Waterford Ladies open with a narrow win

Waterford Ladies football team opened their LIDL league campaign with a hard earned one point victory over near neighbours Tipperary in Piltown on Sunday last. This was a new-look Waterford team with a large number of players missing from the All Ireland winning team. On a day when ground conditions were heavy, Tipperary, playing with a strong breeze opened the scoring in 20 seconds when midfielder Sheelagh Carew grabbed the ball from the throw-in and soloed the length of the field to record a fine point. Waterford were three points down after six minutes when Edel Hanley twice punished Deise indiscretions with frees. Waterford’s captain Sinead Ryan opened the Deise account on 8 minutes with a pointed free but this was cancelled out by an Edith Carroll point for Tipperary. Waterford got their second point of the game from Katie Murray, having been played through by Rebecca Casey.

Two good points from play by Tipp half forwards Niamh Lonergan and Eimear Myles stretched the lead to four, before Aileen Wall cut the deficit with a rasper of a shot which hit the cross bar and re-bounded over the bar. Points from Edel Hanley and Mairead Morrissey out the Premier County further in front and the Deise ladies were really rocked on their heels when full forward Mairead Morrissey struck for the first goal of the game in the 24^th minute to leave the score Tipperary 1-8 Waterford 0-4.Waterford had a mountain to climb at this stage but they showed great heart to claw back that goal with three unanswered points in the last five minutes of the half courtesy of Sinead Ryan, Aileen Wall and Emma Murray. Tipperary had the final say of the half with a 35 yard effort from Edel Hanley to leave the score at the break Tipperary 1-10 Waterford 0-7.

Waterford with the elements to their backs opened the second half with intent with four pointed frees in a row from Sinead Ryan, her sister Michelle Ryan got in on the act in the 17^th minute to leave the minimum between the teams. In the 20^th minute Linda Wall levelled matters and Waterford looked well set to push on for victory but Tipp were not to be out-done, a quick passing movement up the field tore the Waterford defence to shreds and Mairead Morrissey needed no second invitation to plant the ball in the net to leave a goal between the sides with 7 minutes remaining.Edel Hanley rubbed salt in the Waterford wounds with a point to extend the lead to five. But Waterford’s determination was to be seen and came to the forefront with a wonderful point from Caoimhe Mc Grath, a free from Sinead Ryan and a long range effort from Michelle Ryan leaving only one between the teams. As the game ticked into injury time Linda Wall kicked the equaliser and her sister Aileen put Waterford ahead for the first time in the game with a pointed effort. Tipperary were not finished yet but the Waterford defence showed great determination and self-control in not conceding a late free. Referee Cathy Forde blew the final whistle and the Deise girls garnered three league points by the slimmest of margins.

Manager Pat Sullivan was delighted with the result and the never say die attitude of the team. He felt that even though they were out played by Tipperary for most of the match they were still able to dig deep and get a result. Tipperary played very well, despite being short of a number of regulars and will no doubt have a big say in the destination of league and championship honours later in the year. Waterford move on to an away tie next weekend against Offaly who were narrowly beaten by Roscommon in their first round match.

Waterford lined out as follows: Katie Hannon, Rebecca Casey, Mairead Wall, Linda Wall (0-2), Hannah Power, Megan Dunford, Caoimhe McGrath (0-1), Liz Devine, Emma Murray(0-1),Katie Murray(0-1) Michelle Ryan(0-2), Grainne Kenneally, Sinead Ryan(0-8), Ciara Hurley, Aileen Wall(0-3). Subs introduced: Louise Ryan, Nicola Fennell, and Roisin Tobin

 

Other results in Division 3: Roscommon 3-10 Offaly 4-5, Wexford 1-7 Down 0-9, Leitrim v Fermanagh-postponed.

Caithriona McGlone first Camogie player to be at Park Hotel Supreme Sports Star Awards night

Congratulations to Caithriona McGlone who was nominated for the Park Hotel award for September last. Caithriona was nominated to represent the Waterford County Camogie team who captured the All Ireland Intermediate Camogie title in September. Lismore camogie club was very proud to have Caithriona as captain of the County team for this historical event. Caithriona represented her team with pride at a function held in the Park Hotel on Saturday night last and indeed was history in itself as she was the first camogie representative to be nominated for the Park Hotel award in the 25 years in its existence.. Even tho' Caithriona didn't win the overall award on the night the club is very proud to have her represent camogie at the awards,

 

Church Gate Collection

All in Lismore camogie club would like to thank all who so generously supported their church gate collection on Saturday night and Sunday morning last. Thanks to all who stood at the gates for the collection.

