Senior hurlers off to good championship start
In a sunny but breezy Saturday evening in Sean Moore Park the senior hurlers shaped up to their old rivals, Setanta, in the first stage of championship action. As expected, this game was not for the faint hearted with players on both sides fully committed to the sliotar and the tackle at every turn. The referee made himself busy dishing out a plentitude of cards, including one questionable red to Clanns which left them playing with 14 men for much of the game. Still they led by two points at half time. The second half produced some really good long-range scoring from both sides – despite a strong swirling wind. But it was some fine points from the likes of Cole Geraghty, Niall O’Regan and Martin Walshe, coupled with strong supporting play from Colly Reynolds and Anto Quinlan, that made the difference in the end.
Clanna Gael Fontenoy 1-11 Setanta 0-10
Clanns on the attack again
U-9 boys earn good draw
The boys put in an excellent performance in this home fixture against St Judes. The visitors opened the scoring with a good point but our lads came back strongly with good scores from both Matthew and Daire Lydon. Some excellent passing by Ethan set up a couple of chances and Senan H contributed with two great scoring blocks. At half time there was only one score in it in favour of Judes. Alec won some great ball in midfield during the second half and Cillian cleared his lines really well whenever he got the chance. The visitors went into the lead with a couple of well-taken points but a flurry of scores from Ethan, Senan H and Matthew kept Clanns right in the game. Hugh and Tomas defended really well once again, winning nearly every ball that came their way, and both scored skill points for blocks. Eoin was all action in the second half and put in a really determined performance defending from Francis who scored two block points. The constant give and go movements and tight defending of St. Judes saw our lads trailing by 1-3 at half time. The Clanns second-half performance improved but they found it hard to match Judes’ physicality. Adam managed an early over under pressure but, except for two skill points from Francis and Adam, they were held scoreless for the remainder of the game. Mark, Aiden and Emmett battled hard to gain possession in midfield but found it hard to penetrate the Judes’ defence. Jonathan, Finn and Sam got onto a few balls up front and were unlucky not to convert possession into scores. Senan T. had a great spell in goal and made two influential saves that kept us in contention. However, a skilled St Judes side killed off the game with another few well-taken points. The boys kept their heads up and battled on to the end and Francis’s and Mark’s enduring determination was to be admired.
Exemplary display by girls
The U-12 girls have always faced one of their toughest challenges when Parnells’ large and skilful panel come visiting and this game was no exception. Clanns saw the return of Aoife McLoughlin following illness and fielded a strong team led by her as captain. The girls were under sustained pressure from the outset but fought hard for every ball, with stand-out performances from Roisín Staunton, Ella Tiernan and Eva Dowling at the back and Yseult Travers in goal. Parnell’s clinical play in front of goal was reflected in their half-time four- goal lead.
The Clanns midfield kicked into gear in the second half with Katie Rose Barry, Aoibhe Walsh and Chloe McCarthy pinning the opposition in their own half which allowed Sarah O’ Laoide to score three points from play. Our forwards came close on a few occasions only to be denied by a top quality defence. While the losing margin was disappointing, Parnells know that they will always get a very competitive match. The Clanns attitude, effort and teamwork were exemplary and it won’t be long before a win is registered.
Clanna Gael Fontenoy 0-3 Parnells 5-4
Skills in abundance with the U-11s
The U- 11 boys played Erins Isle in Finglas in what were two very competitive football games, with some great skills shown by all the Our A team started very well and worked up a great half-time lead. First to the ball all of the time, with fast passing and movement, meant that Erins Isle found it very hard to deal with our lads. The second half was a different story, however. Clanns settled back and invited the opposition onto them and sure enough they managed to reel in the score to draw level. At this point Clanns woke up again and started to produce the football that we had seen in the first half. Quicker, faster and more accurate, they re-established a three-point lead. But they never pulled sufficiently away and in a frantic last two minutes the home side drew level. All told, a draw (6-10 to 7-7) was a fair result in the end. All players acquitted themselves very well and it was a very entertaining game for both sets of supporters.
The B team players performed really well and have shown once again that they have tremendous potential for the future. They worked really hard with some great catching and kicking skills. It was a debut for Tarik but he acquitted himself very well and we are all delighted to have him as part of the team. Their distribution of the ball around the pitch was very good and the pick-ups and tackles were first class. In the end, however, Erins Isle came out on top with a score of 4-5 to 2-8.
U-12s in full flow against Crokes
U-12 boys get off to good start
The U-12 boys got off to a good start in their Division 1 South League campaign in beating Kilmacud Crokes at Sean Moore Park. The boys played with their usual full commitment and led 2-7 to 0-4 at half time. The skills on both sides were a little rusty given the limited amount of football played since Christmas but it didn’t lessen their effort. In the second half Clanns went up a gear and scored a further five goals. Man of the match, Theo Scollard, scored four goals – well deserved due to his excellent lines of running all day. Conor Hennessy controlled the half-forward line as did Rory Tobin in midfield. The backs held solid with Odhran and Ruairi Darcy standing out in marshalling their colleagues. All the substitutes got a run and contributed well.
