions entered. There were Patrickswell participants in Solo Singing, Ballad Group and Novelty Act categories. Many thanks to the young contestants and their coaches & tutors for the time and effort invested.

The Club Lotto Jackpot of €20,000 has rolled for 16 months now. If you want a chance to start the New Year in style, please purchase a ticket from a local seller or business. If you need to send a bulk text message from the Club’s Messaging Service or be included on the distribution list, please text 087-1448721 with your content or contact details.

Club Membership is now due to the Registrar, Valerie Lynch. The subscription fees have not changed since last year – that’s €70 for a family ticket and €30 for an adult. Best wishes to the various teams who commence training during the coming month. 2011 promises to be a good year on the pitch.