Under-10 2016
Under-10 Management team for 2016
The Under-10 Managment team for 2016 is comprised of William Leahy and Ger O'Donoghue (Team Coordinators), with support from Chris McKeon, Karl Henson, Lorraine Gaynor and Des McEnery.
Contact William at 087-2323324 , or by e-mail, or Ger at 087-0534535.
Training
Training for the Under-10 group will restart on Monday, February 22nd, from 6:30 - 7:30pm in Garrycastle.
Training times for 2016 for the Under-10 squad will be
Monday from 6.30pm - 7.30pm, on the new pitch beside the Clubhouse in Garrycastle,
and Wednesday from 6.30pm - 7.30pm on the new pitch by the Slip-road in Garrycastle.
Westmeath Under-10 League
The 2016 Westmeath Under-10 league starts on April 12th. The fixture list is included below. Please note that the first two rounds are between the named clubs, while all subsequent rounds will be played in a blitz format.
Clann na nGael / Tormeys Solicitors Under-10 League 2016
Garrycastle Under-10's have been invited again this year to take part in the Tormeys Solicitors / Clann na nGael League.
The fixture list is included below:
Five Captains!
The Under-10 squad in 2016 brought home trophies from 4 different competitions, the most of any team in the club!
Pictured are:
Anthony Mannion : Tormeys Solicitors / Clann na NGael Tournament, Under-10 captain
James McHugh : St. Mary's Rochfortbridge Tournament, Under-9 captain
Aaron Keegan : Tormeys Solicitors / Clann na NGael Tournament, Under-9 captain
Killian Keegan : Castledaly tournament Shield
David Carter : St. Mary's Rochfortbridge Tournament, Under-10 captain
Well done to all involved!
Under-10 End-of-year outing, Nov. 13th
The Garrycastle under-10 squad gathered on Sunday for an end-of-year trip to Kingdom of Sports in Mullingar, as a "Thank you" from the club for all of their efforts during the year. We had a full turnout of 28 players, who took part in 10 different sports in the Mullingar complex.
Honours on the day for the best combined score across all 10 sports on offer went to Louie Shine - no better man!
The Under-10 year is now officially at an end.
Highlights of this year include
Cup Finalists, Joe Matthews Memorial Tournament hosted by St. Lomans GAA Club.
Quarter Finalists, All-Ireland Under-10 Football Festival 2016, hosted by Celbridge GAA Club, Co. Kildare.
Cup Winners, Under-9 tournament, hosted by St. Marys Rochfortbridge.
Shield Winners, Under-10 tournament, hosted by St. Marys Rochfortbridge.
“B” Final winners, Clann na nGael/Tormeys Solicitors Under-10 league, hosted by Clann na nGael GAA Club, Co. Roscommon.
Shield Winners, Coughlan Cup Competition, hosted by Castledaly GAA.
Across all competitions this year, this squad played in no fewer than 71 distinct matches, and on all occasions, represented their club and families with great heart and pride.
Now it is time to rest and recharge the batteries, before starting again in the new year, with some of this group remaining at under-10, and the remainder of the group moving up a grade to under-12.
Castledaly Under-10 League, Shield Final vs Millmore Gaels, Castledaly, Oct. 16th
The Garrycastle under-10 squad finished their year in style with a hard fought win over Millmore Gaels in the Shield final of the Castledaly under-10 league on Sunday morning. On a very wet and windy day, Garrycastle started the game playing into a strong headwind and struggled to get grips with the conditions. The Millmore Gaels side adapted more quickly, and posted the first two scores before we got a reply back from James McHugh.
Further points from Millmore Gaels saw them extend their lead before points from Tom Sheehan, and Kacey Mulvihill with a great score from a very tight angle, kept Garrycastle in touch. At the break, Garrycastle trailed by three points.
Turning to play with the wind in the second half, the Garrycastle team got off to a poor start and conceded three further points in a row, before the Garrycastle fighting spirit came to the fore, and helped by some positional switches and substitutions, started to reel in the lead. The Garrycastle midfield began to take control, and played some lovely balls into the forward line, who took advantage to knock over some great scores from Niadh Shine, Jack Allen and David Carter. The backs as well started to get the upper hand, and closed down the Millmore Gaels attack convincingly. As the game entered the final quarter, Garrycastle piled on the pressure, and an inspirational point from a sideline ball from James acted as the spur to drive the team on. Garrycastle levelled the game, and took the lead, but had to deal with some serious pressure from the Millmore Gaels forwards, with goalkeeper Dean Greham in excellent form as the last line of defense.
As the game came to a close, a further brace of excellent scores made the game safe, and it was a very happy and excited group of Garrycastle players, led by captain Killian Keegan, who accepted the Castledaly Shield.
Overall, this game was a very stern test for this group of players, and it was great to see their fighting spirit, and never say die attitude, come to the fore when it was most needed. The entire under-10 management team is extremely proud of the squad and it was a pleasure working with them throughout the 2016 season. Now it is time for a well deserved break and to recharge the batteries before next year.
A huge note of thanks as always to the parents and supporters on the sideline, who kept believing in their young heroes even when all seemed lost. This great level of support makes all the difference.
Many thanks also to Ciaran and the other organisers of this annual tournament in Castledaly. It is no exaggeration to say that the Garrycastle club looks forward eagerly every year to this tournament to finish the football year, and it all works so well due to the level of organisation and support from the organisers. Well done all!
Thanks to Des McEnery for the photos from the final!
Under-10 Squad :
Jack Allen, David Carter, Brandon Devaney, Dylan Frawley, Rian Gaynor, Dean Greham, Calum Hudson, Aaron Keegan, Killian Keegan, Anthony Mannion, Van McCay, Conor McCormack, James McHugh, Nathan McKeon, Fionn McMahon, Kealan McNamara, Kacey Mulvihill, Oisin Mulvihill, Cian Norris, Sean O'Donoghue, Tom Sheehan, Niadh Shine.
Castledaly Under-10 League, Semi-Final vs Tubberclair, Castledaly, Oct. 9th
The Under-10 squad travelled the short distance to Castledaly on Sunday morning to play Tubberclair in the semi-finals of this years Coughlan Cup competition, with a place in the cup or shield final up for grabs. On a lovely morning for football, both teams served up an utterly engrossing match.
Garrycastle were first out of the blocks and soon led by two points courtesy of James McHugh (one a free), before a determined fightback from Tubberclair saw them draw level. Garrycastle again upped the pace, and with some excellent play from the middle of the field, retook the lead with two points first from Kacey Mulvihill, then a long range effort from Oisin Mulvihill and finally a poachers point from James. As the half ended, a pointed free from Tubberclair narrowed the gap to leave the Garrycastle team ahead by three at the break.
As expected, the Tubberclair fightback started right from the resumption, and in a blistering 10 minute spell, they levelled the game, and moved two points in front. Again Garrycastle responded and swapped points (from Andrew Henson and Killian Keegan), to leave two points between the teams with time running out. The Garrycastle lads missed a couple of frees as the clock wound down, but yet again the fighting spirit was to the fore, and two further points from James levelled the scores again. As the final whistle blew, the teams could not be separated on the scoreboard.
After some discussion among the organisers, extra time was indicated. Again, Garrycastle started the brighter in the first half of extra time, and a point from James edged them in front. Two points from Tubberclair though, saw them lead by a single score at half time in extra time.
