U16B Camogie team win League & are Runners Up in Shield Final 2013

This bulk of these girls have been together for the past number of years. In 2012 there was a re-structuring of the U16 Camogie teams, and we found ourselves entering the U16 league even though all the girls were eligible for an U15 league. Mentors were eventually put in place from amongst the parents. The team played 10 league matches in 2012 winning 5, drawing 4 and losing 1 to finish mid table in the league. They played 3 championship matches winning 1 but with the last puck of the ball won the shield final to round off the 2012 season in style and great celebrations.

At the beginning of 2013, we lost 5/6 players for various reasons but the group was determined to stick together and reap the rewards of having played together for a year previously now that they were all in their proper age group competing in the U16 league. A challenge match was organised against the U14’s in February in Sancta Maria which let’s say showed up a few weaknesses but it proved to be a huge wake up call for the season ahead!

Our first match was away to St Finians in Swords with afirm commitment received from each player that we were going to play as a unit supporting each other all thru each game. The league results are testament to that with 7 games played in the 2013 league and the girls winning 6 of them to be crowned league champions in late August with a good night of celebrations on the seafront in Bray as a tribute to the girls for their work to date. Over the 7 matches, the girlsscoreda totalof 37 goals and 26 points but the improvement in their camogieskills were a source of great joy to their mentors and supporters at each match.

We then moved onto the championship which following another restructure by the County Board saw an amalgamation of the Div 2 &Div 3 leagues into the one championship which scuttled our dream of doing the double in the same season! In the 2013 championship, we played 4 matches, winning 2 of them and thus qualifying for the shield in the Phoenix Park against Crumlin who played in Div 2. The girls put in a great team performance on the day playing their hearts out until the final whistle sounded but could not get the better of a much stronger side.. During the championship, the girls scored a total of 20 goals and 6 points resulting in an overall total of 57 goalsand 32 pointsfor the 2013 season which is 31 goals more than they scored in the 2012 season.

 

Their success in 2013 has been down to them playing as a unit with the weekly gossip and chat every much a part of the training and match days as the games themselves-boy can they talk! The parents were much more involved this year making themselves available to put up the nets, line the pitches at the home games as well as volunteering to wash the jerseys after the matches. Mary Brophy did a great job in sending out texts etc about the upcoming training and matches while the camogie board thru Gerry gave advice when needed. This year, the parents had the task of picking the “Player of the Year” which was awarded to Jane Doyle who put in some tremendous performances at full back thru the season. The Mentors also want to say a big “Thank You” to Sinead Murphy who resigned as Manager of this group in 2011 but has remained on the periphery all thru stepping in when required and offering great advice when the need arose. In addition, the Mentors would also like to thank the Managers of the other teams who willingly made players available to us when required-much appreciated.

Girls, you can be proud of your achievements in 2013! Thanks for the great laughs and memories.

Tom & Mark