Éire Óg Greystones
GAA Club

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Weekly Notes - 26th March 2008

History

Two firsts for the club this week. Until Monday last it had been 50 years since a sliotar was struck in adult competition by a player wearing the favours of Greystones. A goodly number of supporters were on hand to witness the ending of this unhappy gap in the club’s activities. While “no pipe did hum” nor “ battle drum did sound its loud tattoo” as our lads took to the field, there was a palpable sense in the air of history in the making and joy at being present on this auspicious occasion. The hurlers did not let us down and gave an exhibition worthy of the day. They ran out handsome winners. It fell to Daniel Salmon’s lot to register the first score - a point.

St. Patrick’s week-end the clubhouse hosted its first extra-club social evening viz. the centenary Siamsa of the Parish of the Holy Rosary and St. Kilian. The event was a wonderful success and the organisers and attendees were more than a little impressed by the venue itself. The club is more than delighted to place its facilities at the disposal of the organisers of local based occasions such as this which are consonant with the community oriented philosophy of the GAA and very much in keeping with the vision which motivated Oliver and his development team.

Intermediate Football

Last week the Intermediates made the long journey over the hills for their Division 2 match against Kilbride. The game was played in Blessington’s beautifully appointed grounds. Unfortunately we came back empty handed. Disappointing of course, but then not as great a turn up for the books as some people were making it out to be. Kilbride are, after all, worthy Junior A champions and had ‘home’ venue. (Whisper) Éire Óg were not helped by not having been awarded a penalty for a personal foul on Cian O’Sullivan in a situation in which a goal appeared to be the inevitable outcome. The margin of defeat was a mere point but then, in the matter of league standing, (and saving the psychological effect) it might as well have been twenty.

Kilbride had 5 points on the scoreboard before Éire Óg succeeded in putting the ball over the bar – and herein lay the ultimate cause of our defeat. At this juncture Stephen “Chester” Kelly was given the task of marking Kilbride’s most dangerous forward. This had the immediate effect of stemming Kilbride’s flow of scores and allowed Éire Óg to claw their way gradually back to equality. Thereafter the game took on a nip and tuck aspect and the excitement reached fever pitch as now Kilbride, now Éire Óg took the lead. It was Éire Óg’s misfortune to be caught in the tuck when the final whistle blew.

The half-back line of Kenny Naughton, Paul Doherty and Craig Smullen was outstanding for Greystones.

Condolence

Brón ar an mbás ní féidir a shéanadh. Leagann sé úr agus críon le chéile (youth is no shield against death’s sad visitation)

The news of the sudden death of Ciara O’Flynn, a teacher in St.Laurence’s, came as a great shock to all who knew her. In her early twenties, she always appeared to be in the hale of her health and in the best of spirits. Who would have anticipated, as she set out for her holidays in her native Cork city, that she would not be returning to Greystones? She was always welcoming of the Gaelic football input into her PE classes and many of her students were members of the Wednesday night academy. Her parents can take some little consolation from knowing that her organs are being used to improve the quality of life of a number of recipients. We extend our sincerest condolences to her family and to her colleagues in St. Laurence’s. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a h-anam óg.