WCEC Teachers’ Course
Next week, starting Monday July 4th, a GAA summer course for teachers, will be held at the West Cork Education Centre (Dunmanway). The 20 hour course, running over five days, is registered as an official Department of Education summer course (eligible for course days) and incorporates the Foundation level coaching course also. Places are still available. Contact WCEC for further details wcecentre@eircom.net
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Foundation Level Coaching Course
On this Saturday, July 2nd, a one-day Foundation level coaching course will take place at Rossmore. The course is specifically aimed at Vhi Cul camp coaches who must gain the relevant qualification before the beginning of camps on the following week. However all coaches are welcome. Contact kevin.odonovan.gda.cork@gaa.ie to register.
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School Blitzes
On Tuesday, June 21st last, the pupils and teachers Dreeny NS, Caheragh NS and Dromore NS assembled at Tadhg MacCarthaigh GAA Grounds, in Caheragh for an end-of year coaching blitz. Over the previous six weeks the schools had participated in a Fundamentals coaching programme in both football and hurling with the local GDA. On this occasion 130 pupils from Junior Infants to 6th class lined out for a football blitz.
Two groups of four teams were chosen, with separate blitzes running for 1st to 3rd and 4th to 6th, respectively. Meanwhile a ‘no-holes-barred’ game was organised for mixed teams of Junior and Senior Infants. Many thanks to the teachers and club personnel for their help on the day, as well as TY student Alison Dullea from Ahiohill. Finally, the support of Cork Sports Partnership in running this programme is gratefully acknowledged.
A further schools blitz took place on Wednesday, June 15th of this month in St. Colum's GAA Grounds in Kealkil, involving five local schools, namely, Coomhola N.S. Kealkill N.S, Cappabue, Dromclough and Derrycreha, All of these schools have previously undergone a hugely successful 4 month schools training programme under St. Colum's coach and UL student Jason Wycherley.
160 children from 2nd to 6th class participated. Boys and girls of 2nd & 3rd classes were mixed into ten teams, 4th to 6th girls into five teams and 4th to 6th boys into 5 teams. The format was run on a league basis and each team was allocated a county name. On the following Friday, Cork senior footballer Alan O' Connor and club player Wesley O' Connor called to the five schools and presented each child with a certificate for having participated in the St. Colum's schools training programme. Many thanks to club coordinator Tom Farley of Coomhola NS, for overseeing the coaching programme and the end-of-year blitz.
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‘Cork West’ U15s
On Saturday last, June 25th, 26 players from this squad assembled in CIT for a challenge game versus a Cork U16 selection. Three 20 min periods were played with all players participating. Players who impressed on the day were Cian O’Donovan, John Poland, Damien O’Gorman, Murt Kennelly and Mike Dineen. A high intensity game was won by the U15 squad on a score-line of 6-9 to 4-7 in what proved to be a very good work for both teams. Dr Paul O’Keeffe then hosted a talk on nutrition with the squad with particular emphasis on pre and post-match refuelling. This squad will reassemble in CIT on this Thursday, June 30th for a challenge match versus a ‘Cork East’ U15 selection and on Saturday, July 9th in Rossmore, where they will be joined by their counterparts on the Carbery-Beara divisional squads.
Meanwhile, large numbers of Carbery and Beara players are also involved with Cork U14 footballers (3 teams) and Cork U16 footballers (2 teams), as all three age groups prepare for inter-county tournaments on Saturday, July 16th. Further details on these squads will follow next week.
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Beara ‘Play & Stay Blitz’
On last Saturday, June 25th the U8 footballers of Urhan, Garnish, Glengarriff, Castletownbere, Adrigole and Tuosist took to the field at Eyeries for a blitz, with up 50 players playing simultaneously. Despite the weather, there was honest endeavour throughout and the same players will reconvene at Glengarriff on Saturday, June 9th, with a further blitz to follow in Cahermore at a later date. Many thanks to Terence O’Shea for coordinating the dates and to the Urhan club for the impressive layout of pitches on the day.
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All Ireland Feile Peil na nOg
The All Ireland U14 Feile na nGael arrives in West Cork later this week and best wishes go to the teams involved: Clonakilty (Division 1); Bantry, Castlehaven, Sam Maguires, St. Brogans (Division 2); Kilmeen, Clann na nGael, Ahan Gaels (Division 3); Glengarriff, Kilmacabea (Division 6).
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Munster GAA Child Coaching Programme
A coaching meeting was held at Bantry Blues GAA Club on Monday night in the first of a series of meetings with a number of West Cork clubs. The programme entails both meetings and coaching sessions, during which a club reviews and develops a coaching and games programme for 6-12 year olds. The three main issues which emerged on the night were schools coaching programmes, club coaching plans and the recruitment of coaches.
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U12 & U8 details
Further to last week’s bulletin, all clubs are reminded to forward playing numbers for the upcoming U12 leagues to Eddie Moloney before the end of the week. Having sought clarification from the county games manager, we are informed that the proposed leagues are not in contravention of general rule. Meanwhile, a query to Croke Park has confirmed that no permission has been given to any counties to organise any U12 games for teams of greater than the 11-aside specified in general rule.
Meanwhile, a number of clubs have returned contact details for U8 coaches and this list will be circulated next week. If you wish to play games at this level, please submit details before the end of the week.