 

The Late Danny Bowe

It is with great sadness that we record the death of Danny Bowe of the former Ardkeen Camogie Club. Danny was a great friend to camogie in Waterford and was involved as mentor in the various County teams in which some of our older members would have been in contact with him. Ar Dheis Dé go raibh sé.

Seniors tough opening game in Lidl National Football League

Waterford senior ladies football team open their Division 3 league campaign with a testing tie against Tipperary on Sunday next 31^st January in St Molleran’s GAA grounds with a 2:00 throw –in. Both teams had contrasting fortunes last season with Waterford winning the All Ireland Intermediate series and reaching the League final. Tipperary on the other hand have been going through a transition stage for the past two years and results did not go their way. Under a new management set-up hopes are very high in the premier county to do well in the league and they should be in the running for the Intermediate title next September.

The Deise ladies have made a later than usual return to training following on their phenomenal success last year and there are a number of new faces being introduced into the panel by manager Pat Sullivan. Waterford this season will be captained by Sinead Ryan of the Ballymacarbry club and club loyalties will be put to one side as both counties feature a number of players from the famed Nire valley club.

This game will be close; Tipperary played their best football in the league when narrowly losing to Waterford in the corresponding fixture last season in Ardfinnan on a scoreline of Waterford 2-12 Tipperary 3-5. Throw In, in St Molleran’s Carrick Beg is at 2:00 with Cathy Forde in charge of proceedings.

 

Post Primary Success for Munster team

The Munster post primary team had a well deserved win in the Lidl Post Primary blitz on Saturday last. Playing in soft underfoot conditions Munster set about their task from the word go and in the round robin section of the competition recorded good wins firstly against Ulster by 1-6 to 0-2, then Connacht by 4-8 to 0-2 and finally they defeated Leinster by five points 2-2 to 0-5.These results qualified them for another tilt with Connacht and in a tense final came out on top by 8 points on a score-line 2-7 to 0-5.

Waterford had seven representatives on the panel: the Murray triplets Katie, Aoife and Emma from the Comeragh Rangers club, Chloe Fennell, Aisling Mullaney, Rebecca Casey from the Stradbally club and Megan Dunford from the Abbeyside club, with Emma Murray having the proud honour of captaining the side.Well done to all concerned.

 

Lidl announce major sponsorship for Ladies Football.

Croke Park was the venue on Thursday last for the official launch of the exciting new sports partnership launch between LGFA & Sponsors LIDL. A three year deal has been agreed between LIDL and the LGFA. This deal will see LIDL invest €1.5 million in year 1, 2016. LIDL General Manager J P Scally in his address expressed his delight at this development and looks forward to promoting Ladies Gaelic Football. LGFA President Marie Hickey welcomed LIDL onboard in what she said is the highest ever level of profiling for Ladies football. She thanked her team who had worked so hard to make this deal possible. Lidl will now sponsor the National Leagues, the Post Primary schools competitions and Gaelic for Mothers and Others.

Lismore Camogie hold its AGM

Lismore Camogie Club held their AGM for 2105 on Saturday night last in the Lismore GAA Club House. The following were the Officers elected;

Presidents; Helen Barry, Frances Whelan and Liam Kirby

Vice-President; Fr. Cullinan

Chairperson; Mary Russell

Vice-Chair; Joan Williams

Joint Secretaries; Marie Russell and Gráinne Kenneally

Joint Treasurers; Trish O'Keeffe and Joan Williams

PRO; Mary Russell

Registrar; Ciara Duffin

Child Welfare Officer; Amelda Landers

Schools Liasion Officer; Trish O'Keeffe

GAA Liasion Officer; Eddie Nugent

Delegates to County Board; A rotation from all committee members.

Committee; Jojo Tobin, Una Walsh, Breda Geoghegan, Pete Kiernan, Eilish McGlone, Declan Landers, Helen Barry, Shauna Prendergast, Nicola Morrissey and Jim Russell.

 

The Following were club trainers and mentors elected on the night;

Senior; Brendan Landers, Sinead Bennett and Jack Prendergast

Minor; No one elected

U16; Declan Landers

U14; Declan Landers, Amelda Landers and Jim Russell

U12; Jojo Tobin

U10; Ber O'Keeffe and Shauna Prendergast

U8; Emily Heneghan and Olivia Flynn

U6; Nicola Morrissey

 

The Following Registration payments for 2016 were agreed on the night;

Juvenile; €35

Student; €35

Adult; €45

Family of 2 Adults plus 2 or more juveniles/3rd level students in full time education €60

 

Annual Church Gate Collection;

The club will hold their annual church gate collection on Saturday night next January 23rd before the 6.15 Mass and on Sunday morning January 24th before the Ballysaggart 9.30 am Mass and Lismore 11Am Mass. Your support will be gratefully appreciated.