As the second half of extra time began, Tubberclair extended their lead to two points. This seemed to act as a spur to the Garrycastle team, and they laid siege to the Tubberclair goal, and narrowed the deficit again, with a great point from Andrew Henson. Now the push was on to find the equaliser, but the Tubberclair defence held firm, until Garrycastle won a free close to sideline, and the referee indicated that this would be the last action of the game. There was almost silence as the ball was kicked, but it drifted agonisingly wide, and the game was over, with Garrycastle defeated by a single point.
This result means that Garrycastle will play in the Shield final on the coming weekend.
This Garrycastle team gave it absolutely their all in this match, and all 16 players present can hold their heads up high with their performance. Now it is time to regroup and get ready for the final match of the year.
Squad:
Dean Greham, Anthony Mannion, Killian Keegan, David Carter, Sean O'Donoghue, Tom Sheehan, Andrew Henson, James McHugh, Oisin Mulvihill, Brandon Devaney, Kacey Mulvihill (capt.), Dylan Fawley, Calum Hudson, Van McCay, Aaron Keegan, Conor McCormack.
Clann na nGael / Tormeys Solicitors Under-10 League, 'B' Final, Johnstown, Oct. 6th
After a long wait since playing the last round of the Tormeys Solicitors / Clann na nGael under-10 league, it was finally time for the Garrycastle Under-10 squad to travel to Johnstown on Thursday evening to play Clann na nGael in the 'B' final. After a long league campaign, the finals evening was finally here, and we had a geat turnout of 28 players, allowing us to easily field teams at under-9 and under-10 levels.
For the finals of the league, both teams played, and the scores of the two matches were added together to give a final result.
The under-10 team started well, and traded scores with the host club in a very evenly matched first half. At the half-time break only a single score separated the teams, with Clann in front. A couple of positional switches at half time allowed the Garrycastle squad to push forward more in the second half, and they soon drew level, and then took the lead with some excellent build up play from the centre of the field. Both teams fought hard and fair to try and control the match, but it was Garrycastle who held the upper hand in the third quarter and they stretched their lead with some excellent scores. However, as expected, the home club fought back as the game entered the last few minutes, and it took some fantastic rearguard work from the very hard working Garrycastle backline to weather the storm. As the final whistle sounded, the Garrycastle team emerged victorious by just a single score.
Not to be outdone, the under-9 team started very strongly, and had the lions share of possession right throughout the first half. Building on a very strong midfield showing, and an excellent defensive display when needed, the Garrycastle lads took a good lead into the half-time break. However, there was a large number of wides also in the first half, which meant the game was closer than was necessary at the break. As the second half started, the Garrycastle subs were begun to be introduced so that all players present could play in the final. The Clann team attacked strongly in the second half, but the Garrycastle defence handled the threat well, and aided by some inspirational scores up front, took a deserved win, having led from start to finish.
There were scenes of great excitement and pure joy at the final whistle as this superb group of young players celebrated their win!
The joint captains, Anthony Mannion at under-10, and Aaron Keegan at under-9, led the cheers and singing as the players celebrated with all their might. Once they calmed down a little, it was off to the clubhouse for the medals and trophy presentation. It was a very proud group of players who accepted their medals, and the roof was nearly lifted off the clubhouse with the cheering when the trophy was presented to Anthony and Aaron.
Overall, the Garrycastle lads and girl (not forgetting Kacey!), put a huge effort in right througout this league, and got their reward with their win in the final. All the players played their part during the league rounds, and on the finals night, and all can be justifiably proud of their efforts and rewards.
A huge note of thanks is due to Tormeys Solicitors for sponsoring this league, and to the Clann na nGael club for hosting it, for their excellent organisation right throughout the league, and their excellent hospitality on the finals night. Such well organised and structured opportunites to play football at this age level are few and far between, and this tournament is an excellent example of how it can be done!
Many thanks also to the parents who bring their sons and daughter to training and matches, and who always stay to cheer on their young players from the sideline in excellent spirits. As always, it is this type of support that makes all the difference.
Thanks also to Des McEnery for bringing his camera, and providing us with a slideshow of pictures from the night, something for these players to look back on in years to come.
Squad on the night:
Brandon Devaney, Jack Allen, Tom Sheehan, Nathan McKeon, Sean O'Donoghue, Calum Hudson, Kacey Mulvihill, Killian Keegan, Dean Greham, David Carter, Anthony Mannion, Oisin O'Donoghue, Christian Turean, Kealan McNamara, Niadh Shine, Oisin Mulvihill, Conor McCormack, Aaron Keegan, Cian Norris, Rian Gaynor, Dylan Frawley, Darragh Glennon, Andrew Henson, Fionn McMahon, Van McCay, James McHugh, Louie Shine, Keelan Ward.
Castledaly Under-10 League, Round 2 vs Doon/Pullough, Doon, Oct. 3rd
The Garrycastle Under-10 squad travelled to Doon on Monday night for the second round of this years Castledaly league. On an evening where winter could most certainly be felt, 19 players were available for the Green-and-Red.
Playing under lights for the first time this year, the Garrycastle team started brightly, and playing against the swirling wind, laid siege to the home goal. However, some wayward shooting meant that Garrycastle had only 2 points on the board, from Tom Sheehan and Rian Gaynor, before the home side opened their account. From then to half time though, Garrycastle really piled in the pressure, and kicked a further 5 points, (2 each from Sean O'Donoghue and Andrew Henson, and a second point from Rian) to take a good lead into the half-time break.
A highlight of the first half was the excellent play in the middle third of the field, where Garrycastle dominated, and in the backline which was very strong in limiting scores and chances of scores. As the second half started, The Garrycastle team emptied their bench to give all players present a chance to play, but even with so many changes, they continued to press forward, and further scores from Andrew, Sean and Cian Norris made the game safe.
Overall, this was a game with both good and bad aspects to it. The number of wides shot, while large, can also be seen as an indication of the amount of possession, and potential scoring chances. The defence, especially in the first half, only gave up a single score, and capably handled everything that came their way. However, in the second half, as substitutes were introduced, and players moved into unfamiliar positions, there were lapses which on another evening could prove costly.
However, this was a good win in the conditions, with some excellent play right around the field, and sets the squad up nicely for a semi-final to decide whether Garrycastle plays in the Cup or Shield final in this competition, with opponents still to be determined at this time.
Squad:
Nathan McKeon, Dean Greham, Brandon Devaney, Kacey Mulvihill, Tom Sheehan, Sean O'Donoghue, Killian Keegan, David Carter, Calum Hudson, Rian Gaynor, Conor McCormack, Niadh Shine, Kealan McNamara, Andrew Henson, Oisin Mulvihill, Dylan Frawley, Cian Norris, Fionn McMahon, Christian Turean.
St. Mary's Under-9 / Under-10 Tournament, Rochfortbridge, Sept. 24th
The Garrycastle squad travelled to Rochfortbridge on Saturday morning to take part in the under-9 / under-10 tournament organised by St. Marys GAA Club. On a day when the amount of rain falling threatened to wash away the teams, we still fielded a team at both levels in their respective competitions.
This competition started with a league format with groups of 4 teams, with the teams position after the league rounds who they would play from the other group in the finals.
For the league part, Garrycastle were drawn in the same group as the host club, St. Marys, Edenderry from county Offaly, and St. Lomans Mullingar.
The under-10 team was first into action, playing Edenderry. With only 7 of our under-10 squad available on the day, we brought some of the under-9 team in to make up the numbers. Edenderry started the stronger and had a few points on the board before the Garrycastle lads came to grips with the conditions. From then on, it was a very level game, and the Garrycastle team actually outscored their Edenderry opponents in the second half, but could not close the lead and the Edenderry team won by a couple of points.
