Louth/Monaghan Secondary School Development League
On Tuesday 13th November the semi finals and the finals of the new Louth/Monaghan Secondary School Development League took place in the great facilities of St.Fechins GAA Club, who themselves are the newest Camogie club in Louth. These eight teams had played out group games, organised by Sabrina Larkin and Paul O’Donovan, over the past six weeks which decided the semi-final pairings for the Cup and Shield competition.
St. Louis, Dundalk
Of the 126 girls out playing, many were just starting out in their Camogie careers and with none of these schools currently playing in any competitive structure it was great to see the progress, enthusiasm and effort from teachers and players alike building year on year. St. Louis Dundalk, Our Ladys College, St. Louis, Monaghan and Sacred Heart Drogheda played out the semi-finals of the Shield Competition with Sacred Heart coming out on top against St .Louis Monaghan.
St. Louis, Monaghan
In the Cup semis, Ardee CC fell to Scoil ui Mhuiri and Ballymakenny lost out in the semi to eventual winners St. Vincents. We look forward to the progress continuing and encouragement given to the students to join their nearest Camogie clubs for 2019. Many thanks to the referees, Louth County Board, St. Fechins GAA and the schools, players and teachers for all their involvement.
St. Vincents
Cross Border 1ts Year School’s Blitz
Wednesday 14th of November saw 180 1st year students from across Laois/Offaly and Westmeath arrive at St. Rynaghs GAA Fields in Banagher for a cross border 1st year participation blitz. Eager to get their first-year students out for Camogie action before Christmas, these nine schools brought along 15 teams between them to take part in a fun blitz day.
With each team playing four small sided 7-a-side games, the opportunity to play for fun was the main priority and it’s safe to say it was achieved. Many of these will look forward to playing in Minor Leinster schools in the new year but for today it was very much about being out and playing the game with your classmates.
St. Josephs Secondary, St. Finians, Loreto Mullingar, Mercy Secondary Kilbeggan, and new to the scene Columba College travelled and participated from Westmeath. From Offaly we had St. Brendans CS, Sacred Heart Tullamore and Banagher College, whilst Laois was represented by Scoil Chriost Ri and Heywood CS. Many thanks to St. Rynaghs, Banagher for the use of the facilities and to the schools, teachers, players and TY referees who were excellent on the day. Keep up the good work!
Munster Camogie Coaching Skills Workshops – December 2018
Munster Camogie Council are pleased to be hosting two Camogie Coaching Skills Workshops in December 2018, as part of our commitment to increasing the skills and knowledge of our coaches. We have a stellar line up of coaches, tutors and players delivering so sign up quick to secure your place!
The workshops are open to all qualified coaches (must hold at least the Foundation Camogie or Foundation GAA award) and will focus on working with players aged 11-17yrs, cost is €20pp.
Please click on the links below to sign up and for more detailed information on each workshop – places are limited to 100 coaches at each venue, lunch is included in the ticket price and no refunds will be available!
Mallow GAA – Saturday 1st December, 10-1pm
Limerick (UL Sport) – Saturday 8th December, 11-2pm
Level 1 Coaching Course Mayo
Mayo Camogie are hosting a Level One Coaching course in the Westport club. It has started on Friday November 9th and continued on Saturday November 10th. The final day of the course will take place on Saturday November 17th. The Camogie Association has linked up with the GAA for this course with 22 participants set to complete the Level One on the 17th. Thanks to Roseleen Duggan and the Westport club for hosting the event.
Thanks to tutors Ger Cribbon, Ann Marie Gibbons and Paul O Brien for delivering the course
It is a very positive development for Mayo Camogie to get some many coaches trained up to Level One standard, it can only help the county to build on the solid foundations built up over the past number of years.
Foundation Course Mayo
Mayo Camogie have teamed up with Mayo GAA to run a foundation course for both codes in Westport on Monday 12th of November. The course will run over three Monday nights in a row, starting on November 12th and finishing on November 26th. There are 32 currently on the course with 14 participants from the Camogie clubs. Tutors for the course include Martin Fogarty (National Hurling Director) Damien Coleman (Connacht Hurling Administrator) Adrian Hession (Mayo Hurling GPO) and Peter Cassidy (Connacht Tutor)
Connacht Inter provincial Post Primary Schools Team
Trials for the Connacht Inter PRO's Post Primary schools team continue on Thursday November 15th in Killimor at 5.30. Players are requested to be there for 5.15. The squad will be picked from all the secondary schools in Connacht and will go forward to represent the province in the upcoming Inter pro's event. Thanks to Fiona Page (Presentation, Athenry) for coordination the teams preparations.