Trish Jackman ends a great 2015 by taking the WLRfm/Grandville GAA Award

2015 was a not a good year for Camogie in Waterford. It was a great year.

2015 will be remembered by those that follow the game within the county for a long time to come. It will be the year that the side under the guidance of Sean Fleming won a Division Two National League and All-Ireland Intermediate Championship double.

In both wins Waterford had a number of key players. Along the way on different days, different players emerged as the hero of the day.

One player however more than most stood out over the course of the year.

We all know of the commitments put in by the leading players on sides fighting it out to win the Liam McCarthy or Sam Maguire cups each year.

But what is often forgotten is that the same commitment and sometimes an even greater commitment is put in by players on other inter county teams.

And in 2015 the commitment of Waterford camogie star Trish Jackman went above and beyond the call of duty, a commitment that would be not be matched by many others.

The Gailltir Club player is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of the modern era.

Still in her early 20’s Trish is a player that seems to be around for ever and could well still have an number of years left playing at the top level.

She was part of the Waterford under 16 panel that won an All-Ireland ‘B’ Final back in 2003 beating Armagh in O’Moore Park in Portlaoise.

She was park of the Waterford team that contested three Junior All-Ireland Finals in a row between 2009 and 2011, winning the latter. She was part of the Waterford intermediate panel that reached All-Ireland semi final on each year between 2012 and 2014 and in 2015 was part of the All-Ireland and National League winning teams.

Trish’s commitment to the game does not lie just with these teams. She has helped WIT to numerous Ashbourne Cups in recent years and has also won seven All-Ireland Puc Fadas in a row and previous to this finished as runner up on more than one occasion.

When it comes to monthly awards within the GAA, the ladies are often forgotten about, but in 2015 in Waterford, those playing with the different Waterford teams made it very difficult for them to be overlooked when it came to the prestigious WLRfm/Grandville Hotel GAA awards.

Beth Carton was selected in May after she helped Waterford win the National League Final against Laois in Carlow. In August Trish Jackman was selected after winning her seventh All-Ireland Puc Fada title and also after helping Waterford fight back from being nine points down against Meath in the All-Ireland Semi Final at Nowlan Park to win by one and Aileen Wall was selected in September after she helped Waterford win the All-Ireland Intermediate Ladies Football Final against Kildare meaning Waterford will compete in the senior grade once more in 2016 for the first time since they were relegated at the end of 2008.

Last Saturday night at the Grandville Hotel in Waterford City the overall award for 2015 was presented and when former Kilkenny hurler DJ Carey announced that Trish Jackman was the overall winner, there was not many if any that could argue that she was a worthy winner.

The Gailltir club player is studying in the United Kingdom at the University in Lincoln and over the course of 2015 made 48 trips over and back across the Irish Sea to play and train with her colleagues on the Waterford panel, at times jumping into a car straight after a match or training session and heading for the airport to catch a flight back to her base.

All-Ireland, National League, Puc Fada and WLRfm/Grandville Hotel awards were not the only ones that the Gailltir player won this past 12 months, as she was one of three Waterford players to win Soaring Intermediate Stars (All-Stars) back in November making 2015 a remarkable year for Trish Jackman.

Any young person out there who wants to make it in their chosen sport be they be male or female could do worse that to model themselves on Trish Jackman and if they were to show the same commitment there is no reason why in the future why they cannot emulate what she has achieved not just in 2015 but in the last number of years.

Sporting history could be made in Waterford on Saturday week.

January in recent years has become the time of the year when monthly award winners come together and an overall award winner from each month is picked.

One of the biggest nights in the sporting calendar across the country is the Annual Park Hotel Sports Start of the Month award.

Now in its twenty fifth year the competition has grown from strength to strength with some of Waterford’s greatest sporting stars walking away with the overall gong in late January the year after they won a monthly award.

The list of winners is like a who’s who of sport.

The first winner for 1991 was the legendry cyclist Sean Kelly. Since then the likes of Waterford hurlers Tony Browne Paul Flynn, Ken McGrath and Dan Shanahan, show jumper Captain John Ledingham, boxer Neil Gough, jockey’s David Casey and Tom Queally, international soccer player John O’Shea, golfers Eddie Power Seamus Power and rally driver Craig Breen have been amongst the overall winners.

Thankfully down the years, the judges of the awards have recognised Waterford women that are involved in different sports.