Their second game against the host club was a very high scoring game. Playing against a very strong wind in the first half, the Garrycastle lads played well, but trailed by 1-3 at the break. However, with the aid of the wind in the second half they went on a scoring spree, and even though St. Mary's came back into the game late on, the Garrycastle lads held out for the win.
Their third league game was against St. Lomans, and with the Garrycastle lads in determined mood, they took charge of the game right from the start, leading from start to finish to take a well deserved win.
At the end of the league part of the tournament, Garrycastle was joint top of the group with Edenderry and St. Mary's, so lots were drawn to decide which finals each team would play in. Garrycastle were drawn second, setting up a shield final with the Shamrocks club from county Offaly. Having reached the final, the Garrycastle lads were determined not to let the opportunity slip, and led by a single goal at half-time, playing against the wind. After the half-time break, they piled on the pressure taking some lovely scores, while keeping their opponents scoreless for the half. As the final whistle blew, it was a delighted team that celebrated their Shield win.
Not to be outdone, the under-9 team also started their campaign against Edenderry, and took charge early on with an opportunistic goal. Further scores followed as they pressed their advantage, to lead at the half-time break. Turning around with the wind in the second half, they gave nothing away and took a well deserved win.
For their second match agsinst the host club, the arrival of some of the players who had a soccer match earlier, added greatly to the squad, and they pushed on hard, knocking up some lovely scores. The St. Mary's team pushed them all the way, but the Garrycastle lads led from the start to the finish to take a well-earned win.
The third match against St. Lomans was the decider on which level final they would play. The weather conditions deteriorated with driving wind and rain, but the Garrycastle lads adapted better to the conditions, and again led from beginning to end to take a hard fought win.
At the end of the league part, the Garrycastle team topped their group and progressed to the cup final, where they met Miltownpass. The rain finally cleared and both teams served up some great football, with scores at either end, and Garrycastle a single goal ahead at the half-time break. After the break, though, it was one way traffic as the Garrycastle lads piled on the pressure, and opened up a good lead which they maintained all the way to the finish. The under-9 team celebrated wildly at the final whistle, with some great "champions league" style singing!
Overall, this was an excellent outing for both teams. The under-10 squad bounced back from their opening round defeat to win the shield, while the under-9 team were unbeaten on the day.
It was with great pride that David Carter accepted the shield on behalf of the under-10 team, and James McHugh accepted the cup on behalf of the under-9 team.
The following slideshow of photos is thanks to Ellen Glennon:
Huge thanks are due to Michael and the rest of the St. Mary's organising team for the invitation to play in the tournament, for their excellent hospitality on the day, and for the very well run tournament in what were very poor weather conditions.
Massive thanks also to all the parents who brought the players along, and to those who travelled to Rochfortbridge after already playing a soccer match in the morning so that we had a strong squad. As usual, without this level of support and dedication, the club woud be much poorer.
Squad on the day:
Kacey Mulvihill, Sean O'Donoghue, Nathan McKeon, David Carter, Tom Sheehan, Anthony Mannion, Killian Keegan, Oisin Mulvihill, Aaron Keegan, Rian Gaynor, Conor McCormack, Niadh Shine, Darragh Glennon, Dylan Frawley, Fionn McMahon, James McHugh, Kealan McNamara, Andrew Henson, Van McCay, Oisin O'Donoghue.
Castledaly Under-10 League, Round 1 vs Moate All Whites, Castledaly, Sept. 21st
The Garrycastle Under-10 squad travelled to Moate for the first round of this years castledaly league on wednesday evening, in very poor weather conditions. The format of this league allows each club to play one team, at 11-a-side, so as is normal in tis type of scenario, we prioritise those players who are 10 years old this year.
The match started at a very fast pace with both teams trading scores up to the half-way mark. At the break, the teams could not be separated on the scoreboard, with 0-5 apiece. As the second half started the Moate team took a slender lead, but this was again pegged back by the Garrycastle lads, who fought and tackled for every ball.
As the game headed towards a conclusion, the Moate team tacked on a couple of late points, to win in the end by 4 points.
This was a tough evening for the Garrycastle lads, who played their hearts out, but just came up short in the end. All players can take great encouragement from their displays, though, and there are plenty matches left in this league yet.
Squad:
Conor McCormack, Kacey Mulvihill, Anthony Mannion, Tom Sheehan, Dean Greham, Calum Hudson, Sean O'Donoghue, Nathan McKeon, Niadh Shine, Brandon Devaney, David Carter, Keelan Ward, Killian Keegan, Dylan Frawley, Oisin Mulvihill, Van McCay, Aaron Keegan, James McHugh, Andrew Henson, Rian Gaynor, Fionn McMahon.
Challenge Match vs Caulry, Garrycastle, Sept. 14th
We welcomed near neighbours Caulry in to Garrycastle for a pair of challenge matches, one each at under-9 and under10 level on Wednesday evening. On a lovely fine evening, we had almost a full turnout of players, and all played their parts in two great games of football.
On the evening both Garrycastle teams performed very well, and were just a little too strong for their Caulry counterparts.
Squad on the evening (U10):
Anthony Mannion, Killian Keegan, Dean Greham, David Carter, Kacey Mulvihill, Sean O'Donoghue, Tom Sheehan, Nathan McKeon, Brandon Devaney, Rian Gaynor, Calum Hudson.
(U9):
Oisin Mulvihill, Conor McCormack, Christian Turean, Darragh Glennon, Louie Shine, Cian Norris, Kealan McNamara, Oisin O'Donoghue, Niadh Shine, Keelan Ward, Dylan Frawley, Andrew Henson, James McHugh, Van McCay, Fionn McMahon, Aaron Keegan.
Clann na nGael / Tormeys Solicitors Under-10 League, Round 7, Garrycastle, Sept. 7th
On Wednesday evening, we welcomed St. Brigids for our final league round of this competition. As usual we had a great turnout of players, 27 in total, at both age groups.
The Under-10 team had a tough battle on their hands in the first half, as they and Clann swapped scores to leave only a single point between the teams at the half-time break, in favour of the Garrycastle team. However as the second half started, a couple of positional switches paid off, and the home team took charge of the match, and bolstered by a strong defensive display, started to win the lions share of possession, and converting some nice scores, they led all the way to the end to take a well-deserved, but hard earned win on the evening.
Not to be outdone, the under-9 team started very strongly, and controlled their game from start to finish. In the first half they limited the St. Brigids team to a single score, and used their possession well to take a strong lead into the half-time break. A highlight of this game was the great passing and movement on display, not to mention some excellent blocking to deny the St, brigids team any time on the ball. In the second half, a number of the younger under-8 players were introduced to give them a chance to show what they could do, and they duly stepped up with a number of well taken scores. This was a very good team performance from this group of lads.
So, overall both teams can be well pleased with their efforts and rewards on the evening.
We have now completed all fixtures in the league, and await other results elsewhere to see who we will face in the finals. Based on results to date, we believe we will contest the "B" final.
Under-10 squad:
Dean Greham, Anthony Mannion, David Carter, Nathan McKeon, Jack Allen, Sean O'Donoghue, Tom Sheehan, Kacey Mulvihill, Brandon Devaney, Killian Keegan, Kealan McNamara, Calum Hudson.
