Our U8 and U9 hurlers finished up their season on the field last night in O' Garney Park, under lights with an Internal Intercounty themed blitz. There was no letting the foot off the pedal for the final night with the lads playing 5 x 10 minute games as well as a good warmup beforehand, so a good 50 minutes of hurling, displaying the skills they have been coached and that they have developed over the course of the year.
Some celebrity bainisteoirs were drafted in for the night to head up the intercounty teams. Unfortunately the pressure got to Junior B winner and current U21 player, Oisin Breen and he was unable to get to the field, citing that he was sick to the stomach as he was a bag of nerves trying to decide on tactics. Dara Casey, All Ireland winner with Ard Scoil and Junior B winner, did make it to the field and started with his Tipperary team, but again, unable for the pressure had to depart once the ball was thrown in! The other managers coped a bit better with the pressure, David Kennedy, Seamus O' Connell, Gary O' Callaghan, Fionn Hayes and Dylan Downes all led their teams admirably, standing in goals and setting up attacks and pulling off the odd unreal save against the 8 and 9 year olds (Fionn Hayes gets special mention here!)
A healthy crowd of parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters and friends turned up to see the young hurlers perform across the 3 pitches. The players at he end gave a big thanks to their parents for bringing them each week to training.
A special mention to 2 U7s that lined out last night to make up numbers, Alex Keane and Padraic Keogh, both performing really well.
Well done to all the players for all their hard work over the course of the season to date. There was some excellent skills on display and indeed each team had a designated statistician tracking some of the more important stats from a teamwork and work rate perspective and it was great to see some real progress in this area. The players were presented with their medals at the end and got their picture taken with the Junior B and Junior C cups.
Match Statistics for the games:
Limerick
Team - Conor Murphy, Dan Reidy, Ewan Morey, Finn O Sullivan, Jack Murphy , Joshua Keane, Sean Ahern
Management - Bainisteoir: Fionn Hayes, Coaches - Tommy Morey, Tony Ahern, Conor Murphy
Stats
High Catches - 2
Hooks - 0
Blocks - 27
Killer Passes - 10
Teamwork Moves - 23
Waterford
Team - Benjamin Donnelly, Cathal Pearl, Josh Loxton, Liam Kearney, Paddy Morey, Rhys Tuohy, Senan Chaplin
Management - Bainisteoir: Gary O' Callaghan, Coaches - Ian Chaplin, Peter Kearney, Jim Corbett
Stats
High Catches - 0
Hooks - 1
Blocks - 16
Killer Passes - 23
Teamwork Moves - 30
Tipperary
Team - Alex Fitzgerald, Conor Casey, Donagh Murphy, Evan Flannery, Fionn O Brien, Jack O Meara, Joe Madden
Management - Bainisteoir: Dara Casey, Coaches - David O' Meara, Tom Murphy
Stats
High Catches - 2
Hooks - 8
Blocks - 24
Killer Passes - 7
Teamwork Moves - 16
Kerry
Team - Ben O Flaherty, Finn Benedict Twomey, James Fitzpatrick, Matthieu Purcell, Oisin Collins, Sean Reddin, Iarlaith Nagle
Management - Bainisteoir: Seamus O' Connell, Coaches - John Reddin, Stiofan Fitzpatrick
Stats
High Catches - 1
Hooks - 1
Blocks - 15
Killer Passes - 17
Teamwork Moves - 25
Cork
Team - Aedan Colville, Jack Downes, James Rafferty, Jamie Drake, Loughlin Downes, Thomas Healy, Will Slattery
Management - Bainisteoir: Dylan Downes, Coaches - Jonathan Downes, Mike Slattery
Stats
High Catches - 2
Hooks - 3
Blocks - 17
Killer Passes - 12
Teamwork Moves - 17
Kilkenny
Team - Aaron Fitzpatrick, Alex Keane, Daniel Spaight, Jake McCarthy, Padraic Keogh, Riain McGowan, Shane Fitzpatrick
Management - Bainisteoir: David Kennedy, Coaches - Paul Fitzpatrick, Jim Spaight
Stats
High Catches - 1
Hooks - 2
Blocks - 19
Killer Passes - 12
Teamwork Moves - 18
Once the Arena is opened soon, there will be the opportunity to start winter training and respective managers will be in touch with any plans for same.