Athlete Susan Smith was the first woman to win the overall award back in 1996 and since then Kate Veale and Niamh Briggs have also won the overall award.

And while the number of women to win the overall award, when it comes to the monthly awards down the years women and those working within women’s sports have faired much better.

The monthly award on 43 occasions in the competitions 25 year history has been won by those involved in Athletics and over half of these awards have gone to women.

Kelly Proper leads the way when it comes to athletics winning seven monthly awards. Not far behind her is Susan Smith with four monthly awards, while Kate Veale has won a monthly award on three occasions, Brid Golden and Niamh Whelan have won two monthly awards each while Mairead Murphy, Mairead Deavy, Megan Kiely and Jessie Barr have all won a monthly award once each.

Ladies Football has had nine monthly awards. Former manager of the Waterford senior ladies football team Michael Ryan has won the award on three occasions while there was one monthly award each for Michael’s sister Bernie as well as Áine Wall, Marie Crotty, Caithriona Casey and Mary O’Rourke who were part of the all conquering Waterford team of the 90’s while Linda Wall who captained the county to All-Ireland Intermediate Glory in 2015 have one award won each.

Basketball has also done well with Gillian Hayes winning three monthly awards, Caithriona White had two monthly awards and there is one each for Christina Kiely, Orla Dempsey, Mary and Kim Fitzpatrick, Michelle Aspel and current Wildcats player Sinead Deegan.

In Swimming Shauna O’Brien has won five monthly awards and Rebecca O’Meara has one. In ladies Rugby Niamh Briggs has won five monthly awards, in soccer Ciara Grant who played over 100 times for the Republic of Ireland and who won many honours with an all conquering Arsenal Ladies side have won three monthly awards, while there has also been awards for Suzzane O’Brien in Golf, Colm Bonner, Padraig Fanning and Caithriona McGlone in Camogie, Lynne McEnery in boxing, Róisín Foley in Hockey, Susan McGill for the Special Olympics and Niamh Coffey in Racquetball, all with one monthly award each.

Of the monthly award winners in 2015 four of the monthly awards have gone to women including three of the last four months.

Irish international rugby player Niamh Briggs was the winner in March. The Abbeyside woman put in a number of outstanding performances as captain of the side in 2015 including in the record 73-3 win over Scotland in Cumbernauld to win the Triple Crown and also in the 20-0 win over Wales earlier in the competition.

September was a magnificent month for Women’s sports in Waterford as the county captured All-Ireland Glory at Croke Park in Camogie and in Ladies Football both against Kildare at Croke Park.

To choose one code over the other would have been a difficult task for the judges as the September winner so it was no great surprise to see both codes selected with respective captains Caithriona McGlone in Camogie and Linda Wall in Ladies Football picked as joint winners.

In October Kilmeaden’s Shauna O’Brien was selected as the monthly winner after she impressed while swimming for UCD at the Manchester International Swim breaking Irish records three times at the meet in the 50 and 100 metre fly and the 50 metre butterfly.

In December the award was won by Sinead Deegan of the Maxol WIT Wildcats who put together a string of fine results to reach the semi finals of the National Cup in which they lost out to UL Huskies recently.

Other monthly awards in 2015 were Waterford footballer Thomas O’Gorman in January after he captained the Waterford team to win a first McGrath Cup in 34 years.

John Kiely was the February winner after he trained Carlingford Lough to win the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown.

The April award was shared by Thomas Barr and Daryl Murphy. Thomas Barr was picked after he was voted the European Athlete of the Month after winning the 400 metre hurdles event in America which won him a place to compete at the world championships in Beijing while Daryl Murphy had another impressive month in the colours of Ipswich Town in a season in which he scored 27 goals.

In May Kevin Moran was the winner after he captained Waterford to win the National Hurling League, Craig Breen was the winner in June after he won the ERC Rally in Portugal, Thomas Barr was again the winner in July when he won a gold medal at the World University Championships, Gary Hurley was the winner in August after he won a place on the Walker Cup team and in November Henry De Bromhead was the winner after five of his horses finished in the winners enclosure.

So who will be this year’s winner and how will history be made.

Any of the winners would be a worthy winner. The fact that something appears here suggests that in my view once of the women that won the monthly awards will be the overall winner, but which one of them will it be.

Looking at the five winners (four months, one of which was a shared award), any of them would be a worthy winner but it might be hard for the judges to look past Irish rugby captain Niamh Briggs for the award this year, which would mean that she would join Tom Queally as the only person to win the award three times and the first to win the award three times in a row.

