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Weekly Notes - 18th April 2007During the week the club received the good news that it was to benefit to the tune of 250K euro from An Crannchur Náisiúnta largesse. And were we relieved?! The accompanying sigh must, no doubt, have been heard in Lotto headquarters. Unfortunately our financial worries do not end there. Such funds carry the stipulation of a quid pro quo and can only be drawn down (which process, incidentally, involves a statutory payment of about 6K euro in lawyer's fees) on proof of an outlay of at least the equivalent amount by Éire Óg. The cost of Phase 2 of the clubhouse development will exceed this required spend by a considerable amount so the committee will have to find in the order of 300K euro to bring the project to completion which it is hoped will be within the next 12 months. Then there are the accompanying ground improvements and that famous piece of Council land beside the clubhouse etc…A propos: Tickets for the club's Super Prize Draw will be available for purchase until the May bank-holiday weekend. (Those who have yet to return monies and stubs, please note.) Your ticket will enter you in 6 monthly draws for prizes to the value of 240K euro and in a draw with prizes in excess of 2000euro confined to tickets sold through Éire Óg. Last week was a busy one on the playing front with hurlers and footballers, both male and female, taking to the field. On Thursday evening in Greystones the ladies defeated St. Pats in their 3rd game in the league. Fielding a largely experimental team - St. Pats are relatively new to the ladies football scene and while they have made great strides they are still a bit behind our ladies in football maturity - Éire Óg took a long time to settle and it was near to half-time before they began to impose their authority on the game. The St. Pats girls battled hard throughout but they had no answer to Éire Óg's experience and our girls had a somewhat comfortable victory in the end. Emily Hannay was once again pivotal at centre-back - her fielding, kicking and distribution were superb. Lorna Fusciardi inspired her colleagues with her seemingly boundless energy and her never-give-in efforts. Her sister Becca conceded little at corner-back and Orla Kelly showed to good effect in the half-back line. Kelly Ryder topped off a great all-round display with a trio of excellently taken goals and Caoilfhionn Deeney was, as usual, central to Éire Óg's endeavours. Late substitute, Niamh Sherlock, back from peregrinations in Australia and elsewhere, scored an excellent point. Wednesday evening our minor hurlers entertained their counterparts from Glenealy in a championship game. The Éire Óg boys were anything but perfect hosts! - they defeated their guests 2-11 to 2-8. While, as a game, it may not have satisfied the criteria of greatness as set out by John McGahern "The great games of hurling abolish time and establish memory", it still provided wonderful entertainment for the spectators. Eventhough full of full-hearted endeavour and uncompromising man-to-man exchanges, sportsmanship remained at the highest level throughout. The exciting skills of hurling were there in abundance; indeed the camánship of some of the players on both sides was equal to the best found in the traditional hurling counties. Then we had the nail-biting finish with Éire Óg having to do some stout defending to stave off the Glenealy onslaught in the rapidly descending gloom. Fintan Donnelly (how our Intermediates could do with a few of his physique!) with his huge clearances and mastery around the square reminded one of the "rock of Cloyne" at his best. Paulie Sutton, a player of unerring eye and fetch and intelligent delivery, was hugely creative in his contribution. Marty Byrne, Dean Healy and Jack Tanner also gave fine performances. We wish John Douglas who was injured during the game a speedy return to the fray. |
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