Éire Óg Greystones
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Weekly Notes - 30th May 2007

Just back from the excitement of Parnell Park the mind is in a bit of a whirl and it is difficult to concentrate on the work in hand. We congratulate Wicklow on their performance and on the way they twice fought back from adversity. Their cause was not helped by being on the wrong side of a number of "hairy" refereeing decisions. The team's efforts did much to restore pride in the jersey..

Éire Óg were beaten - erring on the side of the euphemistic - by Kilmac in their Intermediate league game on Saturday. We can only hope that this performance represents the nadir of the team's year; if not, one shudders to think what their fate in the championship will be. It was evident that Éire Óg were unaware of the historical resonances associated with clashes between these teams and the huge desire there is in Kilmac to add the Greystones feather to their cap. They were totally unprepared for the Kilmac commitment which was championesque in its intensity. The start of the game coincided with the break in the weather and began in a deluge of rain and a strong wind and, unfortunately for us, in a deluge of Kilmac scores - 2-7 up at the end of the 1st quarter. Disheartening, but hardly an excuse for the subsequent error-strewn, fervourless Éire Óg surrender. How those sideline Éire Óg veterans of those uncompromising encounters of the 70s must have despaired!

The game is unlikely to go down in the annals of Intermediate football in Wicklow but then, the conditions were far from ideal. A greasy ball made handling difficult and the rock-hard clay overlain as it was with wet grass made for teflon underfoot conditions. Players were constantly slipping and sliding and the ball slithered from hands with eel-like alacrity. Unfortunately for us, a more determined and forceful Kilmac made a far better "fist" of mastering these disadvantages. On the day, only a hard working Deccy Hogan, the determined Seán Horan, an uncompromising Stephen Kelly and Eoin O'Neill - someone likened his style to that of his cousin Alan Byrne who starred for Wicklow on Sunday - played up to the mark. Conor Monaghan's trademark goal in the 2nd half was greeted with a cry of 'we won't now take back the 6000euro'. Conor won the pota óir in the weekly Lotto draw on Monday.

Because of Wicklow's continued interest in the Leinster championship, our weekend championship game v Carnew will now be postponed. Not an unwelcome outcome - it will hopefully allow time to repair the trauma of Saturday's defeat and time for our injured players to recover.

Congratulations to St. Laurences hurlers who won the Murphy Cup in Wicklow during the week. This competition takes the form of a 9-a-side blitz and includes teams from well-established hurling nurseries like Wicklow and Glenealy. This is the second year the school has won this trophy. On their tour through the school Conor Cornwall (captain) and the trophy were enthusiastically greeted by all the classes.

Our u-14 hurlers had a great victory over Carnew in Greystones on Sunday morning. Éire Óg started off slowly and for a long time it seemed that the game would go to the wire. However, they got into their stride late in the 1st half and from then to the end there was going to be only one winner. This was a very enjoyable game played in an excellent sporting spirit. Josh Campbell, James Cranley and Andrew Walsh contributed that little extra in a very good team performance.

: In the Clubhouse

Juvenile Discos Friday night. 8-10 year olds 7.00-8.30pm

10-12 year olds 9.00- 11.00pm

Cake Sale Sunday 3.00-5.00pm. Stock up for next week's lunch boxes!