Lismore Camogie Club AGM

The AGM of Lismore Camogie Club will take place on Saturday next January 16th at 7pm (after 6.15 Mass) in the GAA Club House. All members and friends of Lismore camogie club are invited to attend.

Condolences

All in Lismore Camogie Club would like to extend their condolences to the family of the late Sheamus Walsh of Ballysaggart. Ar Dheis Dé go raibh sé

A Review of Lismore Camogie 2015

Lismore Senior Camogie Team

Lismore were through to the All Ireland Intermediate club final foe a second year in a row after a thrilling 1-14 to 1-12 win over Oranmore Maree of Galway on Sunday  February 1st.

Lismore lose out agonisingly to Piltown in All Ireland Final in Croke Park on March 1st Lismore 1-09 Piltown 1-10

The Premium Butchers Senior League)

Lismore 1-10   Cappoquin 0-09

Lismore and Cappoquin served up a very entertaining game in local Derby as both sides played in Tallow GAA Field on Saturday  May 16th in The Premium Butcher Senior League final. Lismore who were all out to recapture The Denny Buckley Cup after a years absence as St. Annes had claimed it from them in 2014.

Lismore Camogie welcomed on board Michael O Leary of the Red House Lismore their new sponsor for the Lismore senior Camogie team. The club had their official presentation of the new jersey sporting "The Red House" on Sunday evening  August 23rd. 

The Senior Camogie Team won the Non County Palyer League as they topped the table having won all games in the League.

Lismore do three in a row; Lismore  0-15  St. Annes 1-07 Sunday October 3rd 2015 was County Final Day for the clubs Senior Camogie Team and they were going for a three in a row of County Finals against arch rivals St. Anne's. This game was played in Fraher field Dungarvan in perfect weather conditions for a good game of camogie and indeed both teams served up a very entertaining game for all who attended.

It was not to be for Lismore in the Munster Intermediate Club  Final 2015 which was played in the Mallow GAA Complex on Saturday  November 28th. Lismore who were going for their three in a row of Munster Finals came up against a young and very determined Cahir side who stamped their authority from the start and subsequently out ran Lismore on a scoreline of Lismore 0-08 Cahir 2-10.

Junior and U 16 Teams

The club also fielded a Junior and U16 team, both who were not successful in 2015.

Lismore U14

Congratulations to the U14 camogie team who took part in the Co. Féile Qualifiers on Saturday  April 25th. The girls took on De La Salle in the first semi-final of the day and indeed great determination and defending was displayed by the girls and some great improvement in their skill since they played them in the first round of the Championship. Final score De La Salle 4-1 Lismore 1-0. The girls were knocked out of the Féile competition but qualified for the Féile Plate final which was against Butlerstown. The girls played even better in this match and kept Butlerstown scoreless winning on a scoreline of 2-0 to 0-0.

Well done to Faye Curley and Kelly Ryan who took 3rd and 4th respectively in the U16 long puck  in Tramore race course. 

Well done to Izabela Markiwich and Ciara Meagher who represented the club in the Feile skills competition in Abbeyside , both girls came in joint 3rd .

U8, U10 and U12

The Clubs U8, U10 and U12's took part in the varous Blitzes organised for them in the 2015 season and great enjoyment was had by the children and their mentors as improvement could be seen in every game that they played.

Following the Blitzes the clubs U12's took part in the U12 League held in June. The U12 league was completed and the following were the teams that Lismore played; Dungarvan, Portlaw, Abbeyside, Tramore and De La Salle. The girls had victories over Dungarvan and Portlaw and were defeated by Abbeyside, Tramore and De La Salle.

U13 League

The clubs U13 team fielded in September and played well in this competition and were narrowly beaten in the semi final stage of his compettion by Gall Tir who went on to win the County Final on a comprehensive score.

Inter-County Success

The Club was very proud to have girls involved on the victorious County Teams

Caithriona McGlone (Captain), Nicola Morrissey and Shona Curran were members of the victorious Waterford Team who captured the Intermediate All Ireland title in Croke Park in September.

Caithriona McGlone and Nicola Morrissey were members of the Waterford team who won the All Ireland Intermediate League Title in May.

Faye Curley was a member of the Waterford U16 Team who won the U16B title while her father Philly Curley was a mentor.

Club Fundraisers

The club held various fundraising initiatives such as 45 Card Drive, Clothes collection, Church gate collection Bag Pack and Guess The Score all which was very well supported by the Community of Lismore and surrounding areas, which the club are very grateful for to help in the running costs of the club. Thanks to all our sponsors who helped immensley with the costs of the All Ireland Final last year.