Under-9 squad:
Cian Norris, Van McCay, Andrew Henson, Rian Gaynor, James McHugh, Niadh Shine, Conor McCormack, Dylan Frawley, Fionn McMahon, Keelan Ward, Oisin O'Donoghue, Darragh Glennon, Louie Shine, Aaron Keegan.
Clann na nGael / Tormeys Solicitors Under-10 League, Round 2, Athlone, Sept. 5th
On Monday, we made the short trip to Pairc Chiarain to play against Athlone in the rescheduled round 2 of this league. On a fine evening, we had a great turnout of players, and played at under-10 and under-9 level.
Our Under-10 team started strongly, and showing some great interplay skills, built up a good lead by the half-time break. However, the half-time lead led to some complacency, and they were unable to maintain the tempo in the second half, allowing the home team to pull back the lead to eventually win by 4 points. This was disappointing result for this talented group of players, who will learn from this match that a result can never be taken for granted. To their credit, the Garrycastle boys and girl never gave up, and with a rub of the green could well have gotten a result from the game.
Our under-9 squad also started well pinned the Athlone team into their own half of the field for much of the first half. However, poor accuracy in front of the posts saw them only take a two point lead into the break. As in the under-10 match, a spirited fightback from Athlone saw them take the lead. However, the Garrycastle lads regrouped and fought hard to level the match as the final whistle neared, only to be denied by a last gasp point from the home team.
Overall, two uncharacteristic performances from this squad, who have shown in previous rounds of the league that they have the mettle and strength to come from behind and take the wins.
Under-10 squad:
Dean Greham, Anthony Mannion, David Carter, Nathan McKeon, Jack Allen, Sean O'Donoghue, Tom Sheehan, Kacey Mulvihill, Brandon Devaney, Killian Keegan, James McHugh.
Under-9 squad:
Cian Norris, Van McCay, Andrew Henson, Rian Gaynor, Niadh Shine, Conor McCormack, Dylan Frawley, Fionn McMahon, Kealan McNamara, Keelan Ward, Oisin O'Donoghue, Darragh Glennon, Louie Shine, Aaron Keegan, Calum Hudson.
Clann na nGael / Tormeys Solicitors Under-10 League, Round 6, Garrycastle, Aug. 31st
Round 6 of this years Clann na nGael/Tormeys Under-10 league saw Garrycastle take on St. Dominics in Garrycastle. As usual, we had a great turnout of players, and fielded teams at under-9 and under-10 levels.
The under-9 team started strongly, and laid siege to the St. Dominics goal in the early stages. However, some wayward shooting meant that scores were hard to come by, and it took a determined effort by the midfield of Niadh Shine and James McHugh to settle the team down and start to get scores on the board. Once the team settled, they dominated the possession for the remainder of the first half, and had a reasonably comfortable lead at the break. The St. Dominics team started the second half defending their goal strongly, but the Garrycastle lads showed great patience to pick off some nice scores when the opportunity presented itself, to take a comfortable win in the end.
In contrast, the Under-10 team found themselves in a real humdinger of a game as they traded score for score with their St. Dominics counterparts. This was a great exciting game of football, with great skill and effort on display from both teams. As the game proceeded, they was nothing to separate the teams, and entering the last few minutes a draw looked on the cards. However, up stepped Killian Keegan to score a great point to give the Garrycastle lads the win by a single point.
Overall, two great team performances on the evening, and all players present can be very proud of their efforts.
Under-10 squad:
Dean Greham, Anthony Mannion, David Carter, Nathan McKeon, Jack Allen, Sean O'Donoghue, Tom Sheehan, Kacey Mulvihill, Brandon Devaney, Killian Keegan, Andrew Henson.
Under-9 squad:
Cian Norris, Van McCay, Kealan McNamara, Rian Gaynor, James McHugh, Niadh Shine, Conor McCormack, Dylan Frawley, Fionn McMahon, Keelan Ward, Calum Hudson, Oisin O'Donoghue, Darragh Glennon, Louie Shine, Aaron Keegan.
Clann na nGael / Tormeys Solicitors Under-10 League, Round 5, Ballinasloe, Aug. 29th
The Garrycastle Under-10 squad travelled to Ballinasloe to play the home team in round 5 of the Clann na nGael/Tormeys Under-10 league. On a nice night for football, we had a great turnout of players, with no fewer than 27 players making the trip.
For perhaps the first time this year, we had a full under-10 team on duty, and they started well to take an early lead. In a tough, uncompromising game, the home team knocked over a few nice scores to lead at the half-time break. As the second half started, the home team piled on the pressure, and mid-way thrugh the second half, led by three points. Now it was the turn of the Garrycastle team to settle down to the task in hand, as they whittled down the lead, to draw level, and then pushed on to take the win on the evening by three points. This was a great display by this group of talented footballers, who most certainly rose to the challenge presented, to take a great win.
Not to be outdone, the Under-9 team also started strongly, and traded score for score with the home team to leave the game all-square at the half-time break. The Garrycastle team had the majority of possession, but kicked quite a few wides during the opening half. A few changes at half-time reaped dividends however, as the Garrycastle team pushed on strongly in the second period to open up a good lead. The home team fought hard to get back into the game, but the Garrycastle lads held firm to take a deserved win.
So, a good nights work in this tournament, with two wins picked up.
All the players on both teams can be justifiably proud of their efforts on the evening.
Under-10 squad:
Dean Greham, Anthony Mannion, David Carter, Nathan McKeon, Jack Allen, Sean O'Donoghue, Tom Sheehan, Kacey Mulvihill, Brandon Devaney, Killian Keegan, Aaron Keegan.
Under-9 squad:
Cian Norris, Van McCay, Kealan McNamara, Rian Gaynor, Andrew Henson, James McHugh, Niadh Shine, Conor McCormack, Dylan Frawley, Fionn McMahon, Christian Turean, Keelan Ward, Calum Hudson, Oisin O'Donoghue, Darragh Glennon, Louie Shine.
Clann na nGael / Tormeys Solicitors Under-10 League, Round 4, Garrycastle, Aug. 24th
Garrycastle welcomed Clann na nGael on Wednesday evening for the latest round of the Clann na nGael/Tormeys Under-10 league. As is usual in this competition, we played two matches, one each at Under-9 and Under-10 level.
The under-9 team started strongly, and won a lot of possession in the center of the field. This allowed our forwards to take a number of good scores, and build up a good lead by the end of the first half. Any attacks by the Clann forwards were handled well by the backline, who were determined to keep scoring chances to a bare minimum. As the second half started, we swapped out our forward line to give a number of our younger under-8 players a chance to show what they could do, and they stepped up to add a few extra scores to make the match safe.
Overall, a very good performance from this young team, and every single one of the players present can take great pride in their sporting performances on the evening.
In contrast, the under-10 team, which was short a number of the under-10 players, found it difficult to get into their normal rhythm, and found scores hard to get in the first half of their match. The visitors took an early lead, and maintained their advantage until the half-time break. The Garrycastle team was reshuffled a little for the second half and started to make inroads into the Clann lead, but were never able to close the gap completely, and the Clann team ran out deserving victors.
So, overall, an evening of mixed fortunes for the Garrycastle group, with one win and one loss on the evening, which was a valid reflection of the football on show. Both Garrycastle teams performed to the best of their abilities, and the under-10 team in particular will surely be strengthened by the return of players after the summer holidays.