Mairead Meehan First Year Blitz
The annual Mairead Meehan 7 a side blitz held in Killimordaly on Thursday October 25th.
This hugely popular event attracted a large number of schools from all over Galway. With 4 pitches and over 250 girls taking part it was a hugely successful day and gives every girl the opportunity to play and enjoy themselves. Many thanks must go to Fiona Page from Presentation Athenry for organising and coordinating the event.
Thanks to the many Transition Year students for their help refereeing, umpiring and assisting on the day. Special mention to the Killimordaly GAA club for their continued support and use of the brilliant facilities each year.
Club/School Link Programme
Connacht Camogie are delighted to announce that two lucky clubs in Connacht have been chosen at random for the club/school link programme. One club in Mayo and one club in Galway will receive an eight-week block of coaching. A school-club link is an agreement between a school and a Camogie club to work together to help young girls to realize their ambitions in Camogie by providing pathways for them to follow.
Meet the needs of young girls, whether they want to get involved:
• to try Camogie as a new sport
• to enjoy Camogie and develop their skills
• for social or recreational reasons
• to maintain or develop their fitness
• as an elite performer
Kildare Meath Secondary Schools Novice Leagues
During the months of September and October, 18 teams representing 14 secondary schools across Kildare (7), Meath (5), and one each from Carlow and Offaly played out a novice league competition. The league comprised 3 games in each group followed by a finals day blitz held in the Kildare GAA Centre of Excellence, Hawkfield (thank you to Kildare GAA) in the junior competition, with straight finals in the senior competition.
Presentation of Senior Shield to Piper’s Hill, Naas, winning captain by Brendan Kenny
The league turned out some excellent games and the format catered for very interesting pairings in the games on finals day. Ratoath College prevailed in the Cup Competition over a very game Pipers Hill, Naas, and St. Leos, Carlow sides, with Cross & Passion, Kilcullen stepping up in class to take the Shield competition over St. Farnans, Prosperous and St. Peters, Dunboyne.
Presentation of Cul Sliotars to Boyne Community School, Trim, winning captain by Brendan Kenny
The Plate final was a very good contest, finishing in a close win for Colaiste Chiaráin Leixlip over Naas Community College with Coláiste de Lacy Ashbourne defeating Athy Community College in a very entertaining game. Other schools to take part in the junior league were Ashbourne Community School and Celbridge Community School.
Colaiste de Lacy, Ashbourne, winning team of the Junior Rising Stars section
The Senior Competition has led to a rematch of last year’s finalists, St. Mary’s Edenderry and Ratoath Community College in the final which will take place on Thursday 22nd November. The Shield final was a thrilling contest on a lovely Rathcoffey GAA pitch with Piper’s Hill Naas edging it with the last score of the game against a gallant Boyne Community School, Trim.
Cross & Passion, Kilcullen, winners of the Junior Shield
Ratoath College, winners of the Junior Cup
Overall, this was an excellent competition with great participation and enjoyment for all involved. A big thank you to the girls who participated, referees, schools and particularly the dedicated teachers who enable this to happen. A huge thank you to Neill and Liam from Cul Sliotars who sponsored the leagues with each participating school receiving a dozen Cul Sliotars! The competitions were co-ordinated by Brendan Kenny, Kildare/Meath Growth & Participation Officer, supported by Aideen Howlin, Participation & Retention Co-ordinator.
Meath and Kildare Foundation Courses
The Meath Autumn Foundation Coaching Course was held at the excellent Drumree GAA facility with the Kildare Course held at Milltown GAA Centre. Thirty-five enthusiastic coaches completed the courses under tutors Ted Walsh, Áine Fanning and Donal Ryan. This cohort of coaches will ensure that the important grassroots of the game continue to thrive in these two counties.
Meath Foundation Course at Drumree GAA
Kildare Foundation Course at Milltown GAA