Clontibret Camogie News

The excitement is certainly palpable as our fifteen U-12 players, and their parents, prepare for their trip to Croke Park on Saturday for the ‘Camán to Croker’ development day. This is only the second year of this type of development event and it is a great honour to have our little players chosen to represent the county. The bus departs the community Centre at 7.30am and the girls are really looking forward to a long, exciting day of camogie on the ‘hallowed turf’ of Croke Park followed by a trip to the Croke Park Museum and lunch. We know they will have a great day and will represent the club with pride.

However club members will be action beforehand this coming Friday night in Blackhill Centre when our top 5 quiz teams, who qualified from our club quiz in February, take part in the County Board Quiz Final. With a first prize of €300 it is worth doing some swatting for! Proceedings get underway at 8.30 sharp and refreshments will be served. Good luck to our representatives!

Competitions get underway in earnest this coming week when our seniors play Truagh  (away) in the Monaghan League at 7.15 sharp on Monday evening and then meet Castleblayney, in Clontibret, on Wednesday evening. On Tuesday evening our U-16s get their first taste of competitive action when we host Aghagallen also at 7.15. Players/parents are asked to respond to texts re availability to ensure we have full panels for all matches.

The following week sees the seniors travel to Port Mór on Monday, the U-14s play Keady (away) on the Tuesday which clashes with our seniors playing Inniskeen the same evening. Negotiations are underway with the clubs concerned.

Congratulations to two of our very enthusiastic underage players – Eimear McKenna (U-16) and Emily Madden (U-14) who won county swimming titles recently. Also to Shauna McElvaney who has taken up a new position with a company in Ashbourne.

The Easter holiday period was an opportunity to catch up with some of our members domiciled abroad. On Sunday morning, much to the delight of the seniors, Helen arrived to training looking fit and well – playing both camogie and football this year with Fr Murphy’s Club in Reading, England. However, despite the time difference, Michaela had already extended greetings from New Zealand at an earlier hour! Now that she has hurls and sliotars Michaela is looking for a few ‘victims’ to join her for the odd puck around. Perhaps a new club could be about to take root ‘Down Under’? Not sitting back on her laurels either is Angela who is already arranging to bring her London-based club to Dublin for the ‘Camogie Gathering 2013’ from July 25^th to 27^th. Hopefully it will be possible for our club to become involved in some way with her plans – perhaps as hosts?

Senior/ U-16 training takes place on Wednesday evening, unless a match is scheduled, and either Friday or Sunday, this week. Our U-14 panel will have no training this Saturday due to the numbers attending Croke Park. Over 13s are welcome to attend trainings with the U-16s for this week only to compensate.

Many thanks to Shauna McElvaney, Marie, Karen Kieran, Shauna Finnegan and Nicola Morgan all of whom attended the Board meeting on our behalf on Tuesday evening last.