Under-10 squad:
Kacey Mulvihill, David Carter, Calum Hudson, Sean O'Donoghue, Brandon Devaney, Aaron Keegan, Killian Keegan, Nathan McKeon, Dean Greham, Anthony Mannion.
Under-9 squad:
Oisin O'Donoghue, Keelan Ward, Conor McCormack, Darragh Glennon, Cian Norris, Niadh Shine, Rian Gaynor, Louie Shine, Fionn McMahon, Andrew Henson, Dylan Frawley, James McHugh, Van McCay, Kealan McNamara.
Celbridge GAA All-Ireland Under-10 Football Festival 2016, Celbridge, Aug. 20th
The Garrycastle Under-10 squad travelled to Celbridge on Saturday to take part in the Celbridge GAA All-Ireland Under-10 Football Festival. This festival involved 32 teams representing 24 clubs from 14 counties right across the country. This was our first time attending this tournament, so there was great excitement as the 13 players boarded the bus in Garrycastle for the trip to Celbridge.
Garrycastle were drawn initially in a group also containing Fingallians from Dublin, St. Judes, also from Dublin, and St. Marys Leixlip from Kildare.
Our first match was against the Fingallians team. The Garrycastle team started strongly, and pressed forward right from the start and were rewarded with scores from Andrew Henson and Niadh Shine. Continued pressure saw some lovely football, but the wides count increased before another score from Andrew, and a score from distance by Sean o'Donoghue left Garrycastle well in charge at half time. The second half continued in the same way, with further scores from Andrew, James McHugh, Sean and Brandon Devaney put the game out of reach of the Fingallians team. The Garrycastle rearguard also played its part, with great displays from Nathan McKeon, David Carter and Anthony Mannion, ensuring that we did not concede a single score in this match.
Our second match followed immediately afterwards against St. Judes. As the game started, the wind picked up and driving rain made conditions difficult. Playing into the wind and rain, the Garrycastle team tried hard but only had wides to show for their efforts, while conceding just a single score to trail by just that one score at the break. Again, the Garrycastle team piled on the pressure in the second half, and got rewarded by a fine score from Sean to level the game. The defence, marshalled well by David Carter, and with some great goalkeeping and kickouts from Dean Greham defended strongly, and it looked as if the game was headed for a draw, before St. Judes scored rght at the end to win by a single score. A disappointing result from a Garrycastle viewpoint, but with absolutely great effort and heart on display from all the players, who pushed hard right to the finish.
Our third group game was against the St. Marys team from Leixlip. Another strong start by Garrycastle saw them get a number of scores on the board from Sean (one from a '45), to lead by halftime, having not conceded a single score. An expected St. Mary's fightback was well handled by the midfield, where excellent midfield play from Kacey Mulvihill, and good goalkeeping from Cian Norris kept the St. Marys team at bay and some further scores from Andrew and Niadh saw Garrycastle comfortably in front as the game ended.
So, after the group games, Garrycastle finished second in the group, and qualified for the Shield quarter finals. The quarter final saw us drawn against old rivals Mullingar Shamrocks.
This was a humdinger of a game, as the rain and wind returned with a vengence, and the Mullingar side made the better early adjustment to the conditions to take an early lead. Garrycastle fought back and some good approach play by Kealan McNamara saw Andrew through to put the Garrycastle team in front. The Garrycastle group were really struggling with the conditions in the first half, though, and the Mullingar side added a few more scores before the break.
The Garrycastle squad emerged for the second half a much more determined team, and pushed hard straight from the restart. Good midfield play from James and some nice forward play from Dylan Frawley unfortunately did not get the rewards deserved, and despite further scores from Andrew and Brandon, the Mullingar team won out to progress to the semi-finals.
Overall, this was an excellent outing for this young team. Only half of the travelling squad were full under-10 this year, and the fact that so many of the younger under-9 players stepped up and played so well was really heartening. All of the players present can justifiably take great pride in their performance.
Many thanks as always to our great travelling support - it makes for a great atmosphere to have sunch great support on the sidelines.
Special thanks are due to the Celbridge GAA club for an absolutely fabulously run tournament, and for their fantastic hospitality on the day. Everything ran like clockwork, due to the obvious amount of effort put into running the tournament.
Many thanks also to Karl Henson for sponsoring the food for the ravenous horde on their way home!
Squad:
Anthony Mannion, Brandon Devaney, David Carter, Dean Greham, Kacey Mulvihill, Nathan McKeon, Sean O'Donoghue,
Andrew Henson, Cian Norris, Dylan Frawley, James McHugh, Kealan McNamara, Niadh Shine.
Clann na nGael / Tormeys Solicitors Under-10 League, Round 3, Woodmount, Aug. 15th
The Garrycastle Under-10 squad made the trip to Woodmount to take on Padraig Pearses in the latest round of the Clann na nGael/Tormeys Under-10 league on Monday evening. On a nice fine evening, we had a smaller than usual turnout due to holidays etc. but still fielded an under-10 and under-9 team.
The under-9 team started their match playing with the aid of a strong breeze, and soon had some scores on the board from James, Aaron and Andrew to settle the team down. Some excellent midfield play meant that the home team struggled to get the ball past the half-way line, and any attempts that succeeeded were dealt with by a Garrycastle backline that fielded everything that came their way. Further scores from Dylan, having a storming game, and Kealan meant that at the half-time break, Garrycastle had a strong lead, but would be facing into the wind in the second half.
Some great determined play at the start of the second half from James and Andrew saw the Garrycastle lead extended, and the expected fightback from Pearses was handled well by the backline of Van, Rian and Kealan, who gave great protection to Cian in the Garrycastle goal. As the half wore on, the Garrycastle squad once again took the initiative, and tacked on some nice scores to extend their lead again, with some great showing up front by Darragh in his first game at this level.
The match ended with Garrycastle well on top.
In the under-10 match, it was the home team who took the early initiative playing with the wind to run up an initial lead. The Garrycastle lads fought back well, with good displays from Sean and Kacey in the middle of the field, and some excellent scores by Jack up front. At the break, the home team were a number of scores to the good.
In the second half, playing with the wind, and with some excellent placed kickouts from Jessica in the Garrycastle goal, the Garrycastle team started to reel in the home teams lead, and great play by Conor and Oisin in the forwards, backed up with some excellent defending when required by Anthony, David and Nathan meant that as the match enetered the last minute, there was only a single score dividing the teams. Two final attacks by the Garrycastle squad were agonizingly wide, and as the final whistle blew, it was the home team that was victorious by a single point.
Overall, a good evenings work, with honours shared between the teams.
Under-9:
Cian Norris, Van McCay, Kealan McNamara, Rian Gaynor, Andrew Henson, James McHugh, Darragh Glennon, Aaron Keegan, Dylan Frawley.
Under-10:
Jessica Frawley, Anthony Mannion, David Carter, Nathan McKeon, Sean O'Donoghue, Kacey Mulvihill, Conor McCormack, Jack Allen, Oisin O'Donoghue.
Under-10 League - Round 9 - August 9th, Milltown
Under-10 League - Round 8 - July 19th, Athlone
The Garrycastle under-10 squad headed to Athlone for the latest round of County Under-10 blitzes. On the evening, we had a much smaller number of players than usual, due to summer holidays and various summer camps. However, we still had 15 players present, but could only field one team. As this round was played on the warmest evening of the year, two rounds of games only were played.
In the first round of games, Garrycastle played Tubberclair. Both teams started strongly, and the lead changed hands on three occasions up to the half-time break. In the second half, Garrycastle used all their substitues to give everyone a game, and this allowed the Tubberclair team to open up a small lead, and they held on until the end to win the game.
