Athenry GAA Report, February 2007

Hurling championship Draws

At around the same time that Athenry senior hurlers were completing their first training session of 2007 the draw was being made for this year’s groups in the Galway senior hurling championship. Athenry are drawn in group A now generally accepted as being the most competitive. Included in this group are the seeded team Mullagh who, last September brought a sudden end to Athenry’s cup ambitions. Also in the group are the well fancied Gort, double Tommy Moore winners Sarsfields, and this years All — Ireland intermediate finalists Killimordaly.

Athenry’s first game in the championship will be against Sarsfields on the weekend of May 5/6.

Group A

Sarsfields, Athenry, Gort, Killimordaly, Mullagh.

Intermediate Championship

GROUP D.

Pearses, Moycullen, Athenry, Rahoon.

Senior Hurling League

Athenry, Clarinbridge, Mullagh, Killimordaly, Gort, Turloughmore, Craughwell, St Thomas’s, Castlegar, Ballindereen.

Athenry’s first game in the league will be against St Thomas’s on the weekend of February 24 / 25.

Junior B hurling Championship

Athenry are fielding two teams in the Junior B Championship.

First Group

Athenry l, Castlegar, Abbeyknockmoy, Kinvara, St Thomas’s, Michael Breathnach’s.

Second Group

Athenry 2, Salthill, Beagh, Leitrim / Killnadema, Moycullen.

Junior C Championship

Athenry, Spiddal, Menlo / Emmets, Liam Mellows, Ardrahan, Killtormer.

Junior B League

Athenry, Salthill, Kill-Leitrim, Killbeacanty, Michael Breathnachs, Rahoon.

Junior C League

Athenry, Menlo Emmets, Craughwell, Carnmore, Spiddal, Ballindereen.

Minor Hurling Championship

Ballindereen, Mullagh, Craughwell, St Thomas’s, Clarinbridge, Athenry.

Under 21 Hurling Championship

First round knockout – Athenry v Ardrahan.

Development Draw

Members are requested to return completed draw tickets to the clubhouse in Carnaun on Monday February 12th between 9pm and 10pm.

Team Management

The following management teams are in place for 2007.

Senior/Intermediate Hurling. Manager John Hardiman, selectors Declan Higgins and Luke Glynn.

Junior Hurling. Manager Liam McDonagh, selectors Michael Quinn, Michael Doherty, Patrick Grealish, Colin Morrissey.

Under 21 Hurling. Manager Pascal Healy, Selectors Paddy Kelly, Colin Byrne, Gerry Dempsey.

Minor Hurling. Manager Sean Parr, Selectors Tom Cloonan, Gerry McNamara, Michael Freaney.

Minor Football. Manager P J Dooley, selector Sean Bohan.

Under 21 Football and Junior C. Manager Damian Collins, selectors Paul Farrell, Declan Farrell.

Junior Football A & B. Manager James Foran

Photo Athenry GAA Club Golf Society Captains Prize – Julie Carr congratulates the Winner Paul Hogan

The Club would like to wish the best of luck to all the team managers and their teams in 2007, a year in which Athenry celebrate fifty consecutive years in senior hurling.

Fixture News

This year’s senior hurling championship will commence on Sunday May 6th. The senior hurling league will commence on Sunday February 25th. The Under 21 hurling championship will commence on March 24th. The Minor hurling championship will commence on April 9th. We will have details of the various championship groups in next week’s edition and also on the club website.

Athenry GAA Club Golf Society

Julie Carr‘s captain’s prize took place at Athenry Golf Club on Saturday last in perfect weather conditions. The outing was sponsored by Galway Accounting Services Loughrea, and forty players took part. The captain’s prize was won by Paul Hogan with an excellent score of forty points, in second place was Shane Donohue, third prize went to Norman Farrell and Martin Morrissey was fourth. Fifth prize went to Mixie Donohue and Gerry Doherty was sixth. The new captain of the golf society is Michael Higgins and the new season will tee off on April 14th at Athlone Golf Club.

Senior Hurling League

Athenry, the defending league champions start the defence of their title this weekend with a match against St Thomas. Please check local press for venue and time.

This article was first published in News and Views February 2007