Football update Jan 2013
First of all I would like to wish everyone a very happy New Year. It is great to get the show back on the road again. I’m delighted to welcome so many new faces to the football committee (Jim Keane, Liam Deane and Neil Buckingham) and the football management teams (Brendan Gillespie, Paul Coffey, Fergal Brennan, Finnian Hyland, Dan O’Sullivan, Peter Shovlin, John White and Paddy Carr) and to express my appreciation to those who decided to remain on and help out with teams and the committee – see the football website for full details of the composition of the Football Management teams and Committee members. A special Ballyboden welcome in particular to Conor Deegan who takes over at the helm of the Senior football team. We wish you well Conor in the year ahead.
Let me also extend my gratitude to the outgoing management teams. In particular, on the Senior side, to Liam O’Dwyer, Marty Masterson and Barry Conroy who experienced great success culminating in capturing the clubs second Senior football Championship title. Likewise on the Inter side, to Jim Keane, Eugene Duffy and Frank Brooks for developing the lads and enabling the team to challenge for League honours. And let us not forget of course on the Minor side, Jimmy Walsh whose work with the Minors over the last 2 years has helped developed the younger players who we hope will make an impression on the Adult stage over the next number of years. It is important for us now to work together and build on the work everyone has done, and push on.
This weekend saw some challenge matches take place to blow off the winter cob webs. Oldcourt was the venue for Intermediates who kicked off a good workout against Oliver Plunkett’s. Conditions weren’t pretty and as one player quoted were probably more suited to ‘speedos and flip-flops’. However the work rate and commitment shown by the lads present could not questioned and it was good to see some of the minors from last year adapting well to Adult football. It was a good win.
Sancta Maria was the venue for the Senior’s challenge match against newly promoted Round Towers. For obvious reasons conditions underfoot were a little easier and there was a good mix of youth and experience present. Ian Clarke still wants to kick points – some things never change except this time he scored. A workman like display was required and that what the team gave under testing conditions. These are the matches that will stand to us later on in the year.
Last week saw the funeral mass for Ciaran Maher in Ballyroan Church. There was a strong representation from the Club of both past and present team mates along with many of the Dublin stars of the 1983 All-Ireland winning team of which Ciaran was a part of. The support of everyone was very much appreciated and it was a fitting tribute to Ciaran’s memory. I would also ask everyone to support a table Quiz in the Club house Friday 1st February for the Maher family.
We also would like to congratulate Paul McGinley on his appointment as Captain of the European Ryder Cup team in Gleneagles in 2014. Paul never forgot his playing days with us in Ballyboden and we know he will put his experience playing team sports to the test in the ultimate team competition in Golf, the Ryder Cup.
Finally, I would like to thank the football section’s players, mentors and committee members for their attendance at the Games communication meeting last night.
Ger Flaherty
Football Chairman.