Squad:
Jessica Frawley, Brandon Devaney, Anthony Mannion, Conor McCormack, Nathan McKeon, Kacey Mulvihill, David Carter, Dylan Fawley, Killian Keegan, Fionn McMahon, Aaron Keegan, Van McCay, James McHugh.
Overall, two very impressive performances from the squad on duty for the evening.
Huge thanks as always to the parents who made the long drive to Milltown, it is always impressive to see such great support on the sidelines.
The Garrycastle Under-10 group made the trip to Milltown on Tuesday night, for the latest round of County Under-10 blitzes. It was a much smaller group than usual due to summer holidays, but we still had 13 players on duty as we lined out to play against Kilbeggan/St. Josephs and Millmore Gaels.
Our first match against Kilbeggan/St. Josephs was a fast flowing match, with the Garrycastle lads off to a flying start, and they soon took the lead with some excellent points from distance. The defence stood fast when required, and stand-in goalkeeper Jessica Frawley was pin-point accurate in her kickouts, allowing our midfield unit of Killian Keegan, James McHugh and Kacey Mulvihill to pile on the pressure. At the half-time break, Garrycastle were well on top. The second half saw the Kilbeggan/St. Josephs team come back into the match a little more, but the Garrycastle defence, ably led by David Carter and Nathan McKeon, handled everything thrown at them, while up front the attacking options, led by Aaron Keegan and Conor McCormack kept the scoreboard ticking over. Overall, this was a great performance by the Garrycastle boys and girls, and they took a deserved win.
In the second match, a physically bigger and stronger Millmore Gaels team started well and soon lead by a few points. It took the Garrycastle boys and girls a while to settle, but they then came back strongly, with some tireless work up front from Fionn McMahon and Van McCay leading the line to rein in the lead by the half-time break. Brandon Devaney took over goalkeeping duties for the second half, and his kickouts to Anthony Mannion and Dylan Frawley in the center of the field provided the launchpad for a series of attacks as the Garrycastle team took the lead, and held it to the end of the game.
In the second round of matches, Garrycastle played Athlone. This was a a great game between two very evenly matched squads, with the Garrycastle lads holding a single score advantage at the break. Again, all of the substitues were introduced for the second half, and the game continued at breakneck speed, with Athlone edging the match by a single score at the end.
Overall, even though unsuccessful on the evening, this was a good workout for the Garrycastle lads. With only two under-10 players available, and under-8 players brought in to make up the numbers, they can take great pride in how well they played, and the skill levels and enthusiasm on display.
Squad:
Niadh Shine, Calum Hudson, Oisin Mulvihill, Darragh Glennon, James McHugh, Andrew Henson, Christian Turean, Cian Norris, Jack Allen, Rian Gaynor, David Carter, Dylan Frawley, Keelan Ward, Aaron Keegan, Kealan McNamara.
Under-10 League - Round 7 - July 5th, Castledaly
The Garrycastle under-10 squad made the short trip to Castledaly for the latest round of this years County Under-10 league blitzes. On a fine evening for football, we had a good turnout of players, which allowed us to field two teams, matched up against Miltownpass and St. Mary's Rochfortbridge.
In the first round of matches, the Garrycastle teams played their counterparts from St. Marys. The Garrycastle "red" team got off to a good start and soon had a few scores on the board. However, poor shooting in front of the posts kept the score down, and a less wasteful St. Marys team had the scores back to level at the break. The second half followed the same pattern, with Garrycastle having the lions share of possession and scoring opportunities, but not getting the scores to reflect it. However, they had enough of a lead to run out comfortable winners in the end.
The Garrycastle "green" team also played their counterparts from St. Marys, and a very evenly matched game saw the lead change hands on multiple occasions. There was very little between the teams, until the last couple of minutes when two quick scores from St. Marys were the difference on the final score. The Garrycastle team worked hard in this match and can consider themselves a little unlucky not to get a win.
In the second round of matches, Garrycastle played Miltownpass. The "red" team continued their good performance from the earlier game with a comfortable win, in which some of the younger players showed off their skills. The "green" team bounced back from their earlier disappointment to also win out in their match.
[Put pictures here!]
Overall, this was a good evenings outing for the Garrycastle squad, missing as they were, a number of the older under-10 players due to holidays.
Squad:
Rian Gaynor, Andrew Henson, Calum Hudson, Aaron Keegan, Van McCay, Conor McCormack, James McHugh, Fionn McMahon, Oisin Mulvihill, Cian Norris, Niadh Shine, Christian Turean, Keelan Ward, Peter Lyster, Kacey Mulvihill, Jack Allen, David Carter, Brandon Devaney, Dean Greham, Killian Keegan, Anthony Mannion, Nathan McKeon, Tom Sheehan.
Under-10 League - Round 6 - June 21st, Castletown-Geoghegan
The Garrycastle under-10 squad headed to Castletown-Geoghegan for Round 6 of this years County Under-10 blitzes. On a very wet evening, 21 players were available, allowing us to field an under-9 team and an under-10 team. Each team played two matches on the evening.
The under-10 team started with a match against Mullingar Shamrocks. This was a real end-to-end battle between two very evenly matched teams, with scores traded evenly throughout. At half-time there was nothing to separate the teams. In the second half, the Garrycastle team started to take control in the middle of the field, and opened up the narrowest of leads, which they maintained all the way to the finish. This was very hard fought game, and the team deserve great credit for sticking to their task and getting the win.
In their second match, Garrycastle played near neighbours Caulry, and buoyed up by their earlier win, they took the game to Caulry from the start. Some great score taking was a feature of this game, and the Garrycastle team led from start to finish, to round off a good evening's work.
Not to be outdone, their younger counterparts in the under-9 team also started very strongly against the Under-9 team from Caulry, and driven on by the midfield dynamo of James McHugh, Oisin Mulvihill and Kealan McNamara, took early control of the game, and led from start to finish. There were some great performances in this game from all players, with a special mention to stand-in goalkeeper Fionn McMahon, who pulled off a number of very fine saves.
In their second match, the under-9 team found themselves facing the Killucan under-10 squad. This was a very stern test of the under-9 group, playing against a bigger and stronger team. They struggled in the first half, and trailed by a few scores at half-time. However, it was a much more determined Garrycastle in the second half, and they took the game to their opponents, with some excellent tackling, blocking and scoring. As the game entered the last few minutes, it even looked as if they might eke out a win, but ultimately came up short by two points. This was however, a deeply impressive display by this young team, especially in the second half.
So, overall on the eveing we had three wins and a single loss. Both teams deserver great credit for their enthusiasm, skill and overall effort. Some lovely football was on display in both matches.
Many thanks as always due to the parents who travelled on a miserable evening to cheer on the teams.
Squad:
Keelan Ward, Dylan Frawley, Rian Gaynor, Oisin Mulvihill, Niadh Shine, Conor McCormack, Van McCay, Fionn McMahon, Kealan McNamara, James McHugh, Aaron Keegan, Peter Lyster, Sean O'Donoghue, Calum Hudson, Tom Sheehan, Jack Allen, Kacey Mulvihill, Andrew Henson, Killian Keegan, Anthony Mannion, David Carter, Nathan McKeon.