Our U-16 footballers continue to impress all round
Another good win under the belt for these lads, this time against a visiting Thomas Davis team in the football cup on Tuesday night. With the first half finishing all square (1-4 to 0-7), the game remained a close affair until midway through the second half when Clanns ran into a four-point lead with 15 minutes to go. The match was on a knife edge when the visitors scored a goal, but our lads didn’t panic, knuckled down and went on to score four unanswered points. Playing like a Division 1 side, the whole team was amazing with Jason Murphy just brilliant in defence); and they won at a canter in the end by three points. A real team display from a team on the up and great preparation for their impending championship quarter final match away to St Peregrines.
Clanna Gael Fontenoy 2-14 Thomas Davis 3-8
The quarter final began like a game of chess so much so that after 10 minutes it was just one point a piece. Clanns then hit a purple patch during which they scored four points and took control of the game to reach half time 0-6 to 0-2 in front – thanks to great scores from Aran, Ross, Gary, with Sean a tower of strength in full back and Jonathan and Aran powering through the opposition. But it was the half- time talk from Jonney and Colly that really hit a nerve with the team. They started the second half like a train, scoring 4-4 in the first 15 minutes (two penalties) – scores from Tomo, Ross (amazing scoring machine), Gary, Dean, Jonathan and Sean R. Clanns were just ruthless. Roll on the semi final against St Maurs at home on Saturday 4th May at 15.30.
St Perigines 0-5 Clanna Gael Fontenoy 6-15
Amalgamation working well for U-14s
Following their amalgamation with Scoil Ui Chonaill, our U-14 footballers and hurlers are training well and preparing for the highlight of the year – the U-14 Dublin Feile competitions in football (Division 2, next weekend) and in hurling (Division 3, 18/19 May). In conjunction with their Scoil Ui Chonaill counterparts they have significantly increased their skills, teamwork and fitness under the excellent coaching of Ciaran Murphy and Colly Reynolds; together they have finally got back to the winning ways of the kind which brought them up to Senior 3 level in winning the league last year. Conor Dodd has taken over and his increased emphasis on fitness and ball work really showed in our most recent performance against Kilmacud Crokes. Pitch conditions were very bad but this seemed to work to our advantage, with Annemarie Roach and Suzanna Murray taking some brilliant scores in the first half to settle the match down. The second half got off to a flying start and Crokes took some nice points to stay in touch. But Clanns held on well to secure the win.
Clanna Gael Fontenoy 5-3 Kilmacud Crokes 2-9
Race on – Clanns v Portobello
U8s hurl their way to victory
Clanns fielded two seven-a-side teams against Good Counsel in Drimnagh on Saturday. This proved to be one of their most convincing performances of the season so far, with a greater number of players rotating comfortably through different field positions, contesting the ball and passing with greater accuracy. Both our teams won their first matches by two points despite determined defending by Good Counsel.
Both of the second matches were more closely fought, however. One of the Clanns teams scored with a powerful strike that was heading straight for the net (which would have secured just one point under the agreed reverse scoring rule) but the sliotar deflected off a player’s back foot, rose up into the air and sailed over the bar thereby securing three points to win the game! The other team led their tense game by two points to one until the last minute when the home team scored an equaliser. A great morning’s entertainment for our loyal supporters!
A sunny Sean Moore Park on Saturday provided ideal playing conditions for the visit of the Round Towers footballers. From the throw in Clanns were fast out of the traps and had built up a two-goal cushion of a lead after 10 minutes. This was to remain the pattern right through the first half so much so that our boys appeared to have an unassailable 14-point lead by half time. Indeed, the second half started in similar fashion until midway through when the game appeared to turn in favour of the visitors who stormed into an impressive fight back. Fortunately, some fresh substitutions for the home team helped to steady the ship again and both the nerve and the lead were held to the final whistle. Clanns play was characterised by some really good passing movements finished off with some excellent goals and points, not least from Ciaran Hendrick and Paddy Whelan.
Clanna Gael Fontenoy 8-10 Round Towers 7-8
U-12s register dramatic win in hurling
The U-12 boys had a great win over Cuala 1 on Saturday in their Hurling Blitz winning in the end by the narrowest of margins, a single point. The team was supplemented by the Darcy brothers so the result won’t count for the Blitz but the presence of the two lads resulted in a truly competitive 12-man match where the entire squad was fielded. The teams were well matched and every ball was contested. Clanns lost concentration for five minutes which meant Cuala led by 1-3 to 0-3 points at half time. However, our boys had a good share of possession and were unlucky with a few wides. Cuala put it up to them in the second half with an early goal but they responded magnificently. They scrapped for every ball and Karl Morgan’s free-taking was masterful.
Dublin Development Squad trials for U-13s
Nine of our U-13 footballers attended trials for the Dublin Development Squad at the all-weather facility in Alfie Byrne Road in Clontarf. Ciaran Hendrick, Andrew Smith, Matthew O’Rourke, Caelan Kelleher, Des Duggan, Rohan van den Akker, Harry Murless, Rory O’Kennedy and Conor Pugh all acquitted themselves very well. Evan Caulfield was also due to attend but couldn’t due to injury; while Cian O’Regan (not in trials) stepped in to assist as goalkeeper.
Playing three, 20-minute, seven-a-side matches, they won all of their games against strong opposition from Good Counsel, St Annes and Westmanstwown.
Clanns U-14s still going strong in Dublin Development Squads
Recently the Dublin Development U-14 panels have been reduced further. Congratulations to those club players who continue on the panels – Andy Doolin (football) and Dean Fitzpatrick, Ted Walsh and Eoin Barron (hurling).