Athea GAA Club Notes:

Our 2025 membership registration is now live. Please see link to register with the club and purchase our club draw tickets for 2025, all players need to register ahead of the season and we would encourage everyone to become a member and purchase a ticket for our club draw as it all helps towards the running and up keep of the club and walking track.

 https://atheagaa.clubforce.com/products/membership

The last Draw took place on Monday 5th of May 2025. The lucky winner of €190.00 was Larry Mc Auliffe. The next draw will take place 19th of May. Tickets available at Collins Shop, Ger Whites Bar, Brown Joes, Gables Grill, O’Riordan Pharmacy, Credit Union and at bingo on a Friday evening.

This year’s cul camp will take place from July 7th to 11th. This has been a great success over the years with approximately 100 kids taking part. It will be for both hurling and football again this year. Online booking are now open www.kelloggsculcamps.gaa.ie

Hurling training will continue over the summer. Wednesday nights 7pm to 8pmfor U14 and U16. Sunday morning for all ages 10am to 11am.

Our U11 footballers played their first match of the year last Thursday evening in sunny Athea against a strong Cappagh Rathkeale team. Both teams played some excellent football with great teamwork and some brilliant scores. The players enjoyed the new rules with the solo & go a big success. Our next match is home to Shannon Gaels on Tuesday May 13th and training continues every Friday evening. Athea Team; Conor Hayes, Paidi Ahern, Fionn Hunt, Tiernan Fitzgerald, Conchuir Brouder, James Kelly, Aaron McCabe, Nicco Liston, Mikey Mullvihill, Mattie Doody, Ewan McCarthy, John Mullvihill, Scott Nolan, William Ahern, Tom Mullane.

We host Fr. Caseys this Thursday evening in Athea at 6:30 in the first round of the U12 Go – Games League.

Underage football continues Friday evening @ 6:30pm to 7:30pm for Nursery, U8, U10, U12.

Tailtean Cup -Round 1

May 10th 2025 at 1pm in Newcastle West GAA Grounds

Limerick vs London

Dalata Hotel Group GAA Football All-Ireland U20 B Championship Semi-Final

Limerick v Monaghan

Sunday 11th May at 3PM in Moorefield GAA, Newbridge, Co. Kildare

Best of luck to Evan Curry and the rest of the team in this match.

Here are a few of the new rules introduced earlier this year worth looking at.

1 v 1 Throw In

Instead of two midfielders from each team contesting the throw in – each half will be restarted when the referee throws in the ball between one player from each team. The other two midfielders will stand on opposite sidelines on the halfway line and swap sides at half-time. It is hoped this stops the persistent fouling that happens at throw-ins

Kick-outs

After a score or a wide, a kickout to restart the game does not need all of the players to be outside the 20-metre line before it is kicked. Players must still be 13m from the kickout, and it is hoped that this will speed up the game. Kickouts must travel beyond the new 40m arc for the team taking the kickout. If not, it is a free against that team from the place of the foul. The other team can intercept the ball inside the 40m arc. The hope is that this creates more high fielding and contests for possession

Limiting back passes to a goalkeeper

To encourage teams to move the ball forward, a player may only pass the ball back to his goalkeeper if they are both inside the large rectangle of their own goal and the ball was played into the large rectangle by an opposing player. There are no passing restrictions if the goalkeeper crosses the halfway line in support of an attack

40M Scoring Arc

Pitches will be lined with a new arc starting on the 20m line and extending 40m out from goal. A ball cleanly kicked from play or a free over the bar from on or outside this arc, and without touching another player on either team (it may bounce over) is worth two points. Referees will signal the score with two hands in the air and the score umpires will wave an orange flag for the two-point score. The score is allowed as long as the standing foot of the kicker is placed on or before the 40m arc. A ‘45’ is worth one-point.

Well done to our u10 girls who played in their first blitz of 2025 on bank holiday Monday. Playing 6 aside our two teams played 3 great games against Croom, ABK, Feog/ Castlemahon and our hosts Gerald Griifins. There was high level of skill and determination on show. Huge thank you to Martina & Gerald Griffins for a wonderful morning of football.

Well done to our Feile team Athea / Glin who participated in u15 Feile in St Patrick’s GAA on Monday morning. They played Cappagh, Na Phiarsaigh and Dromin / Athlacca / Banagoe. Having lost their first game against Cappagh 4.1 to 2.3 they regrouped well and finished very strong on the day.

U16 Girls round 3

Best of luck to our girls who play Granagh / Ballingarry in Athea Tuesday evening 6th May at 7 pm.

U14 Girls Round 2

Best of luck to Athea/ Glin u14 team who play their next game is away to Feogh / Castlemahon next Thursday 8th May at 7 pm in Coolyroe.

Best of luck to our u12 girls who will play a blitz against Gerald Griffins & St Senan’s in Athea next Friday night.

Athea GAA / LGFA are delighted to be chosen to host the Munster u8 / u10 Festival of football on Saturday July 12th. More details to follow.