Clann na nGael / Tormeys Solicitors Under-10 League, Round 1, Tubberclair, June 15th
The Garrycastle Under-10 squad headed off to Tubberclair for the first round of the 2016 Clann na nGael/Tormeys Solicitors league, but came away empty-handed on the evening. In this competition, two matches are played in each round, 1 each at under-9 and under-10 level.
In the under-9 match, the Garrycastle team were slow to start, and soon found themselves behind to a couple of well taken points. However, to their credit, they fought back hard, and at the half-time break it was all square between the teams. An early point on the resumption gave Garrycastle the lead, and the lead change hands repeatedly, before the Tubberclair team pulled away towards the end to win by 4 points. This was a disappointing performance by the Garrycastle team, who had plenty of opportunity to win this game, but poor shooting let them down.
The under-10 match was an equally hard-fought game, with Garrycastle also starting slowly, and even though the battled hard, they trailed by two points at the half-time break. As the second half progressed, they could not close the gap any further, and Tubberclair went on to take the win.
Overall this was a disappointing start to this competition for the Garrycastle squad. However, there is a long way to go in this league, and more than enough opportunities to make up for lost ground.
Squad on the evening:
Dean Greham, Anthony Mannion, Killian Keegan, David Carter, Nathan McKeon, Sean O'Donoghue, Tom Sheehan, Jack Allen, Kacey Mulvihill, Brandon Devaney, Cian Norris, Fionn McMahon, Rian Gaynor, Van McCay, James McHugh, Oisin Mulvihill, Andrew Henson, Niadh Shine, Peter Lyster, Dylan Frawley, Calum Hudson.
Under-10 League - Round 5 - June 7th, Moate
The Garrycastle under-10 squad headed off to Moate for round 5 of this years under-10 county blitz series. On a lovely warm night, perfect for football, we had 22 players available, and divided them into an Under-10 team and an under-9 team.
In their matches the under-10 team played their counterparts from the Moate All-Whites, and Kilbeggan/St. Josephs. The first match against Moate was a very evenly matched affair, with the lead changing hands on a number of occasions. The Garrycastle team battled hard to get a result from this game, but just came up short in the end. In their second match, it was a very determined Garrycastle team who took the field, and soon established a lead that they held all the way to the end. Overall, a good evenings work with one win and one loss.
In contrast, the under-9 team started very strongly in their opening match, also against the Moate All-Whites. Building from an impressive display of fielding in the middle third of the field, they took an early lead, and continued to press their advantage all they way to the end, taking a well deserved win. Their second match against Castledaly was a repeat of the first game, with an early lead being steadily built on to take a good win. The under-9 team were asked to play a third match on the evening vs. Miltownpass, and even with legs tiring, the Garrycastle lads continued their impressive form of the first two matches to take a third win on the night.
Overall, this was a very strong performance from the Garrycastle teams at both levels, given they were missing quite a number of the under-10 players.
(Thanks to Des McEnery for the photos of the evening).
Squad:
Cian Norris, Van McCay, Andrew Henson, Fionn McMahon, Kealan McNamara, Oisin Mulvihill, James Mchugh, Kealan Ward, Aaron Keegan, Dylan Frawley, Peter Lyster, Christian Turean, Conor McCormack, Killian Keegan, Anthony Mannion, David Carter, Sean O'Donoghue, Tom Sheehan, Nathan McKeon, Kacey Mulvihill, Callum Hudson, Rian Gaynor.
Under-10 League - Round 4 - May 24th, Garrycastle
The Garrycastle under-10 team was the host for the latest round of County Under-10 blitzes on Tuesday night. On a beautiful summer evening, we welcomed teams from Athlone, Castledaly, Maryland/Tang and Tubberclair - all in all, we had 10 teams playing across five pitches.
Garrycastle fielded two teams under the Garrycastle Green and Red banners, and provided the lions share of a combined "All Stars" team formed along with Tubberclair, which meant that all teams played in each of the two rounds of matches on the evening.
The Garrycastle "Red" team played Athlone and Tubberclair, while the "Green" team played Castledaly and Tubberclair. The combination "All Stars" team played the castledaly teams in their matches.
Overall, 10 excellent games of football were played in front of an appreciative crowd, who provided great encouragement from the sidelines. The garrycastle teams acquitted themselves well, with two wins and two narrow losses on the evening, while the "All Stars" ran out winners in both of their matches.
Many thanks to all of the clubs for attending, and for the great sportsmanship and skills on display. Thanks also to some of the Garrycastle minors, Brian and Ross, for refereeing on the evening. And as always, huge thanks to the players and their parents for the effort they put in.
Squad:
Dylan Frawley, Andrew Henson, Aaron Keegan, Van McCay, Conor McCormack, James McHugh, Fionn McMahon, Kealan McNamara, Oisin Mulvihill, Cian Norris, Niadh Shine, Christian Turean, Keelan Ward, Kacey Mulvihill, Jack Allen, David Carter, Brandon Devaney, Dean Greham, Killian Keegan, Anthony Mannion, Nathan McKeon, Sean O'Donoghue, Tom Sheehan, Daniel Sierpinski.
Under-10 League - Round 3 - May 10th, Rosemount
The Under-10 group headed to Rosemount for the third round of the County Under-10 league. This round was played in blitz format, so the two Garrycastle teams each played two matches, against Lilliput Gaels and Maryland/Tang.
In the first round of games, the Garrycastle "Red" team played Maryland/Tang. Playing with the aid of a very strong wind in the first half, the team took an early lead but then kicked a huge number of wides to leave only two scores between the teams at the break. Playing against the wind in the second half, the Garrycastle team still had the majority of possession, but poor shooting cost them dearly as the Maryland/Tang team took their chances to eke out a narrow win.
In contrast, the Garrycastle "Green" team were much more clinical in front of goal, and had a good win against a game Lilliput Gaels side.
In the second round of matches, the Garrycastle "Green" team continued their good form, with a straightforward win against Maryland/Tang. This was a good team performance, with all players making a good impact.
The Garrycastle "Red" team bounced back from their earlier disappointment to register a good win against Lilliput Gaels. Although again guilty of a huge number of wides, they had the lions share of possession and made it count on the scoreboard.
All-in-all, this was a good evenings outing for the under-10 squad. All players present played their part in 4 good games of football.
Squad:
Jack Allen, Tom Sheehan, Brandon Devaney, Rian Gaynor, Calum Hudson, Nathan McKeon, David Carter, Fionn McMahon, Cian Norris, Anthony Mannion, Kealan Ward, Killian Keegan, Dean Grehan, Oisin Mulvihill, Sean O'Donoghue, Conor McCormack, Niadh Shine, Van McCay, Dylan Frawley, Andrew Henson, James McHugh, Aaron Keegan.
Under-10 Joe Matthews Memorial Tournament, St. Lomans, May 2nd
The Garrycastle Under-10 group travelled to St. Loman's on bank holiday Monday to take part in the "Joe Matthews Memorial" football tournament. This tournament gathers 16 teams from across the county, divided into 4 groups of 4, with semi-finals and finals at Cup, Trophy, Shield and Plate level. Due to the bank holiday, and other sports finals, it was a much reduced panel of only 11 players available on the day.
Garrycastle were drawn in a group with Mullingar Shamrocks, St. Marys Rochfortbridge and Kilbeggan/St.Josephs.
Our first game was against Kilbeggan/St. Josephs, and playing on the astroturf pitch, with the aid of a strong wind in the first half, the Garrycastle lads started strongly and soon had a number of scores on the board. The strong wind made conditions difficult, but the lads kept at their task, and had a good lead at the break. Turning to play into the wind, they continued to pile on the pressure, and ran out convincing winners in the end.
