Crokes on Tour another resounding success!
PHOTOS of the day
Report
9.00 am on Sunday 1st April 2007 and Glenalbyn was humming. Five luxurious Kavanagh coaches and a multitude of cars ferried almost 200 children from the under 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 14 age groups, their mentors and parents to their respective Kilkenny destinations.
Glorious sunshine saw 13 teams take the field at seven different venues. Some great games followed with all our teams giving good accounts of themselves. At O’Loughlin Gaels splendid facility in Kilkenny city twenty three under 8’s divided into two teams played four well contested games. In Ballyragget two under 9 panels took the field while two more squads from the same age group played at Lisdowney and Conahy respectively.
James Stephens hosted two under 10 teams. The under 11’s played games against the local Emeralds and Galmoy in Urlingford. Dicksboro was the venue for two under 12 squads.
Everywhere we went the welcome and hospitality received was well beyond anything we could have expected. Several invitations were issued and received and we look forward to hosting our new friends at a future date and paying return visits to them.
Once we had been fed and watered at the various venues we all re-assembled at the O’Loughlin Gaels grounds (and our gratitude in particular to them for making their facilities so readily available to us) where the Crokes under 14’s faced up to the homesters.
We then proceeded to Nowlan Park, courtesy of Kilkenny County Board, for the National Hurling League game that saw Kilkenny register a four point win over Galway.
After the match the youngsters got to meet several of the players before moving on to the famous Langtons Hotel for a very fine meal and to be addressed by Kilkenny players, Eoin McCormack and Richie Power. Eoin’s advice was simple and straightforward – if you want to be the best you have to constantly practice.
Speaking on behalf of the Hurling Section, Crokes Hurling Chairman, Tom Barry thanked all those who made the event possible in particular the players themselves, their mentors and their parents. He especially thanked tour organiser Denis Gorey, Hurling Section Marketing Officer, and his dedicated team without whose efforts the day would not have been possible. He reminded the audience of the strides that had been made to progress hurling in the club and appealed for support for the Hurling Section’s main fundraiser the forthcoming Corporate Race Day in Punchestown on 24th April next (see HERE for more information). For the past three years this proved an outstanding social and financial success and, as his listeners would have seen, a significant most of the proceeds were used to build the new Hurling Arena in Glenalbyn which is now near completion. He also said that as a club if we are to up our hurling standards we have no choice to get on the road more and hone our skills against teams from Kilkenny and their likes.
Once the formalities had finished it was time to up sticks and think about home. By 7.00 we had boarded the coaches and reached our Glenalbyn base shortly after 9.00pm tired but exhilarated after what everyone agreed was a wonderful and uplifting day. Thoughts now turn to putting the lessons learned to good use and making the most of the long days and what will hopefully be a Summer of true hurling weather with the firm sod and the sliothar flying.
For some images of the day click HERE
Results
O’Loughlins
Under 8 Won 1, Lost 1, Drew 2 (23 players)
Under 14 Kilmacud Crokes 3-10 –v- O’Loughlin Gaels 2-2 (20 players)
Ballyragget (37 players including those at Lisdowney and Conahy)
Under 9 Played 2
Lisdowney
Under 9 Kilmacud Crokes 5-4 –v- Lisdowney 2-3
Conahy
Under 9 Played 1
James Stephens (34 players)
Under 10 Kilmacud Crokes 1-8 –v- James Stephens 3-1
Kilmacud Crokes 6-3 –v- James Stephens 3-2
Urlingford (32 players)
Under 11 Kilmacud Crokes 7-3 –v- Emeralds 5-3
Kilmacud Crokes 3-2 –v- Galmoy 6-4
Dicksboro (30 players)
Under 12 Played 2. Lost 2
Some Images