This back to basics team that is at the vanguard of the Juvenile Football revival in Dundeerry met on 45 occasions either training or playing games this year.The mentors Sean Kelly,John Brady and Eoin O Leary have a simple philosophy,availability first and foremost.Players must be in attendance at training as a prerequisite to being selected for a place come match day.They apply discipline in accordance with club policy.Kind but firm as you would expect from three men who know what being a member of a proud club is all about.Men who played at a high level and who know that success comes from 90 % perspiration and 10 % inspiration.
Men who select the team on merit without pandering to the sulking of so called star players devoid of any vestige of Club pride.
Things had drifted here,believe me.That aberration has now been rectified thank God.
That 31 players turned out for most matches is proof ,if proof were needed that players respond favourably to firm discipline,clearly understood rules and an ethos that makes Dunderry GAA Club the club of first choice for these young teenagers.
Mostly they come from good GAA families and are steeped in the traditions of the GAA.
Aware that a lot of emigrants from Dunderry worldwide read this blog and that they may have emigrated before these kids were born I am putting the lineage of these kids,in so fsar as I know it, up so that the said emigrants will know who is who ,as it were.
The first 15 named are those who started the match on Thursday last in the Showgrounds in Navan.Such was the dominance and superior teamwork of the Dunderry lads that there is little point in going through the game blow by blow.
Suffice it to say that there were no bad players on our team .only good ones and (marginally ) better ones.Probably the guys down the centre were marginally better than the rest but it is a close call.
1.Sean Brennan ,son of Barry and grandson of All Ireland winner Tony .Tony was a selector for Meath also and transferred here during the Chairmanship of my Nile Tommy Mc Cormack.Tony managed Dunderry to their sole Senior championship win.
2Jack Feeney.Son of Tommy and grandson of Tom from Meadstown.Mother a Kennedy from Trim claims all the GAA genes.Tommy disputes this claim.
3.Ronan Brady .Son of John and grandson of Seamus.Third generation to play for the Club.His mother a Crocock from Dunsany claims good GAA genes too.
4.Michael Garry.Son of the "bear " and mother is a daughter of the late Korea Mac Donagh,Steeped in Dunderry Gaeldom for aeons.
5.Donagh O Leary..Son of Eoin and camogie player Freda..Lengthy and pure GAA genes both sides.
6.Cian Egerton.New family to Dunderry.Dad is on Juvenile committee.A player of immense potential.
7.Jimmy Smith .Son of Jimmy and grandson of Eugene from the Yellow Walls.THE definitive Dunderry family.
8.Shane Heffernan (Captain ).Son of Kevin a Limerick native and a GAA man to his fingertips and most importantly a fierce Dunderry man now.
9..Colm Flynn.Team's Mister Fixit.Has the vision to solve any problems presented by the opposition.
10.Paul Maxwell.Son of Sean and grandson of John Joe ,one of those who launched John Brady ,Sean Kelly and a host of other juvenile footballers on their footballing careers.
11.Dermot Kelly.Son of Sean and grandson of Sean senior .The third generation of his clan to grace the sporting fields of Dunderry.The Cup for Club man of the year is called after his granduncle Paddy (Hanny ).I have the great honour of winning it twice.
12.Cor mac Brady.Son of fellow Dub. Paidi,another fanatical GAA head ,once also a member of St.Brigids ,Blanchardstown.
13.Alex O Connor.Scores goals for fun."The goal machine"
14.Diarmuid O Corrain.Son of Colm from Lambay.This guy has it all .Can play equally well anywhere and a fluent Irish speaker.
15.Adam Kelly.Marty's son from Meadstown,Another third generation man of impeccable pedigree.
16.Ciaran Clarke.Son of the late Jimmy from Dunderry.Has opted for Meath not Cork,thank God.Dinny deceased is doing cartwheels in Heaven.( in between gathering sliotars surreptitiously for me for the juvenile hurlers ),Hats off to Ciaran's mother.
17.Luke Hill. Son of Bessie.
18.Brian Fay.His mother Lorraine Thornton was a good camogie player.If he has her bottle he will go far.
19.Conor Leavy.Son of Tommy (Timber ) Leavy the leading light in underage hurling in the Club.His grand dad Paddy Kavanagh is the only Dunderry man to referee a Senior Football All Ireland.His great grand dad on his mothers side Mick Lawless lived at Lawless Cross and thought nothing of cycling to Dublin and back each weekend.his wife Dolly used cycle with him.Great friends of my people.
20.Ciaran Brady.Another son of John's and a fine footballer and a fine fellow to boot,A first class Mass server.
21.Neil O Leary.Another son of Eoin and Frieda ,Has scored some spectacular goals ,I am told.
22.Andrew Bell.Another very welcome Dublin refugee .Father Niall was a Tower of strength with Clondalkin.
23.Dean Rahill.Son of Donal from Connells Cross.
24.Jade Callaghan.Son of Dominic and grandson of Henry and Carmel from Tullaghanstown.On his mother's side he is a Connor from Robinstown.Grandfather Jackie was a good footballer in his day and aunt Jackie was a savage Camogie player for Dunderry and Trim.Great friends and top class people.
25.Daragh O Leary.His father Mick was a stalwart Trim footballer and broke our hearts many's the time.
26.Gavin Larkin.Son of Pat Larkin .Missed final because of school attendance.
27/Kevin Cooke.From Black Road is a son of farmer par excellence Gerry.
28.Cormack Heffernan.Another excellent son of Kevin from Limerick.
29.Lee Walsh.From Decent Dublin parents this member of a sporting mad GAA family has huge talent.Brother Alex will see to his continuing sporting development under ever present and encouraging parents.
30.Eoin Wilson,Another Dub.in exile Father Keith a long time club suppporter.
31.Jack Nolan.Mother Eunice O Brien swung the caman wuth menace in her day,A member of the Newman clan and a favourite of rthe Drudge.
The team co ordinator was Orla Brady and Thomas Doherty manned the gap for training when Sean was with Meath and the other mentors unavailable.
This is the second cup won by r this team this year and I am informed that the players had great respect for the mentors .
The parents of the players were there in numbers a;; year round to lend their support.
Stephen O Rourke.Adult football manager, is I hear, lending a helping hand also and keeping an eye out for emerging talent.More luck to him.
As I type this a hear that these guys have just won a hurling match above in the field .
Great all rounders.
As they say around here they are horrid nice fellas and have a few fatherly players.
Yes indeed ,back to basics.
7.
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