As a Dub I totally admire what Kevin Heffernan did for Dublin Football and thought that his name was unique.I have since learned that he was not the sole proprietor of that name.There resides in our Parish another Gael with this moniker.This man is a native of Limerick and is putting in and has put in considerable time and effort into the promotion of hurling at underage level in our Club.
I know him and have often seen him training the younger kids in the pitch.It is easy to see that he is steeped fully in the universal ethos of the GAA and is no johnny come lately into our traditions.
He gives as much time and attention to the weakest players as to the strongest,always the mark of a true Gael,man , and Club man.
I had the great pleasure lately of stumbling in to the pitch lately and was totally entranced by the skills and effort of this team in winning through the semi final of this Shield competition against a game Drumree Team.
I promised myself I would go to the Final if possible.
And last Monday week ( 19/05/2014) I faced a fierce dilemma.The under 12 Shield Final between Rathoat and Dunderry was on at 7.00 p.m.in Kilmessan.
Dunderry were playing the same Club at 7.30 in Dunderry in Intermediate Hurling and a son of mine is captain .And a daughter Mags was playing Intermediate Camogie with Navan O Mahonys against Kilmessan in Navan at 7.30.And I had a crucifying chest infection and other health issues.
Anyhow I decided to go to a bit of each and see how it would develop.
So first I headed for the Shield Final in Kilmessan,Got there about 10 minutes before half time on a hateful and overcast evening.Drizzle and damp and not nice.
Met a few of our older kids heading with hurleys to the hurling wall in Kilmessan.Dream on Daithi.Will we got one ?
Then saw the life blood of the GAA at active duty in Kilmessan.There were a half dozen Kilmessan men bursting themselves replacing the netting behind the upper goal.In the rain and no bother.Fair dues.
Back to the game.First any score carries the same value,Goal or point all the same.And HEffo ,and his able assistants,Hickey and Gallagher were prowling the line with intent.
All had skin in the game,in that they all had kids involved.
IT is a mark of a team that if you are happy for your own kid to play with it is worth having.And this team is worth having.
The players involved were :-
Jack Fagan,
Daire O Leary.
Mark Coffey,
Niall O Leary,
Connor Mulligan.
Cormac Heffernan.
Lee Walsh,(Capt )
Issac Mc Keever,
T.J.Loughran,
Rachel Duffy,
Ryan Walsh,
Kane Lewis,
Cormack Hickey.
Oisin Heffernan,
Diarmuid Heffernan,
William Tracey,
Ben Feeney,
Aaron O Connor.
There was a fair crowd there from Dunderry.I spotted Freda ,who still hurls with our Camogie team egging on her son and nephew.And a clatter of others.
The game was a ding dong affair between two skillful and competitive teams cheered on with enthuasism by their parents..From where I stood the Dunderry mentors questioned the referee not at all whereas some of the Ratho supporters were too vociferous.Not great example to young kids.
On the field of play there was very little between them but our defence was under fierce and sustained pressure much of the time but defended like tigers,
We are strong up the middle but so were they,
All our players are skillful and gutsy.No cowards here.
We went in ahead by 4 scores to three as far as I could see.
In the second half there was huge effort put in by both sides and the defence was again magnificient.
It is clear that the mentors know full well how to place a team to full advantage as the lads up the middle were all outstanding and were marginally better and more skilful than the opposition.
I could pick out a few for special mention but don#t like doing this at such a young age.But believe you me there are some wonderful players on view and all are a great credit to the Club.
From what I can see they are all from long established GAA families and are well integrated into the ethos of our Club.
They won by 9 scores to 5 scores
After they went back to the Clubhouse in Dunderry and were given a standing ovation by the Intermediate Hurlers who were also victorious.
Good enening for Dunderry.
It escapes me how it was not possible to have both games in the same venue.I would like to have seen both matches as would all the players involved I am sure.
As a matter iof interest Mags team also won.
On a personal level I would like to compliment the mentors and families for producing such a well mannered ,respectful competitive and skillful bunch of children for our Club.From the four corners of the Parish Ye should be proud.
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