C.L.G. Áth an tSléibhe
by Damien Ahern
2003 County Final Charity Replay
Teams lining out on Saturday for the repeat of the County Final between Athea and Drom/Broadford
A huge crowd descended on Athea on Saturday last for the eagerly awaited 2003 County Senior Final replay in aid of Carol Liston O Connor and Family. The stewards were in place from 3pm, helping to guide traffic, while a shuttle bus was also in operation from outside the hall, kindly sponsored by Mullane Bus Hire. Attendees were greeted with a sea of flags (erected by Stelcon) in both team colours, a car on loan from Horgan Garage and ‘pimped’ by Danny Scanlon Paints Abbeyfeale, together with a balloon arch at the entrance which was presented by Lisa O Sullivan & Theresa O Connor from The Balloon Attic. A marquee which was provided FOC from Niall King Partytime hosted some face painting for children, while refreshments were also on sale inside. MC Timmy O’ Donoghue did a fantastic job introducing the game and helping to build up the atmosphere to the 5pm throw in. Declan O’ Carroll was also one of the first to arrive to set up music and a sound system for our use throughout the day. Padraig Mc Gillicuddy from the Ballygarry House Hotel ensured our Referee (Conor Lane, Cork) and Cup Bearers Ellie Mai and Molly O’ Connor arrived in style to the field in a helicopter. The Cups for the day were kindly sponsored by All Star Logistics, and were decorated in the team colours by Hannah Mai Collins. The teams, together with the U10 Athea/ Dromcollogher teams then lined out for the march lead by piper Terry Brosnan from Mountcollins. Following Amhrán na bhFiann which was sung by a young girl from Broadford who was being delivered into the world during the 2003 Final, the replay was underway! At Half time the score was 0.04 to 0.03 in favour of Drom Broadford. All in attendance were treated to refreshments at the Club House at half time, which were generously donated by local businesses – Paul Collins Shop, Kearney’s Bakery, Sysco Ireland, Coca-Cola, Jacqueline & Sarah O’ Connor, Mark Reidy Distributions Ltd, Mike Hayes Construction, together with numerous other generous local bakers. Children also had a chance to take a photo with Mickey and Minnie Mouse who made a special appearance on the day organised by Bríd Hunt & Fionn Histon. The Athea Craft Group sold headbands in the Maroon and White of Athea which were purchased widely throughout the evening. The second half was then underway, and it was a very close encounter throughout! Finally it ended in a draw, – 1.06 a side, with Patrick Ahern taking home the Man of the Match award which was presented by Carol. Lizzie Murphy captured some special moments on her camera from the day, and the match was also filmed by Liston Video Services Newcastle West. Players and officials were treated to some post match refreshments provided by Eamon at Brown Joes. Thanks to Deirdre Mullane and team from the Irish Red Cross who were present during the match to help treat any injuries. Following the match, there was a festival vibe in the village as the crowd gathered in the local establishments. The final event of the day was an Auction at Brown Joes which was managed by Auctioneers Timmy O Donoghue, John Sheehan and Liam Galvin. Overall the day was a huge success, with €8510 raised at the Match, and a further €2685 raised at the Auction that evening. A huge word of thanks to everyone who helped out to make the day such a success story. A special word of thanks to the younger members of our Club who were eager and anxious to help out with the stewarding, face painting, dressing up etc, who added hugely to the excitement and energy present on the day. Finally, thanks to the players who came out of retirement on the day, and thankfully escaped without serious injury.
County Teams
Hard luck to Geraldine Carmody who lined out in goals for Limerick last weekend in the Sharon O Keeffe Munster B Final against Tipperary.
All Ireland Final
Congratulations to Jonathan Fitzgerald., Coole East who played midfield for the Regeneron football team who won the All Ireland intermediate inter firm championship last week against a team from Sligo.
Upcoming Men Fixtures
U17 Boys
The Shannon Gaels Athea team are playing Croom this Wednesday at 7pm in Round 2 of the County League.
U14 Boys
The U14 Boys are playing Drom/Broadford in Athea at 6.30 on this Thursday April 18th.
West Limerick League
Our adult men are playing Granagh/Ballingarry on this Saturday evening April 20th in round 4 of the league at a time to be confirmed.
2024 Membership
Membership is a vital part of ensuring our club’s continued success and development. Whether you are a player, coach, supporter, track user, parent of a player or member of the wider community, we welcome all new members.
The monies received are used towards: maintenance and development of facilities, playing equipment, affiliation fees, insurance, utility bills, team preparation and other administrative costs.
Please note – All players, coaches, mentors and committee members need to be registered before participating in training/matches for the upcoming year. Players must be covered by the Player Injury Sport fund, in the event of any injuries whilst representing the club. Guardians must ensure that all Youth players are registered.
Membership can be paid by following the link below, or by logging on to Club Force and Searching for ‘Athea GAA’. Tickets for the Club Draw are also on sale.
https://member.clubforce.com/memberships_cart_m.asp…
Split the Bucket
Congratulations to Norah Sheehan who was last week’s winner of Split the Bucket, going home with the grand total of €319. The next draw will take place on Monday April 22nd. Proceeds from this Draw will go towards the Carol Liston O’ Connor & Family Fund. Envelopes can be purchased at Dick Whites, Collins Shop, O’ Riordan’s Pharmacy, Athea Credit Union, Brown Joes, Batts,Bingo at Con Colbert Hall on Friday nights, Chinese Takeaway, Gables Grill and during events at Pairc na nGael. Thanks to everyone for your continued support.
Clothes Collection
Our next clothes collection will be Monday 13th May. Start that spring clear early. Do not discard any clothing material in household waste. Drop them up to the field. Funds generated from this collection goes to buying new equipment for the season ahead.
Athea Community Games
Church Gate Collection
Athea Community Games Church Gate Collection will take place on Saturday May 4th. Your support would be very much appreciated.
Annual Sports Day
The Athea Community Games Annual Sports Day will take place on Sunday May 12th from 2 – 4pm, weather permitting.