MONALEEN GAA CLUB NOTES

AGM: Reminder that the Monaleen GAA club AGM will take place on Monday night next, December 2 at 8pm.

JUVENILE AGM: Monaleen GAA Club’s juvenile AGM will take place in the clubhouse on this Wednesday night, November 27 at 9.15pm.

U21 FOOTBALL: Well done to the Monaleen U-21 footballers who recorded a win and a draw in their two most recent outings in Group 2 of the County Premier U21 Football Championship. First up, Monaleen defeated Galbally 1-14 to 0-7 in their round robin fixture played in Doon on Tuesday night. Then, on Saturday, our U21s played out a 0-11 to 2-5 draw with Newcastle West in Mick Neville Park. Monaleen have taken seven points from a possible eight in the group stages of the championship.

LOTTO RESULTS: The latest Lotto draw took place on November 21, with the jackpot standing at €18,700. The numbers drawn were 20, 22, 29 and 35. Winners of the €50 lucky dips were K Murray, @ Hurlers; M Foley, Fairways; P O’Brien, Caislean Nua; N Halvey, Carrigeen. Tickets can be purchased on a weekly basis from local shops and pubs and the draw is held every Thursday night in the club at 10pm.

LIMERICK SANTA CYCLE: The Limerick Santa Cycle takes place on this Sunday, December 1 starting at The Hurlers at 7pm. Entry fee is €35 which includes the Santa suit and lights for your bike. Entry is via eventbrite or pay on the night. All proceeds go to Straight Ahead for children with Scoliosis. For further details contact Ray 0868376925.

CAMOGIE

AWARDS NIGHT: Following a very successful year at club level, Monaleen Camogie Annual Awards night takes place this Friday at 6:45pm in Monaleen Clubhouse for all players from 2008 to Junior. 2019 saw Monaleen win a number of championships, leagues and blitzes. Junior A 12 a side Championship, Minor A Shield County Champions, U16A League and Cup Champions, U14A Plate League winners, U13A County Champions and Veronica Stack Blitz Champions, U12 Regina Long Memorial Champions.

END OF SEASON: The majority of our teams have now finished training for our winter break, with the U6 to U10s finishing training in UL on Sunday evening. Our U11 team finished their season with a well deserved team bowling session. To all our players, coaches and families, enjoy the winter break and we will see you all back in the New Year.

LADIES GAELIC FOOTBALL

MINOR TEAM: The Groody Gaels ladies minor team played Knockainey in the Semi-Final of the county minor championship in the UL North Campus on Sunday afternoon last (November 24). Following an outstanding display, Groody Gaels came out on top in a very entertaining encounter, winning the game on a final score-line of 6-3 to 4-7.

Groody Gaels started the game the better of the two sides with an excellent early point from wing forward Saoirse Fitzgerald to continue her impressive scoring record for the team this season. Following some sustained pressure on the Knockainey goal which unfortunately didn’t result in any clear-cut scoring chances for Groody, Knockainey took control of the first half action by scoring 3-2 without reply to take a commanding lead.

But as we have seen all season from this Groody team, the heads never dropped and through some great support play and battling football, the team worked their way back into the game. Midfielder and captain Rachel O’Dell led by example with two expertly pointed frees from close range. Shortly afterwards, centre back Jemma Duhig won possession in midfield and following a superb run through the centre of the Knockainey defence, shot to the roof of the Knockainey net to further reduce the gap on the scoreboard.
Within two minutes, centre forward Emily O’Halloran was rewarded for her tireless workrate with an expertly converted goal following an excellent team move involving midfielder Aoife Nelligan and forwards Claire Flavin, Ciara Hodges and Ella Doyle to take the lead on the scoreboard for Groody approaching half time. The last score of the half went to Knockainey who re-took the lead with a goal just before the half time whistle to leave the score at Groody Gaels 3-3 Knockainey 4-2.

Knockainey also opened the scoring for the second half with an early point before midfielder Rachel O’Dell scored a contender for goal of the season with a superb long-range effort that looped into the Knockainey net. At this stage the scores were level and the game was there for the taking for both sides.

Following a period of pressure on the Knockainey goal, centre forward Emily O’Halloran scored her second goal of the game to put her team into a strong position heading into the last quarter of the game. Within two minutes, the ball was in the back of the Knockainey net again when following great work by wing forward Grainne Cronin whose shot was blocked, Saoirse Fitzgerald was quickest to react to the rebound and slotted the ball to the corner of the net.

The final 10 minutes of the game saw Knockainey register 3 points from play but crucially some heroic defending from the entire team and especially from goal keeper Laura Donaghy and defenders Amy Kavanagh, Claire Kiely, Nessa Kelly, Jemma Duhig, Aoife Neville, Aoibh Hayes and Niamh Moloney prevented any Knockainey goals from being scored and Groody registerd a brilliant 2-point victory.

A defining feature of this team has been their super work rate and willingness to battle for every possession and this was again on display in today’s victory over talented opposition. Huge credit to the entire team for this brilliant performance and result and best of luck for the county final next weekend!!

Groody Gaels Team: Laura Donaghy, Claire Kiely, Amy Kavanagh, Nessa Kelly, Jemma Duhig, Aoife Neville, Rachel O’Dell (Captain), Aoife Nelligan, Claire Flavin, Emily O’Halloran, Saoirse Fitzgerald, Ciara Hodges, Lauren O’Shaughnessey, Ella Doyle, Grainne Cronin, Niamh Moloney, Aoibh Hayes.

PHOTOGRAPH : The Groody Gaels ladies minor Gaelic football squad which reached the county final with victory over Knockainey at UL

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