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Weekly Notes - 28th March 2007

Super Draw: The second of the three local draws (confined to Éire Óg subscribers) in the Super Draw took place last Friday night in the Carrig Orchard. Prizes to the value of in excess of 2000euro were on offer. They were shared between seven lucky winners. Geraldine Long and Emily Hanney won holiday vouchers of 600euro and 400euro respectively. There were five other winners: Peter Brolly, Jim Moulton, Colette Byrne, Breda Donnelly and Sandra McGuinness/Mary Byrne who received 200euro each. A more detailed breakdown of results is to be found on the ÉÓG website: www.greystonesgaa.com.

The next local draw is scheduled for 25th May and the first of the six draws for the cars will take place around the same time. As the cathaoirleach reminded the spectators at the draw, there is still plenty of time to purchase or to sell tickets.

The Intermediates' played against Stratford last Sunday in Stratford in the league. Games against this opposition have in general been close and we didn’t expect that Sunday would be any different. Further, we had feared that the odds would be tilted in Stratford's favour: they had home advantage and had recently been beaten by Carnew by the narrowest of margins in the delayed 2006 League final (Division 2). Would there be a backlash? We needn’t have worried: Éire Óg Greystones took control early on and ran out convincing winners, 0-14 to 0-5.

With regard to our own involvement in the semi-final, against Carnew, of the said (2006) league this column had spoken of a foreboding in relation to events of simliar circumstances occuring in threes. One was beset by the fatalism of "a divinity doth shape our ends rough hew them how we will". The piseog was given substance: we lost in circumstances as ludicrous as those that on two previous occasions had caused us to draw. Half way through the second half we were clawing ourselves back into serious contention after a rather lethargic first period performance when disaster struck: two key players simultaneously received second yellow cards. No way back.

Once when this writer was collecting for Éire Óg the mother of one of the juvenile players passed by with the words: "Oh, sure don't I give you my son", (notwithstanding the fact that her son hadn't even paid membership). No sense of reciprocity there, no thought of the facilities being placed at her son's disposal, of the sacrifices - financial opportunity cost etc. - being made by mentors, committee members etc. Unfortunately the same type of attitude appears to still prevail among many of our senior players. It seems never to enter their consciousness that it costs money to run their team and that they should be making their contribution (€80). Come on lads; membership will hardly undermine your finances.

Hurling

The finals of what had been a very successful and enjoyable - for players and mentors alike - indoor hurling tournament under the auspices of the St. Patrick's (Wicklow) club involving players at u-10 and u-12 were played in Coláiste Craobh Abhainn on a recent Saturday. The series of matches began in early December. Táimid buíoch do St. Pats as an gcuireadh do thabhairt dúinn páirt a ghlacadh ann and we compliment them on the excellent manner in which it was run off. The club entered teams in both competitions and reached the semi-final in both. We thank Kate McDonnell, Christina Browne and Paul Howard for the work they are doing with these age groups.

A reminder to the Minor Hurlers about training, Tuesdays and Thursday 6 -7.30pm. The Minor league is scheduled to begin on the first Sunday in April. U-12 hurlers train at 7pm, on Wednesdays and the U-10s on Friday at 6.30pm.

Congratulations to the Wicklow Senior Hurlers on their recent victories against Laois and Carlow and to the Wicklow Colleges under 14s on their comprehensive victory over Laois - we were delighted to see that three of our own: Dan O'Neill, Ryan Horan and Andrew Walshe were included in the panel.

Congratulations are also in order for the county Minor Ladies’ Football Team who defeated Offaly in the Leinster B Final on Saturday. There were five Éire Óg players in the panel, viz Emily Hanney, Tracey O’Halloran, Kellie Ryder, Niamh Kelly and Lorna Fusciardi (captain). Emily Hanney was deservedly accorded the accolade of player of the match.