Our second match against St. Marys Rochfortbridge was a tougher affair, and even though the Garrycastle lads had the majority of possession, some wayward shooting saw them trail at the half-time break. They were a much improved team in the second half, and though they came very close in the end, St. Marys held on to win by two points.
The third pool match against Mullingar Shamrocks was the decider then to see what semi-final level we would play at. The Shamrocks team were very strong, but some great tackling and passing from the Garrycastle lads saw them lead at the half-time break. As the second half started, the rain teemed down, but both teams to their credit kept trying for the win, and this time it was Garrycastle who were more clinical to win out by a single point.
In the draw after the pool games, Garrycastle were placed in the Cup semi-final, where we faced The Downs. This was our first game of the day on a grass pitch, and after a few minutes to get acclimatised with the bounce on grass, the Garrycastle lads powered forward to take a well deserved lead at half-time. Driving on in the second half, they gave The Downs no opportunity to get back into the game, and ran out strong winners in the end.
This result teed up a Cup final game against near neighbours Moate All-Whites. This was a real end-to-end game. Garrycastle opened the scoring with a point from Andrew Henson, before Moate levelled a couple of minutes later. Garrycastle took the lead again with a score from James McHugh, but back came Moate again to level the game at the half-time break. Moate struck first in the second half but their lead was short lived as Jack Allen stepped up with a fine point from play, Again both teams traded score (Garrycastle's from Aaron Keegan and James), and the teams could not be separated. As the game entered its last few seconds, it was heartbreak for the Garrycastle lads as Moate scored with literally the last kick of the game.
Overall, this was an excellent run-out for the Garrycastle lads. Although disappointing to lose by a single score in the final, they all deserve great credit for their enthusiasm, effort and skill as dislayed in all five matches.
There will be other days most definitely for this talented group of players.
Many thanks also to the great support from the sidelines - as good and better than any other team on the morning. It makes a huge difference to these young players to get such great support.
Squad:
Anthony Mannion, Killian Keegan, Jack Allen, Dean Grehan, Sean O'Donoghue, Dylan Frawley, Rian Gaynor, Aaron Keegan, Andrew Henson, Niadh Shine, James McHugh.
Under-10 League - Round 2 - April 26th, Garrycastle
We welcomed Caulry to Garycastle for the second round of this years Under-10 league. On a very windy, and bitterly cold evening, we had an almost full turnout of 24 players, and played two matches, one each at under-9 and under-10 level.
The under-10 squad controlled their match right from the beginning and took some great scores in the difficult weather conditions. This was a great team performance from goalkeeper right though the field to the forward line. Some excellent fielding and passing laid a great framework for picking off some nice scores, and the under-10 team ran out worthy winners on the evening.
The under-9 squad also controlled their game from start to finish. In the windy conditions, scores were harder to come by in the first half, but the team battled hard and had a good lead at half-time. As the second half started, a shower of hailstones seemed to act as a spur for the Garrycastle lads, and they piled on the pressure to eventually win out by a few scores.
Overall, these were two good team performances in difficult weather conditions, and this will surely stand to these players as the year progresses.
Squad:
Jack Allen, David Carter, Dylan Frawley, Rian Gaynor, Dean Grehan, Andrew Henson, Calum Hudson, Aaron Keegan, Killian Keegan, Anthony Mannion, Van McCay, Conor mcCormack, James McHugh, Nathan McKeon, Fionn McMahon, Darren Mulligan, Oisin Mulvihill, Kacey Mulvihill, Cian Norris, Sean O'Donoghue, Tom Sheehan, Niadh Shine, Christian Turean, Keelan Ward.
Under-10 League - Round 1 - April 12th, Athlone GAA Club
The under-10 squad began their league campaign for 2016 with the short trip to neighbours Athlone. On a fine evening for football, 22 players were available, which allowed us to play two teams, one at under-9 level and one at under-10 level. Both teams played their counterparts from Athlone.
The under-9 squad started strongly, and managed to get a few early scores on the board to settle themselves. Using a strong display in midfield as a springboard, they pushed forward continually, to take a well deserved lead into the half-time break. As the second half started, they continued to push hard and took some nice scores, and fought off a determined Athlone fightback to take the win on the evening. This was a real team performance with all 11 players playing a full and equal part in the game.
Not to be outdone by their younger team mates, the Under-10 team also started brightly, and opened with a couple of well taken scores. This game was a much closer affair, with Athlone coming strongly into the game, and scores traded to leave the home team in front at the break. A few positional switches at half-time paid dividends, with Garrycastle pushing on strongly in the second half, and even though the home team battled hard, the Garrycastle team ran out deserving winners on the evening. Again, a great team performance.
Under-9 squad:
Cian Norris, Van McCay, Rian Gaynor, Oisin Mulvihill, Niadh Shine, James McHugh, Aaron Keegan, Christian Turean, Dylan Dylan Frawley, Dean Gacquin, Conor McCormack.
Under-10 squad:
Dean Greham, David Carter, Nathan McKeon, Killian Keegan, Tom Sheehan, Jack Allen, Sean O'Donoghue, Brandon Devaney, Calum Hudson, Darren Mulligan, Keelan Ward.
National GO games week - March 31st, St. Lomans GAA Club
The under-10 squad headed off to Lakepoint Park in Mullingar, the home of St. Lomans GAA club, to take part in the annual national GO games kickoff. As this was held early on a Thursday afternoon, (4:30pm), it was a much reduced Garrycastle squad who were available to travel on the day.
In the first round of matches, Garrycastle faced Killucan in an 8-a-side game. After a hard fought match, the Garrycastle lads emerged victorious by a couple of scores. In their second match, played at 12-a-side, they faced Mullingar Shamrocks, and this match was a real end-to-end game, with the lead changing hands on numerous occasions, before eventually the green-and-red won out by a couple of scores.
This led on to a final match against Coralstown/Kinnegad, with all players on in a 13-a-side game. By now, some of the exertions of the previous 2 games were taking their toll, and the Garrycastle lads found it hard to get into the game. however, a few positional swicthes at half time did their job and the Garrycastle lads came back into the game, and the game ended in a draw.
So overall, a good evening's outing, with 2 wins and a draw from the 3 matches.
Huge thanks on the day to Ger for taking the team to Mullingar, and for the parents who helped out with lifts for the players, and who helped out on the sideline.
Squad on the day:
Jack Allen, Sean O'Donoghue, Killian Keegan, David Carter, Anthony Mannion, Cian Norris, Oisin Mulvihill, Andrew Henson, James McHugh, Dylan Frawley, Cristian Turean, Niadh Shine, Aaron Keegan.
St. Patrick's Day Parade, Athlone!
The Under-10 group marched proudly in the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Athlone this year.
For details and photos, please see the St. Patrick's Day page!
Westmeath Under-10 League
This years Westmeath Under-10 League is due to begin on TUESDAY APRIL 12th, with matches every second Tuesday until September. More details on exact times, matches etc. will be posted here once they become availalbe.
New Kit Sponsorship from McDonalds Athlone!
The Under-10 group will have an all new kit this year, sponsored by McDonalds Athlone!
Photo shows Mark Redmond (underage chairman, Garrycastle GAA Club), and Garrycastle players James McHugh and Killian Redmond, being presented with the new kit by Sean Corcoran of McDonalds Athlone.
The new kit got its first public use in the St. Patricks Day parade in Athlone.