Next Saturday and Sunday big days in clubs season.
This coming weekend will be a big occasion for the club when both our Intermediate and Junior footballers take part in their respective county finals, with Wexford Park the venue for both games. Our Junior footballers take on St. Annes on Saturday next 13th Oct. in Wexford Park starting at 2pm and should be favourites following their impressive semi final win over Rathnure. We wish team captain Denis Kelly and his team the best of luck in their encounter with the Rathangan men. The following day, Sunday 14th Oct. our supporters will return to Wexford Park for the 2pm start of the county Intermediate football final against old rivals Kilmore, for the right to join the senior ranks for next year. Inter-county footballer Brian Malone will have the honour of leading out the black and amber team. This match will be followed by the Senior football final so supporters are advised to travel early to the match.
A large number of people from the three clubs promoting the development of the clubs impressive new complex in Hollymount, gathered on Friday evening last to get their first viewing of the new complex building, which in nearing completion of the first stage. Shelmalier Chairman Noel Ryan had the honour of opening the door for the first time and explaining the layout of the building. He said that he was delighted that the building had reached this stage on schedule, but a lot of hard work and fundraising was still needed to finish the complex. The members from the various clubs had the highest of praise for the design and construction of the complex.
The Shelmalier Junior hurlers suffered defeat to Ger O Hanrahans by 2-18 to 1-9 in the county Junior C final played in Bellefield on Saturday last. : The Shels team failed to rise to the occasion against a more experienced and older New Ross side. The New Ross side started the better and were first to score with a point in second minute with Chris Wall getting Shels off the mark after 4 min with a point from a free. The game was very competitive at this stage and Shels took the lead when Joe Kelly crashed home a goal from a through ball by John Redmond to lead by 1-4 to 0-6. The over the Water side failed to convert some great scoring chances and New Ross stormed back with two goals the second one just on the stroke of half time to leave half time score 2-8 to 1-5 in favour of New Ross.
The second half saw the introduction of Cathal Gaule to midfield with the energetic and skilful Andre O’ Brien moving further forward. Barry Murphy and the lively Shane O’ Connor were introduced at a later stage. Although this young Shels team showed no lack of heart and kept hurling to the end, the Ross men were physically very strong, had power and skill in the central positions and possessed a number of forwards who were well capable of picking off scores.
The Shelmalier GAA club would like to send our congratulations to the ladies senior football team on their magnificent victory over Clonee in the county final. A lot of hard work went in to bring back the Noel Quill back to the parish for the first time and we would like to complement the players, the mentors and supporters for their efforts.
The club website www.shelmaliers.ie is going from strength to strength will the numbers viewing the site on a regular basis rising each month since it began in August last. This success would not be possible without the help and assistance of the many contributors who help keep the site up to date with all the news and information from the four clubs involved mainly Shelmalier GAA club, Shelmalier Ladies football club, Shelmalier/St. Ibars camogie club and Castlebridge Handball club. If you would like to find out all this news and information from these clubs why not log on to the site or help to contribute to its success by submitting articles for publication. The site has information on how you can make a contribution.
There was no winner of the club lotto last week, with Gordan Griffith, Deirdre Fox, Mary Parle, Denis Fitzgerald, Mary B McClamvan the lucky winners of match 3, where each received a nice sum of €46. We would encourage as many people of the parish to support this lotto in order to develop the complex at Hollymount.